Shatter

by Jay Lang

  “Shit!” is all I can think of to say. “Are you sure you can trust Darlene? I mean…are you positive that what she told you is true?”

  “I’m one hundred and fifty percent. Darlene wouldn’t lie about something like this. She hates Fournier as much as we do. Her son was recruited to sell for Fournier when the kid was just thirteen. He was a good boy, bright and full of potential. He would do his homework in Fournier’s office and wait for his mom to finish her shift. That’s when Fournier got his hooks into him. He built trust with the kid and then manipulated him into selling dope. Just two years later, the kid was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Apparently, a drug deal had gone sideways. Darlene has never forgiven Fournier for that”

  “That’s terrible. That poor woman,” I sigh.

  “Yeah, he’s the worse kind of evil, for sure.”

  “He won’t stop until someone stops him, will he?”

  Slinky shakes his head.

  “But if that book with all the names in it fell into the wrong hands, Fournier would be destroyed? I mean, even if the cops got a hold of it…”

  “Fournier would be destroyed,” we say in unison.

  “See, kid, we just have to work together in this, and all of your problems will be over.”

  During our intense conversation, I hadn’t noticed that most of the patrons had left the coffee house and other than a couple of stragglers at the front, Slinky and I were the only ones still sitting at a table.

  “So, how will this work?”

  “Just leave it to me. If you want a fool proof plan, it will take a bit of time. Darlene is going to stay in close contact with me. And when the opportune time arises, she’ll let me know.”

  “But how can we get our hands on this book? Didn’t you say that Fournier locks it up in a safe?”

  “Yes, I did. And the only other person he lets open it is Darlene after she does cash out at the end of the night.”

  “Clever, Slink. Very clever.”

  He winks.

  I look up at the time on the wall, “I guess we should get going, huh? I still have to visit my dad at the hospital.”

  “Is he getting better?”

  “Yes, and quickly, too,” I say, smiling.

  “I told you. That dad of yours is a strong man. When you see him, please give him my best?”

  I don’t have the heart to tell him that I can’t mention his name to my dad. If I did, I’d have a shit load of explaining to do. The day will come when I level with Dad; it’s just not going to be today.

  While Slinky puts on his coat and we stand to leave, I ask him what his motivation for stopping Fournier is? What vendetta does he have against him? He tells me that he has his own reasons, personal ones. I ask if his ‘reasons’ have anything to do with what happened to my mom? He just grins and then slides his chair in and walks toward the exit.

  Once outside, the icy wind hits hard, and I pull the edges of my jacket tightly in front of me.

  “Do up your coat properly, crazy girl. It’s a cold night.”

  Slinky tells me that he’ll be in touch soon then turns to walk away. Then, it occurs to me he doesn’t have a car. The least I can do is offer to drop him off back at his apartment. “Hey, Slink,” I yell, my voice fighting against the wind, “I’m parked out back. If you want, I’ll give you a ride home.”

  It doesn’t take him long standing in the cold to nod and then join me as we walk around the building to the parking lot.

  * * *

  Walking side by side, we’re about fifteen or twenty feet away from the truck when out of nowhere, a long dark car speeds in front of us and comes to an abrupt stop. I hear Slinky say, “Oh no. Run, Jules.” But by the time I turn and look at him, the passenger door to the Lincoln opens and Tank climbs out. Before I can react, he’s got Slinky by the jacket and me by the throat. I grab Tank’s wrist and to try and pry his hand off my neck, but it doesn’t budge.

  Next, a guy almost as big as Tank, gets out of the driver’s side, runs around to where we’re standing and opens the back door. Tank pushes Slinky towards the open door and the driver shoves him the rest of the way into the back of the car. Then, Tank lifts up on my throat and guides me to the back and shoves me in with such force that I slide across the seat and push into Slinky. I hear the handle flick as Slinky tries to open it, but nothing happens. We’re locked in.

  Tank hops into the front passenger seat and closes the door. The car speeds out of the parking lot so fast that the tires spin out on the pavement.

  “Hey man, what the hell is going on? I thought I already dealt with Fournier?” Slinky says.

