Billionaire Devils Club-Palm Beach

by Ashley Woods

  Kristen followed him, "Aren't you even going to pay the cab like a gentleman?”

  He then walked into the other room. Kristen whined at him through the door, "What about all my money?"

  She tried to stand up, but her legs gave way and she collapsed onto the nearest chair.

  A few minutes later, the door opened. It all seemed very foggy, as Kristen saw a figure walking toward her.

  As she regained her focus, she saw Robert had now matted down his hair, and had donned heavy make-up, a tight red skirt, and a pair of stilettos!

  Kristen rubbed her eyes and muttered, “You have got to be kidding me! That’s it. This is too much, I am going!”

  Robert looked hurt, as she slowly pulled herself up, fumbled for her purse, and stumbled out the door. As she made her way to the elevator, she had to keep bracing herself against the wall.

  After a few attempts to push the correct button, Kristen finally reached the lobby. The doorman took one look at her and summoned her a cab.

  Kristen shook her head no and brushed past him. She was able to walk, but clearly wasn't thinking straight. There was a train line that was near the hotel, which had a stop near her place in the suburbs.

  As she headed down Michigan Avenue, she began to feel a bit queasy. She quickly ducked into an alley, so no one would see her.

  Soon she felt like she was swooning. She felt a great heaviness in her neck and in her ears. It felt like someone was taking deep footsteps inside her head.

  Kristen grabbed the handle of a dumpster that was next to a brick wall and eased herself down onto the ground. Her arms were clutching behind her to keep upright. Sitting there with her legs straight out and her head slumped to the side, she went into black.

  After about a half-hour, Kristen began to come out of it. Her body was now completely beneath the dumpster, and its gritty rubber wheel was hard against her cheek. She could feel the pressure of it as her senses faintly returned.

  Shaking her head, she said “Oh, God, what am I doing?” She rolled herself out from underneath it and became very scared. She was fully aware of everything now and was horrified this had happened.

  Kristen pulled herself up quickly and walked a few blocks further in the direction of the train station. There were two shady looking men at the entrance, and thankfully, they just glanced at her without much interest. A police car pulled up, and the officer on the passenger side lowered his window. As he started to say something, Kristen ran down the stain-covered stairs to the train area.

  It was freezing out, but Kristen was burning up. Standing on the platform, she still felt dizzy, and she could feel her throat choke her as she tried to breathe. It felt like she was being strangled.

  Kristen reached at her neck, and now realized that her necklace had grown very tight. She yanked it off breaking its clasp, “The drink or whatever it was must have caused this.”

  She felt strong, then overwhelming, flashes, and even in the coolness of the tunnel, the heat enveloped her even more as she just stood there paralyzed.

  A train appeared from the opposite direction. Kristen could feel its deep rumble in her knees, as it came upon her. She was refreshed by the strong gust of cool wind that followed as it passed. Kristen leaned forward and closed her eyes, tranquil in this moment. It comforted her, and then chilled her to the bone.

  A jittery unsure feeling in her ankles, made her open her eyes and look down. Startled, Kristen pulled back from the ledge. She couldn’t believe she was standing so close to it. One slip onto the train’s very electrified Third Rail, and she would have been toast.

  Her thoughts were racing again, falling on top of each other. She felt way too high and was freaking out!

  “What did he give her? Was it poison?” Her hands were trembling, and everything felt like it was numb, all over again.

  The train finally pulled up, and she boarded. There was no one on the car, except for a couple making-out at the far end, and they ignored her. Before she knew it, Kristen had arrived back in the suburbs.

  Since it was very late, Kristen was now afraid of having to walk the two miles to her place. As she pushed open the exit door of the station, it was like a dream. A bright white cab was waiting on the street, and the owner was asleep with the window half-open.

  Kristen stood outside, and reached in nudging him on the arm, “Sir, sir can you wake up?”

  The man answered with a heavy Middle-Eastern accent, “What do you want? I am off-duty. Go away.”

