by Mike Ryan
“It will, man, it will. Don’t have a doubt about that. They want you. And they got something that’ll bring you to them. They ain’t getting rid of her before then.”
Jacobs looked at the wall and sighed. “Yeah. Not before then.”
“I think next time, we should come up with a new strategy. One that doesn’t involve you taking on fifty guys all on your own.”
“It wasn’t fifty.”
“Well, it wasn’t two either. How many was it anyway?”
“I dunno. I wasn’t counting.”
“Think they’ll try the same thing?”
Jacobs looked at his friend, trying to put himself in Ames’ shoes. “I don’t know. Maybe similar. Probably not the same. That didn’t work. They’ll try something different.”
“Well, Butch and his boys are combing the streets now, putting their contacts to work, seeing if they can find anything on Tiffany.”
Jacobs didn’t change his expression at all. He didn’t seem all that confident in their help. “Yeah.”
“I know you’re not that thrilled with throwing in with them, but if they can help…”
“Right now, I’d throw in with anybody in order to save her. I’d even throw in with Mallette if that’s what it took.”
Franks raised his eyebrows, surprised to hear him say the name, though it only reinforced to him how much his friend wanted to save Tiffany. He was willing to do absolutely anything in order to protect her life. And it didn’t matter the cost to Jacobs.
Charlie had his hands on Tiffany’s arm and pulled her into the empty room and sat her down on the chair. She tried to get up, but he and another man pushed her back down.
“Just sit tight.”
“Why are you doing this?” Tiffany asked.
“It’s nothing personal.”
“I don’t even know you people.”
“It’s not about you. It’s about Jacobs.”
“What about him?”
“We want him.” Charlie was handed a roll of duct tape. He started putting it around Tiffany’s wrists.
“And you’re using me for bait?”
“Yep.” Charlie then put the tape around her ankles.
Tiffany tried wriggling free, but it was no use. “I didn’t do anything!”
Charlie put the back of his fingers on Tiffany’s cheek and rubbed her face gently. “I know.” He then kissed her on the cheek. “And I’m sorry. If it were up to me…”
“Then what?”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s not up to me.”
“Please let me go. I promise I won’t say anything about any of you.”
Charlie kissed her on the cheek again. “That’s nice of you. But after this is over, you won’t be able to say anything, anyway.”
“What?!” Tiffany gulped and her mind started racing. She knew what that meant. “Please!”
“Relax. After it’s done, I promise you won’t feel it.”
“Please, I’ll do whatever you want.”
Charlie stood in front of her and smiled. “Anything, huh?” Tiffany looked away, not knowing how she was going to get out of this. Charlie took a few steps forward, straddling over her legs. He then put his hand on one of her breasts and started rubbing her. He then sat down on her lap and started kissing her neck. Tiffany looked away, clenching her jaw tight. But she couldn’t sit there and let what she thought was going to happen, happen willingly. Though her hands were bound, they were still in front of her. She brought her arms up and started clubbing Charlie on the side of his neck and shoulder. Charlie fell onto the floor, but now he was mad. He got up and slapped Tiffany hard across the face. The other man just stood there watching. He wasn’t about to interfere.
Charlie reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. He quickly sliced open the duct tape on her wrists to free them. Then he pulled them in back of her, behind the chair. Tiffany kept struggling to prevent it.
“Here, hold her arms,” Charlie said, getting the help of the other man. “I’ll teach her a lesson.”
Once her arms were sufficiently tied together behind the chair, Charlie walked back in front of her. He touched her face.
“You’re pretty,” he said with a smile. “I can see what Jacobs would see in you.” He then touched her shirt. “Is the rest of you as nice as your face?”
“Go to hell.”
Charlie started laughing. “You got a little spunk to you. I like it. I like them a little feisty.”
“Untie me and I can show you how feisty I can get.”
Charlie laughed and looked at the other guy, pulling his head back as if he were surprised to hear her talk like that. “Oh yeah? Maybe you can. Maybe later, though. I think I have to tame you a little bit first.” He then looked at his pal and nudged him on the arm. “Hey, give us the room, huh?”
The man nodded and left, closing the door behind him. Charlie went back over to Tiffany and sat on her lap.
“It’ll be much more enjoyable for you if you don’t fight it or anything.”
“Jump off a bridge.”
Charlie laughed again. “Don’t worry, I’ll do all the work.” Tiffany spit in his face, drawing more anger out of him. He backhanded her across the other side of her face. “So that’s how you wanna do it, huh?”
He tugged on the back of her hair, pulling her head back. He then started kissing her neck again. Charlie stood up and started undoing his belt. He took it all the way off and was about to unzip his pants when the door suddenly flew open. He turned around and saw a shadow standing in the doorway.
“Charlie. Come here.”
Charlie sighed and hung his head. He looked at Tiffany, who still had her head back and was looking up at the ceiling. She didn’t want to see any of them. Charlie put his belt back on and walked toward the door opening. He closed the door as he went into the hallway. Once the door closed, Tiffany finally brought her head back down. She closed her eyes, hoping for some kind of miracle to get her out of this situation.
