Chapter 24

“So, would you like to tell me why you sounded so distraught on the phone? And what’s going on that you couldn’t tell me over the phone?”

Jean looked up at me, she had my arm wrapped up in hers and her breast squashed against it. There were tears in her eyes which started in the airport and continued as she told me a horrible story.

“Paul, the Outfit has turned the club into a shit hole. They have the girls fucking customers in the parking lot or upstairs in the old apartment. They’re selling all sorts of drugs to customers. Paul, they killed Bambi.”

“Who’s Bambi?”

“She was one of the dancers,” James interjected.

“She was naive and a bit of an airhead,” Jean continued. “She tried to sell herself and some drugs to the guys on one of the Thursday night softball teams. The team was made up of police. She told them how we had protection from the police and the DA’s office and even had some judges covering for us.

“The cops went to Internal Affairs and they started an investigation but before they could talk to anyone, Bambi was found dead. She’d been beaten, raped, and tortured. Paul the official story is that she was strangled. The cops I know say she was suffocated by having a cock jammed down her throat until she couldn’t breathe.

“The word went out that the same would happen to anyone else who talked.”

“Well, that’s enough for you,” I said firmly. “I want you to quit immediately. We can drive by the club right now and get your stuff.”

“Paul, a couple of the girls who have contracts with Mr. Antonelli tried to quit but Jerry Monroe told them that he wouldn’t let them go. Something about the good girls made the place look legit. They get to point at us and say, “See, they’re not doing anything wrong”.”

“I don’t care about how they look. I want you out of there.”

“Paul, I can’t quit. They won’t let me. The same for the other contract girls. Threats have been made. They’ve been spoken of, quietly, against ourselves and our families.”

I looked at her and then at James eyes in the rearview mirror.

“And Manny and Dom?”

“Yes them too.”

Seeing James expression in the mirror, I had to ask.

“James, is Jean in danger?”

He didn’t answer right away, taking a few seconds to order his thoughts. When he did speak, he did so with surety.

“As much as anyone else there, Paul. I think she would be in more danger if she quit as opposed to remaining there under her contract. If she quits they might figure that she had nothing to stop her from talking to the police and follow through on their threats.”

“I’m off at Fort Benning. I don’t think they can touch me. So, who are they looking to harm? Mom? Dad? Barbara?”

She nodded and cried a little harder. I held Jean the rest of the way home. No one spoke. When we got to our house, I asked James to wait for a few minutes. I got Jean out of the SUV and walked her into our home. Ingrid was seated at the kitchen table reading.

“Hi Ingrid.”

“Paul! Welcome home! I didn’t know you were coming.”

“Is Gregory here?” I asked flatly.

“No, he had a game yesterday in Colorado Springs and isn’t home yet.” Looking at Jean she immediately flipped to caring friend. “What’s wrong with Jean?”

“Has she talked to you about what’s going on at the club?”

“No. Actually she’s stopped talking about the place altogether.”

“Good. Apparently some bad things are going on there and she is afraid for her friends and family. You haven’t seen anyone hanging around the house have you?”

“No,” she said, then stopped. “It’s the gamblers again, isn’t it?”

“Yes. You might want to let Gregory know and he should say something to the coaches and school. The Outfit is back and getting stronger. They are also into drugs. I could see them trying to peddle steroids to the football players.”

“That won’t happen. The college tests all the sports players every month.”

“For steroids?”

“For everything! They are really hardcore antidrug. They don’t want the players, male or female, taking anything that the trainers don’t give them and they watch the trainers like hawks.”

“OK. Be on the lookout for anyone strange hanging around the house or parking around the house. You know, just in case.”

“OK, Paul.”

“I’m taking Jean upstairs, then I’m going to see the folks.”

Jean came to life in a most aggravated manner.

“No! Paul I’m coming with you! Please!”

“OK. OK. Calm down.”

“Ingrid, I guess she’s coming with me. Is Gregory staying over tonight?”

“Yes, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course, I don’t. I’ll want to talk to him about this as well. We’ll see you later.”

“OK.”

I turned to lead Jean to the kitchen door and Ingrid went back to her book. Outside, James was patiently waiting and looked concerned when I approached with Jean in my arm. He jumped out and opened the driver side back door.

“Is everything OK?”

“Yeah, James. Jean didn’t want me to leave her when I went to talk to the folks.”

“OK.”

