by Joe Corso
Jason didn’t hesitate. “Sure, I’m in. I’m an honest guy, but if it means putting this guy away, then I’m with you all the way.”
“Good. I was hoping you’d say that. How about the rest of you?” It was unanimous. The operation was on. John nodded to Angelo. “I saw you on the phone; did you buy us a car, Angelo?” John asked.
“Sure did. I ordered a black Navigator. They had one in stock and it’s got all the bells and whistles. It’s loaded; I made sure it has every available option. The salesman told me it’s a real beauty. When I told them who it was for and we’d pay for it in full when we got there, they told me to give them an hour to detail the car and we can pick it up later. ” Angelo loved working for John W. He enjoyed buying and maintaining cars. He liked the close camaraderie of working with Lee and John W, and even Jason who was becoming a part of the group even though he wasn’t aware of it yet. This was just another job to Jason, but what he didn’t know was John W had been making discrete inquiries about buying his firm, which he thought would be a good fit with his. He liked the way Jason worked and he wanted him on board with him, even if it meant buying his company from him.
Jason was parked across the street, a few cars away from Madam Sophia’s bordello. He was waiting for Kleinst to leave. It wasn’t a long wait but this is what he did. It wasn’t unusual to spend days waiting for a target to leave a building, and then to follow him somewhere, only to wait longer at another location. This one was easy. Kleinst never spent the night in the bordello. Usually he was in and out in an hour and, sure enough, one hour later, the door opened and Kleinst walked out, got in his car parked nearby, and drove away. Sweeney left his car and walked the short distance to the bordello. He rang the bell and Madam Sophia answered.
Usually a customer made an appointment in advance to see one of her girls, so it was unusual for the doorbell to ring, as there was no one reserved on any of the girls’ schedules. However, sometimes a new customer who heard about her establishment would be allowed in. If she was comfortable with him, she might accept him as a new customer. She looked at the big man standing in the doorway, sizing him up. He didn’t look like trouble but he also looked like he could handle trouble if it came his way.
“Yes what can I do for you?”
Jason gave her a big smile, showing her a perfect set of expensive, capped white teeth. “I want to see one of your girls, Jane Spotta. Is she available?”
Madam Sophia was impressed. Jane was getting a lot of attention these days. She was earning more than a few of the other girls combined. “Jane is available, but she is expensive.”
“I figured as much,” Jason said with a wide grin. “How much is ‘expensive’?”
“$500.00 for one hour.”
Jason pulled out his billfold, took out five crisp one hundred dollar bills, and handed them to Madam Sophia, who couldn’t help noticing the large amount of crisp one hundred dollar bills still in his wallet.
Hmm, she thought, why isn’t this man a member of my establishment? “When you’re finished visiting Jane, please come and see me before you leave. I want to give you a gold card, which would make you an official member of my establishment. The card will not contain any information other than a member number and our telephone number. We have no need for any other information. The less we know about you, the better it is for all concerned. Go on up now, Jane’s waiting for you. She’s in Room 204.”
When Jason entered the room, Jane was wearing a stunning, revealing negligée. He shook his head because she might as well be wearing nothing. As he stood with his mouth open, studying the outline of her breasts and her protruding nipples, he wondered if she did anything to make them as firm as they were. His eyes followed the curves of her hips to the place where her thighs beckoned invitingly to him. The room was bathed in red and the bed was a beautiful four-poster with the bedspread and decorative enclosure of the upper part of the bed in red and cream colors. The room was breathtaking. Jason’s gaze drifted from the bed to Jane, and he took one long look at her. His eyes traveled up and down her body, undressing her mentally, and he knew why Kleinst chose her as the person he visited twice a week. He closed his eyes and said a fast prayer to St. Christopher asking him to give him strength, make him strong, and keep him from becoming aroused, which was a very hard thing to do. Jason was a married man who had always been faithful to his wife and he always resisted the temptations of the flesh, but he realized as he stared at Jane’s flesh, it was real tough not to sample the forbidden fruit. Come on, St. Christopher, you’re supposed to be the patron saint of travelers and I’m a traveler - and I’m in a situation here and I could use a little help.
He introduced himself to Jane, trying not to look flustered. Without saying a word, he pulled ten $100.00 bills from his billfold out and laid them on the table.
Jane looked at the money and said, “What’s this money for? Didn’t you pay Madam Sophia downstairs?”
“Look, Jane. You are probably the most beautiful girl I’ve ever almost had sex with. But I didn’t come here for sex. I paid my money so I could talk to you in private for a few minutes.” He looked at the money, and then he pointed to it. “This is yours with no strings attached. Here’s where I’m staying. If you are interested in making $100,000.00 for a few minutes of your time, call me at this number.”
Jane was instantly interested and suspicious at the same time. “I won’t do anything illegal. If you need me for a special party with your men friends, then that figure will work. I’ll take on as many men as you can fit in the room, and you can include a few women too, but I will not do anything illegal other than having illegal sex. Do I make myself clear?”
