Smugglers 1: Nikki

by Gerald McCallum

  The next morning Nikki showered, dressed, and took her coffee down to the dock. Ken and his arrest as a person of interest for the car fire were all over the news. Down at Don’s boat, Mark and the other guys were drinking their Cuban coffee. Mark was looking better with every passing day. As she glanced down the entrance of the dock, she saw the Chief coming toward them. Nikki got up to meet him. He said, “I suppose you’ve heard about Ken?”

  “Yeah, what’s the deal?” Nikki replied.

  “Well, it looks like he had some involvement with that burned guy in a car outside his office. So, are there rumors or anything?” he asked.

  “All I’ve heard is he’s a dirty attorney and up to his eyeballs in the cocaine business,” Nikki said nonchalantly. “Nothing would surprise me at this point.”

  “You don’t know anything more than that, do you?” he asked.

  “No, just rumors,” she responded. The Chief turned to leave, and Nikki walked back to Don’s boat to finish her coffee.

  CHAPTER18

  Ken called once he was back at work having lunch. He said he was out of jail and needed to meet with her at his office later that evening. Around seven o’clock, she showered and slipped on her jeans, drank a vodka, and headed to Ken’s. He greeted her at the door and looked like shit. He was dirty and his clothes were wrinkled. It looked like he hadn’t slept in days. He never stopped talking and shaking, even with the drink in his hand.

  Nikki sat down with her drink, and Ken began by saying, “I’m in big trouble. I need to leave the country tonight.” He knew she had Glenn’s money, and he wanted half. If he didn’t leave now the South Americans would find him, torture him, and then kill him.

  Nikki turned to Ken and asked, “Are you going to take your wife and kids? Have you told anybody else?”

  “No, I’ll send for my family once I’m settled,” he replied.

  Nikki knew his wife and kids. Part of what he had said was an outright lie! She knew the South Americans would torture his family and even kill them to find Ken and the money. The coke dealers were well known to use people’s pools to get their information. It was their version of water boarding. She’d heard how they’d tie people up with heavy weights around their ankles, throw them into the deep end with a rope around their waist. They’d pull them up to the surface after a while and ask them questions. Wrong answers would send them down again. Once they get all the information they wanted, they’d send them to the bottom for good. It didn’t matter if they were women or children, they’d remain at the bottom.

  Nikki made a deal to meet Ken back at his office at midnight. Before then was too early, and after that was too late. There would still be some cars on the road, but you might get noticed by the cops either way. She told him she would bring his half of the money and then left.

  Nikki got back to the office and gathered up her things to go back to Ken’s. She decided to leave at one o’clock, as that way she’d be late; he’d get nervous and drink even more. She pulled up in back and quietly walked to the front door and knocked. Ken opened the door.

  “Where have you been?” he asked in a slurred voice.

  “I had to do a lot of diving to get your half of the money,” Nikki said.

  “Where is it?” he questioned.

  “In my trunk, but it’s too heavy for me to carry around the building. Let’s go out the back door and bring it in here,” she suggested.

  Ken headed for the back door. He had to pause just long enough to unlock the door, giving Nikki just enough time to reach in her back pocket and pull out the bandana with the padlock.

  With one quick motion, she swung the lock into the back of Ken’s head. It hit the mark and made a noise like a bowling ball being dropped. He went down like a sack of potatoes, and Nikki continued to hit him in the head and face until he was dead. Blood spattered on the wall and ceiling and all over her. She wiped the blood off her face with a wet hand towel, which she took with her, out the back door to her car. She drove away without another look.

  Back at the dock, she put the towel and her clothes into the washer with bleach to wipe out the DNA. When she awoke the next morning, she put the load of clothes in the dryer and made some coffee. She then showered for the day and went to the dock.

  The new people that rented Dave’s old apartment, Jay and Sally, were already up. They were both young, full of enthusiasm and hope. Sally had found work as a waitress, and Jay as a boat salesman. Nikki chatted with them, the three drinking their morning coffee and talking about the people they had met since moving to the Keys.

