by Greg Barth
“I know somebody that could work it out, depending on the location.”
TEN
Selena
THE VISITATION ROOM was crowded. The inmates were all men. Most of the visitors were women or children. Many children. Some visitors appeared to be parents or grandparents or brothers, but for the most part the wives and children were the ones doing the visiting. There were small tables around the room for the kids to sit at. Most of the smaller children were coloring or playing with toys.
“Well you’re not who I expected,” Lenny said. Lenny hadn’t changed a bit. His long hair and wild facial hair were the same as I remembered. Only his manner of dress had changed. Gone were the jeans and metal band t-shirts, replaced by a prison jumpsuit.
“You have another cousin named Amanda?” I said. I was heavily made up to change my appearance. My hair was curled and loose down to my shoulders.
“Actually, I do.”
I smiled. “What a coincidence. It’s very good to see you, Lenny.”
“Oh, I don’t go by Lenny in here,” he said.
“Well, you’ll always be Lenny to me.”
“And you’ll always be—”
I cut him off. “Amanda. Cousin Amanda.”
“That’s what I was going to say.”
“You doing okay in here? You need anything?” I said.
“I’m good.”
“How much time you have left?”
“Not much.”
“How much is not much?”
“Seven years.”
“Jesus.”
“Yeah, well. They ain’t asking for volunteers to leave early yet, so I guess I’ll just stay.” He smiled at me.
“We had some good times, didn’t we?”
I was nervous being back inside a prison. I tried to remain calm, not fidget, not keep looking over my shoulder. It wasn’t easy.
“You keep that nervousness up, they’re gonna think you’re sneaking something in, they’ll search you on the way out.”
“Oh, I’m ready for that. Just not comfortable being inside. That’s all.”
“It’s a strange environment.”
“It’s my day for institutions. I just came from visiting a friend at the mental hospital. I took him a few things to cheer him up and encourage his recovery, but also wanted to see if he could set up a meeting with a friend of his.”
He nodded. “We can get down to business if you want. Make the visit shorter.”
I sighed. “This isn’t just about business.”
“I know. But I figure I ain’t seen you since I was busted, so you must have a reason for coming out. Just like your other guy you saw earlier.”
“I’m sorry, Lenny. You were the only one to visit me when I was in the hospital back when those guys beat me up. I’m afraid I haven’t been a good friend to you.”
“It’s okay. I heard you had some excitement of your own.”
“Yeah. I can’t really go into that.”
He chuckled. “I’d imagine not. So how can I help you?”
“That brother of yours. The one out west. He still doing his thing?”
“You know what? Last I heard, he is.”
“Nice. Any idea how I could get ahold of him? I might want him to do his thing for me, if he’d be willing.”
“I’ll need to reach out to him. Give him a call. Let him know that Cousin Amanda will come calling. He’s in Vegas, and he’ll insist on seeing you in person.”
“Vegas. Wow.”
“Can you swing it?”
“I can,” I said. “I have a lot going on here, but it may be best if I’m gone for a few days anyway. How soon can you set it up?”
“Without talking to him, I don’t know. I doubt there will be any difficulty making it happen fast. You line up your travel. I’ll let him know you’re coming.”
“Your brother, um...”
He looked at me with raised eyebrows.
“Billy?” I said.
“Lyman,” he said.
“Right. Right. Exactly. Where can I find Lyman again?”
“I’d look for him at the Chesapeake Room playing cards on a Friday night. That’d be your best bet.”
“Thank you, Lenny. Please make the call. I’ll come back when I can.” I started to get up.
“Hey, just a word to the wise. Remember your cousin Lyman is as crazy as always. He’s liable to ask you to do something for him to establish you’re legit.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Something bad, I’m sure. Something that gives him a lot of trust. Trust and probably some leverage.”
“Great. I’m really counting on working something out with him.”
“If you want to make it back out of the desert, I recommend you do whatever he asks. He ain’t nice like me.”
“Thank you. Noted.”
***
It was late, and the club was in full swing when Jack came through the entrance.
I was at the bar talking to Enola when I looked up in the mirror behind the bar and saw him walk in. Jack was wearing his trademark desert-camo boondocker hat. Looked like he was growing his hair out longer than the crewcut that I was used to seeing him with. He was tall, lean, and strong. He wore a black button-up business shirt and jeans.
“Somebody you know?” Enola said.
“I gotta go see this guy,” I said.
I turned to Jack as he approached me. I was wearing a low-cut white top and a flirty little skirt.
“Jack,” I said.
“Well, hello there. I don’t even know what to call you anymore. Todd said you wanted to talk.”
“It’s Amanda,” I said and smiled at him.
“Amanda. I like it.”
“How’ve you been?” I said.
“I’ve never been better,” he said. “I got screwed out of that sexiest-man-alive award again this year, but I’m taking it in stride. I figure I’m doing my part just by contributing to the overall beauty of the planet. But that’s enough about me, Amanda. Why don’t you tell me what you think about me?”
“How’s my dog?”
