“Doesn’t sound like country living is agreeing with you,” Richard said. “Am I right? You’re out in the fields? Some Podunk neighbourhood watch community? Thinking you’re safer around less people? No local police?”
“Tell him to go away and leave me alone,” Juno called from the bedroom.
“You must be on a farm, no? If anyone lives anywhere near you, they’re going to hear if Junie starts screaming.”
“Junie,” David said, keeping his volume between a whisper and a shout, “please calm down. We’re going to draw attention.”
“That’s right, Davey. Keep that fuckin’ bitch in line. She’s used to taking orders. She’s been trained to do as she’s told. Why don’t you go smack her around a bit? Remind her what she is. I can wait.”
“What the fuck do you want?” David asked. “Did you call to harass us? Scare us? Is that it? Nothing better to do?”
Juno came inching back into the kitchen, hugging the corner of the hallway. “Make him leave me alone.” Her eyes were bloodshot and her body was shivering.
“What I want,” Richard said. “What I want is something you took that belongs to us. It’s a tape, Davey. You know what I’m talking about.”
“Tape?” David asked. “You mean the recording I made of you and Paulie? We don’t have any tape.”
Juno looked into David’s eyes. He looked back at her, placing his hand over the mouthpiece. “Check the briefcase Franky gave us. See if there’s a small cassette tape in there. The one I made for him at the warehouse.”
Juno disappeared back into the bedroom.
“Yeah,” Richard said. “That tape. We know you’ve got it. Franky told us. He’s a real stand up guy. Not like you and that fuckin’ back-stabbing slut.”
“Don’t you talk about her like that anymore. That’s the last time. Do you understand me?”
“Whoa.” Richard started to laugh. “Your balls didn’t shrink out there in the corn fields, huh? You think standing up for her is going to make her want you back? That’s not how she works. And what are you going to do about it, Davey? You going to shut me up? How?”
David hung up the phone. It rang again seconds later and he picked it up.
“What the fuck is your problem, Davey?” Richard barked.
“I shut you up. You wanted to know how. Just telling you wouldn’t have gotten the point across as well.”
Juno ran back into the kitchen moments later, a small cassette in her hand. “He fucked me. Franky planted this fuckin’ tape on me, and my briefcase isn’t heavy because of the contents. There’s barely any money in there. They have to know where I am now. I’ve got to go. He barely left me any money at all. What am I going to do?”
“All right, you crazy fuck. Now that you’ve got that out of your system...” Richard said. “Junie sounds like she found what I’m looking for. Why don’t you tell me where we can come pick it up.”
“That’s not going to happen,” David said. Juno looked back at him and pointed at herself as he shook his head and pointed to the phone’s receiver. “We won’t do anything to you with the tape, if that’s what you’re worried about. We’ll burn it. But there’s no way we’re meeting you. Not here. Not there. Not anywhere.”
“Ooh, I love that song,” Juno whispered fondly in the background as David turned his head to look at her and his brow furrowed. “But I think you got the lyrics wrong.”
“Well,” Richard said, “I really wish I could trust you to get rid of it for me. I really wish I could believe a word that comes out your lying junkie thief mouth. You sure you can’t do the right thing and meet me?”
“You can trust me. You’ve got to know Junie and I don’t ever want to see your char-broiled face again. We don’t want to have anything to do with that life. If Franky shows up to get the tape, he won’t find it. It’ll be gone. We won’t know what he’s talking about if he asks. Technically, we shouldn’t know, because he never told us.”
“He isn’t as stupid as you, Davey. He has to know you’ll find it as soon as you count whatever money he dropped you off with. That wouldn’t happen to be ours too? Would it? We were short twenty-seven thousand dollars after your little police raid.” Richard chuckled. “But, Franky gave almost all of his cut back. I suppose we can forgive the change he left you with.” Richard’s self-satisfied laughter continued. “I’ll bet he told you two he was leaving you with a bundle, yeah? What I wouldn’t give to have seen Junie’s face when she found out how bad he fucked you.”
