by T. S. Hill
“The possibility of it being a reality.”, Lori cautioned me. “We, don’t know yet. That’s what I’m telling you. We’ve got to find out. Meanwhile, I guess this means no sex, while I’m off my pills.”
“Why? Does it put you at risk somehow to have sex while you’re off your pills?”
“Just the risk of actually getting pregnant.”, she answered.
“Would that be a bad thing?”, I asked.
“Not to me. How about you Cowboy?”
“I’ve already told you how I feel about that. Back at the tree house, remember?”
“So, Rosita and Sasha, actually becoming aunts, wouldn’t bother you?”, she asked me.
“Not in the least, Sweetheart!”, I replied. “That would be the beginnings of a real household, and a real family.”
“You don’t think of us as family now?”, she questioned me.
“Sure! But, kids! That’s what family is all about. Well, not all that family is about, but that’s often the core of it! A kid is made up of everybody on both sides of the two people that make the kid. The kid is both blood lines of each parent, and both blood lines of all four grandparents and the blood lines of all eight great grandparents, and on like that! Do understand Lori? As much as you and I are two becoming one, a kid is that in a physical reality.”, I struggled to explain.
“So, if I’m preggers, you’re going to be okay with that?”, she asked.
“More than okay with it! Happy as hell with it!”, I exclaimed.
“Somehow, I had heard you say it, but just didn’t believe it before now.”, Lori said.
“Well, believe me Lori Parsons!”, I shouted at her.
“Okay, Cowboy!”, don’t kill my hearing! Those fucking AR’s, already have created permanent damage, I’m sure.”, she shot back at me, before pausing for a few seconds. “So, what do we do next about this whole assignment thing? I’m really ready to have the SOB in my past, and not in my present, or future!”
“I’ve got to call Al, and get this Tony thing resolved. That’s first. Next, we finish processing the data sheets for all of the evidence, and photographs we have. Do the cross matches, and then clean house at Longworth Enterprises Inc. Sasha does the data clean-up of the financials, and bogus orders that the SOB’s organization has processed through LEI, etc., etc. Then you, and Sash, oversee the interim companies cleaning up accounting, development oversight, HR, and the rest of it. You do your efficiency magic, and we’re out of here. Back to the bayou and some Louisiana living!”
“How much do you think Al will pay us for this job?”
“It doesn’t matter, Lori. We’ll have enough to get by, and when he pays us, I’m thinking about not just adding on to the tree house, but actually building a new structure, down closer to the water, with an extended dock and maybe three stories.”
“How are we going to get by until he pays us Cowboy?”, she asked me. “And, where the hell is the money coming from to build a whole new, three story structure?”
“It seems that nearly ten years ago, when I asked Al to invest one of my fees, instead of collecting it from him, it was more than I thought, and weirdly, the investment has more than doubled several times over, as the years went by. Now, it’s worth a couple of million dollars, with income growth expanding every year. It’s a thing, where we help vets get on their feet, start businesses, and keep a few of them, like Belcher; remember him? We keep a few of them employed.
“Remember Belcher?”, she shot back at me. “Fuck! I’d still like to kill that crazy son of bitch!”
“Well. Crazy or not. The company keeps some like him functioning, and being self-sufficient, instead of in mental institutions. I know that he’s borderline self-destructive, but so far, he’s not crashed a single chopper, nor injured anyone. He just scares the hell out of most people.”
“If he were sane, he would scare the hell out of himself!”, Lori popped back at me. “He’s a total fucking lunatic!”, she asserted.
“Okay, but more to the point, this little corporation does a lot of good, and in the process, does not hurt, nor take advantage, of veterans. But, it gives them help, that no one else, and no bank, not even the government, will give them. And, actually, as a result, we’re kind of rich. Not super rich, but rich in terms of how I grew up.”
“That’s actually very cool Cowboy!”, she piped up.
“Yeah, I could get used to being rich, and being rich because I helped people that deserved to be helped, that no one else was stepping up to the plate for. Or, should I say, for which no one else was stepping up to the plate?”
“Oh, are we going to become snobby Yankees now?”, she quipped, elbowing me in my ribs.