“Max is great. Nice to see you outside of that place I used to visit you. I didn’t like that joint much. You know, that place with the razor wire around it?”
I made eye contact with him and gave my head a little shake. “Hey, let’s go talk someplace private. You want a drink?”
“Don’t mind if I do.” He ordered a whiskey and Enola served him.
“This way,” I said. I led him back to a lap dance booth. The booths were walled on three sides and had batwing doors in front. Each had a padded seat against the back wall. They were narrow and small with just enough room for a patron and a dancer. I took him to one and got him settled into the seat.
I took a vial of coke out of my clutch purse and unscrewed the cap. I snorted a pinch off my fingernail. I dipped again and snorted some up the other nostril.
“You want a bump?” I said.
“I’m good,” Jack said.
“How’s this for a private place to chat?”
“Not what I expected,” he said.
“Just go with it, Jack. The VIP rooms are all taken at the moment.”
“I guess you’ll have to dance just to keep up appearances, won’t you?”
The music started. I leaned into him. My hair spilled out over his face and shoulders. I got close to his ear. “I need all the weed you can get me.”
“Okay,” he said. “You know the quality is shit, right?”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll take whatever you’ve got. This is for a stopgap. Long term it won’t work. No matter what we do, if the quality isn’t there, everybody’s going to go somewhere else. I just need something that’ll see us through until I can connect with better quality.”
“I’ve got some people counting on a portion of it already.”
“I’ll pay you more.”
“I don’t like stiffing loyal customers. These aren’t people you want to piss off
.”
“What can you get me then?” I pulled my top off. I was wearing a white bra. I pushed my cleavage into his face.
“Uhm. Well, whatever I have left. It’ll be a good bit. Plus I can scrounge up some more from some other guys I know.”
I reached around behind me and unfastened my bra. I slipped the straps down over my arms but kept my breasts covered.
I leaned back into him. “How soon can you deliver?”
“I’ll need a week.”
“Gotta be faster.” I leaned back and dropped my bra. I rubbed my nipples with my fingers until they were firm.
I turned my back to Jack and unzipped my skirt. I let it fall to the floor. I was wearing a skimpy pair of Brazillian boy shorts. They were pink and lacy. I sat on his thigh with my back to him. I leaned back, my face against his, my long hair between us. I saw he was looking down at my chest. I rubbed my ass against him. I felt his cock stiffening under me.
“Where do you want the delivery to go to?”
“Get your number to me. I’ll get you the location.”
“Sounds like we have a deal.”
I turned around to face him and straddled his leg. I felt his stiff cock under my crotch through my panties. I rubbed myself back and forth over him, grinding him hard. I pressed my breasts into his face, my hair spilled over his head. I felt his hot breath against my chest. I got into a smooth, steady rhythm, my ass sliding against his leg, kept grinding him until I felt his body stiffen. I moved harder and harder, picking up speed until he shuddered. He grabbed my hips and made me stop.
I pulled away from him just a little. My face was still close to his.
“Holy shit,” he said.
“Would you have preferred a handshake?”
“Uh, no. That was just fine. Wow.”
I kissed him lightly on the lips before I stood. “Well, okay then.” I grabbed my skirt and put it on. I picked up my bra and slipped into it. I then put my top on. “So Todd tells me you’re staying in town,” I said as casually as I could.
“That’s true. I still have my cabin, but I’m renting a place here too.”
“Maybe I could stop by and see you some time.”
He didn’t respond.
I waited.
“Or, you know what? Maybe not. I bet you’re staying with somebody, aren’t you?”
“Well, actually. Yeah. I kind of am. I mean…”
“She probably wouldn’t want me coming around, would she?”
“It could be hard to explain.”
“Yeah, well. No worries.”
“Look, uh...Amanda...”
“It’s fine, Jack. It’s okay.”
“Hey, you know—”
“No. It’s okay. Really.”
“It doesn’t feel okay. I didn’t mean to—”
“Jack. You didn’t do anything.”
“Shit,” he said.
“Stop it. Really.”
“I’m sorry.” He started to get up.
I held my hand out. My face burned. “This is the part where you pay me, Jack.”
“Excuse me?”
“Lap dances are thirty dollars each. We went four songs. Do the math.”
“Hey. Look. I’m sorry, all right? I didn’t mean to make you feel like that.”
“Jack, I’m okay with being the kind of girl you pay, alright? But you damned well better pay me.” I felt my face flush. I wanted to get out of that booth before a tear slipped out.
“I don’t think of you as that kind of girl,” he said.
I held my hand out.
“Fine,” he said. He jerked his wallet out, grabbed a handful of twenties, and pressed the wad of them into my hand. “There.”
“And Jack.”
“What?”
“You’ll want to change your pants before you go home. Leave your number at the bar. I’ll be in touch regarding the shipment.” I opened the batwing doors and stepped out of the booth.
Crowbar was standing by the pool table in back. I walked over to him. I felt eyes on me. I looked over and saw Enola staring at me as I walked by.
“You hook me up?” I said to Crowbar.
“You serious?” he said.
“Just a little,” I said. “I’ve gotta take the edge off the coke.”
