“I was quiet but was not blind, just to clarify what you think. You think Im small like a mouse, but deep inside I’ll never stop. I’ll never stop the analyzing you thought I couldn’t manage. The message of being only a rat who knew too much. The rat who will speak up. Does that answer your question Mr. Sims?”

She put her cup down and scanned his face. He couldn’t fathom why she was so perplexed. Just that he knew he had to do something to stop the truth from leaking out to people and places he’d rather not see. People with money and nothing better to do than throw him away if only they knew.

If the truth came out, he’d wind up dead. That, he wouldn’t accept. His brother knew well the ins and outs of what he had done, playing it cool until time passed. Enough time to tell that Jenny was done. Done with the lie he’d never confess.

“Not exactly” he said, leaning back with a scolding face Jenny just didn’t like. His dark brown eyes said something was wrong. Jenny just knew it and wanted to know.

Clasping her hands tightly together, she responded and said “Stop being vague. You know that pisses me off” she said, still in a mood she just didn’t like, but had to be tough to keep food on the table. He mother was dead and her one little girl knew nothing about the pain she had felt. Only that something just wasn’t right.

Doug looked worried, but tried not to express it. “I’ll make you a deal” he said, tapping his fingers as Jenny’s eyes looked squinted, trying to read what he had in mind.

But before he could speak, she shut him down. “I don’t take bribes” she said, pissy he even thought she would. She may have her faults, but she didn’t tolerate men thinking she was less intelligent for past mistakes. She knew how to fight and god be damned, she wouldn’t back down.

He put his hands up in surrender and said “I know, I know, but… we have a situation” he finished, his brain now turning with more ideas as he watched her watch him.

“Yes”, she said. “A situation that you created and I have to pay? I don’t think so” she finished as the waiter walked by and they both looked up without saying another word until the waiter was out of ear shot.

“Look” he said as she waited for him to respond. “We’ve booked you a flight to L.A… just until the storm passes by.

“So I can hide from your boss?” she implied, knowing he had issues to resolve. She looked at her watch, then back up and replied “For you fucking up on the one job we had?”

Doug looked down at the table, then sat up straight and looked at Jenny. “Twenty G to last for two weeks” he said in a whisper, gritting his teeth as though he was starting to get angry. “Once we catch the bad guy, you’re home free” he said in surrender as he pushed an envelope across the table. A white envelope that looked rather thick and loaded with money. Jenny looked at it inquisitively, inspecting whether or not he was telling the truth as she held it up and tossed it back.

I’ve got to go” she said as she stood up and put her purse on her shoulder, her glasses adding a look of business she had to project.

Doug just looked and said “You can’t stay here at your mother’s estate. You’ll be dead before morning” he finished as she pulled out a fifty to leave for her dinner.

“Call me tonight” she said as she turned to walk out. Doug just sat there with nothing to say as the envelope laid there, staring back at his worry. Twenty thousand she wouldn’t accept. But as she walked out just by the door, it occurred to her what the money was for.

She paused her walk and turned her head back. Doug could see the lights in her eyes and knew that she knew she’d been played all along.

Quickly, she walked back to the table, her long black dress that fit every curve with a hint of cleavage peaking out from the V. She stood there in silence just by his side, sat down and moved in close to his side, as she wrapped one arm around the back of his neck.

He felt her breathing as she leaned in to whisper. A hint of excitement just under his jeans as she smiled and whispered “All bets are off you dumb mother fucker” as blood poured down the side of his temple from the pistol she fired, and then grabbed the money he thought he could bribe her with.

His head fell down onto the table as people stopped and stared while she walked away clean, brushing the lint off of her dress and heels clacking like she knew a few things. Nobody spoke, but mouths gaped open.

Pushing her glasses back up on her nose, she simply replied “He never saw it comin’” and left for the night.