by Don Potter
Howard’s car came upon the scene moments later. He jumped out of the car and ran a few feet to where Laurie Kingman lay on the ground clutching the cell phone in her dead fingers.
“What happened?” asked an inebriated-sounding male voice from inside the car.
The detective peered through the window and saw the model behind the wheel and Jarrod James sitting in the passenger seat protected by the airbag.
JJ looked at the unconscious model and mumbled, “Good thing we switched places at the last traffic light. Otherwise, it could have been me who had the accident. This car has got to go. It’s been nothing but bad luck.”
SNAP
“Yes dear. Of course, I will. Whatever you say. See you at six sharp.” Bill sighed and returned the phone to its cradle. His wife of nine years, Sharon, was never easy on him. But of late, it seemed as if she was doubling her efforts to keep him in line which made him twice as uncomfortable in his already difficult world.
Bill checked the other phone messages that came in while he was at lunch. Mom wanted to know why he had not visited her. Step-daughter Emily reminded him to get her tickets for the concert at Staples Center next weekend. And Vivian, his boss, emphasized the importance of finishing his report today and to be sure it was complete, unlike last time.
The only one in his life of all females that he had not heard from was Baby. But she was the family dog and did not try to reign over him the way the rest of them did. Bill thought about it a little more and realized he was under her control as well.
Originally Baby was to be Emily’s dog. Just before her tenth birthday, the family was out shopping. That is to say, his wife and step-daughter were shopping; Bill was brought along to pay the bills and carry the packages.
On the way to the next store, Emily stopped at a pet shop’s window where an assortment of puppies was on display. One came to her and started licking the glass.
“That’s the dog I was dreaming about. Can I have him, Mommy? Please, please, buy him for me.”
“I don’t think we should be getting a dog from an expensive store like this. If we were ever to get a dog it might just as well be from one of the adoption places.”
“Mom, he’s mean. He doesn’t want me to be happy.” Emily burst into tears and run inside the store with both parents following her. She went to the back of the glass enclosure and picked up the dog she had connected with outside. Emily turned to her parents and said, “This is my ‘Baby.’”
“Having the responsibility of taking care of a pet might be a good idea,” Sharon said. She added a rhetorical, “Don’t you think?”
“We’ve seen how she handles responsibility before. I don’t think she’s ready to take care of a dog yet. And I checked out the price list here on the window. Can you believe they want a thousand dollars for that puppy?” Bill tried to fight back.
“You don’t love me,” Emily wailed.
“After all, Bill, she is growing up. We have to let Emily fly a little. We can pitch in and help, so Baby will be our family’s dog. It will be the glue that holds us together.”
“But what about the money?” He offered one last bit of resistance.
“Is that all you care about, the money?” Emily cried.
“Honestly, this is a matter of being penny-wise and pound-foolish. The dog will be with us for ten, maybe fifteen years. Divide that into a thousand dollars and how much are you talking about a year? This is an investment in your daughter’s happiness. How can you put a price tag on that? Pay the cashier,” Sharon said.
Seven years have past since that incident. Baby was still the family dog but taking care of her was solely Bill’s responsibility and had been almost from the start. He couldn’t win, so he stopped trying.
Bill’s thoughts were interrupted when his boss’s voice screeched through the intercom. “I need to see you immediately.” “Be there in a minute.” Suddenly lunch did not sit as well as it did earlier.
“Close the door and sit down,” Vivian said. She paced the area behind her desk.
“Is there a problem?”
He sat down. She leaned over her desk toward him making Bill feel very vulnerable.
“Can’t you get anything right? As the supervisor of accounts receivable, I expect you to deliver a complete and accurate analysis of our collections along with a plan of action for delinquent policy holders. I just reviewed your preliminary report and find it lacking.” She threw the document down on the desk.
“Lacking where?”
“Everywhere. You need to fix it before the Monday morning manager’s meeting. So I guess you’ll be spending most of your weekend at the office. Better make the time count.” She turned and faced the window. The meeting was over.
“I won’t be able to meet you for dinner or for the show at the Ahmanson,” he told his wife. Bill knew this unpleasant task must be handled before doing anything else.
“It’s John and Susan’s anniversary.”
“Have to redo a report that’s due Monday. Looks like I’ll be holed up here all weekend. If I don’t get this right, my job is in real jeopardy.”
“Yeah, well pulling tricks like this puts your marriage in jeopardy.” Sharon slammed the phone down to demonstrate her displeasure.
This exchange made the burger he had for lunch seem like a very bad idea. He reached for a bottle of Tums, popped three of them into his mouth, and crouched over the papers scattered across his desk. “Gotta clear the decks,” he muttered.
Bill got online and ordered the concert tickets Emily wanted and sent her an email confirming the seats.
Next he decided to call his mother and get that out of the way. She was always domineering and opinionated; but after Bill’s father died, she became even more difficult to reason with. This got worse when she finally agreed to move into a seniors’ facility in Tarzana in the San Fernando Valley suburb of Los Angeles.
