Timothy - 78. Chapter 78

We walked to our car and headed to the hospital. When we arrived, Mom and Dad were in Ann Marie's room talking to her. We went and met with her doctor.

"Doctor, when do you think Ann Marie would be able to travel to my parent's home?"

"It will be a few months."

"Could you accompany her? I may need her testimony."

"Why don't we wait until you need her? Then I'll consider it. Your sister has made a remarkable improvement, and I need to think about taking her back to the town that has caused her so much grief."

"Okay, I'll let you know when the trial is held. Now Stephen and I need to see my sister."

Walking into her room, she smiled and came for a hug and a kiss on her cheek. "I was wondering when you were going to come and see me."

"We wouldn't miss not seeing you. According to your doctor, you are doing very well. Pretty soon, we will have to talk about your next step."

"Going home?"

"Or somewhere you would like to go."

"I'd like to see your home. Mom has told me a lot about it."

"I'll talk to your doctor and see if a home visit can be arranged."

Leaving the hospital, "I think a home visit would be a good idea. I'll talk to the doctor on Friday, and maybe a weekend at home might be possible."

We stopped at work, I checked in my office, picked up a few papers I would need, met Stephen at the car, and headed to Mom and Dad's.

"Did you put the empty bushels in the trunk?"

"Yes, Randy will be glad to have them back."

"And so will you."

"Only if they are full of vegetables."

"Have you contacted Rich?"

"I thought I'd contact him when we are at the farm."

Three hours in a car could be tiresome, but not when I'm riding with Stephen.

We stopped at the farm, and Aunt Clara had apple pie and coffee for us. I left the empty vegetable baskets and told her we would stop and see her before heading home.

Arriving home, Mom was in the kitchen, Dad was in the living room. "Dad, do you have the weekend papers?"

"Yes, but you probably won't like them. Saturday's on the table, and I'm reading Sunday's."

Stephen had picked up Saturday's paper, "Tim, call Rich." He showed me the headline, "Club burned, four dead."

I took the paper, Scanned the story, called Rich, and he was at the Court House. He said he would call me back.

Showing Dad the story, "Dad, isn't this the bar where you bought those fish sandwiches on Friday nights?"

"Yes, the owners were brothers, and their wives worked in the small kitchen behind the bar. When the owners retired, their sons took over."

"The police don't know how the place caught fire, but they think it is arson. Dad, this happened Friday night."

I looked at Stephen, "Do you think that this is a result of the DA's office turning down Tom's case?"

"I don't know, but it appears that Rich's column has stirred up something."

We needed to talk with Rich.

It was 5 when Rich called. "Tim, where are you?"

"I'm a Mom and Dad's. Come on over."

Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang. "Come in, Rich."

"I just came from the courthouse. Judge Howard had a meeting with the DA. I think the DA will review Tom's case. Evidently, the Judge chewed out the DA for not investigating Tom's complaint."

"How do you know this?"

"They gave us a briefing, and the DA will be holding a press conference tomorrow at one. The court reporter is a friend of mine, and he told me off the record, that the Judge told the DA he shouldn't have let it gone this far. I think the DA didn't know anything about Tom's case until he read the newspaper. Miss Wiess is on leave of absence, and the DA said she had a medical problem and needed time off.'

'What about that bar burning? Anything on it?"

"The police think it is arson. One of the brothers was asked if a gay person entered his bar would he serve them. The brother said if he had the money to pay for his drink, he would serve him. That caused a murmur, and the police think that what caused someone to burn the place."

"That is going to be a big problem. Any establishment that serves gay people will be closing or denying to serve the gay community. That will result in a lawsuit, which will hurt the town. Particularly now that some of the national papers have their eyes on what is happening here."

"That isn't all, and it seems Bruce still has friends here in town. He is aware of your lawsuit, and I suspect Tom's as well. The DA asked judge Howard if Tom's lawsuit is valid in his jurisdiction since Tom doesn't live here anymore."

"Doesn't Tom's parents still live here?"

"Yes, but Tom doesn't."

"How are Tom's parents handling the notoriety?"

"They won't talk to people or me. They shop at night, and I think one of the neighbors brings them groceries. Tom's parents knew he was gay and accepted it. Some of his friends said they thought he was gay since he didn't date any girls. The gay community has supported Tom and has made contact with his parents, offering help."

"I think I'll stop at the courthouse tomorrow and see Judge Howard."

"If you do, be careful. You are becoming famous among the gay community."

"How did anyone know I was the lawyer who is pursuing Tom's case."

"People talk. Like the receptionist at the DA's office the day you presented Tom's case."

"This will complicate Tom's case. If Bruce has friends here who keep him informed of what is happening, he will be looking at ways to find legal loopholes."

"Or taking a long vacation at some place in South America. "I'll bet he's checking all of the places that don't have an extradition treaty with the US."