Kroger Bagley, Jr. was the 6’ 2”, 235-pound 29-year-old son of a grocer who was himself the son of a grocer. He had worked for his dad at Bagley’s Food Mart in Sugar Land since he was 16.
“Oh, Crow, you scared me,” she said as she slapped his arm.
To him, her slap felt like the brush of a feather. “I’m sorry, Mrs. uh…Jacobs. You need something off the top shelf?” He jumped into a karate stance, and looked like he was about to attack the shelves at any moment. Then he squinted as he surveyed the upper rows of cereal boxes.
Mrs. Jacobs watched him for a few seconds. It was as though he might be able to figure out what she wanted if he just studied them long enough. Such a nice boy, she thought. Not too bright though.
“The Nabisco Shredded Wheat,” she said.
“Oh!” He snapped his fingers as though he almost had it.
“You’ll get it next time, Dear.”
“Here you go. Have a great day, Mrs. Jacobs.” He grinned at her and waved broadly as she ambled down the aisle.
Then he heard something hit the floor and break on the next aisle.
“Zachary, I told you not to touch anything.”
“I’m sorry, Mommy,” said the young boy, with no hint of sincerity.
“Well, you’re gonnabe sorry when I get you home, Mister.”
Crow ran around the end of the aisle and up toward the scene of the accident.
Zachary started crying when he saw the big man barreling toward him at full speed.
His mother said, “I’m sorry about this. Look, just at it to my bill.”
“Oh, no, that’s not necessary, Ma’am,” he said as he tried to catch his breath. “I just don’t want anybody to slip and fall down.”
He took the walkie-talkie from his belt and held it to his mouth. “I need a cleanup on aisle seven, Johnny.”
“Thanks.” The young lady rolled her cart down the aisle, fussing at her son all the way.
The pretty lady reminded Crow of his girlfriend. Well, she wasn’t really his girlfriend yet. But he could tell she liked him a lot.
It had been about a year since he had told everybody at the dinner table that he was moving out. His dad was shocked and his mother started sobbing. He later realized she was crying because she didn’t think he could make it on his own. His 79-year old grandfather had said, “Well, it’s about time, boy.” They were all impressed that he had already located and signed paperwork for an apartment. It was only a few blocks away—but still.
At first his mom and dad took turns dropping by his place to check on him. But after a couple of months it sunk in: he could actually survive on his own. Although, his mom was still not convinced he was eating well enough. Did a grocery store mom spend more time worrying about her children eating vegetables than a typical mom? He didn’t know. She was the only mom he’d ever had.
On the very first day at his new place, he had bumped into his girlfriend. Of course, she was not his girlfriend then. They hadn’t even met yet.
She was standing at the mail boxes when he drove up. And just as he was approaching, she turned to walk away with her mail. He had accidentally caught her with his right shoulder and knocked her backward, sending her mail into the air. He grabbed her just before she could hit the ground.
He had apologized like crazy. But she had seemed more amusedthan upset.
Later that night he had heard a knock and thought someone was at his door. So he opened it and saw a pizza delivery guy standing across the hallway. When the door opened—it was heragain.
He just stood there watching like a puppy as she paid the delivery guy and he walked off.
“You like pepperoni?” she said.
“Sure.”
And that was how it all started. Pizza and TV. Or Chinese takeout and a movie.
They were great friends. And to him, much more.
She laughed at him a lot—sometimes when he wasn’t even trying to be funny. But he didn’t care. He loved to make her laugh. But he did wonder why she never wanted to go outto eat or go outto a movie. Or out anywhere.
So, she wasn’t his girlfriend yet. But he was already herboyfriend—even if she didn’t know it.
Someday, the Food Mart would be all his…and so would she.
Mr. and Mrs. Kroger Bagley, Jr.
Crow and Chaucey.
Chapter19
“Hello?”
“Hey, Sandy. Where are you guys?”
“I was just about to call you, Buddy. We just stopped at Starbucks. Why don’t you come join us? We’re on the corner of Grogan’s Mill and Sawdust.”
“Yeah, I think I passed it a while ago. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Sandy hung up and looked at Rebecca. “I can’t believe we drove around for three hours looking for them.”
Rebecca was working at her laptop. “I just hope Larry has posted another chapter.”
“He might have done it in a coffee shop.” Sandy looked around for a table with a refolded napkin.
“Well, I don’t know where he did it from, but—“
“—he posted a new chapter?”
“Yep.”
“What does it say?”
“Give me just a minute. You want to get us some coffee?”
“Sure.”
By the time Sandy came back with three coffees and three big blueberry muffins, Greg had walked in.
“Okay,” said Rebecca, “this is good news.”
Greg perked up. “What?”
“He leased an apartment.”
“Here in The Woodlands?” said Sandy.
“He’s kinda vague on that. But it’s got to be somewhere close. Leasing offices wouldn’t open before 8:00 or 9:00. And it’s just 9:15.”
“What does he say about Cynthia?” said Greg.
“I don’t know if you really want to hear this,” she said.
“What? Tell me?”
