It was one o’clock in the morning, and Matt Kirby couldn’t sleep. He threw on some clothes and headed to the station. When he walked into the station, Lawrence was at the reception desk. It looked like he was on the computer. It looked like Lawrence just had a trim. His red hair was neatly cut around his angled face. A college student was on the switchboard. She was plugging in the extra portable radios so they could charge. “Hey, Sheriff,” Lawrence greeted. “What brings you in?” Matt propped his arm on the reception desk. “I couldn’t sleep. Thought I roam down here and see how things are going.” “It’s been quiet so far,” Lawrence said. “I thought I take the opportunity to catch up on some paper work.” Matt nodded. “Good. So, I hear that we have a future deputy in the making.” “Sir?” “Lawrence, I know that Patty is pregnant,” Matt said. “Oh,” Lawrence said. “Sorry, that I didn’t
Patty wore a black dress with straps that she had bought years ago but never had the guts to wear until tonight. It flowed above her knees and hugged her waist. She wore black dress shoes with a short heel. Her cleavage was prominent, but she didn’t give a damn. She felt sexy and alive. Perhaps it was her hormones that made her feel so bold tonight. She had curled her hair with a curling iron and pushed it back with a black hair band so her hair wouldn’t fall in her face all night. Her makeup was flawless because she checked it in the mirror several times before she left the house. Rufus whined when she was about to leave. She couldn’t take him to a bar Patty told him that as she gave him a new squeaky toy to play with that she was hiding in the closet. Patty left the lamp on in the living room and left. It wasn’t often Rufus whined when she left him at home, yet, lately he didn’t want to let her out of his sight. Patty walked into Garvey’s like she was on air.
Damn the traffic in Phoenix. There had been an accident on the interchange. Traffic had been directed to go on an alternate route. Goldman had exhaled when he finally reached the turn to get on Route 501 going back to town.They were an hour late getting to Gabriella and Billy’s engagement party. Him and his parents were squeezed together in the front of his purple truck. After the party, Goldman planned to let his parents drive his truck home and he would ride home with Patty. He couldn’t wait until Saturday night to spend some alone time with her.The parking lot at Garvey’s was nearly full. Goldman couldn’t believe he actually found a space to park in. They climbed out of the truck.“Jeffrey, what time does the orgy start?” his mother asked for the twelfth time. If she was so concerned about getting caught up in an orgy, why the hell did she come? It wasn’t like she knew Billy and Gabriella that well. She had just met them yesterday.“Midnight, Mom,” Goldman said. “We’l
Goldman was in the twilight zone. He had to be. Some big haired, big nosed asshole had the nerve to call his woman names – put his hands on her. And she was pregnant. Shit, she was pregnant!What the fuck! Goldman rapidly blinked his eyes as he looked at Patty. Shit. Pregnant. Fuck. How did this happen? Shit. On the last blink, Patty was gone. Where did she go? Jackie, Jodi, and Gabriella were like a blur going by. Where were they going? “Snap out of it, Goldman!” Carter yelled and walked off. Goldman heard him, but he really couldn’t move. He was too busy thinking. If Patty was pregnant, that meant he was going to be a father. He didn’t know anything about that shit. That kind of shit was for middle aged men with limp dicks. Wasn’t it? “Who won the pool?” someone asked. Pool? “There’s still hope. Let’s just wait,” a guy said. “The side bets are still on.” “I got twenty dollars
Patty laid on her side on the bed in a hotel room at Garvey’s. What a fucking disaster. All she had wanted to do was celebrate Gabriella and Billy’s engagement and have fun tonight. That damn Sammy just had to show up and ruin everything. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Goldman heard about her pregnancy in a bar room full of people. No, correction. He had heard she was knocked-up in a bar room full of people. Patty closed her eyes. Was he angry with her? Did he leave? Where was he?Patty didn’t know what else to do but grab her things off the bar and run out into the hotel lobby. She had run past Barb in the reception area and into the lobby bathroom. Jackie, Jodi, and Gabriella hadn’t been far behind. They had talked to her through the stall door as she had cried.They had finally gotten Patty to stop crying long enough to come out of the stall. They had assured her everything would be all right, but Patty wasn’t sure. Goldman had looked at her like she turned into another person righ
Mr. Goldman unlocked Sammy’s car door on the driver’s side. Nick and Goldman slammed Sammy’s body against the back door.Goldman grabbed Sammy under his chin. Sammy’s right eye was closed. Both of his cheeks were bruised, his lip was split, and his nose was a bloody mess. It looked like it was broken. Nick wouldn’t be surprised if it was. He had spit out two teeth during his lesson.“Can you hear me, Sammy?” Goldman asked like he was having a casual conversation with someone on the street.Sammy’s mouth opened. He gurgled something.“Best not to talk. Just shake your head when I ask you a question, okay?” Goldman said.Sammy nodded in Goldman’s hold.“You are not to come to this bar or this town ever again. Do you understand?” Goldman asked.Sammy nodded.“You will definitely stay away from Patty,” Goldman stated. “Do you understand?”Sammy nodded as blood dripped out of his mouth.“That’s good, Sammy,” Goldman said and got closer to his face. “Because if I, my father, my friends, the