“No!”, I answered bluntly. “But, we’re going to enjoy this money, and our children are not going to know what a hard life is. Not if I have anything to do with it. Learn life’s best lessons? Sure! But live the hard life? Hell, to the fuck, no!”
“You’re a good man, Cowboy. I look forward to raising out children together. That includes, Rosita and Sasha born children too.”, she said with resolve.
“I didn’t drag either of those women into this relationship Lori, but now that they’re here, they have a place in my heart too. I’ve stopped trying to deny that to myself, and I don’t intend to deny it to them, or you, or anybody else.”
“And, I don’t want you to, Cowboy.”, she said to me earnestly. “But honestly, and I have even admitted this to myself. You, and Rosita, actually had that unrequited love thing going on, long before I came on the scene, and you and Sasha were an instant, two of a kind match. You understand each other, better than any of the rest of us. You are two halves of a whole. Rosita, and I, both recognize that. But we love you too, in our own way, and we believe that you love us, each in a special way. Am I wrong?”
“No, Lori,”, I admitted, “you are one hundred percent on the bull’s eye. I just haven’t been sure that all of us could live harmoniously with that truth. What do you think?”
“I got this, Cowboy!”, Lori replied to me adamantly, “Somehow, I guess that I instinctively knew this, before we even committed to each other. Then, when Sasha came along, and I had to admit to myself, and then you, how I am sexually; being bi and all? Well, I knew in that library room, that I had met my match and more, in vying for your love and understanding. I guess that’s why I got so fucking angry at Shug initially, and then fucking nearly killed her. I still feel like shit about all that! I love that little, big titted bitch to death! She’s almost like my little sister, but then not really. I mean, who has sex with their little sister? That’s fucked up!”
“No.”, I shot back at her. “What is it Rosita calls it? Sister souls, I think. That’s different. Not blood sisters. Like you said, that’s sick. But sister souls. That’s a whole different concept.”
“Hmmm.”, Lori mused. “I can live with that.”
“I think we already are.”, I commented.
“Yeah. As a matter of fact, we have been, and are.”, Lori said back to me. “I’m glad we had this conversation Cowboy. We need to do more of this. But right now, I’m beginning to get chilled. Can we go back inside?”
“Yes, to all of the above.”, I answered her. “Let’s see who’s ready to come out to do guard duty.”
“They’d better get a fucking jacket!”, she shot back. I chuckled, and turned us back toward the guest house door.
Inside the guest house, we found everyone, even Tony, with his trussed-up wrists and ankles, fast asleep in various chairs, and on the sofa. When we had opened the door, Sasha, pulled her nine mil Smith, partially from its holster, beneath her armpit, and cracked open one eye. Seeing it was Lori and me, she smiled, and holstered the weapon, shutting back her one open eye. I didn’t have the heart to insist that she go out into the chilly night, and guard the perimeter.
Why don’t you make a pot of coffee and bring me out a cup?”, I suggested to Lori.
“Let me bring you that athletic jacket from that jogging suit
thingy, or whatever the fuck it is.”, Lori suggested back.
“Fine, but make a full pot of coffee.”, I told her. “It’s going to be a long fucking night. And, I doubt, an uneventful one.
“It’s already an eventful one, in my book!”, Lori quipped back. What the fuck do you call uneventful, Cowboy?”
“One where I don’t expend a single round of ammo!”, I shot back to her. “One like I haven’t had in weeks! Where, I just go to fucking sleep, and wake up after daylight, rested. But, that shit hasn’t happened in weeks, and aint gonna happen tonight either! So, Lori, just make the fucking coffee.”
“Don’t get your panties in a twist Cowboy!”, she shot back. I’ll get your coffee, but first, I’ll get that jacket for you.”
“So,”, I asked her, “are you wearing any?”
“Tonight, Cowboy? After what we’ve been through? You fucking bet I am! Now, stay right here, and stay awake. I’ll be right back with your jacket, and then, I’ll make the coffee. Strong coffee! Guaranteed to keep your ass, a-fucking-awake coffee!”
