Jackpot

by Mairsile Leabhair

  “Ass—” Deidre glanced at the pistol tucked in the back of his pants. “Yes, it was.”

  ***

  Three hours later, Kenny pulled up to the recycling plant in her convertible and slammed on the breaks, sending dust and bits of rock everywhere. She pushed herself up on the back of the seat and looked around. Ted from aluminum was back in his spot, smoking a cigarette. She pulled a couple of hundred-dollar bills from her pocket and waved them at Ted.

  He grinned, flicked his cigarette to the ground, and walked over. “I didn’t peg you as that gullible, Kenny.”

  Ted Riddle had worked briefly driving a front loader. He was demoted because he couldn’t hit the bin that sends the trash to the conveyor belt. He’s always resented Kenny for being his replacement, more so because she was a woman who could do the job better than he could.

  “Fool me once, shame on you,” she replied. “There won’t be a twice. You guys are on lunch break, right?”

  “Yeah, so?”

  “If you want this money, go ask Chelsey Kendrick to come out here. Only when I see her will you get the money.”

  He shrugged. “No skin off my nose,” he said and walked into the building. A few minutes later, he walked out with Chelsey.

  “Here, now go away,” Kenny said, shoving two hundred dollars in Ted’s hand. Ted took the money, winked at Kenny, and scurried away.

  “I thought you didn’t remember me.” Chelsey stated sharply.

  Kenny jumped out of the car, walked over to Chelsey, and grabbed her up in her arms.

  “What are you doing?”

  Kenny smothered Chelsey’s question with a deep, penetrating kiss. A kiss that curled Chelsey’s toes and quickened her pulse.

  Reluctantly, Kenny ended the kiss but continued to hold Chelsey. Chelsea tried to wiggle away but Kenny held her tight. “I’m sorry,” she whispered in Chelsey’s ear. “Please, act like you liked it.”

  Oh yeah, Chelsey liked it, and that pissed her off. She was only a few inches shorter than Kenny, which was the perfect height to kiss the pulse in her neck. She licked her lips, willing herself to put down that urge. She was still miffed at Kenny, but she did like it... a lot. “I said, I thought you didn’t remember me?”

  “I’m sorry about that. I did remember you but I was sort of… showing off.”

  “So you’ve come back to show off some more?” Chelsey asked.

  “No. I need your help.”

  “And you think pawing and kissing me will make me want to help you?”

  Kenny let her go but held onto her hand. “No. My grandma has been kidnapped and they said they are watching me. If I go to the police or the FBI, they’ll know it and kill her.”

  Chelsey put her hand to her heart. “Oh, my God, Kenny.”

  “Will you please take a ride with me so I can explain everything? I promise to have you back before break is over.”

  Chelsey could see the sincerity and worry in Kenny’s eyes. She nodded and walked around the car, opening the door to the passenger’s seat.

  Kenny climbed in behind the wheel and opened the glove compartment. She pulled out a baseball cap. “Need this for your hair?”

  “Yes, thank you. I left my helmet at the conveyor belt,” Chelsey said.

  Kenny watched as Chelsey tucked her shimmering red hair up under the cap. She marveled at how the sun reflected the specks of gold in her eyes and brought out the dusting of freckles across her nose.

  Chelsey looked at her expectantly as Kenny turned the key and her car roared to life. The power of the engine purred as they fastened their seatbelts and the tires squealed as they pulled out and sped down the road. At first, Chelsey gripped the seat in fear but then began to enjoy the rush.

  “They took her right out of the hospital this morning, Chelsey, and left a note for me.”

  “It’s hard to wrap my head around that. I’m so sorry, Kenny. Um, why am I here?”

  Kenny glanced at her, surprisingly finding comfort in the dimples in Chelsey’s cheeks. “I remembered that you were studying to be a forensic scientist. If I got you the equipment, could you run a trace element test on the letter the kidnapper sent me?”

  “I don’t know. I mean, I’m just a student,” Chelsey answered, wondering if she could really do it, but she was very tempted.

  “And I was getting my degree in criminal justice.”

  “Shouldn’t you hire a professional who knows what they’re doing?