  After about an hour, they saw two men walking toward them down the dock. It was Chief Joe and a sidekick in a suit.

  “Excuse me,” Nikki said and walked to meet the men. She didn’t want Jay and Sally to overhear what they had to say.

  When she got to them, the Chief introduced the stranger as a Lieutenant with the DEA. They told Nikki they had found Ken’s body at his office, and sadly, his family at the bottom of the pool. He said it looked like the work of the South American cocaine traffickers. They asked Nikki if over the years she’d heard any names or anything else specific. She said no, and they seemed satisfied and left.

  Nikki walked over to Don’s boat to finish her coffee. Both Don and Mark asked what the Chief wanted. She tried to blow it off with a shrug and a few comments about Ken and his family’s death, as well as the South American in the car. They let it drop.

  On the dock, later that day, Nikki ran into Rita who said, “We need to talk in private later.”

  Nikki couldn’t stand the suspense and said, “Let’s go to my office now.” Rita told her she needed some money to get by until the day comes for the split.

  “I told you I couldn’t get to the money for a couple of months,” Nikki replied

  “I need some money now. I only need ten or twenty grand to get me by,” Rita insisted.

  “I can’t,” stated Nikki.

  “How much can you get your hands on now?” asked Rita

  “Three or four grand,” Nikki shrugged.

  That made Rita mad. “Are you crazy? Three or four grand out of four million? I need ten thousand at the least.”

  “I’ll see what I can come up with. Stop by tonight, and I’ll know more.” Nikki left and went back out to the dock just in time to see Cynthia coming toward her.

  “What are you doing up at this time in the morning?” Nikki asked.

  “I can’t sleep, thinking about Brian and Brett leaving in the middle of the night with Lucinda. Did we mean so little to them? They didn’t even have the common courtesy to say goodbye, or even leave a note! Well, I have to ask one last time, you haven’t heard anything from anybody?”

  “No, not a word,” replied Nikki.

  “I didn’t think you had, but I had to ask one last time,” she remarked.

  “Just get some sleep and stop thinking about Brian and Brett. They’re water under the bridge.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. I just need to find me a young guy to replace him with,” Cynthia commented.

  “Good, I will replace Brett, too,” Nikki vowed.

  They shook hands and parted with thumbs up. Nikki got her keys and drove into town to the bank where she withdrew five thousand dollars for Rita.

  Back at the dock, Nikki ran into one of the boys, Bert, sitting on a dock box drinking some wine and sobbing away.

  “What’s the matter, Bert?” He was crying and talking at the same time so she couldn’t understand him. “Slow down, Bert, and start over.” Nikki patted him on the back.

  Bert sighed heavily and, still sobbing, told her that Ernie and he had been fighting for a couple of days.

  “What’s it about?” she asked.

  “Oh, the usual, money, work, and sex. He said he wants to bring a third party into our bed!” he responded.

  “Do you think he is fooling around now?” Nikki asked.

  “No, but he does have his eye on someone, and I know who it is. This person has been in hi
s fantasies for a long time.”

  “You know,” Nikki said, “I’ve found that sometimes a stranger is just what the doctor ordered to spice up the bedroom if it gets dull. If I were you I would go along with Ernie’s wishes and try it because it seems like you’ve already lost him. At this point, you have nothing to lose.”

  “I’m not so sure,” Bert said. He stopped when he saw Cynthia and Don coming down the dock.

  With a drink in one hand Cynthia held onto Don with the other for support. They laughed at each other’s silly jokes, and it was obvious they had spent most of the day with their noses in the jar. Cynthia, as usual, was three sheets to the wind, but Don was his normal self.

