by Kylie Parker
“Ok, this may sound a little stupid but weren’t you going to take him out?” Martin squinted at him.
“I don’t know. I kind of liked him. Most truckers are douchebags. He’s been good to us.” Jimmy admitted.
“What if someone killed him? What are we going to do?” Nicolas was starting to panic; His squeaky voice quivered.
“Well…” Jimmy croaked, leaning back on his chair, folding his arms behind his head. “Let’s see if Andy’s alive first. Martin, check the internet for any murder reports in the area, will you?”
“It’s too far-fetched, Jimmy…” Martin commented. “Anyway, give me five minutes.” He murmured, rising from his seat.
“I mean no disrespect here Jimmy, but do you realize what we’ve just done? We should be celebrating.” Nicolas suggested.
“It’s ok, man.” Jimmy said with a sigh. “I know, but I want to spend this money while I’m young. If we get busted, we’re looking at twenty years. Each. Which reminds me. Don’t buy anything… fancy.”
“You didn’t have to remind me, Jimmy…” Nicholas gave him a big smile.
“Yeah, it’s Martin I’m worried about.” Jimmy claimed. “He could go buy a freaking Ferrari.”
“No, I won’t.” Martin interjected, returning to the table with his laptop in his hands. “See for yourself. It’s been a pretty quiet night in Highland Park. Nothing ever happens here.”
“I’m not celebrating until I see Andy.” Jimmy murmured, still not convinced that Andy was ok. “We’ll pay him a visit tomorrow morning.”
“Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty momma...” Martin hummed the lyrics of “Kokomo”, as a huge grin slowly formed on his face.
“I prefer Brazil.” Nicolas winked at him.
“Hold your horses.” Jimmy grumbled. “You’re not going anywhere just yet and you sure as hell can’t carry all that money with you.”
“I only need 10K.” Martin laughed. “I’ll stash the rest. What happened between you and that security clerk?”
“She said something about… God. I never liked religious freaks, but this one really pissed me off.” Jimmy’s mouth tightened, as he recalled the events of that night.
“What about Andy’s wife?” Martin interjected, laughing even louder.
“Go get some sleep you idiots…” Jimmy groaned, arising to his large, 6’2” stature, unwilling to discuss things any further. It was clear to him that Martin and Nicolas were too happy to share his concern. Eventually, he would snap at them and although he was not afraid of them, Jimmy wanted them to savor this moment. After all, they had earned it. Maybe he was worried too much, as Martin had earlier remarked, or perhaps he was just unable to believe that he was rich. Either way, the questions that filled his mind didn’t allow him to get much sleep that night.
“I sure as hell hope Andy is fine and I’m just overreacting. I don’t know who that girl was but she looked good. Way too good to be his sister or his wife. I couldn’t tell how tall she was, but with a face like that, I wouldn’t mind if she was just five feet tall. What happened to you, Andy? Why couldn’t you make it tonight?”
Chapter Three
The first colors of the sunrise were up in the sky when Jimmy left the safe house the next morning. He wouldn’t wake up his partners. Besides, the chances of them waking up so early were rather slim. Jimmy could hear their loud laughter until 4am and he also found numerous beer bottles in the kitchen, a clear sign that they had celebrated without him. However, the last thing on Jimmy’s mind was to tell them off for having a few beers. He had to find out if Andy was ok and the only way to do that was to drive all the way to Highland Park, thirty two miles away from the safe house.
As one would expect, when he arrived at the small neighborhood, every window of Andy’s house was shut, but Jimmy noticed a feminine figure getting out the house from a distance. Several people were leaving for work in their cars, as he parked his own on the driveway. Without much thought, Jimmy knocked Andy’s front door, looking around him every second or two. Several seconds passed, but still, no one answered. A second knock followed. This time, Jimmy knocked harder and louder, before tapping the fingers of his left hand on the doorknob.
A sigh of relief escaped him, as the door slowly opened. Andy was alive, but he looked in terrible shape. By all appearances, Jimmy had woken him up. His short, blonde hair was messy, his eyes were red and his hand was on his stomach. Andy glanced at the clock on the wall next to the door, before he spoke to Jimmy.