“Well it’s about time. Here I am surrounded by a bunch of strangers, a staff that doesn’t speak English, and my only child has forgotten me.”
“I called to see how you were feeling.” He ignored her drama and tried to redirect the conversation.
“Oh, I’m okay; but the food is terrible. And I don’t like being around all these old people. Do you think you’ll ever make time to come see me?”
“Soon, mother, soon. There’s a major project I’m working on at the office. Maybe I’ll be able to stop by sometime over the weekend. I’ll call you as soon as I know what’s what.”
“You can be sure I’ll be here. I don’t get out unless they shove me in a van and take me to some place that’s really for children. Why can’t we go to the Getty Museum; it’s not far from here. A little culture would give us something to talk about at dinner rather than discussing our aches and pains or recent surgeries.”
“Got to go. Talk to you later.” As the call ended, he received a text on his cell from Emily. The message was not a ‘thank you’ for the concert tickets. It was a complaint about how bad the seats were.
By 5:30 PM Bill was the only one left in his part of the building. His work on the project was not going well, but it took another hour for this reality to sink in.
A drink might help. The office complex was located in the heart of Woodland Hills. There were several restaurants with active bars within walking distance. So he headed for the closest one.
Kate Mantilini’s was electric with the sights and sounds of people enjoying the end of the work week. A single stool at the bar opened up. Bill took the seat and ordered a Johnnie Walker scotch on the rocks.
After a couple of sips he turned to see if he knew anyone at the bar. The heavyset guy on his right was engaged in a discussion with the fellow next to him. On his left was an almost attractive woman who appeared to be alone. She finished her drink, looked at Bill, and ordered another drink. “Johnnie Walker on the rocks, please.”
“I’ll have one too,” Bill said. “Put ‘em both on my tab.”
“Thank you, but I ca
n handle it.”
“Of course you can, but it would be my pleasure to buy you a drink. But there’s a string attached.”
“There usually is.”
“Oh no, nothing like that. I’ve had a difficult week and a horrific Friday afternoon. Some pleasant conversation is all I’m looking for. Okay?”
“I’ve got nothing to do for the next half-hour. So start conversing.”
“First off, my name’s Bill.” He thought it best not to offer his last name.
“Jessica.” She reached out her hand and he reacted in kind.
“Work around here?” Bill asked.
“Nah, I’m in the industry. Commute to Toluca Lake everyday. My husband bought a condo before we were married, because he wanted to be close to his office in Warner Center. It’s over on Canoga.”
“So you’re married?”
“Was. We divorced a couple of years ago. That cheating bastard owed me more than the regular community property settlement. So I ended up with a condo I can’t sell in this lousy real estate market and damn near an hour commute every day.”
“Aren’t you use to it by now?”
“You mean not being married or the drive to work?”
“Both, I guess.” Bill was beginning to feel awkward.
“Other than having sex whenever I want it, there’s not much I miss about the married part. But I have learned to tolerate the freeway traffic, most of the time.”
“I see.”
“What about you?”
“I live in Woodland Hills, south of the boulevard, work here in the center. Have a wife, teenage step-daughter and a dog named Baby. Oh yes, my mother is in a senior facility in Tarzana. That’s about it.”
“Don’t forget the job you hate,” she added.
“I don’t hate it. Problem is I don’t love it. In fact I don’t even like my job. The pay’s pretty good, but my boss is a real bitch.”
“Problem seems to be you have a life that’s controlled by females who expect a lot from you but don’t give you back what you want and need.”
“You’re a mind-reader.”
“Hardly. But I do understand a thing or two about what makes the male species happy.”
“Tell me more. Want another drink?”
“Make it a double. That might get me in the mood to show you.”
“I can’t wait.”
“In that case forget the drink. Stop at the liquor store on Ventura and bring our friend Johnnie Walker with you. See ya in fifteen minutes or so.” She wrote the address on a cocktail napkin.
“Give me a little longer, so I can go up to the office and get my things.”
“You won’t be at my place that long. There will be plenty of time to go back and get your stuff when I’m finished with you then go home to your little family.”
“Okay, if you say so.” Bill felt like a dork after making such a weak response to the woman’s offer.
On the way to her place Bill realized how scared he was. His fear was interspersed with a sense of guilt that gnawed at him even though he had done nothing. At least not yet. These feelings were overpowered by youthful excitement the moment he called her at the gate and was buzzed in.
Jessica greeted him with a drink. He took it and sat on the couch. She kicked off her heels and joined him.
“So what were you going to show me about how to make the male species happy?” he said sheepishly.
“Getting impatience?”
“No, but I am curious.”
“Don’t want to get too curious. Remember what that did to the cat.” She pulled close to him and kissed Bill as passionately as anyone had in his entire life. Soon they began to fondle each other. Before long they were naked in bed having sex. This progressed to rough sex, which Jessica initiated. Bill responded to it without question. After an hour he was thoroughly spent, but she seemed ready for more.