  “Shut the fuck up,” growls Tank.

  I look in the mirror and see the two men’s eyes, crazed and focused, then I glance over at Slinky who looks scared and unsure. I want to scream, but by the look on the creep’s faces, it will just piss them off. My chest is rapidly moving in and out, as my heart thumps and my breathing gets shallow and labored. The car turns up Denman Street and then left on Georgia toward Stanley Park. Everything feels so surreal, as I watch the heavy traffic disappear, and we turn onto a dark road inside the park.

  The car travels purposely down a few more paved lanes before it stops at a gate on the side of the lane. The driver gets out and pushes the gate open, then drives through and closes it behind us. We continue on a bumpy gravel road until we come to a dead end. The headlights illuminate thick trees and bushes on either side of us. The driver turns off the engine. As the four of us sit in the darkness. I wonder if Slinky is thinking of a plan to get us out of this?

  Then, I hear him move next to me. His breath blows past me as he leans forward on the seat, “Guys, we need to talk. Whatever this is, whatever you’re planning, you don’t need the girl. Let her go and we’ll deal with this amongst ourselves. What do you say?”

  Tank laughs, “Do you think I’m a fucking idiot, Slink?”

  “No, of course not, Tank. I’m just trying to make your job easier. If you let her go, you’ll only have one of us to deal with.”

  “Well, thanks for your concern, but I don’t think either one of you is gonna give us much trouble.” The two men laugh in unison.

  Slinky pauses for a moment and then speaks again. “You know what? I think I know what’s going on here.”

  “What’s that? old man,” says the driver.

  “I think you two pussies are all muscle and no strength. Don’t feel badly about it, a lot of steroid goons are. I think that the hardest part of your job is kissing Fournier’s ass and being his whippin’ boys. My guess is that you can’t cut it doing real men jobs. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. And if this job falls through, you could always become male strippers or chamber maids.”

  Tension fills the inside of the car and nobody says a word. Why did you say that, Slinky? What are you doing? You’re going to get us killed. Images of my dad and Katie flash through my mind. Why did I have to snoop around and ask questions about Fournier? Why couldn’t I just leave things alone. I’ve always been too reactive. My mother always told me it was going to get me into trouble one day and look where I am now. I’m such an idiot, always learning the hard way.

  With Slinky still leaning forward, I listen for any movement that would signal a reaction from Tank.

  Then, I hear the sound of the driver running his thumbnail down the thick metal wheel of a Zippo. Because of the tension and the silence in the car, the sudden noise causes me to gasp loudly.

  Again, the driver flicks the lighter. This time, it works. The flame is strong and lights up the interior of the car. I look over at Slinky. His eyes are shifting between the men. I can see he’s anticipating what’s going to happen next. My stomach is wrenching and my head pounds. If I want to live, I’ve got to try and get out of here.

  The driver pulls out a cigar and sticks one end in the flame, slowly sucking on the tip until the end glows. As he blows out smoke, a strong pungent odor wafts into the back seat and makes me feel nauseous. Tank hits the man in the
shoulder, “Put that shit out man, it stinks. Plus, Fournier specifically said, no smoking in the car.”

  Slinky chimes in, “See what I mean? You are well trained monkeys, obeying your master and doing what you’re told. Very good,” he says, clapping his hands slowly.

  “That’s it. I’m going to take care of this little fucker, once and for all,” Tank states, opening his door. A cold wind smelling of freedom bursts into the car. Tank stands in the darkness then slams the door.

  What the hell is going on, Slinky? Why did you antagonize him? As if the oversized asshole needed provoking; he’s already crazy.

  As soon as Slinky’s door opens, Tank’s arm lunges in and grabs him and drags him out of the car. Slinky squirms and then flails his body, trying to break free of Tanks grasp. As the two men wrestle, I see my chance and quickly dash out of the car, diving into thick brush. Tank yells at the driver to find me. I lie down on my stomach and quit moving so he can’t locate me. Just feet away from where I am, Slinky is still trying to break free from Tank, “Get your fucking hands off me,” he yells.