“Jesus Christ, Jimmy.” He spoke in a hoarse voice. “It’s only 7:20 in the morning. Is something wrong?”
“On the contrary…” Jimmy smiled. “Everything’s just fine. I was in the neighborhood. Are you feeling alright? You don’t look so good.”
“Yeah, my stomach’s killing me. Anything else?” Andy couldn’t wait to go back to bed.
“I saw a woman getting out of here. Who is she?” Jimmy asked.
“That’s my sister. She moved in a couple of days ago.” Andy’s reply cleared everything up. For a moment, Jimmy wanted to ask him more questions, but the drowsy look in Andy’s eyes and the fact that he could draw suspicion prevented him from doing so.
“Ok, thanks.” He mumbled. “Get well.”
Andy didn’t even bother to thank him. He just slammed the door, but Jimmy would not pay any attention to that. He was a loner; most of the time, he enjoyed being alone. Despite being sleep deprived, he felt the urgency to celebrate, but he would not return to the safe house. The neighborhood was not so noisy anymore. Jimmy watched, as the last car left. This was maybe his last chance to catch a glimpse of the small town of Highland Park. He would soon leave and go back to San Antonio, his birthplace. Almost each and every house was surrounded by tall trees. The scents from the lush gardens were overwhelming his senses. They were beautiful and well taken care of. Even though it was just four miles away from downtown Dallas, Highland Park was scenic, as if it belonged to another era.
Jimmy began to walk down the street, with a feeling of contentment inside him and a crooked smile on his face. He found himself wondering what to do with his newfound wealth. His partners had given him quite a few ideas the night before, but Jimmy was not the type of man who would go to an exotic island all by himself. Yes, he wanted better things, but such places would be too crowded for a man like him and he would most likely draw unwanted attention. At any rate, Jimmy Holden’s dream of taking a long break had come true and he could not be happier. A long walk in Highland Park sounded much more appealing than driving all the way back to the safe house.
A few minutes into that walk, Jimmy reached a crossroad. Sounds of laughing children filled his ears. Turning his head to the left, he saw the local elementary school. Just like the houses, it featured a lawn and a few tall trees, but Jimmy had seen those before. More than a dozen cars were parked on the big driveway and a few women were gathered on the stone pathway in the middle of the loan. A few yards behind them, Jimmy spotted one more woman. She looked strangely familiar. Her outfit matched the one that Andy’s sister wore: A purple t-shirt and jeans. Her whiskey hair was flopping on her shoulders. She had just come out of the building, locking the door.
“I’ve forgotten the last time I laid my eyes on a hot teacher.” He thought to himself. All that commotion on a Saturday morning intrigued him. Something big was coming up, but he had no idea what it was. Jimmy started forward; his curiosity was growing by the second. During his short walk, he even caught the brunette’s name, as one of the parents addressed her: Anna. She looked much better up close. Her casual outfit accentuated her curves, but the black circles under her eyes indicated that she had been through a terrible ordeal. Jimmy knew exactly what it was, but he was also curious about the parents’ congregation.
“Ahem…” He cleared his throat, as he stopped a few feet behind the parents. Two of them looked over their shoulders, but neither of them addressed him.
“Can I help you with something?” Anna asked in a sweet, fe
minine voice, looking up at him.
“Um…” Jimmy faltered. “Hi, my name’s Jimmy Holden. What’s the occasion?”
“Mr. Holden, I’ve heard a lot about you.” Anna said, as her lips curled into a polite smile. “We’re throwing a fundraiser for the orphanage.”
“Oh…” Jimmy gave a gasp of surprise. “Thanks.” He muttered. Anna’s words had struck a sensitive chord. Jimmy dropped his eyes away from her intense stare. His face darkened. In a matter of seconds, he was in one of the biggest dilemmas of his life. He slowly turned around, putting his hands in his pockets.
“Mr. Holden...?” Anna’s voice stopped him. He would not face her, though.
“Yes…?” He spoke in a low tone, just before he sensed her soft hand on his shoulder.
“The fundraiser is tomorrow night. I just thought you should know.” She added. Jimmy wished that her last sentence passed by him unheard. He looked down at her, over his right shoulder.
