The 'Cousins'

Part Nine : Felix Plans the Photo Shoot

In this Chapter Felix plans the Sunday photo shoot with Kyler

Dark thunderclouds were rolling in from the north. They blotted out the late afternoon sunshine to add to Jess’s feelings of gloom and despondency as Felix swung the big Buick in a wide U-turn across Main and pulled up in front of the Melody Inn. 

Jess clutched his belly to hold onto the butterflies inside that felt like they were flying out of control  and got out of the car, deep in thought about what Felix had said. He ambled off without speaking or closing the door. 

Felix leaned across the bench to pull it closed and called out to Jess’s back. ‘Remember, Friday noon’s the deadline.’ 

He waited and watched Jess disappear inside the building then fumbled in his coat pocket for his cell phone and put through a call.

‘Where are you?” He asked when the call was answered and replied.

‘What’s that? ... You’re at Harry’s Place?... Yeah I think it’s working. Meet me in Glover. I’ll be there in two minutes.’

Felix broke off the conversation, put away his phone and drove towards Harry’s. 

He noticed Kyler lounging on the sidewalk as he went by. Felix drove past Harry’s without making a sign to Kyler and turned into Glover Street at the end of the block. He drove on another thirty yards before he pulled into the curb, reached across the bench seat and opened the passenger door.

 Seconds later Kyler was inside.  Felix didn’t speakimmediately, but noticed Kyler was breathing heavily and guessed he had run down from the restaurant. It was the sly, lopsided grin on the boy’s face that told Felix he was anxious to hear about his meeting with Jess.

‘It’s working you said? ... How’d you do it? ... What’d he say?” Kyler began another question almost before he had finished the one before.

Kyler was excited but Felix kept his cool and brought the boy up to date with events. At the end Kyler shook his head.

‘That’s no good, you still got to get him to do the beauty with the beast business. He’ll never go for it.’

Felix sat back in his seat looking smug.

‘Oh yes he will, but he don’t know it yet. But not yet,  we’ll get him started off this weekend with some innocent studio photographs. Just like easing him into the job.’ 

Kyler knew Felix and understood the hidden meaning in his words and began to laugh; a harsh, merciless sound that echoed around the car and asked.

 ‘You gonna use 'roofies' on him?’ Felix jumped with surprise when Kyler mentioned the date-rape drug.

‘Never you mind what I’m gonna do, Felix snapped, ‘but just between you and me, I’ve a little something arriving from Mexico ... ’ He looked at his watch. ‘just about now.’

They both laughed in evil anticipation of the success of their planned manipulation of Jess for the Sunday shoot.  Felix began drooling and Kyler waited until the man wiped his mouth clean before he asked.

‘So what do I do ?’ Kyler nonchalantly opened a pack of gum and shoved it into his mouth. Felix’s face hardened cruelly as he said.

‘Unless you want to do it yourself, get that other kid lined up for this Sunday morning for the beauty. You’re 100% sure you’ve got him fixed good in your debt so he can’t refuse?’

Kyler chewed through a self-satisfied grin. ‘Yeah, he thinks I settled his debts for that phoney blackjack game we set him up for and he owes me. Says he’d do anything. I told him I owed somebody that knows I work the Truck Stop an overdue debt , and he wants a shag as interest. I told him I’d settle his debt if he’d take my place.’

‘And he swallowed it?’ Felix chuckled at his unintended pun.

‘Hook, line and sinker.  He don’t like it, but knows he ain’t got no choice; that’s if he don’t want debt collectors calling on his folks.’ Kyler became pensive and spoke more sombrely. ‘He knows what he has to do, but I ain’t sure he’ll go with the Beast. He’s only done locker room fooling around up to now. He’ll be real scared when he sees the Beast and likely run a mile.’

Felix laughed his soulless laugh. ‘Good I want him looking good and scared in the take, Beast’ll be knocking him about a bit too, it’ll all look good on the video. I’ve fixed it with Charlie Vaughn at In-Between Films for a newbie instead of Jess for this shoot. I told him Jess ain't ready yet.  He went for it, but  that’s just until we can get Jess lined up right. He wants Jess all luvvie – duvvie with the Beast when they take those prelim shots - kissing, cuddling, sucking and all before they get down to the real business. That’s why we have to get Jess there on Sunday. Charlie wants to look him over doing some poses before he’ll confirm the big deal.’

Kyler emitted a low whistle.

‘But won’t Jess be there this Sunday? Won’t he see the Beast, and the action with Ethan?’

‘Ethan? Who’s Ethan?’ Felix screwed up his face and Kyler explained.

‘Ethan’s the other kid from upstate.’

Felix nodded.

‘That's OK. Jess won’t be there until the afternoon. You drive over with this Ethan in the morning, you know the place, be there for 9.00. Go in your car. It’ll be long over with the Beast and this upstate kid by the time I get there with Jess at about two in the afternoon - and you better be gone before then.  Don’t mess up. I don’t want to ruin our chances with Jess. I want to use him afterwards and work him regular like in the Remuda next year.’

‘What about Ethan, what happens to him?’ Kyler asked with concern. Felix waved his hand across his face in an unmistakeable gesture of dismissal.

 ‘I ain’t bothered about the other kid. He’s too plain for us, anyway. Call him a sacrifice.’ Felix pushed his face towards Kyler expecting him to object, but he didn’t. 

‘Cool, is that everything? Kyler said as he opened the door to get out.

‘No, be nice to Jess, be his friend, make him feel at home and you can tell his room mates they can be pals with him now. Only don’t overdo the kindness. Make it look real.’

‘How long for? Being nice I mean?’

‘Till I tell you to stop. Take this.’

‘Got it!’ Kyler palmed the 50-dollar bill and strolled back to Harry’s Place.

Felix drove down to the Truck Stop at the I-80 junction and sat at his usual corner table in the restaurant where he could watch the comings and goings inside and out, without being seen easily himself.