  When Cynthia started talking about Brian and Brett again, Nikki interrupted her. “I thought we agreed to never bring them up again. They’re gone! It was fun while it lasted, but now it’s over so forget them, okay? Okay!” Nikki’s pride and ego had been crushed ever since Brett left. She usually left the man, not the other way around. Even though Cynthia was high, she was quiet after Nikki snapped at her.

  “Don, how are you doing?” Nikki asked.

  “Fine, just fine, in fact, Brian and Brett leaving is fine with me, the fewer guys on the dock the better as far as I am concerned, and the less young guys make things even better for me, period.”

  “Don, you couldn’t remember what to do with a woman if you caught one,” Nikki said, drawing them to laughter.

  “I can remember all right but I have to take a nap first!” he replied which drew more laughter.

  “Let’s go to my place and I will freshen your drinks and make one for myself,” Nikki offered.

  At her door, they ran into Rita just getting home. Nikki whispered to Rita, “Come in for a drink and I’ll tell you about my day at the bank.” They all had a drink and sat in her living room. After two more drinks, Don and Cynthia left, leaving Rita and Nikki alone in the apartment.

  Nikki went to her purse and got five thousand in twenty dollar bills and gave it to Rita .“I could only get five grand for now, and I got it in twenties because you can’t put this in your bank, and you could easily pass it in town. It won’t leave a trace, not like fifties or one hundreds.”

  Rita looked at the money. “Well, it’s better than nothing.” She wanted to celebrate. “Let’s have another drink.”

  Nikki refilled their glasses.

  “Do you have a mirror?” Rita asked.

  Saying yes, Nikki got the mirror and gold straw out, and Rita held up a small baggy and let it swing between her fingers, before she dumped half of it out on the mirror. She made a line with the razor blade, which came with it. Rita handed Nikki the straw and did two lines, then handed it back. She lifted her head up and closed her eyes, letting her mind drift away from reality.

  Life couldn’t get any better. Nikki turned up the music and started to move in a sensual way along with the music. Before long, Rita joined in. She danced like she was on stage with an audience watching her. Between lines and drinks, they danced until they were hot and sweaty.

  Rita pulled Nikki close to her and gave her a long slow kiss before moving her lips along her jaw line and down her neck.

  Nikki wanted to bring it up another level so she made another four lines on the mirror, and give Rita the straw. When Rita was done, Nikki did her two, picked up her drink, and grabbed Rita by the hand, drawing her into the bedroom.

  She put everything on the dresser and started to kiss Rita and unbutton her top which fell to the floor, soon to be joined by Nikki’s top and their two bras. Nikki pushed Rita back on the bed and took off her shorts and panties, then took her own jeans and panties off. She fell to her knees and started to kiss and drag her tongue from Rita’s knees to her vagina, locking on that warm and moist place. She licked and fingered that sweet spot. Rita moved and worked her way back on the bed, pulling Nikki along. Nikki lit the big candles on the night stand and started to drip hot wax on Rita’s flat and tan stomach to her crotch, as she ate her. Between the cocaine, vodka, and the heat from the sex, hours passed with them experimenting for hours before they were spent. Both had come dozens of times. After that they lay locked in each other’s arms.

  In the morning, Nikki found herself alone in bed but she lay smiling as she thought about the things Rita had done to her during the night. She stretched, then headed to the shower, ready to face the day. She went to Don’s boat to have her coffee with him and found Mark, and Jerry from the Sea Cactus, already there.

  Mark was looking better every day. In fact, he is better looking than he had ever been to her. Maybe the act of heroism made him look good in her eyes, even after the night with Rita. She wanted him. As they were talking, Cynthia walked up with excitement in her eyes.

  “What brings you out this early?” They all asked.

  “In a week or so I’m going to take the Broward down to Key West for a week, and you’re all invited; it’s on me. I’ll call Captain Bruce and see if he can rustle up a girl and a cook for the trip,” Cynthia responded.

  “Sounds like a party,” Jerry said.

