Hand of God (Installment #3)

Episode Six: Hand of God

Installment #3: Darkness, Reign O’er Me

State of Colorado Firearm Laws1
1. No licensing or registration requirements related to firearm purchase or possession.
2. No waiting period for purchase of handguns, shotguns, or rifles.
3. Handgun possession by persons less than 18 years of age is a misdemeanor. Exemptions from the prohibition on handgun possession by persons less than 18 years of age exist for attendance at a hunter's or firearms safety course, target practice at a shooting range, and other similar activities.
4. It is a felony for any person to knowingly or recklessly provide a handgun to any person less than 18 years of age.
5. It is a felony for any parent or guardian to knowingly or recklessly provide a handgun to a juvenile when that parent is aware that a substantial risk exists that such juvenile will use the handgun to commit a felony. Any parent aware of such a risk has a duty to make reasonable efforts to prevent the commission of the offense.
6. There are no age restrictions related to possession of rifles or shotguns.
http://www.vpc.org/press/9904col.htm



“If you build it, they will come.”
(“Field of Dreams”)


The scene opens with our young assassin entering a gun shop somewhere in the Denver area. All around the shop are displays and posters of various types of firearms. One can just imagine the smell of the metal and the connotations it breeds! For some, it may have the same sweet smell as treats in a candy store or of fond memories of productive hunting seasons or great training sessions.
For others, it is an odious scent…one that tells of certain tragedy, bringing to mind nothing other than violence.
The owner of the shop, who was sitting down skimming through a magazine, gets up to greet him at the gun counter.

In all likelihood, this is the most excitement he gets in his life other than possibly attending a firearms exhibition.

After showing two guns, our boy selects the Jericho handgun. Now, this is interesting. The owner of the shop asks him, “Need some ammo with that?” Honestly! The boy comes into the store knowing very little about which gun to choose…do you really think he might already have the ammo? But, the shop owner does redeem himself when he asks the next question…”How old are you?” We find out that the young man is only 19 years old (a teenager!) and his license shows that he is from a different state. This means that the owner cannot sell a handgun, as federal law mandates.

Yet, there are ways around the law…. so he proposes a rifle! Hmm…no law in Colorado against selling a rifle to an out of state buyer. (*see top of this page)

(Our boy’s probable response…”Dude!”)

Back east in Boston, we find Alva and Evie at the office. It is Alva’s turn to get a piece of Evie’s mind. She questions the accuracy of Paul’s claim that Alva was intentionally keeping information from him; and if so, then why would he do that? His reply was both methodical and emotional. Just as Alva did not want to give Paul the heads-up on Krantz coming to talk to him, he didn’t want the hemography file to influence Paul’s decisions. Oh, well…too late!

Speaking of Krantz…the detective enters the office and claims that Paul left a message stating there was going to be another murder. This time the murder would take place in Colorado. With no trace of Paul at his apartment or at the office, Krantz inquires his whereabouts. As someone who is genuinely concerned about him, Evie tells both men that Paul is on Transnational Airlines Flight #629 for Denver. (Our Paul is in real deep now!)

As he walks through the terminal at the airport, Paul is approached by a detective who verifies his identity.

Another detective then joins him and they both accompany Paul to the Denver Police Department. Here, they question Paul about how he knows the details of this murder-to-be.

The more he explains about the connection with these people who are being murdered and their experiences with hemography, the less logical he sounds. Paul elaborates by stating his main purpose for flying to Denver was to warn Danielle that someone might be trying to murder her.
Her dreams were very important to him, too.

At the same time this is all happening to Paul, our teenager is further along in his plan. He has managed to break into Danielle Franklin’s home and make himself comfortable on her lovely couch as he polishes his rifle. (And yes, it’s raining again. I really think there’s something in the rain that possesses, almost hypnotizes him.)

Oh, and while he waits, he has a conversation with his mom. My guess is that she called him because he seems to be firing off plenty of answers to a lot of probable questions.
(Been there, done that!)

While sitting on the couch, rifle-in-hand, he hears the house phone ring. It is Danielle, calling to retrieve her phone messages as she is sitting underneath the dryer at the beauty salon, Mile High Style. First, Detective Peter Bander from the Denver police department called and left a return number…555-0813. Then, Paul Callan called and left his cell number…617-555-0152. Who would you call?

Our 19-year-old stalker listens to her voicemail messages and draws some conclusions that force him to change his plans. When he discovers the red appointment book that is next to the phone, he knows where to find her and he also knows he cannot waste any time getting there and completing his mission.

Just as she steps out of Mile High Style, Danielle selects to call Paul. (Fine choice.) Her voice booms with excitement as she hears his charming voice. (Wouldn’t yours?) He tells her that he’s at the downtown police department and she agrees to meet him there. But before hanging up, she hesitantly tells him that she’s had another dream about him…a bad one. Paul tells her to get there ASAP because they need to talk.

As she gets into her car, a young male voice utters, “Hi. Danielle?” She lifts up her head and… #%&*!

Oh, the price of a dream!

My Thoughts…
It seems like everyone is affected by the contents of the hemography file…sort of like a chain reaction. But, obviously, there was no way to conceal that information. It was just a matter of time. A Pandora’s Box of sorts filled with information that would become known at the right time. Is there ever a right time? Could the message of this installment be that when a person is determined to do something, no one can stop him? Not his friends, not his family, not the law. Maybe once the darkness, however it is defined, enters someone's life, it leads to a prolonged misery.

Your Thoughts…
After the scene in the rifle shop, we see Alva sitting in the dark on the other side of a cabinet and bookcase, almost resembling a confessional…an examine-your-conscience type experience.
What’s he thinking?

In Alva’s hand is a ‘little black book.’ We get a better view of it when he walks around to Evie’s desk.
Of all the books in his library, why this one?

Danielle was thrilled that Paul had called her. Their plans for getting together should have resulted in deciphering her dreams; thus, resulting in Paul being further along on his spiritual journey.
What do you think happened in Danielle’s “bad dream?”