Johnny Porno

by Charlie Stella

  “Good for you,” John said.

  Cowans handed John two stacks of cash bound with rubber bands. “We called in seven-fifty yesterday and had another two hundred today. Total should be nine-fifty.”

  John removed the rubber band from the larger bundle and began counting.

  “Help yourself to whatever you want from the concession,” Cowans said.

  “Thanks. I might grab a soda.”

  “We sold a few posters, too. And two pair of the panties.”

  John stopped counting. “Give me a minute here,” he said.

  “Sorry.”

  “It’s alright,” John said. He continued counting.

  * * * *

  Nathan had never met John Albano’s mother before last night when he dropped his stepson off and this morning he wanted to call her to see how the kid was doing, but felt it wasn’t his place, not since he’d left Nancy the night before.

  It was an ugly fight Nancy had started in front of her son, and when Nathan lost his temper and called her a bitch, he’d felt rotten the kid had heard him. It had to do with the way she had been badmouthing the kid’s father from the night before, claiming he was selfish and didn’t care about his son or anybody else and that she was sick and tired of everyone coming to his defense when she was the one responsible for everything and everybody.

  It was all nonsense, but Nathan felt guilty about maybe setting her off in the first place the afternoon she came home and found her ex-husband playing with his son in the basement. Maybe if he hadn’t let the kid’s father in she would’ve spared the boy some of her verbal poison.

  There was no telling what her story was anymore. Nancy seemed to be playing a new angle since he first mentioned he might go to a lawyer. Nathan wasn’t sure if it was an act or desperation. Nancy had grown accustomed to her lifestyle and wouldn’t adjust well to change in a more practical direction.

  When she brought it up the day before, how he better not think just because he divorced her she would move out of the house, Nathan had told her she could stay until he sold it.

  “And then half is mine,” she had declared.

  “After the mortgage is paid,” he’d told her.

  “You pay that,” she’d said. “I want half the value.”

  “It doesn’t work like that.”

  “We’ll see what my lawyer says.”

  “Fine,” he had told her, “but the more we spend on lawyers, the less there’ll be for either of us. And there’s Jack to consider, too. You don’t want to uproot him while some lawyer takes the lion’s share of whatever there is.”

  “Don’t you dare bring up my son to me,” Nancy had raged. “That boy is no concern of yours. You try to spoil him to get him to like you, but he’s my son. You’re no different than his father. You do the fun things and I have to be the parent.”

  It was then Nathan lost it. “That’s not true and you know it,” he’d yelled. “His father is a good man. He does what he can and all you do is make it impossible for him.”

  Then she tried to make a bet with him Nathan still didn’t understand. Something about how John wouldn’t even respond if she called and told him his kid was in trouble, serious trouble, like if he was abducted or some nonsense.

  Nathan had looked at her as if she were crazy. Then she put her hand out with her pinky extended like some twelve-year-old and said, “Make a bet, you’re so sure. Come on, bet me.”

  He thought she had lost her mind and told her so.

  “Oh, yeah?” she said. “I’m telling you right now if I called him up tomorrow while he’s doing whatever he does all day with that dirty film and the people at that bar, John wouldn’t even consider coming here to see what was wrong.”

  “You’re wrong,” Nathan had told her. “One-hundred-percent wrong.”

  “If I called and said Jack was kidnapped he wouldn’t do a thing, that’s how much he cares about his son.”

  Nathan had felt his face flush red. He pointed a threatening finger at her and spoke through clenched teeth as low as he could so the boy didn’t hear him.

  “You selfish bitch,” he’d said. “Don’t you ever say something like that again where your son could hear you. Show some decency. For God’s sake, show some decency.”

  Nancy had been shocked at his outburst and had taken a few steps back. At least he thought so until she started in all over again. Then Nathan saw she wouldn’t shut up unless he left. He asked if she was staying home or going out and did she want him to drop her son off at her ex-mother-in-law’s.

  “You know what?” Nancy had said. “Yes, I do. Take him there and today I’m going out for myself for a change and maybe tomorrow we’ll see how much of a father John is after all.”

  Nathan didn’t know what she had meant, but he was anxious to get the kid out of hearing distance as soon as possible. First he brought his stepson to McDonald’s and tried to get him to talk about the Yankees, but Little Jack was clearly upset at his mother’s tirade earlier. The boy wouldn’t speak.

  Then Nathan brought his stepson to John’s mother and felt terrible when he had to shake hands with the boy before he left. He still didn’t know if he’d ever see him again.

  Chapter 33

  The phone woke Louis a few minutes after nine in the morning. He had thought it would be Nancy and was surprised to hear Sharon Dowell’s voice.

  “Hey, Jerry was just up here for his birthday a couple few weeks ago,” she said.

  Louis was thinking. “Jerry who?” he said.

  “Jerry Deep Throat, that’s who.”

  “Jerry the director?”

  “Yeah, we just missed him, but I have someone trying to track him down. Somebody close to the family.”

  “Great.”

  “I should know more in another day or so, maybe sooner.”

  “Great.”

