Double or Nothing

by Wells, Donald

  Blake glares at David. “Hey? Young man no one ‘heys’ me. Speak that way to me again and I’ll see that you are removed from whatever piddling position you hold. I may be an old man but I am still Blake Davenport and I can still crush you.”

  David confers Blake a look of derision. “You can’t have me removed from anything Blake ol’ boy. I don’t live in your world. June, maybe you want to reconsider claiming kinship with this pompous ass. I now wish we had gone to your sisters instead of this blowhard. Oh yeah, one more thing Blake, try using any of your high and mighty influence on me or any one I care about and I promise you you’ll know what it feels like to be crushed.”

  Blake now glowers at David as if he were about to strike him.

  June, cowering behind David, peeks out at the two bellowing men. She had shrunk down against David as if to hide, as she looks up into Blake Davenport’s face she watches an amazing change take place.

  Blake, so furious just seconds before, begins to smile widely and then the smile transforms into a fit of laughter that June would have thought the stodgy old man incapable of experiencing. When Blake’s laughter subsides he puts out his hand for David to shake.

  David eyes the old man suspiciously, but shakes his hand.

  “David, no man has stood up to me since 1965. I’d forgotten what it feels like not to be kowtowed to. You were right of course, I was behaving badly. I apologize to you young lady. I was trying to bully you. It’s an old habit that I’m afraid I’m never going to break.”

  “It’s all right Mr. Davenport.” June says.

  Blake regards June tenderly. “God how I wish you were June bug; I still miss her so much.” He then tells Carol. “I’ll have Simon call you with the details of where and when we’ll schedule the DNA test, until then… goodbye.”

  They walk Blake out to the front door. As Carol holds it open for him, he turns.

  “Young lady I have a question for you, will you answer it?”

  “If I can,” June says.

  “You were right when you said my pet name for June was June bug. Do you know my pet names for her sisters?”

  “You never called them anything other than April and May. I had the only pet name.”

  Blake looks at June strangely for a moment. “You’re right. I only gave June a pet name because she was always my favorite. It made no sense to have a favorite since you three…those three, were so much alike, but I did anyway…good day young lady,”

  “Goodbye Mr. Davenport.”

  Carol closes the door and breathes a sigh of relief. “All in all I guess that went as well as it could have.”

  “Honey I’m sorry I lost my temper but I’m not going to stand by and let anyone bully you, father or not.”

  “It’s Ok David. Somehow, I think the argument helped.” June says.

  “He’s actually not such a bad guy once he drops the snooty routine.”

  “I think it scared me most when he laughed; it seemed so out of place on him.” June says.

  Carol drapes an arm across June’s shoulders. “After the DNA results come back I think Blake will accept you, he seems like he really misses you honey.”

  “I hope you’re right Carol.” June says.

  David chuckles. “Heh, June bug,”

  “What are you laughing at Davey?” Carol says. “You used to call her Mouse.”

  15

  Brooklyn, New York

  Marco Salvatori walks into a crowded bar and heads for the office upstairs, on the way there, he’s greeted and nodded to by nearly everyone.

  Once inside the office, he sits behind a desk and swivels around to place his feet on the windowsill. Soon, a man enters carrying a bottle and two shot glasses. The man is in his fifties with short gray hair and a beer belly gut, his nose appears to have been broken many times.

  Marco turns his head, when he sees the bottle he smiles. “Aldo, if you weren’t so goddamn ugly I’d kiss you.”

  “Thank God I’m ugly.” Aldo says, he takes a seat in one of the chairs in front of the desk and pours two shots of whiskey. “Marco, I’ve been lookin’ out for new business like ya said and I think I got somethin’ cookin’”

  Marco says, “Like what?” and takes his first sip of whiskey, it slides down his throat, sending a warm sensation throughout his body.

  “There’s this guy, Bobby somethin’ or other, he’s one of the guys we sold those computers to, well anyway, he tells me that he’s got a rich cunt up in Westchester that wants to put a hit out on her father.”

  “Not bad, we could make a few bills.” Marco says.

  “Yeah, only I got to thinkin’, the kid says this Lizzie Borden’s like super rich, why don’t we arrange the hit and then blackmail her afterward?”

  Marco’s feet fall from the windowsill and he sits up straight in his chair, for a moment he simply watches the traffic flow by down on Avenue C, then he turns to Aldo.

  “I like it. The only thing is we gotta use an outsider. When the hit happens we can’t have the family anywhere near this.”

  “I thought of that.” Aldo says. “I even picked out a guy, calls himself Mr. Parker.”

  “Good work Aldo. This could be just what I need to beat Al. What’s the name of the poor son of a bitch getting hit?”

  Aldo searches his memory for a moment and then says. “Davenport, Blake Davenport.”

  The doorbell rings at the Manning house. When David answers the door he beholds the smiling faces of April and May.

  It is like looking at June times two, and yet, it’s not.

  Something about the eyes and the way they hold themselves is as different from June as ice is from water.

  David notes though, that both girls have that same perfect smile, only without June’s warmth. Still, April and May are two very beautiful women.