“Good things I hope…” He attempted to change the subject.
“Yes, my brother likes you a lot.” Anna claimed.
“I read about last night.” Jimmy put a little force in his manly voice. However, his statement froze the faint smile on her face.
“Nice meeting you.” She murmured, before leaving a troubled Jimmy wondering about his next move. He was never subtle with women. In fact, he was rather blunt and had no manners. Had Anna not informed him about the reason of the fundraiser, Jimmy would make a move on her, even though they were in public.
“Orphanage… Brings back a lot of sad memories, that’s for sure. Anna Reigns. Sounds classy. Stupid Andy could have told me that he had a sister. I wonder why he kept it a secret. I’ve just found a reason to stay here a little longer. You will be mine, Anna. It may not be tonight. It may not be tomorrow, but make no mistake: One of these nights, you’re coming home with me.”
Chapter Four
The abrupt ending of his short conversation with Anna disappointed Jimmy, but Saturday night would be all about celebrating with his partners. At last, he was worry-free, although the news of the armored truck heist was in the front page of every newspaper in the state. He was positive that they had executed everything to perfection. Martin and Nicolas would leave for San Antonio the next day. They were planning on going on a long vacation to the Caribbean, but before they did that, they all wanted to pay one last visit to “Pink Lace”, a strip club in the nearby town of University Park. It was much smaller and usually was less crowded than the clubs in Dallas, ideal for a good, long night of fun.
They got there, some time before midnight. The big sign in fancy, fuchsia letters on the door looked promising:
“Just for tonight, all the way from Prague, Silvia, the Czech sensation!”
The sexy music playing from the multiple speakers and the very few, green and blue lights greeted the three men. Jimmy, Martin and Nicolas sat at the table closest to the stage and to the right and ordered drinks. This time, Jimmy Holden did seem to share his partners’ enthusiasm, but they paid no attention to him and for good reason. “Pink Lace” might have been located in a small town but the women working there were beautiful and very good at their job. Their sensual performances made their jaws drop. Even Jimmy, who wasn’t so easily impressed, soon fixed his gaze on the stage and couldn’t wait to watch the rest of the show. Twenty minutes after their arrival, a gorgeous, voluptuous redhead emerged, in a skimpy, scarlet dress.
“Oh, no!” Nicolas exclaimed. “That’s got to be Jessica Rabbit!”
“Her dress was longer.” Martin remarked, while Jimmy laughed at his friends.
“I’m waiting for the main event. Something tells me she’s special.” He chuckled. Jimmy let his eyes roam. A waiter was coming their way. He raised his right arm in the air. The waiter approached their table and bent towards Jimmy:
“Hey. The sign on the door says something about a girl named Silvia. Has she performed yet?” He asked in a loud tone.
“No, sir. She always performs at midnight and only once. Why?” The waiter replied.
“Why’s that?”
“She’s quite expensive.” The waiter’s last sentence didn’t come as a surprise. A few strippers had come up with clever ways to make a little extra money. He checked the clock on his cell phone. It was almost midnight, as the redhead finished her sexy dance.
“And now, the moment you gentlemen have been waiting for! Put your hands together for Silvia!” A hoarse voice with a southern accent announced on the speakers. The small crowd welcomed the so-called sensation with a quite loud round of applause, long whistles and yee-has, as “Crazy”, the famous ballad by Aerosmith started playing from the speakers. Indeed, Silvia was a sight for sore eyes. Not so tall, but wearing 4-inch high heels, a golden thong and a matching bra. She also wore a blonde wig and mirror sunglasses. Her curvaceous figure got Jimmy’s attention immediately. He couldn’t stop staring at her. Martin threw a 20-dollar bill on the stage, close to her. Silvia put her hand on the right handle of her eyeglasses frame and lowered her glasses, slowly sitting on her knees, with her free hand on the pole on her left. An orange beam of light lit up her eyes. Their light-green color shocked Jimmy. He opened his mouth wide in disbelief. It was then that Jimmy realized that Silvia was not really from the Czech Republic. She was a small-town girl called Anna Reigns…
“Holy shit…” He hummed. Jimmy turned his head to the right, looking for the waiter he had spoken to earlier. He had not gone far. He was taking an order from the adjacent table.