  “And guess what else?”

  “What?”

  “The woman I spoke with knows of a place on the Island where they’re showing the film.”

  “Where on the Island?”

  “It’s invitation only, but I’m sure I can get us in.”

  Louis flinched at her choice of the word “us.”

  “That’s great,” he said. “When?”

  “I’ll let you know soon as I find out.”

  “That’s great, Sharon. I can’t thank you enough.”

  “Sure you can, stud.”

  Louis forced a chuckle. “You have a dirty mind.”

  “I’ll call you soon as I hear something.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  “Okay. You take care of yourself. That rash, I mean.”

  “Will do.”

  Louis hung up and was about to head down to the deli for coffee and a roll when the phone rang again. He assumed it was Sharon calling back and said, “Forget something?”

  “I want to be there for you today,” Holly said.

  Louis was caught off guard.

  “Louis?” she said.

  “Holly?”

  “I mean it,” she said. “I want to be there for you today.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “What time is it?”

  “Nine. Nine-fifteen.”

  “It’s early.”

  “I’ll bring bagels if you want.”

  “I don’t know, Holly. I haven’t had time to think. I appreciate your change in attitude, but... I don’t know.”

  “You were there for me and I want to be there for you,” she said. “I know today is important.”

  It couldn’t hurt, he thought. “Okay,” he said. “If you mean it.”

  “I do. Yes.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’ll bring bagels?”

  “Sure.”

  “Great. I’ll leave in two minutes.”

  “Wear something sexy.”

  “Really?” she said enthusiastically.

  “Yeah,” Louis said. “I miss looking at you.”

  He hung up and exami
ned his reflection in the television screen. He turned to his right, left, then back right again. He was losing definition. He’d have to start working out again if he was going to keep his edge.

  Last night, after he’d planned on a quiet night alone to think things through, Nancy had showed up half in the bag wanting reassurance about their future. He fed her coffee until she was sober enough to repeat today’s game plan without hesitation. It wasn’t easy. Once she was completely sober, Nancy grew concerned something might go wrong and that she’d be left high and dry. Louis had to swear on his life that the money from the robbery would provide them a new future.

  He turned on the television looking for a sports report to check on the night games he had bet the day before. He won three of the five, but the interest on the losses would leave him close to even on the day. His figures with the offices remained in the red.

  He went down to the corner deli for his coffee and a newspaper. When he was back in the apartment Louis looked at the probable pitchers for Sunday and circled his picks. He wouldn’t be able to call in his bets until the offices opened at noon. He reclined on the couch and took a short nap.

  It was close to eleven when the door buzzer woke him.

  “It’s me,” Holly’s voice said through the intercom.

  Louis buzzed her inside the lobby. He realized he would have to call Nancy from an outside line and unplugged his phone line. A minute later he answered Holly’s knock and did a double take when he saw what she was wearing: tight bell-bottom hip-huggers, a tight white halter and open-toed sandals.

  “Jesus Christ,” he said, “you’re beautiful.”

  Holly blushed as she held up a white paper bag. “Bagels.”

  He let her inside the apartment, kissing her on the cheek as she passed. The door closed behind them and she turned to kiss him on the mouth. It was a long, passionate kiss that instantly excited Louis. He remembered he was pressed for time and had to stop himself from getting into it.

  “What you get?” he asked.

  “Two coffees, made just now so they’re fresh,” Holly said.

  Louis took the bag into the living room. They both sat on the couch. Holly put a leg up across his lap.

  “I can’t,” he said. “Believe me, I’d love to. Especially the way you look right now. You’re fucking gorgeous.”

  She pouted as she withdrew her leg from his lap. “Bummer,” she said. “Later?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Promise.”

  “I promise.”

  They had their bagels and coffee before Louis took a shower and Holly watched the news. It was close to eleven-thirty when he told her he had to run out for cigarettes. Then he called Nancy from a pay phone on Jamaica Avenue. She answered with a yawn after three rings.

  “You’re just getting up?” he said.

  “Yeah, I have a headache. It’ll go away soon as I have some coffee.”

  “You didn’t put up a pot yet?”

  “I just woke up. You just did that, woke me.”

  His teeth clenched listening to her yawn.

  “You need to get moving and pick up the kid,” he said.

  “I know. I also need a shower and coffee.”

  “Well, it’s eleven-thirty already. You think you could move your ass before you blow this thing?”

  “Don’t you start on me now,” Nancy said. “You fed me so much coffee last night I couldn’t sleep. And you didn’t even take care of me. And don’t think I don’t know why.”

  A train was passing on the el running along Jamaica Avenue. “Shit,” Louis said.

  “What?”

  “Nothing, it’s a train,” he said. “I couldn’t hear you. I couldn’t do anything last night and I already took care of you the other day.”

  “Well, I offered to take care of you.”

  He cupped his free hand over the receiver. “What?”

  “I said I offered....”

  He waited for the train to pass.

  “Hello?” Nancy said.

  “I’m here,” Louis said. “I told you not while I got this rash. A couple more days and I’ll plow you like an open field.”