  “Good evening ladies, I take it you’ve come to visit your sister.” As he speaks, David’s eyes take them in further. Tonight the girls are wearing matching maroon dresses. The dresses fall eight inches above their knees and reveal their lovely legs nicely. After looking at them carefully, David realizes he cannot tell them apart.

  “We’ll decide if she’s our sister thank you very much.” Says April.

  David smiles at the girls. “Won’t you please come in.”

  May steps inside and takes his hand. “You must be David Manning, father has taken quite a liking to you.”

  “Really? I find that surprising.” David says.

  April stands on the other side of him and leans in closely. “I could see May and I taking a liking to you also David, you’re very cute.”

  “So I’ve been told. If you’ll follow me I’ll take you to see June, she’s in the kitchen with my sister.”

  The girls follow David down the hall and enter the kitchen. David sees June standing near the table in that listening stance she affects during her psychic flashes. He then watches as April and May enter the room and stare at June, who stares back.

  May whispers to her sister. “April do you…?”

  “Yes May, I feel it also.” April whispers back.

  Carol rises from the table and goes over to them. “Ladies, my name is Carol, I’m David’s sister. Won’t you please take a seat?”

  The women sit. David and June settle directly across from them while Carol takes a seat at the head of the table. What follows are long moments of everyone staring at everyone else uncomfortably, finally April speaks.

  “How are you June? It’s been a long time.”

  “April, are you saying that you believe I’m your sister.”

  “No, I’m saying that I know you’re my sister.”

  “How?” June asks.

  “The same way you knew to address me as April and not May, we always were the only ones who could tell each other apart, oh yes, and Simon.”

  “I remember Simon; he was like a second father to us.”

  “Yes and he will be happy to see you.”

  “Hello May,” June says.


  “Hello June, father told us you were dead, I’m glad to see he was wrong.”

  “Where did mother take you to June?” April asks. “What did that bitch do to you?”

  “Mother left me in San Francisco. It’s an odd story and I’d rather tell it to you and Mr. Davenport at the same time if you don’t mind waiting…it’s not a story I enjoy telling.”

  “Have it your way, the important thing is that you’re alive and well.” April looks at David. “And father says you’re in love.”

  “Yes, David and I love each other, we’ll be getting married soon.”

  “Well, I know where you can find two bridesmaids.” May says.

  Carol gives a little laugh. “June, it’s really amazing how much you three girls look and sound alike.”

  “Thank you for saying that Carol, my sisters are very beautiful.”

  The doorbell rings again and David excuses himself to go answer it. When he opens the door, he finds Al smiling at him.

  “Hey Davey, whose limo is that? Vinny’s jealous, he says it’s newer than ours.”

  “That belongs to April and May Davenport.”

  “You mean they’re here, now?”

  “Yes.”

  Al grins devilishly at him. “What’s it like?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Oh come on, triplets, are you trying to tell me that no fantasies have been going through your mind?”

  “June’s all the woman I need Al.”

  “You used to be more fun, being in love has made you serious.”

  “I’ll tell you a joke later, right now I think I should get back to the kitchen.”

  David and Al go into the kitchen and Al is introduced to April and May.

  “It’s nice to meet you Mr. Salvatori.” May says. “June, you certainly do associate with handsome men.” As she shakes Al’s hand, May holds on longer than necessary.

  Carol speaks up. “That handsome man there is my date for tonight ladies. Do you two have boyfriends?”

  “No. We haven’t been as lucky as our little sister in finding a man.”

  “What do you mean by ‘little sister’ April?” June asks.

  “Why June you’re the youngest, first April came out, then I, and then you, so you’re the youngest by nine minutes.” May says.

  “I didn’t know that. There’s a lot I don’t remember.” June says.

  “Well, once father is satisfied by this silly DNA test we’ll have lots of time to catch up. May, you and I will have to take June along to get all new clothes. Triplets have a responsibility to dress alike June; it drives men wild.” As April says this last part, she looks Al right in the eye.

  May takes April’s hand. “We really should be going now, remember we have dinner reservations at the club.”

  “Yes, well it’s been nice meeting you all, especially you David, I’m sure we’ll see more of each other soon.” April says. She then studies David the way a starving man might read a menu.

  “It was nice meeting you two ladies.” David says.

  Everyone walks out to say goodbye to the girls. First April, and then May, give June a warm sisterly hug and a peck on the cheek, and then they leave.

  “June you must be so happy, your sisters couldn’t have been nicer to you.”

  “Yes Carol, they seem very nice.” June says.

  “Carol we have a reservation of our own to get to, are you ready?”

  “Yes Al, goodbye you two, oh Davey, I’m staying over at Al’s tonight. We’re going to Atlantic City tomorrow and it makes no sense to come back here for a few hours.”

  “OK sis, have a good time tomorrow and good luck. Take care of her Al.”

  “You got it Davey.” Al says, as he and Carol leave.

  David closes the door and turns around to find that June has gone into the living room to sit on the sofa.

  David notes that she sits in the same near fetal position that he found her in the night before. He takes a seat beside her and June lies across his lap, looking up at him.