“You’re the love of my life, Lori Parsons.”, I told her.
“Yeah, but not the only one in this life.”, she replied to me, with a little of a sardonic voice. “But, that’s okay. Because, you know what Cowboy? Sometimes, love is all you need. Whether you’re the first, or the last, or the in between one. Love, truly is, all that you need.
Hmm,”, I sounded back to her. Nineteen sixties songwriters had a lot right. Didn’t they?”
“And a whole lot more!”, she called back to me, from the hallway entrance. I had no idea what she was talking about, but for some reason, it seemed to me, that she was correct in what she was saying. So, I didn’t say anything else. I just waited on my jacket, and my coffee. And, wondered, what the fuck, the night would bring next.
Chapter Ten
New Realities
I have no qualms with reality, as long as it leaves me to my fantasies.
It occurred to me that since Milinni seemed to already know, that at least I was there at Al’s, that I might as well not worry about my phone calls being traced back to the estate. I stepped back outside, and pulled out the throwaway phone, dialing Al’s regular cell phone number, as I strolled down the walkway.
“Talk to me!”, Al barked into the phone when he answered.
“Al, its Tagg. We had a chopper bring in an assault team, here on the estate. We’ve driven them off. But, I don’t know what the hell is going to happen next. I need you to tell me about what we were talking about before, about Tony not being gay. What about that?”
“Tagg, have you lost your mind?” You’ve had an assault team attack, and you call me about Tony’s sexual preferences?”
“Al there has to be a leak from here inside the estate. That’s the only way Milinni could have known that I, or we, were still here. We left Francine thinking that we were leaving out. Remember? So, it’s a matter of who can I trust Al. Right now, Tony seems to be my prime suspect. Mrs. Baker has been with you longer than I’ve known you. Annette’s background is squeaky clean, and I know none of my team works for that scoundrel Milinni. So that leaves Tony, who is lying about his sexuality. Why would he pretend to be gay, when he’s not? He’s the only one that I’ve caught in a lie Al. I need to know. Why does he pretend to be gay?”
“It was cooking school and being a chef, Tagg.”, Al began to explain. “People don’t accept a chef seriously if he’s straight. Everybody knows that those people are gay. So, he acts gay to be accepted as a serious chef. He’s been trying to get in a spot, with some of the nicer restaurants in Houston, and Dallas, but he’s not had any luck with it.”
“He told me he was acting gay to cover up his relationship with Mrs. Baker; said that he likes older women, and she likes younger men, but that she was embarrassed, and didn’t want anybody to know. So, what do you think about that Al?”, I shot at them.
“If that were true, she would be embarrassed. She’s had a steady guy for some years now. Amos Dickerson. Owns his own small electrical company. He wired my house, and guest house, when I built them. Really great guy. He’s pestered Mrs. Baker for years to marry him, but for some reason or other, she won’t. But, they’ve been a steady thing for several years. Back in the spring, he took her on an Alaskan cruise. She told me afterwards that she almost said yes to Amos’ proposal this time. Naw! Mrs. Baker and Tony? Hell naw!”
“That answers my question, Al. I’ll keep him under wraps, at least until you get back. You know, my holding him for very long, could get sticky as far as the law goes.
“We’ll worry about that when I get back, Tagg, which should be just in a few more hours.”
“One other thing Al. Do you know Mrs. Baker’s first name?”
“Sure. It’s Gladys. But whatever you do, don’t call her by that name. It really pisses her off for some reason, and I don’t know why. But, just stick to calling her Mrs. Baker. Why do you ask, Tagg?”
“Just call me curious Al! I’ll talk with you in a few hours.”
“What about High Star? Got anything on that?”
“Tons Al! And within another day or two at the most, we’ll be cross referencing that company with everything that we already had on Milinni and his buddies, and your company’s activities. We’ll have these suckers pinpointed, and ready to nail.”
“That sounds great Tagg. Anything else?”
“One thing just occurred to me Al. You talked to me the other day about dropping crooked employees off in Venezuela with no money, no ID etcetera?”
“Yeah. What about it?”
“Maybe I’ve got your first candidate right here. That would at least be a way to work around the legal issue of holding him against his will.”
