Toto and the Boys I: Jackie

Chapter 11

“You look like you’ve been to hell and back to tell the tale,” George noted.

“Well, I have been to hell. Or I did get a glimpse of it for a few seconds before I decided to run away.”

George’s slit eyes narrowed further as she looked at Jackie. “What do you mean? What did you do this time?”

Jackie cringed. “I sort of committed a crime.” The moment she said it, the other four male rescuers in the room turned their heads at her. She looked at them dryly. “It was just a metaphor, guys.”

Dan, Fred and Mike knew George’s friends. The men looked at her for a moment before they continued on with their work. Dan, the chubby, tall guy was watching the news. Fred, the skinny guy with glasses was behind his computer. Mike, the handsome team leader of George’s team just shrugged and stood up to get a cup of coffee.

“Jackie, what happened?” George asked her impatiently.

“Well, nothing big, really,” she said nonchalantly, now completely relaxed, sure that she was not caught by the guard earlier.

“Then why are you here?” George asked as she watched Jackie open her burger and take a bite.

“I just want to have lunch with you,” she said, munching on her food. “And I’m also here to tell you that we might have a visitor later.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you might be riding Toto with Dannie at the back.”

“Why?”

Jackie just shrugged and smiled wickedly. “You’ll see.”

  *****

I was still pissed at Jackie and I was afraid of Beatle the moment we entered the parking lot of Collins Corporations. Jackie gave a sigh of relief when no one was around Beatle, who was still standing on his spot with his back tire flat, damaged and obviously pissed at Jackie.

I’m sorry, buddy. I didn’t know she was going to do that. Do you want to hear another story from my friend Dee?

It was no use. Beatle wouldn’t talk to me. He said his boss was pissed and that if he could only talk, he would have given Jackie away without blinking a headlight.

So there went my Wednesday afternoon. Alone with no Beatle to talk to and with the narcissistic BMW asking a lot of stupid questions.

  *****

Jackie tried hard to keep her face as neutral as possible as she stepped into the office floor. Karen immediately jumped to her feet and met her halfway to her desk.

“What’s wrong?” she asked her friend.

Karen stared at her conspiratorially. “Someone stabbed boss Dean’s car tire.”

Again, she put out her crazy shocked face. “What?”

“Yes,” Karen said, pulling Jackie toward her desk when she dramatically stopped and placed her hand over her mouth.

“Did someone see who did it?” she asked, her heart beating fast. For all she knew, everyone knew she was the car killer.

“No,” Karen answered and Jackie almost went limp to the ground with relief.

“It’s really unlucky of him to have his car tire stabbed with a knife,” Jackie uttered.

Karen frowned. “How did you know it was a knife?”

Shit! “Uh…you just told me, didn’t you? Are you sure you ate your lunch?”

Karen was still frowning with confusion when Joseph came in sight. “Jackie, where have you been?”