  Then, I hear the driver’s feet stepping heavily on the brittle twigs and leaves beside me. I hold my breath and close my eyes. Please, God. Please don’t let him find me. I just want to go home. I promise I’ll take my dad and Katie and move far away from here. I just want to get out of here alive. For the first time since being outside, I feel the icy cold air chill my bones. A warm tear streams down my cheek.

  I slowly maneuver my fingers until I’m touching the damp soil beneath the foliage and twigs. If the driver gets too close, I’ll grasp a handful of dirt, throw it in his face and run like hell. It’s all I can come up with.

  Then, Tank throws Slinky to the ground only inches from where I’m lying. His dull groans fill me with sadness. What kind of a coward hurts an old man? No sooner does that thought leave my mind, than I hear the crunching of footsteps get even closer than before. Digging my nails into the hard earth, I ready myself. My body is pumping hard with adrenaline and fear. The next move I hear, the driver is going to a face full of wet dirt, and I’m going to sprint like lightening deep into the forest.

  Then, the most unexpected thing happens, I see flickering lights slowly approaching from down the dirt road. Help is here. The parks people must be doing their rounds and noticed that there were fresh tire tracks on the other side of the gate. We’re going to be ok. I exhale as tears of joy escape my eyes. I wait until the lights get closer and the vehicle parks behind the Lincoln. Then, with a feeling of both relief and resentment, I spring to my feet. The headlights shine on me. A few feet away, I see Tank and the driver frozen in their tracks like deer in headlights.

  “Yeah, you fuckers, you’re not so brave now. You guys are in so much trouble. “I lean down and help Slinky stand. He’s still groaning from the thrashing around he did with Tank.

  “Come on, Slink. Help is here,” I say, trying to maneuver him through the thicket and toward the light.

  The passenger door opens to the vehicle and someone hops out,” What’s going on here?” A man’s voice says.

  “What’s going on is these two apes took my friend and me against our will. I’m positive they were planning to hurt us until you showed up and stopped them just in the nick of time.”

  “Is that true, Tank?” says the voice.

  How the hell did the man know Tank’s name. I slow our pace.

  “Yes, boss. That’s true.”

  Suddenly, it occurs to me, the man that got out of the truck isn’t going to be saving us, in fact, it’s just the opposite. Then, a shimmer reflects at the feet of the man in the shadow. When his foot moves, I recognize what the shining thing is; gold tips on the toe of his boot.

  No matter how terrified I am to admit it to myself, I know for sure…Fournier has arrived.

  Next, the truck’s engine stops but the headlights stay on. A man jumps out of the driver’s seat and slams the door. Fournier walks in front of the light and looks over at Slinky and I, “Slinky, I’m disappointed. You should know better.” He says shaking his head. “And you,” he says, turning his attention to me, “You must be, Jules.”

  I don’t answer, I just stare at him as he crosses the light and walks up to me. My body is too tired to shake as the little man grabs my chin and turns my head, “You’re a pretty little thing, aren’t you?”

  A whole new reality enters my mind, what if Fournier has something even worse than violence planned for me? What if he and his cronies are planning a gangbang with me as the hostess? With this thought, my knees and hands tremble.

  “Get them in the SUV,” says Fournier.

  Tank walks up to us and wraps his massive hands around the back of our necks and then steers us to the large truck. Once inside the back seat, Slinky and I push our bodies close together for security. Fournier slides in beside Slinky and Tank gets in the front passenger seat. Next, I see the driver from the Lincoln pull something silver out of his pocket and hold it in his hand. He walks up to the SUV and gets behind the wheel. The man that came with Fournier, jumps into the Lincoln and starts the car, lighting up the forest ahead.

  I watch as leaves on trees rustle and flutter from the wind. As cold as it is under the clear night sky, I wish I was out there, running toward safety, rather than in here facing my impending fate.

  Fournier clears his throat and looks past Slinky at me, “With all the shit you’ve been causing, I thought you’d be bigger.”

  I look down at my feet.

  “I’m sure that Slinky the rat has told you all about how I knew your parents when you were just a child?”

  I shake my head.