“I like the way you think, Tagg Hill! I’ll see you in about three hours or so.”
“Wait, Al!”
“What?”
“I also called in Back Bay Operations to work security here. They should be arriving in maybe just a little more than an hour.”
“Is that the Mobile Alabama bunch of mercenaries?”
“The same.”
“I’m aware of their reputation. Thanks, Tagg. I feel better knowing that.”
“They cost five hundred a day each, and we have six coming here.”, I told him.
“So, there grand a day. That seems reasonable Tagg. See you in a few.” The phone went dead, and I turned back toward the guest house door, hoping that Lori would come out soon, with either my jacket, or the coffee, or both. As I approached the door, I heard a dull bumping and a loud thud. I pulled the .45 from my waistband, and stooping low, charged through the door. Lori and Tony, were wrestling around on the floor. His legs were still hobbled by Annette’s improvised rifle sling wrapping, but his arms and hands, were free, and he was tossing Lori about roughly, as she tried to fend him off. Tony released her with his right hand, and before I could react, dealt Lori a horrible blow across her jaw, knocking her from atop of him, over to the floor.
With two strides, I was beside him, and my third stride, was a swift kick to his head from my size ten boot. He spun over from the force of the kick and landed face down, partially covering Lori’s still body. I picked him up by his belt and the back of his shirt collar and threw him across the room. He hit the floor hard, facedown, and let out a cry of pain. Kneeling, I gently rolled Lori over, and touched her face. My fingers were trembling as I called out to her, “Sweetheart?”. She moaned and rocked her head back and forth, with her eyes still shut.
“What the fuck!”, Sasha yelled from the hallway door. As I looked up to see here in the doorway with her nine mil ready in her hands.
“Tony’s gotten lose and hurt Lori!”, I said to her, stroking Lori’s jaw with my fingers.
“You low life, cock sucking, mother fucker!”, Sasha screamed at him, advancing toward him, with her nine mil leveled at his head. Tony moaned, and rolled over on his back, holding his hands to the side of his head where I had kicked him. Lori’s eyes flick
ered open, and she moaned feebly.
“Sweetheart, It’s me, your Cowboy. You’re going to be okay. Just stay still for a few minutes.”
“Tony.”, she mumbled.
“Sash’s got Tony. Don’t worry, Sweetheart.”, I told her, looking up to see Sasha standing straddle of Tony, with her pistol aimed straight at his face.
Rosita rushed in next, with an AR in her hands, and abruptly stopped at the doorway.
“Fuck!”, she shouted, with Mrs. Baker appearing just behind her, and peering around her shoulder.
“Oh, my!”, Mrs. Baker shouted. “Tagg! What are you doing to Tony now? What is wrong with you people?”, she said, staring at Tony on the floor. With tears starting to stream down her face, she tried to push past Rosita, but she shifted her body, blocking Mrs. Baker, and keeping her in the hallway.
“Look at what he did to Lori!”, I shouted at Mrs. Baker. Both she and Rosita focused their eyes to where Lori lay on the floor. But Sasha, kept her intense stare on Tony. Lori moaned and tried to sit up, putting her hand to her jaw that had been hit. When I glanced up, Annette was standing directly behind Mrs. Baker, with a hand on each of her shoulders.
“Let me up Cowboy.”, Lori groaned. “I need to sit up.” I pulled a cushion off of the sofa and propped her up against the side of the nearby recliner.
“Thanks, Cowboy.”, she said weakly smiling at me. “I’m going to be alright now. Just let me rest here.”, she said, her voice sounding incrementally stronger. I stood up, picking up the .45 from where I had laid it beside Lori, and stepped over beside Sasha, who was still holding Tony at point blank, gun point.
“So, Gladys, why are you so worried about Tony?”, I asked, addressing Mrs. Baker.
She began stammering back at me, “Well, he’s just a… What did…Tagg Hill, why are you calling me that?”.
“That is your name isn’t it, Gladys?”
“Yes, it’s my name, but I don’t like to be called that!”
“What would you have me call you? Rachel? Is Rachel your name?”