  “What’s wrong honey? I thought that went very well with your sisters.”

  “Yes…they were nice.”

  “But?”

  “Nothing, it’s probably nothing,”

  “Honey, whatever’s bothering you, let’s talk about it, OK?”

  June is silent for a moment and then says quietly. “David, they’re very different.”

  “You three haven’t seen each other since you were nine, of course they’re different.”

  “No, you don’t understand, maybe you can’t. There’s something about them.”

  “I noticed you had one of your psychic flashes as we were entering the kitchen. You felt them coming to see you didn’t you?”

  “Yes, but it was more than feeling their presence. I sensed something else.”

  “What was it honey?”

  June sits up and leans over so that her head rests against David’s shoulder. “When I get those feelings it can mean anything from…uneasiness to the sensing of a serious threat. When the F.B.I. agents came to talk to you that time I felt anxious and so I hid. Those four men that you called the Rats always gave me a sense of serious danger. Sometimes it’s also like a feeling of urgency that guides me to do something, that was what I felt when I saved Dr. Meyer’s granddaughter from the falling planter.”

  “Honey it’s only natural that you would be a little apprehensive at meeting your sisters. I’m sure they were nervous too.”

  “No, you don’t understand.” June says, and David can tell from the way her voice breaks that she’s about to cry. “What I felt when I sensed my sisters…it was more like what I felt when I was around the Rats.”

  April and May discuss June’s return as their limousine rolls along through the cool night air. They sit close together, each looking like the other’s reflected image.

  “Why the hell did she have to come back now?”

  “I don’t know April. Does this change our plans?”

  “No, but I think we’ll have to hasten them, once she takes that DNA test she’ll prove she’s June and father will change his will. I cannot have that.”

  “June is really back. It’s so fantastic!”

  “I know, I think I’d be happy to see her if not for father, he always fawned over her so. Remember how he used to call her his little ‘June bug’ while we were just April and May. She was always his favorite and she will be again if we don’t do something soon.”

  “It was so strange to sense her again after so many years of it being just us two, I wonder if we could bond again.” May says.

  “Once we take care of father we will, then it will be just us three.”

  “You’re forgetting about Mr. Right. June and David are planning to get married.”

  “David has to go, once father’s dead maybe we can pay him to go away.”

  “I don’t think so April. I don’t think he’s the type, and besides, I think he and June are really in love.”

  “Well if he likes June once he’ll love her twice, we’ll seduce him and then June will get angry and send him away.”

  “That’s no good, because then June would be furious with us also.”

  “You’re right May, I hadn’t thought of that, damn! I was looking forward to finding out what she sees in him.”

  “Why don’t we involve him in father’s murder somehow? We’ll be rid of him and June will never want to see him again.”

  “May you’re brilliant. With David in jail and father dead June will naturally turn to us for comfort.”

  “And if we kill father before he makes out a new will she’ll be penniless, she’ll need us for everything and we’ll be three again.”

  April grows quiet, thinking.

  “Hmm, the police may look at us more than they would have before she returned. Someone will think it very convenient for us that father died before making out a new will. No, I’ve changed my mind.”

  “What do you mean?”

  �
��We’ll let father alter his will to include June, this way it’ll look as if David killed him for the inheritance. We just have to make sure father is killed before they marry. I’ll get in touch with this Mr. Parker. I have to let him know that we’re making a few changes to the plan.”

  “That shouldn’t be a problem, I’ll just tell Carlo and he’ll pass it along. You know, it’s a good idea that we never meet face to face with Mr. Parker, but what about Carlo? He knows our entire plan, he could talk eventually.”

  “I think we’ll use Mr. Parker’s services more than once, poor Carlo will mysteriously disappear shortly after father’s murder, a pity, but it can’t be helped. There’s too much money at stake to let sentimentality get in the way.”

  “It’s a damn shame April, he’s the best pool boy they’ve ever had at the club. I’ll have to give him an extra big tip next time, maybe I’ll finally bed him too, he should die happy.”

  “Save yourself for bigger fish May, Senator Dawson is in town and I want to try him again. Every time I see him in those campaign commercials with that simpering wife I want to puke. No one is that happily married.”

  “He is April, he’s turned us both down twice. Maybe he’s the exception to the rule.”

  “You forget one thing May, our little sister is back. As soon as we take care of David we’ll get her to join us in our fun and games.”

  “Oh, April you don’t mean…?”

  “That’s right—Triple or Nothing!”

  16

  Blake decided that June’s DNA be tested against that of his daughters, instead of his own. He was having the testing done by a lab owned by one of his companies and magnanimously suggested that David and June come to his home to wait for the results. The test would be completed that evening and so Blake suggested they have dinner.

  David wears one of his new suits while June has donned a simple blue dress. The house is located along the lower Hudson valley. It sits on 122 acres and is surrounded by a twelve-foot high stone wall on three sides. The fourth side is bordered by a three hundred and eighty-foot drop into the Hudson River and a spectacular view of Manhattan.

  The guard at the gate checks his log book while giving June a perplexed look. He then asks her how she had gotten out without him seeing her leave.