  Kristen opened the back door anyway, and climbed in. The cabbie grumbled, “Now that you woke me up. Where are you going.”

  Kristen gave him the address, and he began swearing loudly at her, “You only want to go two miles away? Get out of my cab! Get out now, you crazy woman.”

  Kristen began to cry. The man turned and saw what bad shape she was in.

  “OK, OK, it’s alright. What’s wrong? Are you drunk?”

  Kristen had trouble speaking, “Some man drugged me, I feel so sick. Please help me.”

  The cabbie rudely replied, “Well, don’t get sick in here.” He then began driving.

  Kristen sank back into the lumpy seat, watching as her knee started to shake uncontrollably. She screamed to herself in her head, “What the hell did he put in it?”

  She brought out her cell phone and planned to call Robert, but she could barely stay conscious. She started seriously thinking she should go to the Emergency Room, but decided not to, because that could only lead to trouble.

  When they reached her place, Kristen fumbled for her purse. The driver said, “No charge. Just go take care of yourself.” He then pulled away.

  Kristen crawled up her stairs, pulled the phone cord out of the wall, and just lay in bed with her eyes closed. She could feel her blood speeding through her veins.

  In the morning, she forced food into herself to ward off the effects. She also took a lukewarm shower, topping it off with a cold blast.

  Kristen moped around for another hour, wondering whether she wanted to sleep in for the rest of the day, or not. She remembered to plug her land phone back in, and just as she did, it rang.

  “How are you this morning?” Robert was on the other end and was talking painfully loud into her ear.

  Kristen was furious at him, “What the hell did you put in that cocktail that you gave me?”

  Robert laughed, “Oh, just a little something to make your night more interesting without me. Did you like it?”

  Kristen screamed, “No! What are you trying to do? Kill me? Was this so you could get that money back from me?”

  Kristen wouldn’t even allow him the chance to reply, “Seriously Robert, what do you want? Actually, never mind, I’m hanging up.” She slammed down the phone.

  As soon as she did, her cell phone rang, “Did you really think you could get away from me that easy?”

  Kristen was very irritated, “Robert, I have nothing to say to you…”

  He interrupted, “I have something of yours. I have your ring.”

  Kristen looked down at her pinkie. She couldn’t believe she didn’t know it was missing. Since, it was normally pretty tight on her finger, he could have only pulled it off of her at the hotel.

  Kristen yelled at him, “You stole my ring? When were you going to tell me?”

  He floundered a bit, “The maid found it on the floor.”

  Kristen screamed, “That ring means a lot to me. You have to give it back!”

  Robert said, “Don’t worry, I will.”

  “You better come to me,” Kristen demanded, “I’m not trekking down there. You can meet me somewhere around my place.”

  “Meet me over at Mulligan’s in one hour.”

  Kristen yelled, "I can't! My car is at your hotel."

  Robert calmly replied, "Look out your window." He then hung up.

  Kristen opened her curtains and was shocked to see her car sitting out on the street. She still felt like she was both trembling and exhausted, and just wanted to go b
ack to bed.

  She threw a bland looking skirt and blouse on, and then walked outside. It seemed like a lifetime since she last saw her car. The keys were in the ignition.

  When she got to Mulligan’s, Robert was sitting at the bar with a cocktail and a full plate of food. Turning to her with his mouth full, he tried to turn her cheek toward him for a sloppy kiss. She pulled back from him and sat two stools away.

  “What did you lace that drink with? Like I told you, I don’t do drugs.” She yelled again, “Seriously, St. Germain, you almost killed me.”

  The other diners stopped eating and stared at both of them. Robert laughed, “Oh, come on. Don’t be so dramatic. It just had something special in it. No worries. Maybe you were allergic to it?”

  Kristen was out of responses. She did not even rip into him about what he was wearing the night before. In fact, she almost thought that part could have just been a side-effect of the drug, and it didn’t happen.

  “I am not staying! Give me my ring.” She held out her hand, not looking at him.