His mother entered the bathroom like she was walking into a fast food restaurant. Was there something wrong with Patty? Goldman pressed the wash cloth wrapped in ice on the knuckles of his right hand.“Get the hell out of here, Alice,” his father said as he washed Goldman’s back. “This is the men’s john.”“I know that,” she said. “No one in here has anything I haven’t seen before.”The general’s eyebrow arched up as he smirked. It looked like he was about to say something, but he stopped himself. He took a sip of his beer.His mother looked down at the laundry bag. “I take it these are dirty clothes,” she said, picking up the bag.“Not sure if you can get those stains out, Mom,” Goldman said flatly.She smirked. “I’ve spent half my life getting stains out of your father and your brothers’ clothes – and yours. I’m sure I can pull it off.”“How’s Patty? Where is she?” Goldman asked.His mother approached him with the laundry bag in hand. She raised her free hand and caressed the pad of
Patty knew he would be surprised, but she didn’t think he’d turn stupid on her. How else could she say it? “Yes, there are two babies in there,” she said as she looked at his finger pointing at her stomach. Goldman slowly lowered his hand. “How the hell did that happen? Twins don’t run in my family.” Patty smiled. That was the exact same thing she had said when Dr. Johanson told her. “They don’t run in mine either, and I told the doctor that.” “What the fuck did she say?” Goldman asked with wide eyes. “Well,” Patty said bashfully. “Apparently, twins can be conceived if the parents have sex more than once within a twenty-four hour period.” Goldman was quiet for a moment. Patty was shocked when he burst out laughing. His laughter subsided enough to speak. “Well, I guess we better count ourselves lucky.” “Oh?” “Yeah,” he said with a big grin. “If Dr. Johanson is right a
After Juan had left, Cindy had asked Mindy to grab items to put on her Nicolette persona before they left for Phoenix. Cindy wouldn’t tell her why. She had said they were going somewhere that she needed to see and it was a surprise. Five miles outside of Phoenix, Cindy stopped the SUV at a rest area, grabbed a bag out the back, and told Mindy she had to go to the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, Cindy returned, but she didn’t look the same. Cindy had on a pile of make-up and a red-wig, and it wasn’t the red wig Mindy had given her. When Cindy got back in the car, Mindy asked what was going on and where were they going. Cindy begged her patience and assured her that everything would become clear. They were in the downtown area of Phoenix. They parked on the street. Cindy walked Mindy to a building that looked like it had glass for walls. They got on the elevator and went to the twelfth floor. There were two businesses on the floor; Grass
It was late Tuesday morning. Mindy was packing a gift basket. She was going to drop it off as she and Cindy rode out of town. Cindy wanted to go shopping in Phoenix. Of course, Mindy couldn’t afford to buy anything but she didn’t mind keeping Cindy company on her shopping trips. Cindy walked in. “Whoa,” she said as she took in the basket on the kitchen table. “That’s a big thank you.” “Well, it is from both us. Can’t have it skimpy,” Mindy said. Cindy shrugged and opened the refrigerator to retrieve a can soda. There was a knock on the back door. “Who in the world could that be?” Mindy asked. Cindy walked to the door and opened it. The man raised his head so they could see his face from under the wide brim baseball hat. “Hey, girls,” Juan greeted. “Juan, come in,” Mindy said with a smile. He darted inside and closed the door. “I parked my car two blocks away and walk
By the time Matt had found out what was going on, it was over. He and Jodi were having a hot romp in the kitchen when Patty tried to call him. He had left his cell in the living room.Two ambulances, the forensics van, two cruisers, and Williamson’s truck were outside. Matt and Jodi walked into Garvey’s bar. “Son of a bitch,” Matt sneered as he put his hands on his hips, taking it all in.Otto was taking pictures of the body on the floor. Goldman stood tall as he was taking notes while Mindy and Cindy Pandock sat at a table talking to him. Juan was sitting at the bar looking like he had never been more relieved in his life as Carter took his statement.“Oh my god,” Jodi said with a shocked look. “I’m going to check on Juan.”“All right, just don’t interfere with the questioning. I’m heading for the lobby to see what else is going on,” Matt said seriously.Jodi nodded and walked away.Matt strode to the lobby doors which were propped open. There was a body on a gurney covered by a shee
