310 the cost of peace

310

 

“So what do I do first,” Peter asked.

 

“First you have a drink with the cool guys, then tomorrow you bring you fanciest laptop to my house.  Then we begin work..”  He grinned like a baboon.

 

I turned my attention to Sylvia.  “Before we go shopping I want you to get with Jen.  Find out what bank is holding the note on the A1 building.  I am sure it is in default.  Let’s see if the three of us can’t shake something up there.  If we are all going to be working, we need an office.  After that we can go to Tryon for a party dress.”

 

“So now, let’s party,” I said.  “Peter do you play poker?” I asked.

 

“No, but I can learn,” he said happily.

 

“Timmie,” I said raising my glass.   When she arrived I continued, “Post a note on the board.  I am going to have a poker game tomorrow night, fabric stakes of course.”

 

“What does that mean,” Peter asked.

 

“It means strip poker tomorrow night at 8PM.  I hope you are a quick study,” Sylvia explained to him.  “Nothing breaks the ice like seeing everyone naked.”

 

I stayed there drinking with them for another hour.  During that time Peter bored me to death with details about his game and how he put it together.  I recognized that he was pretty damn smart.  I  hoped he was as smart as he seemed to think.  According to him, he was just in town to get a degree from the community college.  It was a waste of his time he assured me.  “Just need it on the resume,” he explained.

 

He could damn sure talk the talk, we were going to find out real fast if he could walk the path of righteousness.  If he could do the job tomorrow morning, then he could attend the poker game.  If not, he was out of the loop real quick.  I had no room for bullshit artist, well other than me of course.

 

“What are you driving?” I asked Peter.

 

“I have a Ford Explorer II,” he said.

 

“I have no idea what that is.  Is it a minivan?” I asked.

 

“No, it’s a small suv,” he replied.

 

“So Sylvia, I have had all the party I can stand.  If you want to stay, I expect Peter will give you a lift home.  Won’t you Peter?” I asked.

 

“God, I would love to,” he said.

 

“I mean no disrespect, but I think I’m gonna take that ride home with Maxine,” she said.  I was a little surprised.  “I have had a long day as well.”

 

“Then Peter it looks like the party is over.  I will see you at 9AM sharp at my place,” I said.  He nodded.

 

In the car Sylvia said, “Maxine I hope taking me home wasn’t a problem for you?”

 

“Hell no, I had planned to take you home all along.  I just wanted to give you the option.” I said.

 

“Frankly I like him, but I’m not ready to commit to anything.  As far as paying him for a job well done, he hasn’t done anything yet.”  She smiled to let me know that she understood what might happen someday.

 

“Then give some thought to what kind of dress you want.” I suggested.

 

“First thing I’m going to get started on an office for us.  I need a fucking desk.” she said grinning.  “Besides I want to see Delbert again.”

 

“Now hold on Delbert is my type,” I replied.  “I sure as hell hope he isn’t the one to be the judge.”  I said.

 

Sylvia broke into laughter.  “Okay, he won’t be the one.”

 

I almost made it home before they forced me off the road.  I can’t say that I wasn’t expecting to see the teenager again.  I can’t even say that I was surprised to be forced off the road.  I had known that I was being followed, since I left the Cloak and Dagger.  They had waited until the witness had been dropped off.

 

I had the .38 hammerless 5 shot revolver and the 2 shot .410 gauge derringer in my lap when I stopped the car rather violently.  They cut me off  just outside the downtown area.  I didn’t want any witnesses either so I was happy that it was an industrial area.

 

Ask any cop and he or she will tell you how dangerous it is to approach a car from the front.  They had to pull in front of me to cut me off and force me to the curb.  I could easily have slumped behind the motor of the car and shot them both very dead through the windshield.  Hell it was foolish of me not to do it.

 

Instead I opened the driver’s door and crouched behind it.  I pointed the .38 at the one I recognized.  Two more had gotten out of the car’s back seat.  There was a total of four of them.  I could still have killed all of them before the pretend thugs got to me.

 

What I needed was a permanent end to the confrontation without having to go to jail even for an hour.  “Stop where you are or we are going to be in a firefight.  You guys know who I am, so you should know I have a lot more experience in a firefight than you.  I know you think I can only get one of two of you, but do you really want to be that one?”

 

They stopped and seemed to be thinking it over.  “Now the Nene here thinks he has a beef with me, so let him take care of his own shit.  What kind of man needs three friends to handle an old woman“” I asked.

 

My real adversary was suddenly livid.  I had attacked his manhood again.  Even worse this time in front of more of his friends.  He didn’t realize that he had chosen the time and place, not me.

 

“Shut up Puta,” he screamed rushing forward gun extended in that bullshit TV gangsta style.  I kept a gaze on his eyes.  If he gave me that sudden crazy look people have just before they pull the trigger, I was going to kill him.

