(Gabriele’s journal – December 17, 1990) (Nick’s narrative – March 03, 2022) I kept my head turned as I listened. The story went on for what seemed like forever. Who was this crazy man sitting next to me? I was at turns in shock and in fear but always completely enraptured by a story that had so many parallels to my own. I had walked once in a place like where this man was now walking. I wept as openly…
(Gabriele’s journal – December 19 , 1990) (Nick’s narrative – March 10, 2022) Within minutes of this conversation, a guard called out my name and that of another guy from a docket sheet. I hadn’t seen this guy in the prior cells – incongruously dressed in business casual attire, unwrinkled, looking like he just walked out of a Gentleman’s Quarterly ad. Maybe they had special cells or expedited arraignment for white collar criminals. The guard opened the cell and we…
(Gabriele’s journal – December 3, 1990) (Nick’s narrative – March 17, 2022) We meet Gabriele and Mattie at the back of the courtroom and hug one another. Overjoyed, Richie grabs me by my shoulders, laughing, “Nick, I was pretty good as your mouthpiece, right?!” Yes, yes you were, Richie. The “petite” thief was free. But so was the Thief. And the Wolf. And the Lamb. All conditionally free now. All, with accompanying ghosts, seeking to complete their story. Richie, Mattie,…
(Gabriele’s journal – January 2, 1991) (Nick’s narrative – March 24, 2022) I take note that the pack of Winstons has a small gold eagle icon on it, the American Eagle being part of their current branding campaign. I take one cigarette out of the pack to share again with Gabriele and put the remainder with the Polaroid back into the mailbag. Eagle tobacco. My intensified study of Indian cultures in preparing to erect a tipi had shored up certain…
(Gabriele’s journal – March 13, 1991) (Nick’s narrative – March 31, 2022) I divined this about Frick and Frack from what Blade had told me. My mission would be to prove it true. I’d search for facts, proof. At the beginning, my motivation for this investigation stemmed more from casual curiosity than a recognition of the righteousness in Blade’s quest for justice. But as I slowly uncovered pieces of the truth, the pursuer became the pursued, and I moved toward my own frenzied reckoning,…