“What he left us? You can have it. Give it to your boyfriend for Christmas. He still believes in Santa Claus, right?”
“Tell him I’ll mail the tape to him,” Juno said. David waved her off. She gave him the finger and threw up her hands, tossing him the tape. “What else am I going to do?”
“Tell Junie I don’t trust the mail,” Richard said. “This is your last chance. If we don’t arrange something, we’re going to find out what address this number goes to. You know it’s a crooked cop’s safe house, right? I’m sure plenty of our friends on the force know where you are. Now, you tell me you’re going to meet me and hand deliver that tape to me, Davey.”
“I can’t do that.” David covered the mouthpiece and spoke to Juno. “They say no to the mail.” She stamped her feet on the floor, gnashing her teeth as pent up anger and fear puffed up her cheeks.
“You know I’m serious, Davey,” Richard said. “That stupid cunt you still put up with will listen to reason. Put her diseased ass on the phone.”
“What did I just finish telling you about how you talk about her?” David asked. “What did I just say?”
“Get over yourself, tough guy. Put that cock teasing little bitch on the phone right now or—”
David slammed the phone down on the receiver, hanging up on Richard, and Juno gasped.
“What happened?” She looked even more flustered. “What did he say? What did you do?”
“He... I promised.”
“What do you mean? You promised? Promised what?”
“He called you a lot of vile names. Ricky and his fuckin’ mouth. He called you—”
“What, you fuckin’ idiot?” she asked, begging.
“He talked about you like I promised I wouldn’t tolerate anyone talking about you again, once we got out.” His shoulders drooped as he explained himself and he let out a heavy sigh. “That was stupid of me, I suppose. Considering how little you value me... But I promised you. Before we left. You remember, right? He’s not going to give us a break. If we make this easy for him, he’s still going to kill us.” He looked over at her. “If that’s going to happen anyway, I’m not going to die knowing I let him treat you that way. Talk about you that way. We’re out now. Nobody will ever talk to you, or about you, that way anymore. Not to me.” He turned away from her. “I’m sorry. I should have given you the phone.”
She walked up behind him and put her arms around his waist, biting his back. “Yeah. You should have.” He turned around and she released her hold, moving her hands up to pull his shoulders down toward her. “If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. I don’t ever want to go back. Even if it means this is the end. But don’t go getting all heroic now that we’re stuck out here in bumblefuck. You’re just going to make them angry. That’s going to make them want to come and find me even more than they already do. You don’t scare them. You don’t even fool me with that act. You can’t go shooting your mouth off. Because, let’s face it: You’re soft. Okay? Think, for once. Jesus, Davey. I don’t hate you, all right? I just think you’re a stupid... fuckin’ idiot.”
“Okay.” He gritted his teeth. “I’m sorry about that.”
She sniffled as she kissed his nose. “And stop apologising. It’s not attractive... At all.”
The phone started ringing again.
David grabbed the receiver and slammed it against his ear. “What?”
“How’s Junie enjoying country life?” Richard asked. “I’ll bet she loves all those cock
s waking her up in the morning.”
“You heard me, asshole.” David hung up the phone.
Juno’s eyes glazed over. “Oh my sweet Jesus. What did I just get through telling you?” She glared at the phone as it started ringing again. “If that fuck Ricky doesn’t stop talking about me like I’m some piece of trash, and you can’t keep it in your pants... I may as well start running right now.”
David picked up the phone. “Hello.”
“One last chance, Davey. You arrange a meet with me right now or we find you and we come out there and we kill you. Tape or no tape. Both of you, dead. Do you understand? You and that busted-out used up piece of—”
“Call me back when you’re ready to speak civilly.” David hung up again.
Juno backed away. “Fuck you, Davey. You really don’t care about anyone but yourself, do you?”
“I love you, too, Junie,” he muttered as she turned her back and began to walk away, “you fuckin’ bitch.”