He closed the door after we’d gotten in and then drove us to our folk’s home.

“How’s Barbara?”

“Freakin’ huge! I swear Paul, just when I thought she was as big as she could get, she expands even more. The doctor must have messed up. There must be three or four kids inside there.”

“I guess I have no point of reference. The few pregnant women I’ve seen, I haven’t really paid any attention to. I guess I’ll find out when Jean is pregnant. Right lover?”

Jean shivered and squeezed my hand. I noticed that right away but decided with everything else going on, I wasn’t going to question her right now. James pulled into the drive at my Mom and Mr. C’s house after the gate rose high enough. He stopped at the front door and I got out with Jean scrambling out behind me. I looked at James and his expression told me that this behavior by Jean was not unusual. I rang the doorbell at the same time Jean reached for the door handle and opened the front door.

“Mom! Daddy! Paul’s home.”

My mother came waddling out of the back of the house. She was really showing. She hurried to me and hugged me with all her might. I bent to make room for her pregnant belly. When she let me go, she kissed me on the cheek.

“Hello, son. That was you that rang the doorbell wasn’t it? I told you that you can just walk in.”

“And I told you that I didn’t want to walk in on you and Mr. C involved in something.”

“I understand,” she said rubbing her belly and laughing a little. “But there’s not too much involving going on out of our nice comfy bed right now.”

“Where’s Mr. C?” I asked, sounding like I was all business.

“In his office,” Mom said slowing her speech as she finished the last word. “You know where that is. Jean come with me; I want to show you something.”

Jean kissed me on the lips and walked away with my Mom. I knocked on the door and heard, “Come in?”

I opened the door to find Mr. C at his desk which was now facing the door.

“Paul! Come in, come in.”

“Hi Mr. C.”

He rose from his desk and came around to give me a firm handshake and a fatherly hug.

“I didn’t think I’d see you for several more months. How long are you home?”

“I’m here for a week. There was a snafu and it caused one of the training battalions to fall behind a week. So, I have a week before Sniper School starts. I’m here to ask what the hell is going on with the club. Jean and James have both told me things that have me a bit upset.”

“You’re upset? I’m pissed! I’ve hired three more security men. One is looking out for Jean’s friend Ingrid. Another is looking out for Barbara, while James works. And the third has been added to the house team. We’re back to three armored SUVs.”

“Why not just pull Jean out of that hell hole?”

“Right now, the Outfit is hands off anyone who is not rocking the boat. Jean and the others contracted to the old man are not rocking the boat right now. If they start to bail out, I fear the Outfit may take drastic measures. I’ve met with Antonelli and told him of the dangers the Outfit offers. He understands and is setting up alliances behind the scenes. This could be the genesis of a war between a few families. None of them want it, but all realize that it could happen.”

We talked a little longer and I got the feeling that Mr. C was getting excited about becoming a father. My Mom refused to find out the sex of the child but was absolutely positive that it was a boy. She had made up the room that was going to be the nursery in shades of blue. There were outlines of horses and dogs and race cars on each of the three walls of the rooms.

I stayed for dinner and Jean and Mom were as thick as thieves. They giggled and hugged and acted like girls and Lois made my favorite, meatloaf. It was during the meal that I asked Mom and Mr. C. the question that is usually reserved to the mother.

“So, Jean, when are you and I going to make the folks grandparents?”

I looked at Jean who suddenly froze and looked down at her plate. Something was wrong.

“Jean, what’s wrong? What?”

“Paul ... I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

“I’m not going to go off the pill.”

“But what about our plans? What about you wanting to have a baby while I’m away?”

“Paul, I can’t.”

The expression on my face must have been stunning because no one at the table seemed to even breathe. I took a deep breath like I’d been taught to do before taking a long rifle shot. I slowly let it out and calmed myself.

“Paul,” Mr. C. interjected, “This is the reason I got Mr. Antonelli involved and the families are up in arms. The bastards at the club are threatening the dancers with harm to their families if they do anything to rock the boat. Jean is scared.”

“Of what? Jean talk to me.”

“I’m afraid that I might get raped, OK! And if I’m off the pill I could end up pregnant with someone else’s baby.” With those words the dam broke and she began to bawl uncontrollably.

I could feel the heat rise in my face. I could feel my heartbeat in my temples. Off in the distance I heard a voice.

“ ... And we’ve got an eye on her all the time. Paul? Paul?”