  “No? Oh, come on, Jules. Don’t take me for a fool.”

  I say nothing.

  “Anyways, it’s true. Your mother and father were the best…junkies that is,” he laughs.

  I want to look into his eyes and tell him that I wish he were dead, but I can’t; I’m too afraid.

  “As for you, Slinky, I think you know that you’ve crossed a line. You met with Jules here and who knows what kind of information about me you shared. The last time you met with her, I gave you a break. And what did you do to thank me? You were disloyal again. So, this time you need to be taught a lesson.”

  I can feel myself start to hyperventilate. I put my hand on Slinky’s leg. He’s surprisingly calm as he turns and winks at me. I look down at my hand resting on him and notice how badly I’m trembling. Please, Slinky. Please say something to Fournier. Beg him not to hurt you. Don’t just give up. I squeeze his boney leg, hoping he’ll snap out of his silence. He doesn’t.

  Fournier leans forward toward the driver and asks him if he remembered to bring the little gadget? I see the man nod and then hand the silver thing I saw him carrying and passes it to Tank. What the hell is that? Is it a knife? What are they going to do to Slinky? I bite my bottom lip so hard that the sharpness of one of my teeth punctures the tender skin. Tank turns sideways in the front seat then leans over into the back and quickly darts at Slinky, grabbing his hand. Slinky doesn’t pull away. He just sits there. I nudge him hard with my elbow. Please wake the hell up old man, fight! But he doesn’t.

  Tank separates Slinky’s hand and then takes a hold of his pinky finger. With his other hand, he reveals the small silver tool and pushes down on a lever. The contraption opens up and Tank pushes Slinky’s finger inside. My heart is pounding so hard on the inside of my chest, I’m sure everyone else can hear it. Tank raises his gaze to Fournier. Fournier gives him a nod. At the last second, I turn away and look out my window. Then, I hear it. The sound reminds me of a sharp knife slicing through a carrot. Everything that happens next goes in slow motion. The deep guttural groans that boil up from the pit of Slinky’s stomach and out his mouth. The sound of pure pain.

  I still can’t look. I feel like I’m here and at the same time, I feel like I’m not. My mind feels like it’s escaped my body, and I’m floating over myself, unable to move. My eyes are still glued to the passenger window.
Slinky starts to choke and heave. Fournier yells at Tank, “Get this fucking rat out of here. He’s bleeding all over my boots.”

  A shudder runs up the back of my spine. Tank exits the truck. At the same time, I feel Slinky lean into me, his body cold and rigid. Tank opens Fournier’s door. Fournier jumps out of the back seat. I feel a void as Slinky’s frail body is pulled away. I turn my head to see Tank drag the limp old man to the back of the Lincoln and toss him like a rag doll into the back seat. Fournier slides in next to me and closes the door. I shut my eyes and brace myself for what’s to come. Then, I feel Fournier’s boney hand slither across my leg onto my inner thigh. Every muscle and nerve tighten, as he caresses me. A nauseous urge bubbles up from the pit of my gut. Trying not to vomit, I swallow hard, and again bite my lip.

  “You know, a long time ago, your parents owed me a lot of money, and I never forget a debt. Maybe you could do us both a favor and work it off.

  Terrified, I push the words out, “What do you mean?”

  He chuckles, “Oh, come on. You know what I mean, don’t you?” He says, reaching dangerously close to my sex.

  In a knee jerk reaction, I grab his hand and shove it away.

  “Oh, that’s right. You’re a dyke, aren’t you? You like snatch instead of cock,” he laughs. “Yeah, I can’t say I blame you after seeing pictures of that sweet little honey of yours. What is her name again, Katie?”

  As soon as her name leaves his lips, I turn and stare in his eyes, “How the hell do you know about Katie?”

  “The same way that you know who I am. Research, Bitch!”

  “I don’t care what you do to me, but I swear if you go anywhere near Katie, I’ll…”

  Fournier laughs maniacally, “You’ll what? Get your daddy after me?”

  I can’t think of a response because my mind’s reeling with fear and anger. I shake my head and whisper, “Please, just leave Katie alone.”