Sweeney smiled. “There’s no gang sex involved and there is nothing illegal involved.” He stood and walked to the door. “If you’re interested, call me at that number.”
“Wait,” she called out, just as he opened the door. “Come on. You have to tell me a little more. What the hell could it be that I could do for you to earn that kind of money? I’m not saying I will, but if I agree to anything, I want a large part of the money in advance. Now, come on, tell me what you want from me. As far as sex goes, I can do it all. I’ll fulfill your every fantasy and give you everything you ever dreamed of and I’m good at it. So tell me, what it is you want from me?”
Sweeney said, “I can’t tell you anything now, but if you tell me when you can be at my apartment, I’ll have someone there who will explain everything to you. And don’t be frightened, we’re good men who can do you a lot of good, but for you to earn the $100,000.00, you have to perform a very simple service that will require a few minutes of your time. Something only you are in the unique position to do.”
Now Jane was as confused as anyone could be. What the hell was it that she could do for them, that none of the other girls couldn’t? She had to go and hear for herself what this man wanted her to do. Sweeney knew he had her. She’d come and he knew it. Just the way she looked when he mentioned the amount of money she’d get by doing a little service for them. And it wasn’t sex, which threw her because that’s all she knew. That was what her expertise was in; sex, and they didn’t want any of her sex. That deflated her a bit, but it also piqued her interest.
“All right. How about tonight? I get off early tonight because I don’t have a sleep over.”
“What’s early?” Sweeney asked.
“I get off at 12, so how about if I get there at 12:30?”
“That’s all right with me, but tomorrow morning also works for us.”
“No. Now I’m so curious, I won’t be able to sleep tonight if I don’t find out what it is you want me to do. No, I’ll see you tonight at 12:30. Make sure your friend is there and please don’t waste my time, because my sleep is important to me. Do we understand one another?”
“You have my address and telephone number on the back of the Arizona Biltmore’s card.
Jane hadn’t looked at the face of the card, only the room number. “You’re staying a
t the Arizona Biltmore?”
“Yep, take the elevator to the penthouse, we’ll be waiting for you there and please, do not tell anyone about what I’ve just told you. If you mention this to anyone, we’ll find someone else to give the $100,000.00 to. Remember it’s essential that you tell no one. Not your mother, your friends, your madam, or your boyfriend. Believe me, this will be the easiest money you ever earned.” He had been half out the door while talking to her.
He left, closing the door behind him. Jane remained standing there, staring blankly at the door, unable to understand what just took place. She looked at the money on the table and wondered what man comes to a whore house, pays the madam $500.00, leaves another $1000.00 on a table, and then leaves without having sex. It was all very confusing, but she was determined to find out exactly what was going on. She picked up the phone and was about to call Rutgar and ask for his advice, but after the warning, she thought better of it and she placed the phone back on its receiver. The money was more important to her than taking a chance on telling anyone, especially after she was warned not to.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Jane got off at the Penthouse level and rang the doorbell. Sweeney opened the door and invited her in. “Are you hungry?”
“No,” she replied.”
“A drink, perhaps?”
“No. Let’s just get down to business. I’m here now, so tell me what I have to do to get the money?”
“It’s simple,” A voice said from the other side of the room. A light switched on and a man walked toward her, dressed elegantly. He was young and he was very handsome, and above all, he reeked of money. “And you are?”
“Call me ‘John.’”
“Are you the one who will pay me $100,000.00 to perform some sort of an act for you?”
“Please, call it a service and not an act. Listen carefully to what I have to say. If after hearing what I want you to do, you prefer not to help me, then I will give you another thousand dollars with your promise that you will not repeat what I asked of you to anyone. On the other hand, if you decide to help me, I will give you one hundred thousand dollars in cash. Twenty-five thousand now and the rest tomorrow when you complete your assignment.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Simple. I want you to invite Kleinst here to this very room. Tell him a rich client had to leave town, and he left the penthouse to you for the night.”
Jane was suspicious now. She liked Kleinst. He was a regular and although he was a little rough with her, and he could be kinky at times, he paid her very well. She was reluctant to lose that income.
John sensed what she was thinking. “Where can you make this much money at one time? No matter how much Kleinst gives you, it will never amount to what I’ll give you for five minutes work.”
Five minutes work. What could he possibly want me to do for him that will take five minutes of my time? she wondered. “Tell me what you want me to do.”
“Like I said. Invite Rutgar here and pour him a drink, but put this in it first. Don’t worry; it’s a harmless sleeping potion. Once he’s asleep, you can get dressed and leave.”
She felt uncomfortable and looked at the two men. “You’re not going to kill him, are you?”
John smiled patiently at her. “Jane, we’re not murderers. We don’t kill people, but Mr. Kleinst does.”
“What? I don’t believe you. How dare you accuse him of being a murderer?”