  “I would if I could, but like I said, they might find out. I don’t know what else to do, Chelsey. If I… if we can fool them into thinking we’re a couple, they wouldn’t be suspicious and we could work together to find Grandma.”

  “I want to help, Kenny. I really do. But I don’t see how I can. I’ve got my job, and school, and—”

  “Hear me out first, before you say no, okay? I will talk to the manager and get you a leave of absence. I’ll pay you outrageous amounts of money and buy you all the equipment you need. We can set up your lab at my house and you can even stay there if you want, I have plenty of room. Actually, it would probably help perpetuate the façade. And college, um, well, um…”

  “I just finished a semester in computer science. I can take a semester off, it won’t hurt my scholarship.”

  “Really? You’d be willing to do that for me?”

  Chelsey smiled and Kenny noticed the dimples on her cheek had deepened. “Are you kidding? For a chance to have my own lab, even for a little bit? This will give me practical experience for the classroom.”

  “And Sophie will be there to keep you virtuous,” Kenny said with a mischievous grin.

  “Oh, well then, never mind,” Chelsey quipped.

  Kenny raised an eyebrow, eyeing her with new interest.

  “No, seriously. I want to help you find your grandmother, Kenny. And I’m surprised and appreciative that you thought of me.”

  “And I want to apologize for being an asshole the other day. I had a massive hangover and could barely see as it was, but that’s really no excuse.”

  “No, it’s not, but, okay... apology accepted. When do you want me to start?”

  “Right now,” Kenny said, gunning the gas. “I’ll call the boss from my house. I need you to get online and order whatever equipment you need and ship it overnight.”

  “Whoa. Slow down. Literally and figuratively.”

  “What’s wrong?” Kenny asked, decelerating just a bit.

  “I need to go by my apartment and pick up a few things. How long do you think I’ll be at your place?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know. The note said I could take my time solving the mystery.”

  “Are you serious? She was kidnapped, right? Didn’t they demand money?”

  “Yes, she was kidnapped, but no, they didn’t ask for money. Well, not in a lump sum, anyway.” Kenny slowed down again as she reached into her jean pocket and pulled out her cell phone. Using her thumb as her pass key, she handed the phone to Chelsey. “Look in the photos for the last picture taken. It’s of the ransom note.”

  Chelsey tapped on the picture and began reading it out loud. “I have your grandmother. If you want to see her again, you will follow my instructions to the letter because I’m watching you. If you go to the police, she will die. If you hire a private detective, she will die. If you don’t find her in one week, SHE WILL DIE! At exactly 2 p.m. Monday, a week from today, you will leave fifteen million dollars in untraceable bills beside the St. Mary statue at the Mt. Holly Cemetery. And as an incentive, every day that you don’t find her, you will tack on five million dollars, cha-ching. Might as well get the lump sum ready now because you won’t find her. She’s as good as dead already.”

  Kenny’s face paled as she gripped the steering wheel so hard that her knuckles turned white.

  “My God, Kenny. What kind of kidnapper is this?”

  “That’s what you and I have to find out.”

  “But I don’t get it. If you find her before next Monday, you won’t have to pay
anything, right?”

  “Supposedly. I think someone’s yanking my chains.”

  “Why only ask for fifteen million?”

  “Because they’re sure that I’ll fail. And by adding five million to the price tag every day will be their way of flaunting it.”

  They drove back to the plant and Chelsey got her purse and things from her locker, while Kenny talked with the manager. Then Kenny followed behind Chelsey as she drove across town to her apartment and came in with her. “Nice apartment.”

  Chelsey lived in a small, modest one-bedroom apartment with a kitchenette, tiny bathroom and bedroom, and a petite living room. A typical college student first apartment that Chelsey was pretty proud of.

  “Thank you. It isn’t much, but I don’t need much. Just a place to study and sleep.”

  Kenny noticed some college books on the coffee table in front of the loveseat. There wasn’t room for a regular-sized couch. “Do you want to bring your books?”

  “Actually, I do, thanks. There are some chapters that we didn’t go over in class. The professor said we should read them on our own time.”