Looking at the clock, they noticed it was getting close to seven. As the phone began ringing again, Juno looked out through the kitchen blinds and saw the side of Brent and Cadence’s house. It was across the street, and their yard was a decent size. Brent was already outside, apron on, working the grill and talking to three other men. Cadence was helping three other women set paper plates, plastic utensils and paper napkins out on a picnic table and three small circular wooden tables. She was wearing a thick blue dress, with short sleeves and a dangerously low square cut front. If a man were so inclined, he might be able to see a centimetre or seven below her collar bones. Her hair was done back in a pony tail again, and her face was still perpetually pointed toward the ground. At least she wasn’t shaking, but that was most probably because she had to be sweltering in the heat.
“I’ve got it.” Juno pointed to the ringing phone. “Go get yourself a different tee shirt. There’s a clean one in the laundry room.” She kicked him in the ass as he turned around to leave, and he looked back at her and growled. “Don’t pretend you don’t deserve it.”
She picked up the phone and pressed it to her ear. The other end of the line was silent. She wasn’t going to talk first.
Richard grunted. “We know where you are. You sure you don’t want to meet and do this civilised?” Juno let the dead air answer the question. “Is this Davey? Or is this Junie? I can’t tell by the breathing. Can you breathe a little heavier? Maybe throw in a moan?” She hung up on him, her pulse racing. She could always blame her actions on what she assumed was David’s newfound bravado.
She called out to David. “Can you bring me in jeans and a tee, baby?”
“Sure. One second.” He popped back into the kitchen as she was removing her slept-in clothes. “Maybe you should stay in. Or wear underwear, at least.”
She laughed at him and dressed herself. “I should suffer for your behaviour, baby?” She looked back at the blinds. “Besides, I wouldn’t want to ruin Cadence’s day. What’s she going to do if she doesn’t have a nice clear picture in her head of you, fucking a woman with curves senseless, to fantasise about while she’s laying alone in bed tonight?”
He chuckled. “She’s just really shy. I’m telling you. There’s nothing about us city folk she likes in the slightest.”
“No? She’s over there with four other men right now and she’s as steady as a board. I’ll bet you anything she starts twitching and trembling the minute we show.”
“You’re crazy, but okay. Anything you want. You can’t push it, though, Junie. You can’t say anything to embarrass her. If she starts getting nervous, it has to be innocent.”
She looked at the floor, disappointed. “All right, buzz kill. But I’m going to have fun making her skull-faced little ass jealous. And, if I win, you’re Mr. Strange tonight.” David glowered, putting the tape in his front pocket as she gloated. “Don’t be such a prude about it. He’s just some guy and I’m feeling horny.”
“That’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you.”
The phone rang again and they both grabbed the receiver at the same time, holding it between their heads.
“What is it?” Richard asked. “Really? You’re not going to talk until...?” The line went quiet as Juno and David maintained their silence. “Fine. Look. Davey. Or Junie. Whoever I’m talking to. I’m sorry about what I said, okay? I apologise for being rude. Now can we get this pick up arranged?”
David pulled the receiver’s mouthpiece toward him. “We’ll burn the tape, Ricky. We’re not going to meet you and we don’t want you to know where we are. That’s how it is.”
“That’s the thing,” Richard said. “We already know. You and Junie should learn to communicate. One of our boys in the precinct already gave up the address. So here’s what I’m thinking. Since you and the... That little fuckin’... Since you and Junie don’t want to do this the easy way, I’m going to send Paulie’s Guatemalan muscle your way.”
“We’ll be gone before you can get here. You send whoever you want. You’ll just find an empty house.”
“Then pray for your neighbours, Davey. Because if you’re not home when we come calling, we’re going to do to them what we were going to do to you. But worse.” David looked over at Juno. She simultaneously shook her head and shrugged. “Are they a nice family? I understand that little cow town you’re living in has a lot of decent folk living there. Husband and wife, three to seven kids? You want them on your conscience?”
“Why?” David asked. “What would be the point of killing our neighbours?” Juno put her head closer to the speaker.
