Chapter 16

On Saturday afternoon preparations began for that night. Jan stood on the patio while Bob and Stan used the TV camera, installed for security, to find the exact spot and range that would show up the best. One TV screen monitor was in the kitchen on the counter next to the refrigerator and the other was in their bedroom. The same locations applied at Bob's house.

They zoomed in on Jan until the whole screen covered her from head to toe. Stan went outside and marked the spot with a piece of chalk. The camera itself was in a black box under the eave of the house, barely noticeable in daylight and invisible at night. They all went over to Bob's house and repeated the procedure on his patio. They planned on being at Jan's but every precaution was being taken.

Bob and Stan drove out to rent two movies. At Blockbusters they asked the sales lady to recommend the dullest, driest, most boring movie she could think of. "The Adventures of Adam Johnson" popped off her tongue immediately. She felt bad about charging them for it and said if they lost it or used it to start a fire it would be fine with her.

At the Pussycat Lounge they spent a long time deciding what to rent. The proprietor promised them that "Talk Dirty to Me" was an oldie but a goodie. It was made before Congress passed some stupid censorship laws about showing oral or vaginal penetration.

Stan mixed a pitcher of "purple passions" and laced it with a heavier dose of vodka than usual. Bob did the same at his house. They almost forgot to aim the outside spotlights at the place where Jan would stand. Bob said, "This is going to be one expensive piece of ass, if we bring it off. But it's worth every thousand dollars of trying."

"A least you got to play with her gorgeous tits," said Stan. "I've been standing around with my pecker in my wallet and nothing to show for it."

"You've had the thrill of the chase."

"I'm sick of chasing. If this doesn't work, that "date rape" pill comes to mind. I could never do that though."

"Not even as a last resort?"

"No, damn it, not even as a last resort."

At 7:15 that night, the couples were having cocktails at Jan's. Martinis for the girls, Scotch for the guys. Sandy wore her silk jacket and included the camisole underneath. She kept it buttoned to its top. Jan was underdressed, if anything, with a white linen jacket over a loose-fitting blue cashmere sweater with matching knee-length skirt. Her naked nipples could barely be discerned. Nancy's new dress brought admiring compliments.

At Chasen's Nancy had one more martini and vowed to everyone that it would be her last for the evening. Stan dropped his fork on the way from plate to palate. He asked to be excused for his mishap and thought seriously of going to the men's room to slit his throat. It wasn't going to work out. He just knew it. There were too many little details that could go awry.

Had Jan rolled her joint? She said she was going to. Did Bob have plenty of vodka if they ended up at his house? Vodka? Hell, she just went teetotaler on them. He hoped everyone else enjoyed their dinner. He couldn't taste a thing. "That's the best meal I've ever had," said Nancy, "but it was way too expensive."

"Think nothing of it," said Stan, "it's something we wanted to do to you. Err, for you, on your birthday."

"You're so sweet."

"What's next?" asked Bill. "More dancing? I'm treating."

"It's after ten, how about back to our house for a movie," said Jan, "the guys rented something specially recommended by the lady at Blockbuster."

"Sounds fun to me," said Sandy.

"I like the idea," said Bob.

"Sure, fine," said Nancy.

When they arrived, Stan hurried into their TV room and popped the videotape into the VCR. He hit the remote control to fire up his 40" Sylvania screen, adjusted the Dolby surround sound system and surveyed the room. A seven foot long couch, upholstered in a dark blue fabric, sat opposite the entertainment center and two gray Lazy Boy stuffed chairs flanked the couch. He turned on the lamp with the forty-watt bulb, sitting on the table next to one of the Lazy Boys. He plumped four small throw pillows and placed two on each end of the couch. He killed the overhead light. The stage was set.

Back in the family room, everyone held brandy snifters half full of Hennessy except Nancy. She sipped from a cup of instant coffee. Shit, coffee, their plan was doomed to failure, thought Stan, as he poured his own brandy.

"Everything set?" asked Jan.

"I wish," said Stan, "oh, yeah, but I'd better set up a couple of TV trays for our brandies to sit on."

"And another for Nancy's coffee."

"Sure thing."

Nancy and Sandy sat at each end of the couch with Bob and Bill in the middle. Jan and Stan plopped down in the Lazy Boys. Stan hit the "play" button on the remote and "The Adventures of Adam Johnson" began to play.

"I love watching movies at home," said Nancy. "You can relax and get up and move around if you want."

After twenty minutes, Jan said, "This is the dullest movie I've ever seen."

"The lady said it starts out slowly and then it picks up," said Stan, and thought, yeah, it gets slower and slower.

Jan stood up and walked over to Bill. She extended her hand to him and said, "Come with me. I still don't understand those Spyders and Diamonds. The guys tried to explain it to me, but it they mucked it all up. Bring your brandy and we'll talk in the kitchen."

"Glad to," said Bill, who had been fidgeting in his seat.

"I'll bet that alligator's going come after Adam and chase him up a tree pretty soon," said Bob with a straight face.

"Tell us about it," said Jan. "that sounds awfully original."

In the kitchen, they topped off their brandy snifters and Bill said, "Thanks for getting me out of there. The budget for that picture must have been three or four thousand dollars."

"You aren't kidding, but I'm not really interested in those snakes and diamonds. I have a surprise for you."

"It's Spyders. What's the surprise?" His eyes lit up.

"Come outside with me and I'll show you." Jan grabbed her purse from the kitchen counter and led Bill outside. She dragged over a small table next to the small "X" marked on the patio bricks and set her brandy on it. She opened her bag and took out a lighter and the fat joint she had rolled.