  “Wow, you are dedicated if you’ll read without having to.”

  Chelsey laughed as she walked back to the bathroom. “It’s fascinating stuff to me, and I want to know everything I can.”

  “Well, don’t tell anyone because it’ll ruin my playgirl reputation, but I feel the same way,” Kenny said as she stacked the books together. “Not to brag or anything, but I was the best in my class at finding clues and solving cases. My teachers all said I had a real aptitude for investigation.”

  “You should brag. You should be proud,” Chelsey said as she came out of the bathroom carrying a makeup kit. “And you should go back to school and get your degree if for no other reason than to finish what you started.” She put the makeup on the counter and walked into her bedroom.

  “You know, I think you’re right. I might just do that after I… we find Grandma.”

  “I don’t mean to pry,” Chelsey said through the door, “but, where are your parents? Shouldn’t they be told about this?”

  “My grandmother is my parent. She and my grandfather raised me from a baby when my addict mother gave me up for her next fix.” Kenny’s voice dripped with bile and anger. “I never knew my father, but I imagine my mother traded him sex for drugs.”

  Chelsey came out of the bedroom and looked at Kenny. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. My grandparents were the best parents I could have asked for. I was lucky to have them.”

  Chelsey nodded, paused a moment as if to say something else, then went back into the bedroom.

  Damn. I need to dial it down a notch. Kenny followed Chelsey into the bedroom. The small bed was draped with a quilt of pink roses. A small dresser stood against the wall next to the closet and a steamer trunk used to throw clothes on sat at the foot of the bed.

  Chelsey turned on the light on the nightstand and then checked the timer that turned the light on when she was going to be late coming home. The light would automatically come on at seven and shut off at ten. The idea was to trick people into thinking she was there.

  “So, what about your family?” Kenny asked. “Are you close with your parents?”

  “Yes, very close. In fact, I need to call Mom before we leave and explain… what? What should I tell her?”

  “Oh. You can’t tell her about Grandma so, uh, maybe tell her that you’re going on a field trip and won’t be back, uh, for a while.”

  “If I’m going to lie to my mother, it needs to be better than that. What else have you got?”

  Kenny pursed her lips and thought for a moment. Then she smiled. “Tell her that the crazy lottery winner you used to work with is treating all the employees to a vacation in the Bahamas.”

  “You would do that?”

  “Uh, well, sure. Why not?”

  Chelsey shook her head. “That’s very generous of you, but I’ve got a better idea.”

  Kenny exhaled. She didn’t want to spend more than necessary, just in case her grandmother’s kidnapper demanded more money. It had only been four months since the Powerball, and Kenny didn’t know exactly how much money she had spent already. She was sure that she had more than enough, but she just couldn’t put a number to it. She was beginning to regret her frivolous spending.

  “Hello, Mom, it’s Chelsey. No, I’m not at work and yes, everything’s all right. In fact, I just got picked for a special project that will have me traveling for a while. What? Yeah, I’m on a school break so this is the perfect opportunity. Do you remember me telling you about a coworker at the recycling plant who won the lottery? Well, as it turns out, she’s hired me to help her with a project, can you believe that?” Chelsey winked at Kenny. “I don’t know how long I’ll be out of pocket, Mom, but I’ll call and check in and you can call me anytime, of course.”

  Kenny smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

  “What will I be doing? Oh, um… the first thing is teaching her how to use a computer.” Chelsey shrugged and shook her head. “Can you believe that? How she’s made it this long without one I’ll never know. That’s right, even you know how to use a computer. What? Oh, okay, I promise, I’ll have fun. I love you, Mom. Give Bobby a big wet kiss for me.”

  “Great job, Chelsey. I’m very impressed,” Kenny said, as Chelsey put her cell phone away.

  “Well, I wasn’t trying to impress my new boss on the first day.”

  “Good, because you didn’t. You impressed your new friend.”

  Chelsey gave her a soft smile, thinking how captivated she was becoming with the multi-millionaire. Could we really be friends?

  *

  “We’re here,” Kenny said as she pulled her Jaguar into the driveway twenty minutes later.