  He leaned up in his chair a bit and fished it out of his pocket. Chewing still with his mouth open, he plunked it into his glass.

  “You Creep!” Kristen took the glass and started pouring it out on the bar, until the ring slid out.

  “You are a bigger Creep,” Robert said, and motioned for the female bartender.

  The bartender gave Kristen a snotty look, and threw a rag down, expecting Kristen to clean it up. Kristen ignored her, pulled her stool away, and started for the front door.

  As she walked out, Anne entered. Anne looked surprised, and then glared at her. Robert just looked uncomfortable and left to make a phone call.

  Anne shook her finger, “How could you have done that to me?”

  Kristen had no clue what she was talking about, walked back in to sit down. “What do you mean Anne? I didn’t do anything to you.”

  Anne attacked like a pit bull, “You stopped the check! I gave Robert money because he knew that he was getting the $25,000 from you. That was supposed to be my cut. He never paid me back because you did that to him. I can’t afford that. You need to give me that money, I have to have it!”

  Kristen said forcefully, “You are delusional. I am not going to give you, or Robert, or anyone my money. Did you know that he drugged me? He has my $75,000 in cash too. Did he tell you about it? Why doesn’t he give you some of that?”

  Anne looked confused, and Kristen had a sick feeling. It suddenly was evident what Robert had been up to with her, Anne, and all his so-called investors.

  Kristen used her words cautiously, “If you lost your money to Robert’s pyramid scheme, then it is your fault Anne. Why did you ever tell me you knew all about him, and that he was a trustworthy person?”

  Kristen got up, slammed her chair back into the table, and went off to find Robert.

  He was now sitting at the bar and had ordered more food, “Here,” he patted the chair, “Sit down. I ordered you some dinner too.”

  Kristen wondered what he was up to again. Before she could question him, the bartender laid a full meal in front of her, along with a Screwdriver. Anne started to make her way over to them.

  Kristen knew she had to handle this delicately, or she would never see her money again. She could only hope for the best that it was safely in his hands, and that he was, who he said. She did not mention what Anne had told her.

  As Kristen carefully thought again of what words to use, Robert just stuffed his face, and did not talk. He then ordered a big dessert and told Kristen he was going to the washroom.

  That was it! She knew he was going to ditch her. Kristen raised her voice and startled the other customers near them, “Robert! I want my money. NOW!”

  St. Germain jumped up like a mad man and yelled even louder, “No problem. No problem.” He motioned to Anne to come over.

  “Anne. Take a memo. Remind me to have my partner fax Kristen a promissory note for the money I owe her. There. That takes care of that.”

  Kristen grew bolder, "No Robert. This is a pyramid scheme. I want out.”

  Robert looked at Anne, and then turned bright red. He looked like he was going to hit both of them.

  He ranted, “What are you talking about? You just gave me that money. It’s going to take at least a month. You know that.”

  He violently put his face up in hers, “You are crazy. It is tied up. and I can’t give it back to you yet. I will try to work something out, but you are just going to have to wait.”

  Flustered, he waved his hands in the air and started to walk in circles, “Please, be patient. Don’t be so paranoid. I'll be right back. I have to call someone.” He then ran from the room. Anne followed after him.

  Kristen sat back down and finished off her food. Robert was taking a very long time to return. The male bartender smiled and laid the check in front of her.

  Kristen handed him some money, “Here’s my share of the bill. And, he’ll be taking care of the rest, by himself.” Then she went to see who was in the outside beer garden.

  A very irate Robert found her a short while later. In a whiny voice he said, I don’t have any money or credit cards with me. You made Anne mad at me, and she left without me. The bartender said he is going to call the cops if I don’t pay him for my dinner.”

  Kristen stood up and decided it would now be a good idea to leave, since he might do something unpleasant.

  "I guess that’s your problem Robert, not mine."

  He raised his fist, and started to rush after her, but the bartender grabbed him by his neck and pushed him onto a stool.