A hand shook my shoulder and brought me back to face the now close voice.

“I’ve got someone to cover Jean at the club and Manny and Dom are still there and aren’t taking any shit from anyone. I still have friends and we are letting the Outfit know they are treading on thin ice.”

“Who is doing this at the club?”

“Now Paul, I don’t want you doing anything to rock the boat.”

“Mr. C, I’m not going to rock the boat, I’m going to sink the god damn thing. Who is making the threats at the club? Is it Jerry? Bobby? Fred? It had better not be Trent.”

“No, it’s not Trent. He seems to be a bit on the outside looking in. He’s still involved but doesn’t seem to have the connections. Jerry is the one in charge.”

I nodded and returned to my meatloaf and green beans. Everyone stared at me for a full minute before returning to their meals. Lois made a rich pudding for dessert and we all finished the meal off with a small glass of chilled Bailey’s Irish Cream. I remained as calm and controlled as I could and carried on conversations that belied my internal plan to rectify my wife’s workplace problem.

When the evening was over, James packed us into the SUV and drove Jean and I back to our home. Ingrid and Gregory were waiting up for us. I greeted him with a firm handshake and he smiled and almost crushed my hand.

“Damn, Gregory. Nice grip.”

“Sorry. I thought you were trying to be a little macho.”

“No. I’ve always had a firm handshake. I don’t get a chance to shake hands a lot in the Army. I’m out of practice. I think you broke my trigger finger!”

I proceeded to shake out my hand and then hugged Ingrid.

“How is this big monster treating you?”

“Wonderful, Paul. I’m so happy.”

“So, Gregory, when you gonna make Ingrid an honest woman?”

“Um ... Actually ... We went out and got married last Thursday. We couldn’t wait anymore. MY mom and dad and her mom were there.”

“And I wasn’t invited?” Jean complained.

“You were working and acting funny so I didn’t think you could get off work. I’m sorry.”

The two women hugged and Jean kissed Ingrid on the cheek.

Gregory continued the story, “She made me get a prenup that excludes my football earnings from a divorce. She’s crazy.”

“Crazy in love, Gregory,” Ingrid inserted.

“Well, wait a minute,” I asked. “Are you moving out?”

“No. Gregory is living in the dorms and we can’t afford an apartment. After the draft he’ll have money and we can move to whatever city he’ll be playing in.”

“Paul, would you mind if Gregory moved in here with Ingy?”

“That’s going to be a little awkward isn’t it?”

“No, if they get too randy or rowdy, I can move in with Daddy and Mom. That’ll make security easier. But if Gregory’s here the Outfit might think twice about causing a problem when a high NFL draft pick might shine a light on them.”

“Good point. Gregory, Ingrid, if the mood suits you, I’d love to have you share the house with my wife. Just don’t share my wife.”

Jean looked at Ingrid and the two smiled. I looked at Gregory and he seemed to be clueless that my wife and her roommate were sometimes bed mates as well. I looked at Ingrid and she could see what was on my mind and gave me a stern yet pleading look. I just smiled and shook my head a little.

“So, Jean, how’s the Olds running?”

“Top notch, lover. Every once in a while I take it out and blow the carbon out for you. It should still go from zero to jail in under four and a half seconds.”

I grinned, knowing that the speed might come in very handy tomorrow. We chatted a little more about moving plans and about my life starting next week. It was getting late for me as my body was still on Eastern time.

“I need to hit the sack. It’s way past 2AM for my body. Jean, I’m gonna shower and get to bed. I’d love to have someone wash my back.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Paul. I’m afraid I only wash cock and balls.”

“Oh. Well then I guess I’ll have to settle for that.”

Jean jumped into my arms and kissed me. It was so hot that I thought Gregory and Ingrid were going to have an orgasm right where they sat.

Jean had a very low opinion of the cleanliness of my cock and balls. She took care to make sure I was exceptionally clean and then she took the majority of the night to drain me of my essential bodily fluids.

I woke up alone in bed. It was dark as well. I looked around the dark room and saw nothing or no one that would counter the appearance of being all alone. I threw the covers to the side and slid through the wet spot on the bed. I went to the bathroom and turned on the light. The brightness was almost painful in the extreme. I pissed and washed my face. I listened behind the closed bedroom door and didn’t hear a sound, so I hit the shower, got dressed and opened the curtains, again almost blinding myself. before walking out of the bedroom