  “I will be the host and I’ll get everything!” she added as she climbed on board and sat down to have some Cuban coffee.

  “Careful, that shit will give you a stroke!” Nikki said, bringing the others to laughter. After coffee and the usual morning chats, Nikki went in to change and go into town to get some things done.

  When she came out of the hardware store, a man waved at her and started to walk up to where she was standing, calling her by name and smiling. Nikki didn’t think much of it, she just thought she forgot who he was.

  When he got to her he said, “Nikki, I’m Jeff; you don’t know me but I was talking to Armando when you torched him. In fact, Armando was my employee. You see, Nikki, you may think it’s over but it just started.” He lowered his head to get closer to Nikki.

  She could feel the breath of a predator on her face when he threatened, “At this point you have to make a decision! You can get my money and stay out of the jail and the hospital or. If. You. Don’t.” He grabbed her jaw, tightened his grip and his eyes burned with the threat of death.

  He held Nikki’s face so tight she thought her jaw was about to be dislocated.

  “I’ll be in contact,” he said and walked away.

  CHAPTER 19

  Nikki sat in her car, feeling the remaining adrenaline pump through her body for several minutes after he left.

  Too many loose ends, she realized, her brain scrambling to remember that night. Had Armando been on the phone? Who was this Jeff guy? What does he know for sure? Shit! What was she going to do next? She didn’t feel up to finishing the rest of the town chores, but she got through them and finally went home to her office.

  Nikki sat at her desk trying to figure a way out of these new situations, Rita, the white guy and the cops.

  A knock at the door startled her, but she felt a rush of relief when she opened the door to Rita. “Would you like a drink?” Nikki asked.

  “No, thank you, but I would like a beer for sure. For some reason my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth.” They exchanged a knowing smile, and then Rita went straight to the point. “Since you came up short cash wise, would it be okay if I don’t pay you rent for the next two or three months?”

  “Rita, you know I count on the rent to pay the bills here. I’ve counted on that money coming in from you.”

  “I just won’t have enough to get by for the next three months,” Rita insisted.

  “Well, what were you going to do before you heard of Mercedes’ money?” asked Nikki.

  “To make up the difference if I had to. I always made a lot of money pole dancing, but now I'm not making as much, and I really don’t want to have sex with men. So let’s not fight and let me skip the rent for the next three months,” she begged.

  Nikki could see where this was going, and what happened this morning. She thought she might as well give in on the rent now, and save herself some fighting. Even though the
y were both hung over, they had a drink and parted ways to get some sleep.

  During the night, Nikki awakened to thoughts of what the man had said to her about Armando working for him. So this Jeff guy is her real problem. Torching Armando had been a way to get to the boss. She tossed and turned for two or three hours, she couldn’t know for sure, before she went to sleep again, only to get up at 4:30. She felt groggy from the sleepless night and thought coffee would do the job.

  The threats from the Jeff guy started nagging at her as soon she was completely awake. He must know everything she had done that night and one thing was for sure, he’ll kill her after he got the money. He lived by the rule that it’s always better to be feared than respected, in that business anyway.

  He had to go, Nikki decided. She wasn’t about to sit around and wait for him to kill her. If she had a neighbor she couldn’t get along with and you fight and win, then he goes home and gets a bat, so you get one too and you beat him again and when he gets up he says he’s going home to get his pistol. Do you wait for him to come back and kill you or get your 12 gauge to get ready for him?

  “I am not going to wait,” she said out loud and was desperately trying to figure out what to do next, when she heard someone at the dock. She went out to see who it was.

  It was the diver who had arrived to fix the patches on the boat for Mark. As she watched the diver and Mark talking about the holes in the house boat, she noticed he had a short spear gun on his belt. This gave her an idea.

  She spent the day on her boat, a 20-foot center console, preparing everything she would need for the trip, spear gun, chicken wire, cement blocks and rope. Now her only problem was how to get Jeff on the boat for a trip.