by Sandy Kline
“Should be six.” Mark replies.
“Well I only see four.”
“And you’re blonde. Count again sweetie. I need to finish packing.”
The sound of Mark’s voice brings me to an all new low. I’ve made a lot of dumb decisions in my life but this has to be the stupidest. There’s no way in hell he’s gonna let me live no matter how much he likes me alive and terrorized. I can’t believe blonde can’t hear me breathing. I sound like an elephant on steroids or something. Every breath comes with a voluminous snort of panic.
Blondie turns back to the closet and pretends to count again before she turns back around. I lift the cold steel tube until my hands feel a wooden stock. It really is a shotgun. I may have a chance after all.
“Get my shotgun while you’re at it babe.” Mark says. So much for my chance. I have no idea what to do except to just jump out of the closet and pretend I know how to shoot the thing. I take one last breath and steel myself for the leap when I hear a crash outside followed by a car alarm.
“What the fuck?” I hear Mark yell. “Some fucking asshole just crashed into my Mustang! Son of a bitch I’m gonna kill the bastard!”
I hear Mark run out of the room followed by the blonde bimbo. This is my only chance. With the gun still in my hands I grab one of the boxes and charge out of the bedroom as I hear the front door open. I head for the backdoor. I charge down the hall and get just about to the end when a blonde head pops back around the corner. I skid to a halt right in front of her. Her mouth makes an ‘O’ of surprise. Then I hit her. Dropping the box of bills I swing the gun with both hands like a baseball bat, hitting the woman on the right side of her head. She drops like a sack of grain in front of me. Without another thought I drop the gun and grab the box and sprint through the kitchen and out the back door. I have no idea what to do so I charge across the backyard to the section of fence that did have several missing planks. Thankfully he still hasn’t fixed it. I toss the box over the top and squeeze through. Marks vehicle alarm is still going off. I grab my box of money and take off down the alley. I get about twenty yards when a car turns into the alley and hits me with its lights. I’m stuck. No use trying to outrun it. I can’t fight him. I may as well accept my fate and try my best to keep my dignity. I stand in the middle of the gravel alley hands in the air, box of evidence at my feet. For a brief and terrifying moment I am sure that he’s going to just run me down where I’m standing, but at the last second he comes to a skidding halt in front of me. He sticks his head out the window and shouts.
“What the hell you doing Jen?” Alex shouts. “Get in.”
It takes me a second to just process what happened. I could have sworn it was Mark’s Mustang in front of me and not Alex.
“Come on!” She shouts again.
This time I jump into action. I grab my box and run to the passenger’s side of the car. She’s got a sizeable dent in the front grill of her new car. Oh boy, there’s going to be hell to pay.
I get in and she just takes off as my door is closing. The force slams be back in my seat as I fumble for my seatbelt. Alex shoots down the narrow alley to the end then makes a hard right, sliding out into the main road only just missing two other cars coming the opposite direction.
“Why the hell weren’t you answering your phone?” She hollers above the scream of the engine. “I texted you to get out over and over again. What the fuck happened?”
“Left my phone at home.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” She replies. “On the most important mission of your entire life and you forget your only safety measure? And because of your forgetfulness I had to crash my new car into Mark’s to save your ass.”
“I am so sorry.” I reply lamely. “I promise I’ll pay for it.”
“You bet your ass you will sister because I can’t take this to the shop; not after a hit and run. This is gonna cost you thousands of dollars that you don’t have.”
“Maybe this will help.” I reply. Then I open the box I swiped. It’s comical how her eyes bug out of her pretty face when she sees the stacks of one hundred dollar bills.
“What’s this?”
“What do you mean what’s this. It’s money. Mark has five more boxes of it. And that’s just in his closet. He’s probably got a safe where more is stashed knowing him.”
“Oh my god, we’re rich!” She exclaims. “We’re fucking rich!”
“Yeah…I guess we are. We’re absolutely fucking filthy rich!”
We continue to celebrate for another ten minutes before reality sets in.
“Your car.” She says. “We left your car in the alley.”
“So…”
“So Mark will see it and know you’re the one who stole his money.”
“Ah but you forget.” I reply. “It’s a rental.”
“Nice. But can’t he trace that back to you? If he can he’ll still know you stole from him.”
“Maybe he can.” I conclude. “But he’s going to know it was me anyway. I left the backdoor wide open. I used his key to get in. There’s no sign of forced entry so…”
“So what do you think he’ll do?”
“Well…since I stupidly stole a box of money from him he’ll kill me. Or have the club do it.”
“Yeah why did you take it? You know that either has to be counterfeit or it’s from drug dealers or maybe even marked bills cops use to buy drugs undercover. Maybe it’s money from a bank robbery. You really can’t use it Jen. You know that right?”
“Well I do now. I didn’t take the money so I could get rich or even use any of it. I wanted to hurt him so I took it. I actually had two boxes but it was too hard to run with both so I just took the one. If I’d brought my backpack I would have taken all of them.”
“So I guess you didn’t get the pictures either then?”
“Oh no, I got them. Three actually.”
