The life of an Indefinite Playerr

Chapter 32

I stood red faced in front of everyone. Far left stood James,he shot eyes that held a grudge. Then next to him was Joel, the wimp who was just never important. Then the mistress, Amanda, standing side by side with Rashin. Then Mr Kedron, then Zed, then finally Mark. They seemed to be waiting for me, the panic had stopped.

"Quite the appearance, son," Mr K complimented under his hoarse voice. He was not really old, around her late 30s but life had done a great deal with him. He looked twice age, his eyes held something sharp that reminded me of my own on days I got mad. "Search him" He turned to Mark.

 Under the sweatshirt Rashin gave me a few days back, (he had given me a couple of baggy things to wear and his contact were working just fine for me), the detective had suggested I wear a special wire that was supposed to transmit our conversations to the disguise minivan that was parked a few hundred metres away from the shed I had gone in to meet the gang.  Seeing how nervous I was, a mental breakdown that lasted two minutes, convinced them I was not ready for such an exercise. "How about I just record everything on my phone, they would expect it," I had said and they nodded in agreement.

Mark slid his hands around my sides then focused on my waist. He then moved up to search my abdomen, he moved his hands slowly as if willing to feel something. "He is clean boss, no wire or weapons."

"So you people order me to sell your drugs, bail me out to the cops then expect to come here with guns and stupid wires, now that I think of it I should have agreed to help the cops. You people lack trust!" I started my rant. " You should have been first to bail me out knowing I carry grave secrets about your little drug operation."

"But now we know you did not, and actually glad you are here!" Rashin tried to smile through his words. 

"Fuck you," I replied. "You guys are just shit!"

"Quite down, Patrick." Mr K said softly, "Here, light a cigarette and enjoy the moment of freedom."

"I am not off the hook yet, Clarkson said he wants to lay strong charges against me."

"Strong charges indeed, I mean you publicly announced a party with drugs. To silence him, you need us." He offered me a cigarette.

"You are going to kill him?" I asked as I pulled hard on the cigarette. A half of me hoped would have agreed then I would have concrete evidence on tape.

"I am not the killing type," he laughed. "He is an insurance claims officer, and he has gotten his hands dirty a couple of times, enough to keep him behind bars for at least a decade. If you could get your hands on his laptop, we could help you blackmail him."

"How the hell is Starr going to do that?" James mocked, "he can barely pickpocket a blind man." Laughter started brewing in the room, it filled it such that everyone was laughing except for Mr K who just vaguely looked at me.

"A house break in." Silence.

"That is actually a good idea," Mr K smirked coldly.

"What?!" They all said in unison, except for Amanda who gave me a cold judgmental look. "How is that a good idea?" How is that  a good idea?" 

"I lost a good amount of money with that failure of a party, time to empty your boots and get your courage on. We getting me money back. We are hitting the Clarkson house!"

"I now have to leave," I said. "Let us use my house as a base from now own, my sickness does not allow me the luxury of trips." I did not wait for their answer, I went out the door and sent a text on my phone to the detective. 

"Didn't get much, I will send the recording in a few. They are following, don't come to my house."

I walked for a few blocks then I arrived at my house. I started to revise my thoughts, starting with the matter that bothered me a lot, my father rubbing shoulders with a doctor and an insurance claims officer. What could that mean? I know my mother had just died, so claiming her dividends would take time and they surely had to come straight to my  account. Unless... Unless he was finding a way to redirect them to his account, but what did Moreno have to do with it. The heist would really, help me calm my mind. A soft knock.

"Come in." Amanda strolled in.

"Hey, are you busy?"

"Why would you care?" I asked. I really did wanted her to go. Or did I?

"I wanted to apologize, and confess some things."

"Well, speak."

"Sorry about Macarena, I did it to spite you cause ... let us get to that later. First, I was the one placed a bullet at your doorstep, I got it from Mr K to give it to you. I also told them about you being sick, I was basically sent to spy on you but the minute they knew I..." She paused.

"Why are pausing? I think you, okay, i think you deserve all the bad words I'd say but my concern is why are you telling me because you are with them and I am sure it is not because today is a Sunday."

"It is because, Patrick, Starr, whatever... I am in love with you. It was wrong from the beginning, you dated my sister, and Rashin started getting jealous and everything was a mess. I could not tell you all this and I am..." I kissed her. She gasped a heavy breath as I took her by surprise.  we kissed for a while, tasting the filter from the cigarette she smoked earlier. 

"If they kill me for this, I will make it worth it." I started to rub my hands against her skin, feeling a little pimple by her stomach. I moved, lifting her up and heading for the kitchen. I laid her on the kitchen counter and let her legs rest on my shoulders, my head around her thighs. I went closer. Nope, that is enough detail.

"Sheesh," Amanda said after a while of silence. 

"You wanna go again? Like leave out the door?" I said.

"Nope, we gotta talk about these feelings we have."

"Can we do that after the heist," I asked.

"That is like in a month!"

"Yes, I gotta focus on school and the break in, then we can talk about whatever we feel Amanda. I got other priorities currently."

"I kinda sense you being a jerk right now," Amanda countered.

"I am not, besides there is a lot I have to process, and Rashin could barge in any minute now, try to kill me."
"Forget about him!"

"I am sorry I cannot do that."

"You know what, I will leave. I gotta help Maca pack for boarding school, Easter weekend is over."

"Amanda wait." The door slammed and I was left uttering nothing but silence.