by Zoey Parker
“I'm very touched, Benny. Truly. But what about Stef? Shouldn't she have a say in this too?”
“Oh, she's completely smitten with you! You should have heard the way she's been singing your praises for the past two days. She can't wait to see you again. When you ask for her hand in marriage, I know she'll say yes.”
“But Benny, even so...”
Benny put his small hands on either side of Bax's face, looking into his eyes earnestly. “Listen, I understand. You're a good son, and you're worried about your father. It feels wrong to make plans for your happiness while he's in the hands of those savages. I admire that about you. So we'll make the necessary arrangements for his release, and we won't discuss marriage again until he's free. By then, hopefully, we can celebrate with a wedding announcement.” He planted another kiss on Bax, this time on his forehead. “And he will be free, whatever it costs, whatever it takes. I promise you that, and I never break my promises. Now let's go inside and get this boring business over with, shall we?”
Before Bax could answer, Benny walked toward the entrance of the club, followed by Silvio. Bax looked at the keys in his hand for a moment, then stuffed them into his pocket and followed. Mule lumbered along behind him.
As they made their way through the crowd of patrons, a rat-faced man with long, stringy, unwashed hair tapped Benny on the shoulder. He wore a Hawaiian shirt, frayed cargo shorts, and sandals. His fingertips were stained yellow and brown from nicotine, and his feet were almost black with dirt.
“Don Altamura, I was hoping to find you here.” When he spoke, he revealed a mouthful of rotting blue teeth. His breath smelled like fish rotting in high heat, and Bax's eyes started to water.
“Not now, Richard,” Benny said, turning his face away with a look of disgust.
“But you haven't put in the, uh, order for next month,” Richard insisted. “I tried to call you a couple times this week, but I never heard back. I just want to make sure that you get the, um, product you need on time, without any hassles.”
“When the Don needs you, he'll reach out to you,” Silvio rasped, yanking Richard out of Benny's face and shoving him away. “Until then, you stay out of his face, or you'll have me in yours. Now fuck off.”
Richard took one last, forlorn look at Benny before staggering away, his lower lip quivering.
“Who was that sad sack?” Bax asked.
“Richard Gaskin,” Benny replied. “He's the one who's been supplying us with heroin for the past few years. But he's a small-timer, a nobody, and his product has been stepped on more times than a gas pedal. Once this deal between our families goes through, we won't need to do business with that ignorant swamp rat anymore.”
Bax nodded as they walked to the door at the back of the room. He'd intended to learn the name of the person who sold Benny his heroin anyway, so this chance encounter was a stroke of good luck.
Silvio unlocked the door and they descended the stairs to the casino below. This time, it was empty. Benny gestured to the table in the corner where they'd spoken last time, and they all sat down.
“You have the stuff?” Benny asked.
Bax turned to Mule, who set the briefcase on the table and opened it. He removed a small brick of powder wrapped in plastic, placing it in front of them.
Silvio produced a switchblade and a small vial of opaque liquid. He cut into the brick, using the tip of the knife to gingerly lift out a bump of the powder. Then he unscrewed the cap of the vial and dropped the powder into it, swirling it around. After a few seconds, the liquid turned bright orange.
Benny laughed, clapping his hands together. “Excellent! That's at least ten times more pure than the garbage we've been selling. We could cut this four, five times, and it would still be some of the most potent stuff around.”
Bax smiled. “As advertised.”
“Well, then I'd say it's my turn, wouldn't you?” Benny reached under the table and came up with a large black valise, handing it over to Bax.
Bax opened the bag and looked down at the crisp bundles of hundred-dollar bills. There were far more than he expected, and the sight almost made him light-headed. After a lifetime of scores where the payoffs were handfuls of crumpled bills or hastily-scrawled bank account numbers on cocktail napkins, seeing this much money in one place was surreal, like seeing a unicorn stroll down Basin Street.
“Five million dollars. The entire ransom amount. You should save your half. Spend it on your honeymoon, maybe.” Benny winked playfully.
“Benny...you're a very generous man, but this is really too much...”
Benny shushed him. “I told you I'd do whatever it took to free your father, and I meant it.”
Bax nodded, still gaping at the bag full of money. “Thank you. I'll contact the rebels in Myanmar and arrange the trade-off immediately.”
“Good.” Benny slapped the table briskly and stood up. The others followed suit. “When you've made the arrangements, let me know and I'll choose some of my best men to act as bodyguards during your next trip to the fields.” He turned to Silvio with a grin. “How about it? Do you feel like taking a little jungle vacation?”
Silvio shook his head. “Louisiana's enough of a jungle for me already, thank you.”
“So now that we've got business out of the way,” Benny continued, “when would you like to take Stef out again? Tonight? Tomorrow? Name the day, and I'll make reservations at the best place in the city.”
“How about three days from now?” Bax asked. “That should give me some time to make my calls to Myanmar and straighten things out.” He felt a nervous twinge in his stomach. What if Stef wanted him again? Mule would be watching him, so he'd have to say no. The thought of that made him uncomfortable.