  “Promises, promises,” she said flirtatiously, then added, “And what are you doing calling me from a pay phone? I can hear the train. I thought you were home?”

  “I’m obviously not, right?”

  “You better not be with that bitch today, Louis. I’m warning you.”

  “I dumped her already. I told you that.”

  “Yeah, you told me that more than once as I recall.”

  He wondered if she had rolled her eyes. He asked her if she had the phone number of the bar in Brooklyn.

  “In my purse,” Nancy said.

  “Make sure, because without that this is all for nothing.”

  “I said I have it, Louis. Stop being a nudge. I expect that from Nathan, not you.”

  “He really gone?”

  “He wasn’t here when I came home and he’s not here now, so, yes, I guess he’s really gone. Probably to his sister’s.”

  “Good.”

  “Although I still think it would’ve been better if he were here. I could’ve called him first.”

  “It’ll be better this way,” Louis said. “You can call him after you call John. It’ll look better all around.”

  “I don’t know, Nathan seemed suspicious when I hinted at it yesterday. He’s not a dope.”

  “We went through this last night. He’s no rocket scientist, okay? Just make sure you have everything you need when you leave the house. And make sure you get John inside that tent. All the way inside. Do exactly what we discussed. This is our future, Nan. Don’t blow it.”

  “Suddenly it’s my fault if something goes wrong,” she said. “You concentrate on what you have to do and don’t worry about me. I’ll be there and so will my kid and his father.”

  “Okay. Let me know after you call the bar.”

  “I will.”

  “And make sure you have dimes for the pay phone.”

  “Tell me you love me.”

  “What?”

  “Tell me.”

  Louis huffed. “I love you,” he said.

  “I love you, too.”

  “Okay, talk to you later.”

  “Kiss me.”

  “What?”

  “Gimme a kiss over the phone.”

  “That’s stupid.”

  “Do it, please.”

  Louis kissed her through the phone. Nancy returned the kiss.

  “Okay,” she said.

  Louis hung up.

  Holly was in the bathroom when he got back to the apartment. He sipped what was left of his coffee before reattaching the phone line to shop betting lines. He was about to pick the receiver up to dial when the phone rang. Louis didn’t know what to do. If it was Nancy he was in for an argument he didn’t need. The phone rang again and he answered with an attitude just in case it was her.

  “Yeah?” he said.

  “You ever intend to pay what you owe?” a voice Louis recognized asked.

  It was a clerk from one of the bookmaking offices he owed.

  “This Max?” Louis asked.

  “Yeah. What’s it gonna be?”

  “I’ll have your money Wednesday.”

  “You owe two weeks now.”

  “I know. I got jammed up.”

  “That’s what you said last week. What you always say.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. I’ll have it this week, I promise.”

  “You’re cut off until then. You know that, right?”

  “Fuck,” Louis mouthed. “Yeah, fine,” he said.

  “Don’t let me find out you’re betting somewhere else.”

  “I won’t.”

  “Make sure. We wanna jerk ourselves off, we don’t need your help.”

  “Right.”

  The caller hung up. Louis did the same. He pulled the line out of the phone again. If he was going to bet today, he’d have to do it with anot
her office and a lot closer to game time. There would be no shopping lines.

  He turned when Holly called to him from inside the bathroom. “Who was that?” she asked.

  “Just some guy. You gonna be long?”

  He heard the toilet flush, then the sink running.

  “I’ll be out in a sec,” she said.

  Louis hid the phone line. Holly stepped out of the bathroom naked from the waist up.

  “Jesus Christ,” said Louis at the sight of her pert little breasts. “You don’t make it easy, kid. I have a busy day.”

  She was holding the two strings that tied the halter in back. She turned around and asked him for help.

  “Sure,” he said. “Although I gotta tell you it’s not easy not raping you right now.”

  “Louis!” she said.

  “What?”

  She kissed him on the mouth. “I can’t wait to get back here later.”

  “You know what?” he said. “Me either.”

  * * * *

  A few minutes after her husband left the house Saturday afternoon, Kathleen packed a suitcase, grabbed the emergency thousand dollars the couple kept hidden in a coffee can in a kitchen cabinet and left a note taped to the refrigerator door that read:

  I’ll call you.

  —K

  It had to do with her increasing certainty that Billy had killed Victor Vasquez. Kathleen knew Billy had to have been guilty of something for the department to force his resignation, but that had been police business and had nothing to do with her. Although she was willing to live with his losing his job, living with a murderer was something else.

  She had taken a room in a local motel with the intention of letting a few days pass before she called her husband, but today she couldn’t stop worrying. Lately Billy scared her. She had heard of incidents where cops committed murder-suicide after losing their jobs, and as much as she loved him, she wasn’t willing to die with him. If Billy had killed Victor Vasquez, he might kill her, too.

  She spent the rest of Saturday in the motel room, having food delivered from a nearby diner when she was hungry. She had tried watching television to pass the time but couldn’t focus. When she finally called the house again, it was a few minutes after five o’clock.

  “Tell me what you did,” Billy had answered.