“He says he will make love to her every hour of the night—”
“—I’m gonna kill him,” said Greg.
“And that in the morning she will still be begging for more.”
“He really thinks he’s hot stuff, doesn’t he?” said Sandy.
“We’ve got to hurry and find them,” said Greg. “Surely he gives some hint about where they are.”
“Not in the chapter posting. Let me check the comments,” she said. “There’s another one from this woman named Chaucey who propositioned him earlier. She is so weird.”
“What does she say?” said Greg.
Rebecca tried to read it aloud.
And she obeyed hym in every thing
That myghte doon hym plesance or likyng.
Greg and Sandy responded in unison. “What?”
“I think it’s Old English or Middle English.” Rebecca turned the laptop around so they could read it for themselves.
“Well, look at his response,” said Greg. “They seem to be speaking the same language—whatever it is.”
Of vitaille and of oother purveiaunce,
They goon and pleye hem al the longe day.
“And he says his heart is near,” said Sandy, “—whatever thatmeans.”
“Wonder if it means he’s physicallynear?” said Rebecca.
“What if he is?” said Sandy. “How does that help us? We don’t know where sheis.”
Rebecca turned her laptop back around and started typing.
“And how can we possibly find her?” said Sandy. “We don’t even know her last name.”
“We don’t even know that her firstname is real,” said Greg.
“I got a hit,” said Rebecca. “I googled ‘Chaucey Houston’ and got the website of a graphic designer named Chaucey Reed.”
“Where does she live?” said Greg.
“It doesn’t say. Just gives her email address,” she said.
“Well, we could email her and ask her where she lives,” said Sandy.
“And you think she’d tell you?” she said.
“Yeah—if she w
ants to do business with me,” said Sandy.
“Let’s just start searching apartment complexes,” said Greg. “Rebecca, you said he’s probably driving a dark green Jaguar.”
“Yeah,” she said. “I think he passed me as I was turning on to his street. But at the time I didn’t know what kind of car he drove. I should have thought to ask about allhis cars when I called my friend at the DMV the first time. That was stupid. I could have had him.”
“No need to beat yourself up over it,” said Sandy.
“I should have known better,” she said.
“So, we can just go around to all the parking lots looking for that car,” said Greg.
“It’s a 2007 XK with black interior,” she said.
“Whoa,” said Sandy. “Those things go for like 90K.”
“Well then it should be easy to find,” said Greg.
“Actually,” said Rebecca, “The Woodlands has a pretty high per capita income from what I’ve read. So, you might see several of them around town.”
“We can write down all the apartment names and addresses and split up,” said Greg.
“Okay, fine,” said Sandy.
**********
“Well, how do you like it?” said Larry.
“Very nice. Looks more like a house than an apartment.” Cynthia was still playing along, hoping for an opportunity to get away. She had not given him the least bit of trouble since trying to leave a message in the bathroom stall. She had sat patiently and pleasantly in a Starbucks for two hours while he worked at his laptop.
But she wondered if he was lying about the watch. Was it even possible to put enough explosive material in it to do any damage? Maybe it was fake. But she couldn’t afford to call his bluff. If she could just get the remote away from him somehow…
“It’s nearly 1,600 sq. feet—not including the garage,” he said. “Look at that widescreen flat-panel. It’ll be great for movies. You like movies, don’t you?”
“Oh, sure.”
“And the two spare bedrooms are in there. They share a bathroom. But the most important room of the house is over there—the masterbedroom. You and I need to make up for a lot of lost time, Honey.”
Cynthia felt a surge of vomit at the back of her throat.
“So, why don’t we get to it?” he said.
“No.”
He frowned.
She smiled. “I mean…let’s not rush it, Baby. I’m so tired, and I want the first time to be special.”
“Well, okay. Me too. Why don’t you go take a little nap? Just let me know when you’re ready for me.”
“Okay.”
He took her in his arms and kissed her hard on the lips. “That’s just a preview, Baby.”
She wanted to gouge his eyes out. “Can’t wait.” She walked to the master bedroom.
“Yeah, me either. Can’t wait to bone you.” He laughed.
How romantic, she thought, as she closed the door and stretched out on the bed. She’d like to de-bonehim.
**********
Cynthia pretended to still be asleep when she felt him unhooking the front of her bra. While sleeping, she had been stripped to her underwear.
He gently lifted each cup, laid them to the sides and admired her perky breasts.
She wanted to peek, but did not. She was under his control.
He slipped his fingers under the waist of her panties and carefully slid them down her toned legs, and off her feet.
She still dared not look. Would he eventually quit and go away if she kept pretending to sleep?
He took her left leg in his warm hands and moved it slightly to the left. Then he moved her right leg to the right.
She could feel his naked body sliding into place between her smooth legs. She couldn’t stop him, could she?
She felt him begin to kiss her right breast and then circle the nipple with his warm, moist tongue.
She suddenly felt herself getting wet for him and realize she had no control over her own body.
He moved up higher on her and she knew entry was imminent. Then he slid a hand under each butt cheek.
“Oh, Greg…” She wanted him so badly.