 

“You need to get real close if you are going to shoot me gangsta style hon.  It is very hard to hit anyone with the gun angled like that.”  Instead of pulling the trigger when he was far away enough to be safe, he tried to get real close to me.  It was about the dumbest thing he could have done.  I took two steps back as if retreating.  It was so I could close the car door.  I figured I could do that safely since the kid was between me and the rest of them.  He was in effect my human shield.

 

I remembered my lessons from the Gunny.  When in a fight, always do the most unexpected thing, and do it first.  So of course, I closed the gap between us before he could decide to shoot me.  I pushed the gun to the side, then I gave him a head butt.  I’m still not sure what my skull is made of, but I know it makes a hell of a battering ram.  I held back so I wouldn’t decapitate him.

 

By the time he hit the ground I had his pistol as well as my own.  The derringer was back in my jeans pocket.  The .38 was in my waist band, and his 9mm Saturday night special was in my hand.

 

“Now please listen up guys, this has to stop before someone gets killed.”  We were all holding guns on each other.  “Most likely one of you will be the first to go.  Then I will have to hunt you all down one at a time and kill you.  Then, of course, I will have to dispose of the bodies so that you are never found.  I have to do it because you have convinced me that you will all seek revenge.  So this has to end here before anyone has died.

 

Here is what I propose.  Nene here leaves town and doesn’t come back.  Then you don’t have to die for his stupid ass,” I suggested.

 

I waited for someone to speak.  Finally the one who had driven the car said, “I am finished with you woman.  You have my word, I will not be with these fools, if they try this shit again.”

 

“I too have had enough,” one of the last two said.  Then the other one agreed.

 

I turned to the one with the bloody face.  This is twice  we have met.  One I sprayed you and now I have bloodied your pretty face nene.  Must I kill you now and make you disappear, or can we end this here and now.”

 

“I can not back down, they will think I am a pussy,” he said.

 

“That stupid male pride is going to get your ass killed, but so be it.”  I pointed the 9mm at his head and looked at him as though I were about to pull the trigger on him. Truth is I’m not sure that I wasn’t ready to do it.

 

“Wait, I will leave town.  I  have family in Atlanta, I can go there,” he said.

 

“Steal a car if you have to, but leave tonight.” I said. They took him and drove away.  I sat in the woody.  If I had been the old days, I would have been shaking like a girl waiting for her first screw.  As it was I just played it back to see what I could have done differently.

 

When I looked at the rear camera the next morning, the woody was gone.  It appeared that the punk had indeed stolen a car to leave town.  As I had hoped he would, he stole my car.  In doing that, we were even in his and his punk friend’s eyes.  The war could end without anyone dying.

 

Pete was right on time.  I gave him coffee and explained what I needed him to research.  “So can  you do that from a laptop in a hot spot?” I asked.

 

“Some of it for sure, some will need to be on a more secure server,” he said.

 

“Good, then let’s go to breakfast while you do what you can from the Sit Down,” I suggested.

 

While I had breakfast and spoke to cops and firemen, peter worked on his task.  I was surprised that he kept his nose to the grindstone between bites of his breakfast sandwich.  “God this is good shit,” he said.  From him the phrase sounded way out of place, but I said nothing.

 

“Now, I’m going to walk at the mall, do you want to come along or do you want to go back to my place to work?” I asked.

 

“I can work in the mall while you walk,” he suggested.

 

“Okay, after we walk I am going to have to call the cops,” I said.

 

“Why is something wrong?” he asked.

 

“Someone stole my car last night,” I admitted.

 

“Shouldn’t you report it now?” he asked.

 

“Why? do you think there is a chance that they can find it any faster if I do.  Hell they aren’t going to find it at all.  By this time next week it will be part of other cars all over the country.”  He looked bewildered.  “Chop shop.”

 

“Oh okay,” he said.

 

The cops came, and then the cops left, blessed be the name of officer Wilson.  I had called my insurance agent, and made all the reports to everyone by the time Sylvia got to the office.

 

“Now while you call Jen and get the information to pressure A1, I’m going to go rent us a car,” I said.

 

“You don’t need to rush on the rental.  I can give you two a ride to Tryon to go shopping.” Peter said.  I can most likely do my research there while I wait.  I seem to be finding wifi spots everywhere I go today.  They keep changing addresses but there is always a good signal.  It must be my lucky day.” he said.

 

It was then that I realized that I was the changing wifi server.  I hadn’t really thought about why I almost always had a signal.  I had constant access to the farm and to the internet from almost anyplace I went.  Oh well, one more thing for which to be thankful, I supposed.

 

“Well except for the trip to Tryon to shop, I don’t have anything planned that I can’t do from my bike.  Sure why not, it might be fun to have a man’s opinion on the dresses.”  To myself I wondered, where I could find a man whose opinion I would value.  On dresses it would not be Peter’s opinion, which I valued.