“I didn’t say we were going to kill them, Davey. But we will.” Richard paused. “After. Which, if you need me to spell it out, means we’re going to torture them until they tell us everything they know about you and where you might have gone off to. They’ll tell us before you have a chance to get too far. Even if they don’t know. If you hop on a bus, they’ll know the routes. If you move on foot or by car, they’ll know the places you’ll likely end up. But here’s the thing, Davey.” Richard laughed. “When we do catch up with you, you’re going to know your neighbours. Those poor unfortunate folks who just happened to live next to where you squatted for a day. They’re going to have been put through it. I mean hard. The kids go, of course. The husband? We’ll kill him too. But none of them will die before they see mommy beaten to death while they try to scream through the duct tape covering their mouths. And we won’t kill mommy nice, with a baseball bat or any other weapon that might get the whole mess over with quickly. We’ll beat her to death with our bare fists, and the proper utensils, right in front of them all. And, let me tell you, that can take a long fuckin’ time if it’s done properly.”
The line went uncomfortably silent. As soon as David began to reply, Richard continued. “And we’ll do it the right way. We’ll jam up her throat with a dry rag. Way down deep, so she can breathe, but she can’t scream and she can’t stop gagging. Slap her stupid and punch her around to start. Just enough to bruise her up good and make her extra-sensitive. You know, so the rest is more fun. And we’ll beat her harder every time the old man, or one of the kids, makes a peep. After that, the muscle I bring with me will tag-team her till she bleeds. Then we’ll take a break and enjoy a cigarette before we put out the butts in her armpits, or wherever else she might be soft. We’ll squeeze out every ounce of pain that bitch has in her. If she starts flagging, we’ll wake her back up immediately and continue. We’ll do it all to her, Davey. Pull out her fingernails and toenails. Extract every tooth from her mouth, after we’ve cracked them open to expose the nerves. Stick sewing pins in her eyeballs, and rinse them out with gasoline. Drive even longer pins into the tips of her fingers. As deep as they’ll go. You would not believe how much that hurts. We’ll cut as many extra holes as possible in her sheltered little ass. We’ll cauterise the wounds with salt until flame is necessary. And every time the old man, or one of the kids, begs, we’ll drown her and revive her. Suffocate her and bring her back again. Strangle h
er unconscious and administer good old-fashioned car-battery electric shock until she comes back around. Every last thing we can think of before we break every bone in her body and, finally, allow her to die. Mommy will go slowly and horribly while the family watches, knowing they helped participate. We’ll do it for hours. Maybe days. Can you live with that? Could you do that to a family of innocent people? Could you let them pay that stiff a penalty for your own cowardice?”
“We’ll tell them,” David said. “We’ll tell everyone, Ricky. This is a community watch neighbourhood. We’ll tell them and then, maybe, you won’t hear anything back from the muscle you send out here. Maybe things you love will start to disappear.”
“No,” Richard said. “If you tell them, they won’t let you leave. Trust me. Community watch doesn’t mean no cops. It just means they deal with the state police. That gives you some freedom, but not the kind you think. You should talk to the staties, Davey. Give them a call. Talk to them soon. Find out what they’re willing to do for you, aside from taking you into protective custody, reading your sheet and releasing you right back to our people in the city. Because you know we’ve already put a ‘want’ on your ass and we’ll get a warrant soon enough. Franky’s cut-rate protection plan can’t shield you from either. So call them. Then make your decision. Either way, we’ll be seeing you by tomorrow afternoon. You can count on it. It can be easy or it can be so unbelievably hard. I hope to see that tape soon, Davey. You have my number. You call me any time before tomorrow afternoon. Save us the trip and maybe we’ll throw in a little extra for you. To help you keep living that good life you think you deserve. This doesn’t have to end ugly.”
The line went dead.
“Fuck. They’re going to disfigure me.” Juno looked at the clock and realised they were in danger of running late. “I should run.”
David rubbed her shoulder as he hung up the phone. “Brent did say he’d heard rumours about this place. He was interested in gossiping about it, right?” She nodded. “We should let him talk about whatever it was he wanted to talk about. Maybe that will tell us what we need to know without getting them involved. We do have until tomorrow.”
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