“Wait a second,” Alex begins. “You forgot your…Oh… you took the actual photos from his box.”
I reach into my back pocket and pull out the three photos and hold them up. “These should do the trick.” I say.
“Oh my god, I’m sure they’ll do. Now if you can stay alive long enough to turn those in.”
“Yeah especially since I’m not going to do that yet.” I answer.
“What? Why the hell not? You have to. That was the plan since I can’t.”
“I don’t know if I can do this to Blade. It’ll put him in an awful position.”
“Wait one second. You’re worried about the man who has basically betrayed you but not about your best friend? You do still realize I have to do something if you don’t. I will have to put an end to my career and get into a world of trouble if you don’t do this Jennifer! The whole reason you did this insane thing tonight is to get irrefutable evidence against Mark and the club so I don’t have too. How are you not getting this?”
“I guess I just opened a can of worms didn’t I?”
“I mean think about this Jen. There is no way in hell I can continue and take my vows knowing not only is there a mole in the department, but knowing who it is and that I have the proof. Have you completely lost your mind? You know what, just get out.”
“What?”
“Get the hell out of my car!”
“But-”
“Relax; your house is right over there.”
I have nothing more to say so I just get out. I have never seen her this mad at anyone and especially not at me. I can’t believe this. I storm into my house furious at her and at myself for not immediately doing the right thing. Why am I putting the welfare of an outlaw biker who thinks more of his club than me, over the welfare of my best friend in the world? I slam my front door, march into my kitchen and search around for something to drink. I slam the box of cash on the counter. What a fucking mess. I locate a bottle of Pinot Noir and grab a tall glass and pour until the glass is full. Without even thinking I chug the first half of the glass before coming up for air.
“Yu
k! That’s nasty!” I gag. What the hell was I thinking buying this shit?
“Not your cup of tea Ms. Clarkson?”
As I turn around in shock my glass slips from my numb fingers and hit my new Pergo wood floor with a crash.
Standing across the room is none other than a scary looking Blade.
“You’re out late.” He says, walking into the kitchen. “Mind pouring me a glass?”
“Ah…sure.”
“A wine glass is fine for me. But if you want to power down another glassful go right ahead.”
Numbly I get a wine glass out of the cupboard and pour a glass of the nasty stuff for him. He takes a sip and immediately sets it on the counter.
“Your right, that’s crap. I can’t believe you actually paid money for that.”
“It was at an event and sales were donated to some kind of charity or something.”
“Wow…I can’t imagine that charity lasting much longer after pissing off their donors like this. Whew.”
He pours the rest in the sink and sets his glass in the dish drainer.
“Why are you here?” I ask. I’m sure I don’t want to know the answer either.
“What’s in the box?” He says, ignoring my question.
“Photos. I was just hanging out with Alex.” I reply. “She’s going through a nasty break up. You know how that is.”
“Photos huh.” He says. “Awful heavy for a bunch of Polaroid’s don’t you think?”
“I don’t know.” I say to him. “How much should they weigh?”
“Not as much as a stack of bills that’s for sure.”
“You still haven’t told me what you’re doing in my house at four in the morning.”
“What was Alex’s boyfriend’s name?” He asks, ignoring me.
“Alex…” Oh my god that was stupid. I wasn’t prepared for the question and that was the only name in mind.
“His name is Alex too? He have a last name; this Alex?”
“Summers. Alex Summers.”
“You mean like the Goblin Prince in X-men, Alex Summers?”
“I don’t know…” Of all the last names I could have picked I had to pick that one.
“What were you really doing Jen?”
“Honest I was with Alex.”
“I’m sure you were. So what were the two of you up to anyway?”
“I told you. She just broke up with her boyfriend Alex.”
“Alex Hunter?”
“Yes.” Oops. “I mean Sumner…Summers. I’m really tired and I’m not thinking very clearly right now.”
“Yes, so unclearly that you don’t even know the name of your best friend’s ex-boyfriend. Why don’t you just tell me what you’ve been up to? I haven’t seen or heard from you for a week or so and now you’ve been out all night with a friend who is supposed to be studying for her police exams not gallivanting around town all night long.”
“Why are you here?” I ask him again.
“You were in Mark’s house tonight weren’t you? Both you and Alex broke into his house and that box there on your kitchen counter proves that.”
Wow…he put things together amazingly fast. “How did you know?”
“Oh I don’t know how about the rental car registered to you in the alley or the car registered to your friend Alexandra that was involved in a hit and run an hour ago. You two should be on that show America’s Dumbest Criminals. I’m sorry but you guys were obviously not thinking clearly.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“Well...why don’t you start by giving back the box of money you took from Mark? You having that is only going to complicate your life. What did you think you were going to do with it anyway?”
“What makes you think this is money?” I challenge.
“Because I’ve seen that box before and if memory serves, he’s got five more like that one. So what are you going to do with the money?”
“Not really sure. It was a spur of the moment decision actually. I just wanted to hurt Mark for everything he has put me through. Believe me, if I had my backpack I would have tried to take it all. Then I was going to turn it over to the police. It has to be drug money. No cop that wasn’t dirty would have that much money.”