“Hey!” He yelled, curling his index finger. The waiter returned to his table in a hurry.
“You said she’s expensive!” Jimmy yelled in his ear. “How much is a private dance with her?”
“Five hundred dollars, sir. And she has a ‘no touching’ rule.” The waiter replied. Jimmy didn’t think twice. He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a large wad of one hundred-dollar bills. He counted five and handed the money over to the waiter.
“Here. Take me to the private room.” Jimmy continued.
“Thank you, sir. Follow me.” The waiter said. Jimmy rose from his seat and winked at Martin. Nicolas couldn’t take his eyes off of Anna, but Jimmy would not look. Following the waiter, he heard a number of crude comments on Anna’s appearance, but he was way too excited to bother. Incredibly, Andy’s sister had a big secret and he couldn’t wait for her private performance. The mere thought of seeing her naked drove his senses wild. But Anna had many questions to answer first.
The waiter led Jimmy to a dark room with a big, brown, leather couch. He dimmed the lights on his way out. Jimmy’s heart was pounding in his chest. In a matter of seconds, Anna would join him. He heaved a big sigh, before lying back, assuming a relaxed posture. His manhood twitched, as he imagined her naked body, filling his mind with all kinds of dirty thoughts. Jimmy was so eager to enjoy her performance that he kept tapping his fingers on the cushions.
“I hope you’re ready for me...” Anna’s voice echoed in the small corridor that led to the room. She had even assumed a fake accent. But Jimmy could not be fooled. As soon as he heard the sound of her heels on the marble floor, he jumped up, sprinted across the room and hid behind the door. Anna stepped into the room and stopped three feet away from the door. Jimmy slammed it behind her, before grabbing Anna by the wrist. He dragged her to the right. Jimmy pushed her back and pinned her against the wall. To his surprise, Anna didn’t make a sound. His stiff muscles loosened, as his imprisoning arms slid down the wall to finally rest on her shoulders.
“Teacher by day, stripper by night.” He whispered, with a smug smile on his face.
“Jimmy Holden. Why am I not surprised?” She wondered, pushing him back. Anna watched his smugness evaporate in her confidence.
“I met a sweet girl this morning. Have you seen her by any chance?” He asked.
“I met a refined gentleman this morning, too. Where is he?” Her question only puzzled him more.
“I don’t know what your
brother told you about me, but I’m not a refined gentleman.” Jimmy confessed. “Just how the hell did you end up here? Don’t tell me you’re doing this for the fundraiser.”
“I’m not.” Anna shook her head sideways. “I thought you knew about my brother’s gambling. He’s neck-deep in debt.”
“And you’re here to help him out?” Jimmy’s smug smile reappeared. “What are you, Anna? A teacher, a stripper or a Samaritan?”
“Do you have any siblings?” She interjected the question that Jimmy had been dreading.
“I did.” He said with a deep sigh, running his hand through his hair. “I had a twin brother. But that was a long time ago.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Anna got apologetic. “But I’m guessing you loved him. Is it me or did you get… upset this morning when I told you about the fundraiser?”
“It’s not you.” Jimmy reassured her. “I grew up in an orphanage. Of course I loved my brother.”
“Then you understand why I’m doing this.” She stated.
“I don’t get it. You moved in because your brother’s in debt? Where have you been all this time?”
“I was a teacher in Chicago, but I got a job here.” Anna muttered.
“And why did you become a stripper? Do you like the attention?” Jimmy’s last question insulted her.
“Is that what you think about strippers?” Her voice got high-pitched.
“I’ve met a few of them, sweetheart. Yeah, some of them love the attention. I just didn’t know if you were one of them.” Jimmy smirked at her.
“Some, not all.” Anna couldn’t hide her anger. “Take a seat.”
“No…” Jimmy whispered, taking one step closer to her. Once again, he grabbed her by the wrists and pushed her back. This time though, he was much gentler. He slid his hands up her arms, looking right into her eyes. They reached her shoulders. He squeezed her flesh once, before running his thumbs across the fragile line of her collarbone.