  Kristen hurriedly got her car from the valet and drove through the parking lot. As she sat, hidden behind some trees, she was thinking she should call the police.

  She then veered her car back, and was headed for the exit, when she noticed Robert standing in a telephone booth. She could see he was arguing with someone.

  Kristen drove up to him, and asked as obnoxiously as she could, “Where is your cell phone? I didn’t know they still had phone booths.”

  He covered the receiver with his hand, “The Manager said I had to leave the phone, and my driver’s license until I got him the money.”

  Kristen pushed further, “Don’t you have your own car to drive to the bank?”

  Robert looked rattled, “I don’t have the car, long story. Can you give me the money? It’s not that much. Please?”

  That was all Kristen could take! She screamed at him “No Robert. You looked like you were going to hit me. You’re getting out of this scrape on your own. I don’t trust you. I want all my money back now.

  You also owe me for those drugs, or whatever else you bought with my money. I want it immediately, or I am going to call the cops on you too. You need to give me something.”

  She quickly asked, “What can you give me now?”

  She looked at his wrist, “I want your watch.”

  Kristen just wanted something from him, because she knew he had nothing. He was a total loser.

  Robert gazed down at it. Kristen was really frustrating him, so he took it off his wrist and handed it to her.

  “Here, if this will get you to go away right now, then take it.”

  Kristen grabbed it from him before he could change his mind. Robert looked very sad. He still was not aware that Kristen knew it was from his girlfriend. It was the cheap watch that she had seen in the hotel room.

  A car pulled up while they were still arguing, and Kristen saw that it was the pregnant girl. She looked like she was ready to pop. Her stomach reached out to the steering wheel. Robert jumped in next to her, and she handed him some money.

  Kristen got out of her car and went over to Robert’s side. He was very nervous, and reluctantly lowered the window.

  Instead of making a scene, Kristen just handed him the watch, and quietly said, “Here, Robert, you left this in the restaurant.”

  Robert’s girlfriend seemed puzzled to see Kristen again, and innocently looked ov
er at him. Kristen could tell Robert was relieved, and even looked thankful.

  Kristen thought, “This was probably the one relationship that meant something to him. Maybe it was his baby. Poor girl.”

  Kristen drove off. She figured that someday, she would find some way to get her money back. This time, it was really worth never seeing his face again.

  After several more weeks of deceiving various parties, Robert St. Germain was ready to say good-bye to Chicago. He had closed out his latest scam, and now had only a few more minutes left there. He had also exhausted his list of area hotels and restaurants to run out on.

  Sitting at the boarding gate, in a chair closest to the ramp, he was making some last-minute phone calls, while waiting for the plane to hook up to its tunnel. It was already an hour late.

  “Listen to me! You can’t get your money back just yet, it needs to process through certain off-shore channels. In fact, I am headed to the islands right now, to make sure it is taken care of. I can call you when I return.”

  The elderly voice on the other end protested,

  “You know very well St. Germain, that you are skipping town with my three million, and you have absolutely no intention of giving me my share of your profits. It didn’t take me long to figure this out, and I cannot believe you used your alumni connection to me, to go and scam me like this. I have to say, you are very good at it!

  A struggle could be heard in the background. It appeared that someone was swearing loudly and fighting him for the phone.

  The man now sounded flustered, “Robert, stay put, my associate wants to talk to you.”

  The new voice came on the line and got right down to business,

  “Alright, St. Germain, ignore what he just said. He was being too nice about this. You know who you are now speaking to, and you are also very aware that I know how to deal with slimy cons like you. I want to make you a proposition, where I can set you up to make the biggest jackpot you could ever dream of.

  Your crew are all geniuses, and if we all put our Harvard heads together, we can pull this off. You and Reggie will be instrumental in helping us turn the cards on some of our so-called friends that have been crossing us at every turn. We need to teach them a lesson, one that they will never forget, and hit them where it hurts. Where are you going today? I’ll get on my jet right now, and we will meet you there.”