  “Damn. This is your house?” Chelsey asked, gawking at the mansion.

  The 14,000 square-foot, two story, brick and stone mansion, which resembled an Irish castle, sat on two acres of lush manicured grass, on a cul-de-sac in the upscale community of Valley Crest Court. The ornate floral design on the main door opened up into a palatial two-story foyer, with a low hanging crystal chandelier in the same floral design as the door. The flooring was Italian marble, the same as in the kitchen and the master bathrooms

  Kenny drove past the large, cascading waterfall and parked at the main entrance under the porte-cochere. “Yep. We’re still unpacking, and Grandma is going to order more furniture to help fill it up when she gets... back.” She looked at the door, remembering when she helped her grandmother up the two steps and into the foyer. Deirdre had been awestruck by the opulence, but it was when Kenny told her she would leave the design and decorating up to her that she became excited by it all. Deidre had already started on the upstairs bedrooms and had finished four of the rooms, each with its own uniquely-styled bedroom suite.

  Chelsey put her hand on Kenny’s arm. “We’ll get her back, Kenny.”

  Kenny nodded. “Damn straight we will.”

  “Then let’s get in there and get to work,” Chelsey said, opening the car door and jumping out.

  Kenny laughed, feeling more positive about things than she had before.

  Sophie opened the door and held out her arms, just as Kenny and Chelsey walked up. Chelsey walked into her embrace, and Sophie hugged her tight.

  “Thank you for helping us out, Chelsey,” Sophie said as she let her go.

  “I’m not sure how much help I’ll be,” Chelsey replied.

  Sophie looked at the sparkle in Kenny’s eyes and smiled. “You’ve already helped immensely. “Come, I’ve got your room all made up.”

  “Oh, pretty sure I’d agree to it, were you?”

  Kenny shrugged sheepishly and looked at Sophie.

  “Yes, I was sure you would because, in the short time I’ve known you, I’ve found you to be a compassionate, intelligent woman with a good head on her shoulders.”

  “Gee, can I get you to tell my mother that?”

  The
women shared a laugh as they walked into the house.

  “Oh… Kenny,” Chelsey said breathlessly as she looked around the foyer. “I love what you haven’t done with the place.”

  “Yeah, well, you know how it is with fixer-uppers. It takes time.”

  “And Grandma’s touch, right?” Chelsey asked, wandering into the library off the foyer.

  “This is my grandmother’s favorite room,” Kenny elaborated.

  When Kenny and Deirdre looked online at mansions, the only thing Deirdre insisted on besides a large kitchen was a library. She fell in love with having her own library when she saw Scarlett throw the vase at Rhett in the Twelve Oaks library from the movie Gone with the Wind. Kenny said that would be the first thing she should decorate and Deirdre giggled like a schoolgirl as she walked around pointing out where she wanted the loveseats, end tables and Tiffany lamps.

  “Oh, wow,” Chelsey exclaimed as she stood in place and turned around, envisioning what it would look like when it was full of books.

  The library stood two stories high, with floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall shelves, all of which were empty. A few boxes of books sat on the floor, waiting for Deirdre to do the honors. Three bay windows interspersed between the bookshelves, allowing for an avid reader to follow the sun as they read throughout the day. A small Victorian desk was tucked in a corner with a leather chair behind it. A rolling ladder hooked on a rail allowed access to the books on the top shelves. Kenny made her grandmother promise not to climb the ladder. If she needed something, she was to call the butler… once they hired a butler that is.

  “Oh, I think I’m going to like your grandmother,” Chelsey said, turning around to Kenny. “So, where’s this lab you’re going to set up for me?”

  “I like your eagerness,” Kenny replied. “Actually, if you don’t mind, I thought we’d both work out of the same room.”

  “No, I don’t mind at all,” Chelsey said. “But let me warn you, I talk to myself sometimes when I’m trying to work out a problem.”

  “Won’t bother me a bit. So, the room is actually the game room downstairs. It’s a large oblong room with lots of power outlets, and unfortunately, but I guess fortunately for our needs, it’s still empty. I haven’t had time to get a foosball table yet.”