“Good,” Benny said, shaking Bax's hand. “I'll give you a call tomorrow with the time and place. I promise, it'll be the most romantic night of your life.”
But what if I've already had the most romantic night of my life? Bax thought.
Chapter 16
Bax
Bax gave the ten-beat secret knock, and Skull opened the door to the warehouse. Mule had his usual blank expression, while Bax did his best to look dejected as they walked in. Harry, Millie, Tommy, David, and all the Voodoo Devils stood frozen like figures in a tapestry, trying to decipher the look on Bax's face and his body language.
“Well? Did it work?” Skull asked. “Did you get the 2.5 mil?”
Bax sighed. “No, I'm afraid not.” He opened the valise, tossing it onto the floor so they could see the contents. “I got five.”
Skull's eyebrows jumped halfway up his head. “What? Five?”
A slow smile spread across Bax's lips as he nodded. “Five. Million. Dollars.”
The room erupted into cheers and applause. Even Millie smiled, pumping her fist in the air triumphantly.
Skull gave Bax a bear hug, lifting him up. “You're a genius! You're a goddamn motherfucking genius! Five million! You took that asswipe for five million fucking dollars!”
“Take it easy,” Bax wheezed. “I can't breathe!”
Skull put him down, then started jumping up and down in the air. “Holy shit, I can't believe we got away with it!”
“I gotta hand it to you, Baxie,” Harry said, shaking his hand. “Rocky start, but a hell of a finish.”
“So how are we splitting up the loot?” Tommy asked. “I don't know how you were thinking of dividing it up, but I figure I should get at least a million for making the introduction...”
“Actually, if you count it as a seven-way split with Skull representing the Devils as a whole, we should each end up with just under eight hundred and thirty-four thousand dollars,” Millie pointed out.
“Nobody likes a math geek, lady,” Tommy said with a grin.
“I wouldn't go calculating individual shares just yet.” Bax picked up the valise again, closing it. “We're just getting started.”
The celebratory sounds died down. Skull frowned. “What are you talking about? We won. We got
the money. It's over.”
Bax smirked. “You guys don't know much about much out here in the bayou, do you? I keep telling you, this is the Spanish Prisoner con. This was just Phase One.”
“I don't like the sound of that,” Tommy said uneasily.
“You should,” Bax countered. “Didn't I promise you more money than you'd ever seen in your life? 'Fuck you' money? 'Spend the rest of your life spending' money? Do you really think eight hundred grand is enough for all that? Come on.” He turned to Skull. “And you. Sure, you got your money back four times over. But is that really enough after the way Altamura humiliated you? Don't you want to make him bleed?”
“I ain't worried about making him bleed,” Skull said. “I'm worried about how he's gonna make us bleed if we don't quit while we're ahead.”
“Yeah, pushing our luck is a bullshit move,” Tommy chimed in. “I've run enough casinos to know that this is that moment everyone has after they've hit the jackpot. The smart ones take the money and run. Only the losers keep standing there until they've fed every coin back into the machine and they're left with nothing.”
“I think I'm with them,” said David. “These aren't random rubes we're ripping off, here. This is the mob. By the time they realize they've been scammed, we should all be long gone or there'll be hell to pay.”
“Well, by that rationale, it won't matter how far any of us run,” Bax insisted. “They'll still be powerful and influential enough to catch up with us. Our only shot at escaping in one piece is making sure that by the time we're done with Altamura, he's a joke among his fellow gangsters and his entire operation is crippled beyond repair.”
The others looked at each other uncertainly.
“Look, I know you're scared,” Bax continued. “I know you think it's time to get while the getting is good, but you have to think it through. We can either break Altamura completely, or we can all spend the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders. I don't know about the rest of you, but I doubt I'll get much enjoyment from the money if I'm checking under my bed for hitmen four or five times a night.”
Millie stepped forward. “I hate to admit it, but Bax is right. When dealing with something as potentially volatile as this, the only smart move is to stabilize it completely before turning your back on it. No risks, no half-measures, or you're just begging for the whole thing to explode.”
Skull thought this over for a minute, then nodded slowly. “Okay. You've got a point, even if I'm getting a little tired of being surprised by you. So what's the next step?”
Bax smiled. “I knew you'd see reason. The next step is actually a two-pronged approach. First, I've got another date with Stef set up for three days from now.” Everyone in the room began to protest at once, but Bax waved them down. “Relax, okay? Nothing's going to happen. I'm just keeping things smooth and staying in the picture so I can keep Altamura happy.”
“And what's the other part of it?” Skull asked.
Bax put an arm around Skull's shoulder. “Tell me, have you ever heard of a dirtbag named Richard Gaskin?
Chapter 17
Stef
Stef checked her reflection for the fifth time in the mirrored wall of the Lafitte Lounge as she waited for Leo to arrive. Silvio sat in the corner, watching her closely.