“Uh, let’s get the names straight.”
She jerked herself free, and jumped up from the bed. Larry was standing on the other side. He was wearing clothes. So was she. Thank God.
“What were you doing?” she said.
“Just waking you up with a nice butt massage.”
Gross, she thought. Her head was still spinning.
“I’m sorry. I thought you’d like it,” he said.
Time to get back into character, she thought. “I was just having a weird dream. That’s all.”
“So, are you all rested now and ready to go?”
“Maybe.” She smiled seductively.
“Come here, Baby.”
She walked around to him.
He reached out and grabbed her, and she started kissing him.
Clearly, he was surprised that she had initiated the kiss.
Her left hand slid down to his butt and began to rub it.
He got more excited.
Then she worked her hand around to the front and began to explore. She could tell he was on the verge of losing his mind as she brought her right hand around, and unzipped his pants and put her hand inside. She also felt the remote in his pocket.
As she teased him with the super-slow progression of her right hand into his boxers, she slipped her left hand into his pocket and carefully extracted the remote with two fingers. He didn’t even notice.
He was just about to throw her onto the bed and rip off her clothes when her knee slammed into his crotch like a sledgehammer. He fell to the floor, groaning in pain.
She ran out of the room to the front door. In five seconds, she would be too far away to catch. She would call the police. They would throw him in jail and the bomb squad would get this horrible thing off her wrist.
But then she realized the deadbolt was locked. Where was the key? She didn’t have time to look.
Maybe she could get out through the garage. She turned to run.
“Stop or I’ll shoot!”
Larry was crouched over in the bedroom doorway holding a pistol.
So close, she thought. Where did he get that gun?
Now she would pay for trying to escape. He would be judge and jury.
So, would she be sentenced to death…or worse?
Chapter20
“Greg, did you ever eat lunch?” said Sandy.
“Yeah. I drove through McDonalds.”
“We did Burger King.”
Greg opened the door.
“This is nice room,” said Rebecca.
It was 3:45 PM. They had driven all over The Woodlands in their two cars, checking the parking lots of apartment complexes for the dark green Jaguar. Sandy and Rebecca had convinced Greg that they all needed to stop and get some rest. So, they got a room at LaQuinta Inn.
“I don’t know about this,” said Greg. “I feel like we need to keep working at it.”
“But we’re all so tired we can’t strink thaight any more. I mean, think straight,” said Rebecca.
Greg was too tired to laugh. “I guess you’re right.” He sat down on one of the beds. “Well, I’ll lay down for a few minutes, but I doubt I’ll sleep.”
“That’s okay,” said Sandy. “Just try to relax for a while. You can have that bed to yourself. Rebecca and I will take this one.”
“Oh, really?” she said. “Rebecca and I?”
Sandy stammered. “Well, I mean if it’s okay with you.”
“As long as you don’t touch me.”
“Oh, sure. No problem.” He wantedto touch her. He wanted to touch her all over—but he didn’twant a bloody nose.
After Sandy had turned off the lamp, the room was black, except for the faint rectangular glow outlining the heavy drapes.
**********
“What’s this?”
“I wanted to do somethin
g special tonight,” said Crow.
“Why?” Chaucey had expected to plop down on the couch with a paper plate of Domino’s pizza and watch a movie. The usual.
“Don’t you remember? It’s our anniversary.”
Chaucey gave him a blank stare.
“We met one year ago tonight. And you invited me over to your apartment for pizza.”
“Oh, okay. Has it already been a year?”
“Sure has.” He pulled out the chair for her. “Please have a seat, Young Lady.”
Young lady?He’s only two years older than me, she thought. Intellectually, shewas much older than him. But that was okay. She enjoyed his company. “So, what does the chef recommend for this evening?”
“Huh? Oh, the chef recommends homemade vegetable pizza, Caesar salad, and garlic bread.”
“Wow, you made all that for little ole me?”
“Yes, I did—because you’re so special. And because I happen to know that vegetable pizza is your favorite.”
“So, what kind of vegetables did you put on it?”
“All your favorites: mushrooms, green peppers, onions, black olives…”
“Sounds great.”
“…and carrots, cucumbers, bananas, apple sauce, mustard—“
“—you’re kidding, right?”
Crow suddenly looked worried. Then his lower lip began to quiver and he looked like he was about to cry.
“I’m sorry. It’s okay, Crow—it’ll be fine.”
His sad face morphed into a big grin. “I’m kidding. What do you think I am—an idiot?”
No, she didn’t think he was an idiot. Of course not. She laughed. “Very funny. I’m gonna get you for that.”
Crow brought the pizza to the table.
“Looks delicious.”
“Just like you.” He gazed into her eyes.
Even after a year, she wasn’t quite sure how to take those kind of remarks. But she knew he wasn’t trying to be crude—sometimes it just came out that way. “How was work?”
“Fine. The store’s on track for a record profit this year.”
“Really? Is that what your dad told you?”
“No. That’s what Itold him. I study the books every day, you know. And I’m getting pretty good at understanding them.”
Illusion of Luck Page 10
