by K. M. Hodge
Alex hung up his phone and pulled up the latest text from Sara.
When can I see you next?
Alex thumbed back a quick response.
Parking garage. Five minutes.
Alex patted his pocket and pulled out a loose Xanax and another cigarette, knowing full well that neither would touch his raging anxiety.
That morning—during their second appointment—his new therapist had said she wanted to put his sketches in an art show. It had quickly become clear that this lady didn’t know squat. Nothing could touch the growing need threatening to rip him in two from the inside. Especially not a stupid art show.
Fuck it. Fuck her. Fuck me.
He jogged down the stairs to the parking garage. He didn’t care if anyone saw them screwing in the back of her car. A part of him hoped that someone might.
Chapter 4
MDNA Headquarters
Unknown Location
November 21, 2005
1:00 PM
~~~
Sally leaned back in her busted office chair and flipped through the papers one more time. The quiet of the place gave her time to hear her own thoughts. No blaring TV, no one asking for water or a beer, no one yelling at her. Heaven. Well, if heaven used space heaters and didn’t have hot water.
The paperwork from Gary had turned out to be more interesting than helpful for their cause to stop the lawyer. They would need to get access to his financial records and his personal and work computers before they could really delve into destroying the lawyer’s life. A small part of her wondered if maybe the guy might be innocent of the girl’s death. If they went through with this, the lawyer would be left with nothing. At least that was the plan. She scanned the police report one more time, hoping to find a smoking gun that might tie the lawyer to the murder and relieve her conscience.
“You’re going to get cross-eyed if you don’t take a break.”
Sally startled at the sudden noise. She looked up from the papers to see Jude taking a seat at the work-station next to her. “I didn’t think you were coming in today.”
“Who needs sleep?” She stifled a yawn behind the back of her hand. “So tell me what you’ve been thinking about in this ice box.”
“We can check out his financial records and see if any large amounts of money were taken out or see if there’s anything else out of the ordinary.”
“Just to be clear, we aren’t being paid to prove the lawyer’s innocence.”
Sally sighed and laid the papers down on the table in front of her. “Wouldn’t you feel better if you knew for sure that he had something to do with it?”
“He’s a lawyer for The Syndicate, Sal. If he didn’t murder this girl, he sure as hell is tied to half a dozen other illegal activities. From the chatter I’m catching right now, the guy’s a total coke-head, which means he might be stupid enough to skim money and drugs from his clients.”
“You’re on the payroll and you aren’t a criminal.”
Jude’s shoulders shook with laughter. “Sally, my job is all about breaking the law. I launder money, for fuck’s sake. I could go to prison for that. Not to mention all the hacking shit I do on the side. I’m not innocent in this at all.”
She couldn’t help but smile. “You may have a point. So you’ll be the next person whose life we destroy.”
Jude rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I do a good job of that all on my own.”
Sally tugged on the ends of her sweater sleeve to pull her hands inside to warm them up. “You and your boyfriend still not talking?”
“Nope.” Jude nibbled on his bottom lip and flipped the power switch on his computer. While the machine booted up, he fiddled with his watch. “When I’m done with this, I want you to wear it.”
“Why?” She hated when he asked her to try out his projects. “What’s it do?”
“It’s got a global positioning satellite hookup. You can send a distress signal in Morse code, but it also has a GPS uplink so I can find your ass and save you like the damned hero I am.”
Sally snorted at his joke. With Billy gone, she could breathe a little. She imagined what it would be like to feel this way all the time; to have her husband gone for good.
“Here. Put it on.” Jude took her wrist and tightened the clasp. “Just twist the dial here to turn on the locator. If you need help, you tap out the distress call on the watch face using Morse code.”
“I don’t know—”
“It’s easy.” He tapped on the watch. “It’s three dits, three dahs, and three dits.”
The watch vibrated out the taps.
“You know I can’t wear this around Billy.”
Jude sat back in the chair and let out a huff. “I’m trying to keep you safe, Sal.”
When she didn’t reply, he stood and started to pace the floor. “I don’t want to get a call from the morgue asking me to come ID your body. Or from Zane’s school telling me you never came to the school to pick him up.”
Sally knew he meant well, but he didn’t understand how her hands were tied. If he did, he wouldn’t keep at her like this. “I know you’re only trying to help, but you remember what happened the last time.”
“I know! I know! I remember.” Jude paused for a beat, pulled out his phone, and stared at the screen for a moment. “I need some air.”
He grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the room, leaving her alone. Sally glanced down at the watch on her wrist and tapped out the three dits, three dahs and three dits on the watch face since she didn’t know how to say sorry in Morse code.
***
Jude took out a cigarette, lit up, and called back the number that had just called him.
Billy answered on the second ring. “Hello.”
Jude blew out a puff of smoke.
“Hello!” Billy’s voice rose.
Jude hated this part of the job. “She and the boy are okay. She stayed home and watched that stupid show Lost all night.”
Even though he managed to keep his voice steady and clear he always worried that Billy would catch him in the lie.
“Stupid bitch watches too much TV.”
