glanced
toward it, taking in the second man. Neither were wearing ski masks this time,
and she saw their faces for the first time. The bodyguard Tony had assigned to
watch her those few weeks before she left was standing at the window. The other
man was completely unknown to her.
Faking a calm she wasn’t feeling, Marilee addressed the
bodyguard, forcing her voice to appear composed. “Ah, Karl, now I know why you
wore a ski mask. You knew I’d never get in the car with you otherwise.”
“That’s right, Mrs. Ferguson,” he said, his habitual scowl
more pronounced than ever.
“Well, you surprise me. I didn’t think you’d stoop to actual
murder, even for Tony.”
“What are you talkin’ about? We ain’t goin’ to kill anybody.”
His voice was gruff, his face flushed with anger.
“Oh? What were you planning to do? Take me for a Sunday
drive in the park?” Her own anger began to rise, giving her control over her
shaking muscles.
“We’re just goin’ to bring you back to Tony, that’s all.” He
took a step towards her, and she nearly took one back away from him, but held
her ground, standing a little straighter. She was still the boss’s wife. For
how much longer she didn’t know but she slipped into the role of authority at
once to see if it would gain her a release.
“How much is he paying you to kill me?”
“Why do you think he’s goin’ to kill you? You should know
Tony better than that. You’re his wife, and he never lets nothin’ of his go. Never.
So he wants you home. Period.”
“The period part I believe. It’s the going home part I’m not
sure of.”
“Mrs. Ferguson,” Karl said, frustration beginning to color
his voice. “My instructions are to collect you and bring you home to Tony. I’m
not bein’ paid to kill you or hurt you in any way, just to make sure you come
with us.
“You’ve already cost us extra time and effort, and Tony’s
not happy. He said this time to make sure you didn’t get away, but to bring you
with us right now.” He took another step in her direction.
Marilee moved this time, trying to keep distance between
them. She backed to the middle of the room, wishing it were suddenly much
bigger so she could put even more space between them.
She thought frantically about what she could do. She looked
at both men, trying to judge her options. The man by the door hadn’t moved
since letting her go but was watching her closely.
She turned back to the man she knew. “Look, Karl, I don’t
have a lot of money, but what if I give you what I’ve got, and you just tell
Tony you couldn’t find me? He doesn’t really want me back. He wants me dead. I
heard him say so on the telephone. Tell him anything. Tell him I’ve been hit by
a car and killed. I’ll give you the money, and then we can all go our own ways.”
She knew she was pleading with him, but she couldn’t go back to Tony. Not now. Not
ever.
Karl looked at the other man, but a small negative shake of
his head brought Karl’s eyes back to Marilee. “I don’t want any trouble, Mrs.
Ferguson, but Tony said I gotta bring you home, and that’s what I gotta do.”
“But, Karl, I–”
“No buts, Mrs. F.” The deep voice of the second man broke
into her sentence. “Now, we can do this two ways. Y’can come peacefully or we
can tie y’up ‘n’ drag ya with us. It don’t matter t’me. Only thing th’t matters
is yer goin’ with us. We’ve packed yer duffel bag with enough t’get ya home. Chicago’s
lovely this time of year,” the sneer in his voice was unmistakable. “Now, let’s
go.”
“Please,” she implored, and hated the weakness her voice
showed, but she was desperate. “Please don’t take me back. Please. Tony will
kill me. Do you want to be part of that? It will be your guilt as much as his
if you take me to him. Please let me stay!” Tears were coursing down her
cheeks, but she ignored them.
“We don’ work for ya, Mrs. F. We work for Mr. F. an’ we do
what
toward it, taking in the second man. Neither were wearing ski masks this time,
and she saw their faces for the first time. The bodyguard Tony had assigned to
watch her those few weeks before she left was standing at the window. The other
man was completely unknown to her.
Faking a calm she wasn’t feeling, Marilee addressed the
bodyguard, forcing her voice to appear composed. “Ah, Karl, now I know why you
wore a ski mask. You knew I’d never get in the car with you otherwise.”
“That’s right, Mrs. Ferguson,” he said, his habitual scowl
more pronounced than ever.
“Well, you surprise me. I didn’t think you’d stoop to actual
murder, even for Tony.”
“What are you talkin’ about? We ain’t goin’ to kill anybody.”
His voice was gruff, his face flushed with anger.
“Oh? What were you planning to do? Take me for a Sunday
drive in the park?” Her own anger began to rise, giving her control over her
shaking muscles.
“We’re just goin’ to bring you back to Tony, that’s all.” He
took a step towards her, and she nearly took one back away from him, but held
her ground, standing a little straighter. She was still the boss’s wife. For
how much longer she didn’t know but she slipped into the role of authority at
once to see if it would gain her a release.
“How much is he paying you to kill me?”
“Why do you think he’s goin’ to kill you? You should know
Tony better than that. You’re his wife, and he never lets nothin’ of his go. Never.
So he wants you home. Period.”
“The period part I believe. It’s the going home part I’m not
sure of.”
“Mrs. Ferguson,” Karl said, frustration beginning to color
his voice. “My instructions are to collect you and bring you home to Tony. I’m
not bein’ paid to kill you or hurt you in any way, just to make sure you come
with us.
“You’ve already cost us extra time and effort, and Tony’s
not happy. He said this time to make sure you didn’t get away, but to bring you
with us right now.” He took another step in her direction.
Marilee moved this time, trying to keep distance between
them. She backed to the middle of the room, wishing it were suddenly much
bigger so she could put even more space between them.
She thought frantically about what she could do. She looked
at both men, trying to judge her options. The man by the door hadn’t moved
since letting her go but was watching her closely.
She turned back to the man she knew. “Look, Karl, I don’t
have a lot of money, but what if I give you what I’ve got, and you just tell
Tony you couldn’t find me? He doesn’t really want me back. He wants me dead. I
heard him say so on the telephone. Tell him anything. Tell him I’ve been hit by
a car and killed. I’ll give you the money, and then we can all go our own ways.”
She knew she was pleading with him, but she couldn’t go back to Tony. Not now. Not
ever.
Karl looked at the other man, but a small negative shake of
his head brought Karl’s eyes back to Marilee. “I don’t want any trouble, Mrs.
Ferguson, but Tony said I gotta bring you home, and that’s what I gotta do.”
“But, Karl, I–”
“No buts, Mrs. F.” The deep voice of the second man broke
into her sentence. “Now, we can do this two ways. Y’can come peacefully or we
can tie y’up ‘n’ drag ya with us. It don’t matter t’me. Only thing th’t matters
is yer goin’ with us. We’ve packed yer duffel bag with enough t’get ya home. Chicago’s
lovely this time of year,” the sneer in his voice was unmistakable. “Now, let’s
go.”
“Please,” she implored, and hated the weakness her voice
showed, but she was desperate. “Please don’t take me back. Please. Tony will
kill me. Do you want to be part of that? It will be your guilt as much as his
if you take me to him. Please let me stay!” Tears were coursing down her
cheeks, but she ignored them.
“We don’ work for ya, Mrs. F. We work for Mr. F. an’ we do
what
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