Tyrone told Juan how they had tracked Chip down in Chicago. It wasn’t hard. Chip had left a rowdy drunk trail so anyone who wanted to find him could. Tyrone described how they worked Chip over for thirty-six hours. After being beaten for that long anyone would tell what they knew. Chip had given Juan, Sam, and Zeke up. He had even told them where he hid his cut of the money. During the conversation, Tyrone had given the girls more change to play more tunes on the box. Just like before, Chavez had walked with them. When they returned, Ginger got back in the booth and Nicolette remained standing next to a table. She didn’t look as petrified as before. Tucker James had taken a seat at the table with Juan with the gun still on him. Juan guessed he got tired of standing just as much as Nicolette got tired of sitting. It wasn’t hard for Tyrone to track down Zeke either. At least Zeke didn’t lose his mind with the money. He was enjoying a comf
Juan had gotten Tyrone to chat a little. He got detailed about how Sam suffered before he died to Juan, Nicolette, and Ginger’s horror. Tucker even had the nerve to say that at least Sam wasn’t a rat - if it was any consolation to Juan. Now, he was talking to the girls as Nod Ya Head by Will Smith played on the jukebox. Chavez was bobbing his head to the song. “Are you two sisters?” Tyrone asked. “You look like you’re related.” “Cousins,” Nicolette choked out. “Ah,” Tyrone said with understanding. “It’s shame we didn’t meet under different circumstances. You two are cute. Oh, well, back to our friend Juan. So, Juan, where the hell is my twenty million dollars?” Mindy and Cindy’s eyes bugled. “I’ll tell you, but I have to know something first,” Juan said. “Yeah, what’s that?” Tucker said and put the barrel of the gun to Juan’s temple. “How’d you figure out it was us?” Juan asked ask he foug
Tucker had Juan sit down in a chair out on the bar floor. The silence made the situation more terrifying. Tucker pointed his pistol at his chest. How the hell did they figure out it was us? “Ladies, do you want to listen to some music,” Tyrone asked. “Huh?” Ginger said. “Music,” Tyrone repeated. “No reason for the situation to be unpleasant for you because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. What kind of music do you girls like?” Nicolette shrugged stiffly. “Some country and . . . I just started to listen to some hip hop lately.” “Okay,” Tyrone said as he nodded his approval. “What about you, babe?” he asked Ginger. “Same including R&B,” she answered. Tyrone dug into his pocket and pulled out some change. He took Ginger’s hand and placed the change in it. “Play some hip hop. I don’t like country music – oh, and no Eminem, Justin Bieber, or Justin Timberlake. I hate t
It was Sunday morning, and Juan was feeling pretty good despite what had happened last Sunday. No one in town or the surrounding areas knew about Sam being found dead at the hotel, which surprised Juan because he was sure the EMTs would have talked, but it didn’t seem like they had. Juan just thanked his lucky stars.Matt and his team were still working on Sam’s case. Forensics believed Sam’s death was an accident per cloth fibers that were found on his body and the ice bucket bag. Matt tended to agree based on the staff statements and security camera footage from the lobby and exit doors down stairs. He did have Juan come in to look at some of the footage that Matt found suspicious. Juan identified the two blondes Sam had been with. They had appeared to be in a hurry and they went out the side door exit. Juan only knew their first names. Matt had put in the Arizona state police database that they were wanted for questioning, but he didn’t suspect them of foul play. Sam’s valuables ha
Monday afternoon, Juan prepared himself for the verbal assault as he settled in the office with Jodi and Jackie. He had asked Matt not tell the twins about Sam Ellis. Matt had said that it should come from Juan since they still own a part of the business, so they had a right to know. Juan didn’t want them to know because he knew they would blame him somehow. Sam was Juan’s friend not some random guest off the highway. In the end, Juan had refused to call them about it and told Matt to do what he felt was right in regards to informing the twins. “What’s up?” Juan asked. “I think you know what’s up,” Jackie said. “Jackie, what happened yesterday couldn’t be avoided. I don’t know how you think I could have prevented -” Juan began. “Of course, you couldn’t stop it,” Jackie interrupted. “We came here to see how you were and how we can help.” “Yeah. You can’t stop someone who really wants to kill themselves – or partici
The forensics team combed the room over while Matt and Juan waited in a room across the hall, so Matt could take Juan’s official statement. Both room doors were propped open. Otto was able to just walk a few feet to give Matt immediate need to know information.Matt noted Sam’s license information on a pad so his license could stay in an evidence bag. Sam had one suitcase filled with clothes, normal toiletries in the bathroom, a bottle of aspirin, a hundred and fifty dollars in his wallet, a paper bag with eight thousand four and thirty dollars in it, no credit cards, a cell phone, a photo of a woman, a man, and three girls, a key chain with a car key, two regular keys, and a lock key, and a few business cards.“Do you know why he had so much cash on him?” Matt asked.“Sam still lived the life of a drifter,” Juan said. “Plus, he liked casinos. He stopped at a couple in Arizona before he came here. Probably had a good run.” “Hmm,” Matt mused. “Yeah, but to keep that much cash in your