“Do you need anything else?”
“Are you sure she isn’t up to something? She seems a little too happy these last few months.”
Jude paused. He wanted to tell him to go fuck himself. Instead, he took another drag of his cigarette. “As far as I can tell, she isn’t doing anything differently.”
From the other end of the line he could catch mumbled voices.
“All right man, I’ve gotta run. Call me if anything happens.”
“Will do, boss.”
Jude hung up the call. His wrist vibrated SOS. Sally. He tapped SOS back. For better or for worse they were in this together.
***
Pinkie’s Gas Station
Off I-95, Virginia
November 21, 2005
1:10 PM
~~~
Billy put several quarters into the pay phone and waited. He didn’t trust cellphones. Especially with the cops getting creative with wire-taps.
Henry picked up right away. “Hello?”
“Hey, man, it’s me.” He didn’t want to say his name. “I gotta favor to ask.”
“What do you want?”
“I need you to check on my girl.” Billy tugged on the phone cord. “Just make sure she and the boy are okay.”
“What happened to the lad you had watching her before?”
“I need to know if he’s really doing his job or if he’s just cleaning out my wallet.”
After a long pause, Henry finally responded. “The boys are together doing homework up at the bar, and I can send my old lady over to check on your woman, but I’m not looking to keep regular tabs on your bitch.”
“Thanks. This is just a one-time thing.”
“Good, and don’t call me on this line.”
Billy hung up the receiver and pounded his fist against the wall. His gut told him that his no-good wife was up to something, bu
t he couldn’t figure out what it might be. He needed assurance that Sally wouldn’t try anything and he knew just how to do it. The boy. She would do anything for that little bastard. But she needed to know Billy could take the kid at any time and there was nothing she could do about it.
***
Michael David’s Law Office
West Ocean City, Maryland
November 21, 2005
2:00 PM
~~~
Sally pulled her hair into the ponytail holder, then removed it and started all over again, always dissatisfied with the results. Finally, she gave up and pushed her hair back into the pony once more and snapped the band into place. Then she began tapping one fingernail against the steering wheel of Jude’s new car. She’d insisted on driving it, claiming he drove like an eighty-year-old woman.
“Quit fidgeting.” Jude adjusted his pants and leaned back into his seat. “What’s got you so wound up this morning?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.” She sat back and nibbled on her thumb-nail.
“Yeah, right.” Jude rolled his eyes.
Sally dropped her hand and balled up her fist to keep from destroying her nails completely. What was left of her nails bit into her fleshy palm and she leaned forward, trying to stretch out her back. The bucket seat of Jude’s new Toyota was creating a kink in her lower back, especially since they’d been sitting there for the last two hours. She checked her watch—Jude’s new prototype. “I’m not going to be able to stay much longer–”
“There!” Jude sat bolt upright and pointed at a group of men across the street.
Sally’s breath caught in her throat. The lawyer. She knew for certain now he was the man that had come into her brother’s shop the other night. She watched in rapt attention as the well-dressed group got into a black Lincoln Town Car.
Jude swatted at her arm. “Get going, girl. Remember, keep your distance this time.”
“Jeez, you need to let that go.”
“You rear-ended someone.”
Sally rolled her eyes, but didn’t say anything more. Instead, she started the car and merged back onto the street, keeping three car lengths behind the other car. The car weaved in and out of traffic, finally turning onto the highway. Sally changed lanes so she could keep up. The driver put the blinker on and they slid off the highway and onto the feeder road. Sally cursed under her breath. She jerked the wheel and crossed all three lanes in one fell swoop.
“I don’t want you to lose them.” Jude gripped the car door. “But I also don’t want to die.”
A white Suburban separated the two cars. Not ideal, but it would do.
Jude rolled down the window and stuck his head out. “Turning right on Marshall.”
Sally put on her blinker and turned onto the busy boulevard, keeping some distance between herself and the Town Car. It pulled into a parking lot of a titty bar named The Starlite Room. She passed it by and turned into a side alley to park. “Think you can pass for a straight man long enough to check these guys out?”
Jude puffed out his chest and pursed his lips. “No doubt.”
Sally rolled her eyes. “You’ve been watching the Wire again.”.
Jude smiled, stepped out of the car, and slammed the door shut. She glanced up at the rearview mirror and watched him swagger his way down the street. Forget this!
Sally jumped out of the car and hitched up her skirt. “Wait up!”
Jude looked back over his shoulder at her. A slow smile snuck across his lips. “Don’t trust me?”
“No, not really.” She caught up to him and stroked his cheek. “Your face is too pretty for me to let it get kicked in.”
He swatted her hand away and smirked. “You sure he didn’t see you?”
“I’m sure. Don’t worry.”
“Whatever you say, boss.” A quick jab to his ribs sent Jude howling. “Hey!”
They walked at a fast clip all the way to the club entrance. Jude ripped the flyer off the front of the door. It read “Bartender Wanted.”
“I’ll be at the bar. You try and get the man’s attention,” Jude said.