“I see…well you keep asking why I’m here so here’s the deal Jen. I’m here to make you an offer. You turn that money over to me and I’ll make sure Mark truly obeys his restraining order. And what’s more, we’ll make sure that no more incidents happen like what happened to your car the other night. I’ll make sure no one’s going to pull another stunt like the fake DUI thing when your car got searched for no reason.
“Okay.”
“What?”
“I said okay. I mean I wasn’t going to spend the money anyhow and I wasn’t able to take enough to seriously impact his life so…why not give it back. Plus I’m super tired of getting harassed by the cops.”
Of course what I didn’t tell him is that I took about twenty bills while I was in Alex’s car just in case I need it as evidence against Mark or I need the insurance that he will keep up his end of the bargain we’re striking tonight. I walk over to the box, grab it and then plop it in Blade’s outstretched hands. For a brief instant our hands make contact and it makes my insides jump in reaction. It’s been a long time since we touched and its electric! It feels like a jolt of energy starting in my fingers and shoots through my body making me knees buckle. I forgot just how much this guy makes my body react. Immediately I start pining away for him.
As he turns to leave he says to me. “It’s good to see you again.”
I don’t trust myself to speak right now so I clamp my mouth shut until he closes the front door. It would seem I have a short reprieve. However, the moment Mark discovers the missing pictures or counts his money he’ll be coming after me. But what am I going to do about Alex. Dammit why did I agree to give him the money? I’m screwed. If I do what Alex wants I’m in trouble with Mark and the club. If I do what Blade wants I’m in hot water with Alex. How did I even get into this mess? Oh yeah when I broke into Mark’s house.
I flop down on my couch with the intention of figuring out what to do. A glance at the wall clock tells me the sun will be up in a couple hours. Good thing I don’t have to go to work today. I stretch out to get comfortable, turn on CNN to help keep me awake and begin to go over the pros and cons of turning over the pictures to the police. I get about two pros into the list when I begin to yawn repeatedly. Ten minutes later I decide it’s a good idea to just rest my eyes for a few minutes. Seconds later and I’m fast asleep.
Chapter Thirteen
Hell to Pay
Pain is my alarm clock. I feel the effects of sleeping on my back on a very soft couch for too long without moving. I’m dreaming I’m in the hospital with a broken back before the sun in my eyes and another round of pain brings me up out of a deep sleep. I roll over groaning and trying to get into a comfortable position. There’s some show on CNN about some old dude who just goes to different countries trying food and gossiping. I have no idea why people like this type of programming but they seem to eat it up. The clock on the wall tells me I have slept in way too long; it’s almost twelve thirty in the morning and I am still nowhere closer to making my decision. Actually I know what I’m going to do. I just have to have a game plan to deal with the fallout. I guess I feel a little better having come to a decision. I may as well make the call. I’m just reaching for my phone when it begins to ring; it’s Alex.
“Hey Alex.”
“I am so sorry Jen. I should never have come down on you so hard like that. I know your decision is not an easy one. If you turn over the evidence your life is in serious danger and I made it seem like if you don’t do that you’ll lose your best friend and I was wrong to put that kind of pressure on you. I’m sorry. Whatever decision you make I’ll support you in it.”
“Wow…I don’t know what to say. I have made my decision by the way. There really is only one thing to do here. I’m just afraid I
won’t live to be thirty when I spill my guts to the cops.”
“You could go into witness protection I’m sure.” Alex advises.
“Maybe I could and maybe not, but that’s not an option. I have very few things going for me in this life and you’re just about it. I can’t lose you as a friend and witness protection will do just that. I’m going to give the pictures over to the cops…Oh shit, you don’t know what happened after you dropped me off! I totally forgot to tell you. Blade was in my house when I walked in!”
“No fucking way!” Alex replies stunned at the revelation. “How is it that you’re still alive? No wait; he took all your evidence didn’t he?”
“He thinks he did. He promised to get Mark off my back along with the other officers that have been making my life hell. All I had to do was return the money that I took. An easy decision. I gave it back less twenty one hundred dollar bills that I took when you gave me a ride home. I also still have the three photos but he doesn’t know that either.”
“I can’t believe it. Actually I can. What I can’t believe is that you’re still alive. Holy crap Jen.”
“You can say that again. Well I really should jump into the shower and get cleaned up before going to the police station.”
“Hey before you go I gotta save the date for you. Sunday at 6:00pm you gotta come to my graduation. Well, provided I pass my final. I have the written on Monday morning and the practicals on Tuesday afternoon. I pass both of those and I’m in. If you wanna wait until after Sunday to do your deed that’s fine. It’s gonna be a huge mess so you’ll probably feel better being there if you haven’t just ratted on one of their fellow officers.”
“That actually sounds good; thanks.”
“Hey I gotta jet.” Alex announces. “Lunch is almost over and we have one last range day this afternoon. You probably won’t see or hear too much from me before Sunday but if you really need me just call. You know you can do that right?”
“I do…and thanks for your understanding.”
“Alright, wish me luck.”
“Luck.”