CHAPTER 28
On the day of his trial, William was driven through the streets he'd walked a thousand times before, but this time couldn't see through the walls of the van. He could only imagine the route, the lines of houses they were travelling on and the streets where city residents were going about their business.
The van moved slowly, accompanied by two patrol cars, but the residents weren't out on there like normal, only two or three pairs could be seen on a bridge. Holding the handrail was a small girl in a raincoat and beret. It was a cold April morning with an unpleasant and chilly wind blowing in from the ocean over an unusually empty sea front. Pedestrians wore white masks, looking like a scene from the Walking Dead. The little girl squinted at the sun, smiling at a woman who, squatting in front of her, tried to take a picture with an old Polaroid instant camera. The film cartridge was finished and, in her hands, she had a few pictures of her baby that she held with her gloves at their edges. The woman picked one carefully, put it in a clean, white envelope, then screwed the rest up and put them in a small backpack.
'Dee, are you done?' the girl asked cheerfully and took a lollipop from her pocket.
'Yes, I am. Now let's get far, far away from here.'
'Disneyland?' asked the little girl.
'Yes, of course. Just do what I say and never take anything without asking, especially in the shops, okay? I'll always buy whatever you want, you just have to ask. You have a great future ahead, so study hard and grow up strong and no one will ever hurt you.'
'Yes, Dee,' said the girl, obediently and hearing the rustling paper, anticipated the sweetness of the candy she was about to eat. Denise took out her phone and called a number, which was immediately answered.
'Hi, Jimmy! Can we meet? I have the perfect photo, so are you sure you can pass it on without a problem? What? My voice sounds funny? I've decided to go back in time. The sex-change had a bad effect on my skin and my mood, so I'm better as a woman. Okay, the taxi's here and I'm getting in. See you later.'
Half an hour later, the yellow taxi stopped on the corner of Seventh Street, near a small eatery. A woman went in and went up to the cashier behind the counter. They exchanged a few words, she took a coffee and threw some coins into the tip jar. The girl behind the counter smiled through her mask. This was the first customer she'd seen for quite a while.
A man approached the woman, they sat down and began to talk quietly at the far table.
'Where are you going to go?', he asked.
'No idea, but far away from here. Justice hurts, so I want to go and live where it doesn't.'
'Mexico, perhaps? You've never said.'
'I'm not going to say either. I feel much better now, that's the most important thing. Thanks for your help, Jimmy.'
'My pleasure. I couldn't let you go alone and thought I may be able to help you more than you realize. I was even hoping we could live together some day.'
'But you have a family and children, I don't,' the woman smiled, sadly.
'Yes, but mine are fostered, you know.'
'Jimmy, I need a couple of months to take a break from the past and get over this.'
'A couple of months? That's quite a time, but just promise me that you'll call me, when it gets easier for you?'
'You bet!'
'Have you now returned to your previous look? What are you called now, Danny Hill?'
'No, same as before, Denise Hill. Danny was just convenient when I wanted to change sex – Denise and Danny are very similar and easy to remember, it avoids confusion and I didn't need to change anything. Okay, I've got to go. Be careful and hand this envelope to him, that's all.'
'Don't worry, will do. Remember, I'll be waiting for your call,' Jimmy got up and walked along the deserted street to the crossing.