Sally swung open the heavy wooden door and walked in ahead of Jude. She tugged up her skirt to show off more of her legs and let her wide-necked shirt slide down, exposing her shoulder and bra strap. The group of well-dressed and well-groomed middle-aged men they’d been following sat in the corner of the dark club and watched as two young women danced on the pole in front of them. They whispered to each other and pointed at the scantily clad stripper. One even patted the other on the back. The man in the middle, the lawyer, flagged down one of the waitresses by waving a twenty in the air.
“You gonna just stand there?” Jude pressed against her back, pushing her forward.
Sally hiked her skirt a little higher and sat down at the table beside the group of men. The men leaned in to speak directly to the lawyer. Their fake laughs grated on her nerves, but she hid her irritation behind a coy smile. She caught the eye of the lawyer and then looked away. She could feel his gaze on her. After a moment, she looked back and smiled. The man returned the smile. Hook. She looked away for a moment and then looked back at him a third time. The man met her eye again and stood up. Line. She turned her head, pretending to be shy, but she could still see him out of the corner of her eye as he whispered something to his friend and walked her way. Sinker.
“Is this seat taken?” he asked.
Sally pointed to the chair beside her and the man sat down.
“Can I buy you a drink?”
“Scotch, neat,” she said.
The man flagged down a waitress. He gave her their order and watched the young woman as she walked away. Sally didn’t see him, but she knew Jude would be watching this exchange. She felt relaxed, knowing he could intervene if anything went awry. But still…rich white men couldn’t be trusted even for a second. Mr. Blue Eyes was no exception.
“What’s a gal like you doing in a place like this?”
“That’s a tired line if I ever heard one.”
The man chuckled. “How about another one…do you like to have a good time?”
The man slid his hand onto her bare thigh and squeezed. Sally’s stomach tightened and she placed her hand on top of his to keep it from creeping any further. “I’m not sure you can afford my idea of a good time.”
The waitress placed two drinks on the table in front of them and the man tossed a handful of bills on the table. “Money isn’t a problem.”
“I’m talking about the emotional and mental toll I take on men.”
The man narrowed his eyes and let out a sputtering laugh that colored his cheeks.
Sally took a long sip of her scotch, eyeing him over the rim of the glass. His salt and pepper hair, crystal blue eyes, and the deep dimple that decorated his left cheek when he smiled made him quite the catch. But knowing he was one of Billy’s associates colored the whole encounter in a more sinister light. Not to mention the fact this man could very well have hired a hit on his last mistress. Seeing him in person, she wanted even more to believe that he hadn’t done it.
The man narrowed his eyes and smiled, causing fine lines to break out across his face. His attention made her cheeks grow hot.
“I’m Michael T. David, Esquire, the third.”
“What kind of law do you practice?”
“I’m a criminal defense attorney.”
He leaned forward and kissed her bare shoulder. The fine hairs on her arm stood on end.
Michael caught her gaze and held it. “You’re very beautiful, you know?”
“Thank you.”
“My office is just down the street.”
Sally’s breath caught in her throat. The man was no stranger to solicitation. He didn’t even seem worried about whether she was into that or, hell, for that matter, whether or not she was some vice cop. She let out the breath she’d been holding. “What makes you think I’m that kind of girl?”
“It’s my job to know people. Size them up. And….”
<
br /> He leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Against her better judgment, she kissed him back. When he began to move his hand up her thigh, she broke the kiss.
“Hey, now.”
A slow smile snaked across his lips. “Come with me.”
Sally found herself at a loss for words. How dare he talk to her like some common prostitute? Like Alex had. Sally ignored the voice in her head and pushed away all thoughts of Alex.
“I could use a cup of coffee,” she said.
“I have an espresso machine at the office. And a spare room.”
“Just coffee.”
“We’ll see about that,” he said, taking her by the arm. “I can be very persuasive.”
“I bet you can. People probably don’t say no to you, do they?”
Michael smiled and pulled her to her feet. He pressed up against her and kissed her again. This time she was ready for it and kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he stroked her side until his hand came to rest on the side of her breast. It took everything in her to not slap it away. When he at last broke the kiss, he still held her up against him. “No. No one has said no to me for a very long time.”
“There’s a dinner just up the road that makes the best pie you’ll ever eat. The coffee is pretty good too. We can get to know one another a little better there.”
He narrowed his blue eyes at her. “Let me get my jacket and tell my associates.”
Sally nodded. “And I’ll just go use the powder room.”
Michael nodded. His intent gaze raked over her body. Sally smiled at him and he seemed to relax a little.
Sally took off for the restroom, pulled out her phone and shot a quick text to Jude.
We’re going to the pie place up the road. Can’t remember the name. Follow at a distance. Don’t trust this guy.
His response came back almost immediately.
I’ll be right behind you. Be careful.
Sally took in a trembling breath and deleted the message. Here goes nothing.
***
Pie Time Café
West Ocean City, Maryland
November 21, 2005
2:30 PM
~~~
Michael took the sexy blonde woman by the arm as they walked down the deserted sidewalk to the cafe. “So, what’s your name? Or should I just call you ‘Beautiful’?”