John pointed to the file on the table. “Jason, would you please bring me the file on the table?” Jason handed the file to John, who opened it. “Please sit by me, Jane. I want to show you the man you have been sleeping with.” She sat beside him and snuggled closer than she intended but she liked the feeling, so she remained close to him. John told her to read each page of his dossier. It was painful to watch her face as realization set in. When she was finished, she said, “I had no idea this man was capable of these crimes.”
John smiled a shadow of a smile and told her, “I’m going to take a chance on you. I’m going to tell you something that no one but a few people know. Kleinst had me put in a prison that I was never meant to leave. He robbed me of my property, but as you can see, I’ve managed to do well for myself. It’s a simple matter of revenge. He has to pay for his crimes, and I’m the tool that will make it happen. Your job is to put the liquid from this vial in his drink. It’s odorless and tasteless. Once he’s asleep, you will call me at this number. It’s the room below this one. When I walk in the door and I find him asleep, I’ll hand you a bag filled with the rest of your money . . . in cash. Then your job is done and you can leave. What’s easier than that? Well, are you in or are you out?”
Jane thought a minute, but she had made up her mind to do it after reading his file. The information frightened her and even if she walked away from this, she would never sleep with that man again. Not ever! “Okay, I’ll do it.”
John relaxed a bit. He hadn’t realized that he had tensed up waiting for her decision. “You usually see him on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Do you have his personal number?” “Yes. We’re not supposed to keep any of our clients’ phone numbers or addresses but he insisted I have it, just in case I wasn’t available, he wanted to know first. His is the only phone number of all my clients that I kept. I don’t know why I did, but yes, I have his number.”
“Call him and give him the good news. Do you usually have a drink during his visits?”
“Yes, many times he’ll bring champagne and if he doesn’t, I have liquor in my room and we’ll have a gin and tonic or a rum and coke and once in a while he’ll take a scotch and water. So, yes. We usually have a drink or two before sex.”
“Since you’re with us, make the call.”
Jane called Rutgar Wednesday morning, hoping Rutgar wasn’t asleep. He was a night person and he was wide-awake as he picked up the phone. “It’s Jane.” She said. Then she told him the good news. When he heard that she was in the Arizona Biltmore penthouse, he was anxious to see her, and the penthouse, so he said that he’d be over that night instead of Thursday. On the way there, Rutgar kept thinking of how different it was going to be having sex with her in the penthouse. It should have a bath large enough for two people and that in itself was worth the trip there. He decided to see her today because people are sometimes fickle. The old man who rented the penthouse might decide to come back, and he wouldn’t have the opportunity to try something different with Jane. He reached over and checked the champagne to make sure it was still cold. He needn’t have bothered because it was in a thermal bucket with dry ice to keep it cold, but he checked every few minutes anyway. He was like a kid. Of all the women he had, he enjoyed sex with Jane better than any of the others. She was game for anything when it came to sex and he was the same. Tonight though, would be the diamond in his crown.
When the door to the penthouse opened, Jane appeared in a slinky black nightgown that left little to the imagination. He kissed her on her lips lightly then stepped into the large living room. As was his way, he studied everything about the room. Then he began a thorough search of the other rooms. Old habits die hard. Checking out a building, house, or apartment came first before anything else. As much as he wanted to grab Jane and tear her clothes off, he needed to feel safe first. He knew he was safe in America. This wasn’t Germany, after all, and he didn’t have enemies looking to kill him here in this country. But it was better to be safe than dead. When he was satisfied, he returned to the living room and took the drink Jane handed him. Normally, he would switch drinks, but he was getting paranoid even thinking that. He reminded himself that he just had that mental discussion with himself a few minutes ago. But the clincher was that he had been with Jane hundreds of times and if she was a danger to him, she would have killed him long ago. That feeling returned. The feeling he always got when something wasn’t right. This time he didn’t listen to it. He did a thorough check of the penthouse. He could see the girl wasn’t armed, at least not in the usual sense. He smiled at
his little joke.
He took the glass and raised a toast to Jane. “Here’s to you, Janie girl. With you, I can relax and not worry about anything.” He took his glass and downed the drink on one quick gulp.
She sipped her drink, waiting for the drug to take effect. She hoped it was fast working because he might hurt her once he realized he was drugged.
“Come on,” she said, as she took him by the hand and led him to the door on the other side of the living room, to a large round white bed in the bedroom. She jumped in bed and bounced on it. “Come on, slowpoke, get on the bed with me. I’m horny and you’re keeping me waiting.”
He began to take his shoes off, but was having trouble. “Damn I’m tired. These late hours must be catching up to me.” He managed to take off his shoes, but fell over, as he was about to step out of his pants.
Jane looked over the bed, reached down, and shook him. “Wake up sleepy head,” she said. Rutgar was out cold. She quietly slid off the bed, thinking she’d wake him if she rushed and walked to the phone in the living room. She called the number John had given her.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
John entered the penthouse with Lee and Angelo and walked directly to the bedroom, past Jane and straight to Rutgar, who was unconscious on the floor. A cruel smile appeared on his face. “You did your job, Jane. Thank you. Jason has your money. He’s in the living room.”