Chapter 86

When I awoke Sunday morning in the strange bed, it took me a few minutes to remember where I was, as well as how I got there. I had a feeling as if my mouth was wearing an overcoat. I think almost every woman can tell you where that feeling comes from.

While I was trying to get my mind to focus, I listened to a male voice speaking a foreign language. That's when I realized I was in Vald's bed, but he wasn't. Vald sat in the small sitting area of the hotel room talking on his cell phone.

"So you are finally awake?" he asked.

"No, I'm still asleep," I replied meaning every word of it.

"Well, I spoke with my contact at the FBI. It will take longer than I expected to get the information about Ivan's contact."

"Oh why is that?" I asked.

"They have an operative inside. They want to make sure that we will not endanger him, before they release the information."

I had another one of those bad feelings about Vlad. I wondered who in the FBI could be speaking Russian to Vlad. I didn't say anything. What I did was to ask, "How long will it take to get the Intel?"

"Two or three days. then they will come back with a name and location. After that we need to come up with a plan."

"They have somebody inside working, but we need to come up with a plan. What's that all about?" I asked

"It's about, me not being able to stay here for years while the FBI dicks around. It's about putting this to rest, so that I can go home. For you it should be about ending your Russian connection permanently." Vlad suggested.

"Vlad honey, for me it's about staying alive. I have a very strong desire to live forever." I admitted.

"Then I hate to inform you of this Maxine, but no one lives forever."

"I know that, I plan to be the first." I said it with a smile.

"Well. we have a couple of days with nothing to do. Does that give you any ideas?" he asked.

"Yes, it gives me some time to start looking for a new place to live. Give me a call when you have something to report." I said as I swung my legs off the bed.

"Are you going to leave me?"

"Sweetie, one blow job does not a long term commitment make." I replied. I finished dressing kissed him goodbye with my breath baring evidence of what I had done. Even though I had been sober at the time, I had a hard time remembering where I left the cruiser. The parking lot was big and also full. The hotel wasn't full but the parking lot was. The First Baptist Church of Tryon shared the parking lot with the hotel. Hotels don't have a lot of Sunday morning guests, and the church doesn't need the space during the week. It was a symbiotic relationship if there ever was one.

On the way home I passed the office where I had worked until recently. The parking lot was empty. I should have gone in to start removing my tools, but I had no where to store them. I could only hope that Lucas and Gwen would respect my property and leave it alone.

When I arrived at my gated drive, I checked the camera images on line. It appeared that nothing have been disturbed. When I pulled into the yard, nobody was there to greet me. I didn't like that at all. I was pretty depressed, when I thought about my life. There was just no getting away from the realization of how bad a turn my life had taken.

I felt a little better after I brushed my teeth, took a shower, then brushed my teeth again. I was beginning to have thoughts of actually eating again. Maybe my life wasn't hopeless after all, I thought.

I was sitting in the McDonald's dining room, munching on a double cheeseburger and fries, while drinking a fake chocolate milkshake, when the phone rang. "Hello Jen" I said once I found the phone. I also smiled at the people who listened the the theme from the Magnificent Seven blaring from my purse.

"Max what the hell is this I hear from Ed about you being evicted?"

"It's what you just said. I have to be out by next Sunday." I admitted.

"You can move back in with me and Bob," she suggested. "At least until you fine a new place."

"No way, you know things can get really risky with me around. I will not do that to you guys again."

"Bullshit, you are just afraid I will demand sex from you every night," she said with a giggle.

"Yeah, that too. Once you go to the Dark side it never ends." I suggested lightly.

"The Dark side is a black lover, not one with boobs," Jennifer said to correct me.

"Whatever, I will not be moving in with you and that is final."

"Okay then, do you remember that small welfare motel that Reverend Archer runs?" She asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"Meet him there at three today. Trust me it will be worth your while." She knew me well enough to know I would be asking why.

"Okay, but there better be some reason for this." I hoped it wasn't anything too difficult. I had way too much on my plate suddenly. Since I didn't have a plan for the afternoon, I drove to the marina. Yes it was chilly, but I managed to stay long enough to drink two cups of very bad vending machine coffee. I badly regretted that I hadn't taken my big delta cup to McDonalds, since they had much better coffee.

I was chillled to the bone by the time I left for the Motel. The Reverend used the old cinder block building to warehouse his mission workers. I had no idea what to expect, when I arrived.

"So Maxine, when Jennifer heard you lost you house, she remembered that I was going to sell the motel. We bought an old downtown apartment building. It has enough room to house everyone in one spot."

"Why would either you or Jennifer think I wanted this dump?" I asked.

"This is Everette, he is the manager for the construction arm of The laboring few."