“Where at?”
I saw a VIP room open. “This way.” I led him into the room.
He sat down on the couch and took his kit out of his pocket. “You sure you want to do this?”
“Yeah. Just give me less than last time.”
“How much less?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t want to go back to the hospital.”
“If you’re telling me to give you as much as I can without killing you, I don’t know how much that is.”
“Let me watch you draw.”
He took the vial of Demerol out of the kit and a clean needle. He opened the syringe, pushed the needle into the vial, and drew.
“How much did you give me last time?”
“Up to here,” he said and touched the side of the needle.
“Okay. Don’t go that far.”
“Yeah, but last time you were mixing with alcohol. Too much alcohol. Coke is different. You don’t want a full-blown speedball effect.”
“That looks good. Just a little more maybe.”
“That?”
“Yeah.”
I turned my back to him. I unzipped my skirt and let it drop. I pushed my panties down a bit in back.
“Which side did we do last time?”
“Left.”
“Okay. We’ll go right this time then.”
He put his hand on my side. His fingers probed at my tummy. “Just looking for your hipbone,” he said.
I took his hand and pushed it down lower until his fingers were over my prominent hipbone. “There,” I said.
He rubbed the back of my hip with an alcohol pad.
“How do you think Mozingo knows so much about us?” I said.
“What do you mean?” Crowbar said.
“Who our connections are. That kind of thing. Not like we’re a publicly traded company or anything.”
“I don’t know. Maybe somebody inside. A defector maybe?”
“Doesn’t make sense.”
“Okay. Big stick.”
I felt the needle go in deep. A warm numbness spread as he injected me with the Demerol. He placed a band-aid over the injection site. He patted me on the ass and said, “There you go, little girl.”
I bent over and pulled my skirt up. I zipped up the side. I pulled the bills that Jack had given me out of my pocket and handed them to Crowbar. “Thanks, man. You’re a lifesaver.”
I opened the door to the VIP room and went back out in to the club. Enola stared at me as I came through the door. I looked at her. “What?” I mouthed.
She shook her head like she was disgusted. She grabbed her purse and came around the bar. She made a beeline for the front door, pushed it open, and stepped through to the parking lot. The door closed in her wake.
Fuck her. And fuck Jack. Fuck…just pretty much everybody.
ELEVEN
Selena
I STOOD AT the bar and had a few drinks. With the Demerol and coke already in my system, I took it easy on the bourbon. I finally got myself to the point that I didn’t care about any of it, felt myself getting loopy. I had one final drink, decided to call it a night.
I hadn’t seen Enola since she made her dramatic exit.
I went through the back door. The rear parking lot was designed for delivery trucks, and was generally empty at night. A few overhead bulbs needed replacing back there; the lighting wasn’t good. The night air was warm on my arms and legs.
As I turned to go up the stairs to the apartment, I saw a black Charger parked sideways behind the building and some men standing near it.
I changed course to see who these men were, and I staggered a bit. I couldn’t make them out in the darkness. The combination of drugs and alcohol caused
my vision to be distorted.
I heard the crunch of footsteps in the gravel—the men were closer to me.
“Hey there, sweet thing. Looks like you’ve had a bit much to drink,” a man said.
“This her?” I heard another say.
“Yeah,” someone replied. “This is the one. Amanda.”
I looked up at them. Their faces were blurred and I had to hold my hands out to keep my balance as the world spun around me.
“Hey, Amanda. Somebody said you’re looking to meet with me.”
My eyes wouldn’t focus. The world shifted to the right, came back, shifted again. All I could make out was long brown hair and a light-colored beard. “Who are you?” I said.
“John Mozingo.”
“I’m afraid you have the advantage on me, John. I’m not really up for a meeting right now. In fact, it was some colleagues of mine that wanted to have a sit down with you. As far as I’m concerned, there’s not a whole lot for us to talk about.” My words were slurred. I squinted at him and my vision cleared a bit as I concentrated on what I was seeing. He was average height and lean. His long hair was straight and fell behind his shoulders. He wasn’t unattractive. He bounced and shifted like a hyperactive bundle of energy.
Two other men in the background standing on either side of him. I couldn’t make them out—only that one of them was large and tall and the other was smaller.
“I’m afraid we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, Amanda. If there’s any misunderstanding I can clear up for you, I’d be happy to do it.”
“Alright. Tell me you didn’t have Pete Malucci killed in prison. Tell me you aren’t actively trying to take over his business in this county.”
“Hmm. Well, shit,” Mozingo said. “I can’t deny either of those. I guess you’ve got me pegged after all.”
“Then there’s no need for us to meet.”
“Actually there is. I want to send a message to your network. Think of it as a two-part message.”
“I’m going upstairs to pass out. I won’t remember your message in the morning,” I said. “Can you just write it down for me?”
He laughed. “That’s why it’s a two-part message. So you’ll remember.” He stepped closer. “Part one. Your guys get out of our way as we come through. They do that, nothing’ll happen to them. They’ll get to take their winnings and move on down the line to play again someplace else.”