To Become A Con Artist

Chapter Thirty-Two

This is a short chapter but I'm sure you'll all enjoy it! Vote/Comment so that I can update another chapter by next week!

I walked out of the lobby toward the direction of the main corridor and took a deep breath. I was going to be fine. I'd gotten this far with not only this specific con but also in general as a con woman.

Only a few of weeks ago, I had feared conning an old couple and now I was in New York's finest hotel swindling one of New York's biggest bootleggers. This wasn't a dream come true but it did feel like a dream. A dream I had control over and a dream that seemed to never end. I could only go up from here.

In an instant, I felt a grip on my wrist and I was tugged aside to a desolate hall. A scream caught in my throat but when I readied my left arm to swing forward, it was caught gently by my momentary captor.

"Claire." He laughed and released my arm.

"Goodness, Clyde you scared me." I held my heart and breathed deeply.

"I'm sorry." He held his hands up in surrender. "I saw you earlier and couldn't get your attention." My eyesbrows cocked. Earlier? What was he even doing here?

"Yes, I was-busy." I stammered a bit nervous.

"So I saw." He nodded with a smile. I nodded as well and for a moment we simply starred at each other, nodding until he said, "who was that man you were with?" I stopped nodding and gulped.

"Man? I don't know what man you're referring to Clyde."

"Cut the crap Claire." His smile began to fade and his face twisted. "Who was the man?" I shook my head, feeling my body begin to warm. If conning has taught me anything it is to...never let on that you've been figured out.

"Clyde, dear, are you feeling okay?" I touched his arm but he pushed my hand away and stepped closer to me.

"You know Claire, I've seen that man with you before." He clenched his teeth. "At Coney Island." My lips parted, probably making room for my heart which seemed to need an escape from my chest. How did he know that I'd been with Leo at Coney Island? And why had he turned into an entirely different person that refused to fall for my charm. The same charm that had drawn him in as my mark.

"How did I know?" He asked, reading my thoughts with a smirk. "I told you Claire, when I put you in the taxi. I visited my parents in Sheepshead Bay!" He said angrily, stepping closer. I stepped back lost for words. He'd been right there. Watching me with Leo. My mark was insane! He'd figured me out and I didn't know what to do.

So in fear of his violent potential, I turned and attempted to run in the opposite direction. But Clyde refused to let me not answer for my crooked behavior. He caught my waist and pulled me to him roughly. I could've screamed but his hand pressed firmly on my mouth.

"Claire, you terrible, terrible girl." He said close to my ear. "I liked you Claire and now I'm broken." He sounded choked and emotional and for a moment I felt sorry for him that I'd let this go so far. But then I heard a click sound and pressure on my back. "I followed you tonight so that you could do us both a favor." He took his hand off of my mouth slowly. "Don't scream Claire, or I'll pull this trigger." I felt tears stain my cheeks but I had to comply. If Leo were here he'd look into my eyes and tell me to keep calm. So I breathed deeply then asked.

"Wh-what-what favor?" I heard Clyde chuckle and press the gun hard into me.

"I have two guns here Claire." He whispered. "One for you to shoot that man and another for me to make sure it gets done." There was a hint of amusement in his words. I was disgusted and attempted to turn but he kept me in place. "Because if you don't kill him, I'll do it. Am I making myself clear?"

"I don't know where he is." I lied. By now I was sure Anne was heading down from Clemenza's room. If I could stall long enough maybe one of them would come looking for me.

"Bullshit." Clyde spat aggressively. "Maybe I can't hear what you say to him but I know you came here with him so you're leaving with him." He tapped my thigh and reminded me of the flask Leo had given me earlier tonight.

"Give me the flask." He demanded. I complied and reached under my dress to remove it slowly. I didn't want it gone especially since he'd given it to me to calm myself. Now would have been the perfect time for a swig but instead I watched Clyde toss it across the hall.

"Damn flappers." He cursed, tucking the gun into my garter. The metal made me shiver. "So here's what'll happen. We're going to make our way outside to your friend. You'll go up ahead and shoot him when you see him. No funny business. I'll be standing somewhere hidden to watch you. When it's done you'll run to Central Park across the street where I'll have my car and then we'll leave." He said with his warm breath piercing my skin like a mosquito.

I hated him. I never wanted to hurt Leo and now because of my stupid careless mistakes, Leo was going to die. Sheepshead Bay. How could I have been so stupid as to not realize that Clyde was nearby at the time. If I'd told Leo that before getting all excited he would've pieced the dilemma together and suggested some place different. He had warned me against this type of mix up but I had let my giddiness get the best of my sense and now Leo would suffer. Anne, Miles, and Tony would hate me. I would hate myself forever. I felt salty tears sting my eyes at the thought. Clyde sensed my emotion.

He hovered over my shoulder and ran his fingers down my right leg. I took a deep breath not able to see down the dimly lit hallway.

Music echoed from the ballroom but it sounded faint to me because here I was in a far hallway with his breath tingling on my pale flesh as he whispered,
"Are you ready?" I gulped, feeling his fingers slowly lift up my dress and stop at the hem of my stockings. I caught his hand and nodded. I could feel him smile as I wrapped my quivering fingers around the cold flask that rested in my garter.

No, not a flask. A flask had once been tucked there. Now I grasped the cold metal of a gun. My heart raced as I turned up to him.

"Tell me you're ready." He whispered, pulling my dress down so that the sequenced chiffon covered the weapon. I glanced down the hallway once more as nodded again.

"I-I'm ready." I lied. I had to stay calm and think. There was a way out of this but I had to think of it quickly within the next three minutes of walking from the hallway to the exit of the hotel.