Her mother had tried to apply Stef's makeup and choose her outfit for the evening as she usually did before Stef's arranged dates, but this time, Stef refused and stood her ground. To Stef, this second date with Leo was even more special that the first. Now that they were both aware of the intense passion that burned between them, there'd be no need for small talk or pretense. They could bask in each other's presence completely, holding hands and embracing and kissing as they pleased. It was important to Stef that for such a magical night, her makeup and clothing represented her, not her mother. It would make things more personal between her and Leo, more intimate.
Gracie had protested for twenty minutes, but finally, she threw her hands up in frustration and stalked off. When Stef emerged from her room almost an hour later, her mother raised her eyebrows in surprise and admitted that Stef had managed to look beautiful all on her own. It was one of the nicest things Gracie had ever said to Stef, and she had to stop herself from crying so her eye makeup wouldn't run.
Beautiful. Stef couldn't remember the last time she'd heard anything from Gracie that wasn't harsh criticism, but today—when her heart was already singing with anticipation—her mother had actually called her beautiful.
Excitement tickled Stef's stomach like rows of marching ants as she inspected her makeup in the mirror, then spun around slowly, watching the pleated hem of her dress twirl. How would Leo arrange for them to be together after dinner, despite their respective bodyguards? Stef didn't know, but she was sure he'd find a way. He was so brilliant and charming, she was sure he could get away with anything if he tried.
And then their bodies would be entwined again, and he'd be inside of her, and all would be right with the world.
When the menu comes, I'm going to order anything I want, Stef decided firmly. I'll start with an appetizer—some kind of crab dip with thick, rich, gooey melted cheese—and some hunks of crusty garlic bread to slather it on. And then maybe a big Caesar salad with lots of parmesan and dressing. No, forget the salad...I'll go straight to the entree, something fried and spicy that'll make me feel like I want to burst by the time I'm done. And dessert! Something with dark chocolate and a mountain of whipped cream on top. Let Silvio tell my mother whatever he wants. I'll already have eaten, and it'll be too late for her to do anything about it. Tonight is my night, and no one can take it away from me.
Her stomach growled encouragingly.
Leo walked in with Max behind him, and the jitters in Stef's belly went into overdrive. Leo waved at Silvio and walked over to Stef with a big smile.
“Sorry if I'm late,” Leo said.
“If you are, you're worth it.” Stef wrapped her arms around Leo and planted a long kiss on his lips. He seemed taken aback at first, then relaxed into it slowly, his hands caressing her back.
“You look amazing,” Leo murmured.
Stef leaned forward to nibble on Leo's earlobe playfully. “You'd better be able to find a way for us to be alone together later,” she whispered. “I can't wait.”
Leo pulled away from her, and she saw that his eyes were full of concern and regret. “Yeah, um...about that.” He turned to Max. “Can you give us a moment alone, please?”
Max scowled at him.
“You can watch us from across the room, okay?” Leo sighed angrily. “Look, there's Silvio. Go see if he knows any good jokes or something.”
Max rolled his eyes and loped over to where Silvio was sitting.
Stef looked at Leo as the first hints of worry crept into her mind. “What's wrong?”
“Look, what happened between us at the end of the last date...that can't happen again, Stef. It never should have happened to begin with. It was disrespectful to you—”
“No it wasn't!” she protested. “I had a wonderful time. I thought you did, too. I thought it was special for both of us.”
“Sure it was. And I did have a wonderful time, honest.”
Stef frowned. Her heart felt like it was plunging down a cold, dark, bottomless well. “'I did have a wonderful time, honest.' Wow. That sure sounds convincing.”
“It was a mistake. On some level, you have to realize that. I mean, it was our first date, for Christ's sake. All I'm saying is, let's take a deep breath, relax, enjoy a nice dinner together, and take things a little more slowly.”
“I don't think it was a mistake.” Stef felt her face getting flushed, and her voice was starting to tremble. “I don't understand. Was I...that bad?”
“No, you were incredible. I had a terrific time. This isn't about that.”
“Do you not respect me anymore because I did that on the first date? Do you think I'm some kind of slut or something?”
“It was disrespectful to your fathe
r, okay?” Leo snapped. “He trusted me to take you out on a date, and I abused that trust. If he found out, he'd be pretty pissed about it. And even if he never finds out, that still doesn't mean it was the right thing to do. He and I are going to be in business together, and I don't want it to start off like this. He's an honorable man, and I need to show him that I'm one, too.”
Stef blinked back tears. “This is because of my father? You're so afraid of upsetting him and ruining your business together that you'll just toss me aside?”
“No one's tossing anyone aside. Just relax, okay?”
“No, I won't relax.” Stef sniffled as she felt the first hot tears traveling down her cheeks. Some of the other patrons were starting to stare at her, but she didn't care. “I thought you were different. I thought you really cared about me instead of sucking up to my father and trying to marry your way into his family. But you're just like all the others, aren't you? A slick, spoiled, greedy bastard who'll say and do anything to get my father's approval.”