Free Abel Baker Charley by John R. Maxim Page B

punk who killed my wife and put my daughter in the hospital,” Baker growled.
    “You're Mr. Baker!” Her eyes widened with recognition and with a rush of fear that surprised Baker.
    “I'm Tina Baker's father,” he said, as if correcting her. ”I want this man kept away from her. If I see him again in her room or even on this floor, I'm going to . ..”
    The elevator door opened. Baker pulled the judge from the wall where he was pinioned and shoved him full into the astonished face of Benjamin Meister.
    Meister caught him, blinked, but recovered instantly. “Where was he?” he asked. “Tina's room?”
    “Frightening her,” Baker answered. “She was backing away from him when I walked in.”
    “How is it you're not in jail?” the judge gasped at Baker.
    Meister ignored him and turned to the nurse. “Was this man authorized to visit Tina Baker?” he asked.
    ”N-no.” She wrung her hands. “Only family. Except for Mrs. Carey and clergy.”
    “And Mr. Baker escorted this man from a room where he was not supposed to be?”
    ”I guess . . . Yes.”
    “Were any blows exchanged?” Meister saw the redness on Baker's cheek.
    “No . . . well. . . the judge slapped Mr. Baker.”
    “The hell with this,” Baker snapped. He took the judge's arm once more and forced him deeply into the elevator. Baker pressed a button and stepped back into the corridor.
    The judge raised both his hands in a clawing gesture and he found his voice. “I'll break you, you butcher,” he rasped. “I'll break anyone who . ..”
    The doors closed on his words and the churning whine of the elevator muffled them.
    “The rest of that threat would have been interesting to hear,” Meister said, reminding the nurse that a threat had been made.
    “Not to me,” Baker said, straightening his suit jacket. ”I came to see my daughter.” He left the nurse and Meister standing there.
    “I'm sorry, Daddy.” She held out her arms as he entered the room. He shook his head and closed his eyes as if to say that she should not be sorry and that it was nothing, but he found he could not speak. Carefully, he set his gifts down on her bed and then leaned into her, holding her lightly while she squeezed him.
    “That's not a hug.” She sniffed. Baker shuddered and swallowed a sob. Then he crushed her body to his. There was no need to speak for many minutes.
    “That was stupid, Baker.” Meister glowered at him as he pulled back into traffic. “You're lucky you're not back in a cell already.”
    “He was scaring Tina.” Baker rubbed his eyes. “You'd have done the same thing.”
    “I'd have done almost nothing the same,” Meister retorted. “I'd have achieved a like result, but I'd have done it without manhandling a judge an hour after posting bond on an assault charge. And certainly not in front of a witness, God save us.”
    “That was almost two hours ago,” Baker said disinterest edly. “If he was going to call the cops, they'd have been here by now. Thanks, by the way, for hanging around. And thanks for Tina's pillow. That was nice.”
    “Pretty girl.” Meister nodded. “Smart for her age. The story she told those nurses might keep you out of jail yet.”
    “Story?”
    Meister shrugged. “That he was off the wall. Scaring her. Still, it's hard to believe that His Honor intended physical harm to a little kid.”
    Baker cocked his head. His left eye had now begun to drift and he blinked it back into focus. “He came to see me too,” Baker said.
    “He what?”
    “At the jail. He was staring at me the same way when I was asleep in that jail.”
    “When was this?” Meister slowed the car.
    “Last night... this morning ... sometime. I woke up and walked toward him and he ... backed away. He almost ran away.” Baker squinted and rubbed a hand over his jaw as if trying to remember something distant.
    “He's going to try to hurt her, Ben.” Baker's eyes nar rowed. He did not quite know why he said that. But it was coming. Yes. It