Charlie tilted his head and looked down as he stood in front of his boss. He already knew he was going to be in trouble.
“Charlie, were my instructions not clear?” Ames asked.
“They were, sir.”
“Then perhaps you would care to explain what was going on in there?”
“I was just… having some fun.”
“We are not here to have fun. That girl in there is not here for you to get your groove on with. Or anyone else, for that matter. My instructions, I thought, were clear.”
“They were.”
“I said to get the girl and bring her here and then start enacting the rest of our plan. Unless I missed it, I did not say she was to be used as some sort of pinata for you and the boys to continue banging. Did I?”
“No.”
“Our goal here is to get Jacobs and kill him.”
Charlie shrugged. “Well, what’s the difference? She’s gonna end up dead, anyway.”
“The longer you play with her, the longer it’ll take for Jacobs to get here. And the longer we delay in contacting him, the more time he has to find out where we are on his own. Or did you think all the other people he’s found in this city were just by accident?”
“No.”
“Precisely. So please forget about your urges and stop thinking with the little guy in your pocket. We’re here for a job, so do it.”
“I will, sir.”
Ames then looked around at the other seven men that were huddled around. “We’re here for one reason. One purpose. And that is Brett Jacobs. Nothing else matters. Nothing. Once he’s out of the way, I’ll get you all the hookers and prostitutes that you want. But for now, forget about that girl, and start getting to work. Is everyone clear on that?”
Everyone nodded, including Charlie. “Got it, boss.”
“Good. Now when can you make the next call?”
“I can probably call him in about an hour,” Charlie answered.
“Fine.”
Ames walked awa
y, a couple of bodyguards following him, leaving Charlie and the rest to commence with their business. As they disappeared from sight, Ames stopped to give one of his men more orders.
“Stick around to make sure Charlie’s got everything under control here. Keep him on task if his… thoughts get diverted.”
The large, muscular man nodded. “Will do, boss.”
“Once he places the call to Jacobs, make sure they are all in position, then meet me back at the house.”
“We’re not going to stay here?”
“No. Brett Jacobs is a very resourceful man. In the off-chance that he escapes from this, I don’t want any of this coming back to me.”
“But the girl…”
“I haven’t had any communication with her, haven’t talked to her, and nobody’s said my name around her. Even if she were to escape, nothing would come back to me. Charlie’s the one who’s interacting with her and would have some explaining to do.”
“You don’t think all this will work?”
“I’m hopeful,” Ames answered. “I’m hopeful it does. But we all know what they say about the best laid plans, right? You can build the best bridges, but sometimes they just crumble. And if that happens here, I don’t want to be underneath it when it does. So we will be back at the house hoping to get good news in a few hours. Join us there.”
“You got it, boss.”
With Ames gone, Charlie quickly opened the door and peeked inside.
“Looks like you were saved by the bell, honey. Maybe later if you’re lucky.”
Once Charlie closed the door again, Tiffany closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. She was thankful to not have to deal with him again, at least not right now. But she still had an even bigger problem in getting out of there with her life intact. But maybe Charlie being diverted from his plans with her was a sign. A sign that maybe she’d get that miracle she was praying for after all.
19
After an hour of wearing out holes in the carpet, Jacobs still hadn’t settled down. He was still pacing throughout the living room, wanting that phone to ring. Finally, he got his wish. Franks’ phone rang. He answered it on the first ring.
“Yes?”
“Put him on,” Charlie said.
Franks immediately handed the phone over to Jacobs. “I’m here.”
“Ah, there’s that familiar voice again. I should congratulate you on getting out of your last predicament.”
“If you liked that one, you should see the one I do next.”
Charlie laughed. “I love that kind of confidence. I must say, I really didn’t think we’d be having this conversation again.”
“I guess I’m full of surprises.”
“You are. You know what they say about tricks, though. They eventually run out.”
Jacobs was already tired of the dialogue. “As nice as it is talking to you, I’d really rather get on with things. I assume there’s a point to this.”
“There is. Are you ready to meet your maker?”
“I am as long as I’m taking you with me.”
Charlie laughed again. “You’re a funny guy. You really are.”
“You should see how funny I am in person.”
“I’d like to.”
“Great. Can we get on with this and you let me know where Tiffany is.”
“Ahh, yes, the pretty girl. I’ve really enjoyed my time with her.”
“I swear if you’ve done something to her then…”
“You know, maybe after you’re gone, she’d enjoy being with a man who’s…”
“Where is she?!”
“Someone’s a little testy, aren’t they?”
“Tell me where she is right now or this conversation’s done.”
“Oohh, someone’s got a case of the hotties for the pretty lady, huh?”
Jacobs was done. He wasn’t playing the games anymore. He hit the button on the phone to hang up, then tossed the phone back to Franks.
“What happened?” Franks asked.
“That idiot’s playing games. I’m not doing that. If he wants me, he can have me, but I’m not doing that.”
Almost immediately, the phone rang again. It was the same number. Franks answered. “Yes?”
“Put him on.”