“Wow, you certainly do know how to make a guy happy. Give me a couple minutes to recuperate and I’ll try to do the same for you.”
“No. Time for you to go back to doing what you were doing before we met.”
“When can I see you again?”
“That depends on you. Call me and we’ll see what we can work out. Now take a shower and get dressed.”
Bill drove back to the office. He tried to work but could not stop thinking about Jessica and what happened. He decided to call and thank her for everything. There was no answer. He left a stammering message and wanted to change it the moment he hung up. Unable to concentrate on the project at hand, Bill decided to pack it in and come back early Saturday morning when his mind was fresh.
“Well, it’s about time,” Sharon said. “Don’t tell me you’ve been at the office all evening. It’s nearly midnight. I’ve been to the Ahmanson and back. Have you been drinking?”
She continued to bombard Bill with questions. He headed to the kitchen, got a glass of tap water, stood at the sink and drank it as if no one else was there.
“Hope you had a nice time tonight,” Bill said as he turned and headed toward the bedroom.
“Is that all you have to say?”
“It’s been a long tough day. That says it all. I need to get some sleep so I can be back at the office first thing in the morning. Good night.”
“I’m not finished with this conversation.”
“Maybe not, but I am.” He wondered what emboldened him to display such gumption. Was he just sick and tired of her nagging? Could it be that another woman was actually interested in him? Or did something deep within his psyche surfaced after decades of quiet restraint? Whatever it was Bill sensed he had recaptured some of his manhood. It felt good.
The next morning Bill was up at six and out of the house before anyone awoke. He skipped breakfast but took time to walk the dog for fear that poor Baby would be forced to suffer through the entire day or have an accident that he would be blamed for later.
He was surprised how the project moved along that morning. However, with each pause visions of Jessica seeped into his mind, so he allowed the work to crowd her out. Finally, after working through lunch, Bill was satisfied with what he had accomplished. He decided to reward himself by calling Jessica.
“Hi, it’s Bill.”
“Thought you said you’d be working all day.” She replied.
“I came in early and worked my tail off. Got the project pretty much finished.”
“Why don’t you come over and have a drink to celebrate?”
“Thought you’d never ask.” He laughed. “Do you want me to bring something?”
“How about a nice bottle of wine?”
“You got it. See ya soon.”
“I’m at the liquor store. Which do you prefer red or white?” he asked using his cell phone.
“Why not one of each?”
“I should have thought of that.” He hit the end button and said to himself, “Now she knows both my work and mobile phone numbers.” Bill brushed the thought away and selected a medium-priced California Cabernet and a Pinot Chardonnay. These would demonstrate that he knew something about wine and was not a cheapskate. He also bought a less expensive bottle to take home later.
“This ought to hold you for a while.” Bill handed her the wine bottles. He laughed, she did not.
“Nice to see you too.”
“Just kidding. Guess I’m trying to use a little humor to get over my awkwardness in seeing you like this.”
“This can’t be the first time you’ve ever seen a sexy nightgown.”
“It’s not that, but what’s in it makes me feel inadequate, like I’m a teenager again.”
“Well you brought out the youth in me last night too. Maybe we ought to open a bottle and take it with us to the bedroom.” She gave him the bottle of red, put the white in the refrigerator, got out the glasses and opener, and led the way.
“That was nice,” Bill said. He stood at the front door ready to leave.
“Nice? It was meant to drive you out of your mind and desi
re me like you never have any other woman.”
“Who says you didn’t? I can’t tell you everything or you’d be in control.”
“Don’t forget the one who knows how to make the male species happy is also the one who knows how to make them miserable too.
“Nobody has to remind me of that.”
“When will I see you again?” Jessica asked.
“I haven’t even thought about it. Everything is happening so fast. Soon, real soon.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Yeah, maybe sometime tomorrow.”
“What time?”
“I don’t know yet. I mean, there’s my mother to see. I haven’t spent anytime at home in the past couple of days. And I have to put the final touches on my report. Maybe it will get me off my boss’s hit list.”
“So I’m the odd man, or should I say woman, out?”
“Look, Jessica, we just met last night. It’s been terrific but I do have a life.”
“Are you saying I should get a life?”
“No, nothing like that. I can’t just walk away from my responsibilities and hide in your bedroom.”
“It might be the most enjoyable thing you ever did.”
“Or the dumbest.”
“You’re not going to simply walk away after taking advantage of me.”
“What brought this on?”
“You came on to me. Talked me into committing all kinds of sexual acts with you. And now you want to dump me.”
“What?”
“There’s no way you’ll get away with this. I have your office phone number and found out where you work. And I have your cell number too. So I can track you down wherever you are: at home, at work or at play. Anytime and anyplace you go I’ll be just a phone call away.”
“Don’t threaten me.” Bill turned. Jessica was about to hit him with the empty wine bottle. He ducked, grabbed her leg and she fell to the floor. Quickly he was on top of her with both hands wrapped around her throat. His rage was escalating. The higher it rose the tighter he squeezed until Jessica was dead.