Franks handed the phone over again. Jacobs took it, but immediately started talking to make clear his terms. “Here’s the deal, asshole. You want me, tell me where to go and I’ll be there. But I’m not here to listen to you ramble on. You tell me now or we’re done. And then I’ll hunt you down and kill you.”
“You know, I almost prefer that. I’d love to see you try. But I suspect you wouldn’t want the pretty little lady here to suffer the consequences of you doing that. Because I’ll tell you this, if you hang up again, I won’t call back. And I guarantee the next time you see this girl, she will be inside a pine box.”
“Let’s just do this and get it over with.”
“Do you know the Woodside building?”
Jacobs sighed and put his head down. It was another vacant building. He knew right then and there that he was in for more of the same. More tricks and games. “Yeah, I know it.”
“Good. See you in an hour.”
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
“I’m not doing anything or going anywhere until I hear Tiffany’s voice.”
“You’ll do what we tell you to do.”
“No, I won’t. Last time I went to a place you gave me, it was a trap and she wasn’t there. I’m not doing that again. I need to hear her voice, or I’m not leaving where I am.”
“You prefer her in a box?”
“For all I know she’s there already,” Jacobs replied. “And until I have proof otherwise, I’m not doing that again. And that’s my final answer.” Jacobs knew it was somewhat of a risk to take that stance, as they could just decide not to deal with him and kill her, but he suspected they wouldn’t. He was the prize. He was what they were really after. He didn’t think they’d risk killing her yet when they knew she could bring him closer to them.
“Ballsy of you to make demands in your position, isn’t it?”
“Maybe. But you can take it or leave it. ‘Cause that’s the way it’s gonna be. I either hear her voice now, or I’ll assume you already killed her, in which case I’m not going anywhere.”
Charlie loudly sighed into the phone. He didn’t like meeting Jacobs’ demands, but knew he was going to have to. They couldn’t risk pissing Jacobs off so much that he decided not to comply with their orders. “Fine. Hold on.”
Jacobs could hear his adversary walking, trying to make out any clues while he was walking. Was there an echo? What type of floors was he walking on? Could he make out voices or noises in the background, anything that could possibly give him a clue about where this man was. He didn’t automatically take the man at his word that he was already at the Woodside building.
After a minute or two of silence, Jacobs could hear the man’s foot tapping off the floors, and he finally heard the creaking sound of a door opening. Everything was quiet. Then he heard the man’s voice again in the background.
“Here,” the man said, holding the phone up to Tiffany’s face. “There’s someone who wants to talk to you.”
Tiffany wasn’t interested in talking to anyone, though. She turned her head away from the phone. Charlie grabbed her face and pulled it so she was facing him, holding her jaw so hard he was making indentations in her skin.
“Talk,” Charlie said angrily.
Jacobs didn’t wait to hear Tiffany speak. “Tiffany?”
The fear and anger on Tiffany’s face suddenly turned to one of hope. The clenching tightness of her jaw disappeared. “Brett?”
“I’m sorry this happened to you. I promise I’m coming.”
“Please.”
“Don’t worry. I will get you out of there. I’m coming in an hour. Just stay strong. I’m coming.”
“Please, Brett…”
Charlie suddenly yank
ed the phone away from Tiffany’s ear. “That’s all you get for now. Satisfied?”
“I’d be more satisfied if you were dead already.”
Charlie laughed. “Yes, I bet you would. So the terms of this deal will be a little different from the last one.”
“Which is?”
“You come unarmed. Once we see you, we’ll let the girl go.”
“No.”
“What?”
“I said no. I don’t work that way. If I come in unarmed, you’ll kill the both of us. I know that as well as you do.”
“Well, that’s the only choice you got.”
“No, it’s not. I’m not coming in unarmed. I come in armed or I don’t come in at all.”
“You wouldn’t risk that.”
“I’ve only known that woman a few days. She’s not that special to me,” Jacobs said.
“Oh, I don’t believe that. If that were the case, you wouldn’t be doing this at all.”
“Maybe I just don’t like innocent victims. But that doesn’t really matter, does it? Here’s the deal. I’ll come in, armed, and if I see anyone, I’m going to assume they’re armed and coming for me. That means I’ll shoot anyone on sight, no questions asked. You tell me where the girl is, and when I get there, you let her go and I’ll stay behind.”
“I’m not sure that works for us.”
“Well, it’ll have to. ‘Cause those are my terms. I’ll go wherever you want, do whatever you want once I get there, but I come in armed, and I’ll come in shooting. Once I see she’s still safe, and she is released unharmed, and out of harm’s way, then you can do what you want with me.”
“So chivalrous of you, isn’t it?”
“I’ll tell you that one face I hope to see on the way in is yours.”
Charlie laughed again. “Well, I’ll tell you something, Brett-boy, maybe you’ll get your wish. Maybe you won’t get to see the girl again after all. Maybe you just won’t make it that far.”
“I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”
Charlie smiled. “Yes. I guess we will. See you soon.”
With the conversation done, Jacobs tossed the phone back to Franks.
“Well?” Franks asked.
“Woodside building. Another vacant place.”
