was nod his head and hope that the girl didn't change her mind. From the look of shock on her face he didn't know what to expect. She seemed surprised, but Ronald had said that she would go through with it. Fumbling around in his pocket, Tony found the hundred-dollar bill Ronald had given him on the way over. He held it out toward her.
"Hey," Ronald said quickly, "I'm going downstairs to the car for a few minutes. By that time, both of you should be done got together, and when I come back everything should be okay." He stared coldly at Janet. He reached over and patted Tony on the back. "Don't worry, my man," he said with a grin, "just as long as you keep your word and spend the hundred with her, there won't be no problem. Oh yeah, Janet, be sure and don't take anything less than the hundred either, hear, baby?" He flashed her his brightest smile.
All Janet could do was stand and stare stupidly at the old man holding the money. She watched Ronald walk out the door as if she was watching a stage play. This can't be happening to me, she tried to tell herself, but it was all too real.
The trick almost shoved the money into her hand. She stared down at the bill, then realized that she didn't have anything on but a towel. But after a second she knew that it didn't make any difference what she had on. She stared down at the money in her hand. Well, now or never, she told herself, and slowly let the towel drop as tears built up behind her eyes.
It took less than three minutes. As soon as the old man entered her, he let out a yell and she knew he had come. But it didn't make any difference to her how long it took. She knew what she had done and no amount of baths would ever be able to wash away the guilt feelings that she would now carry around in her mind. But for some reason she didn't blame Ronald. She blamed herself. She should have known better. She could hear her father's words ringing in her ears and, at long last, she knew that he had spoken the truth.
FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS all Daddy Cool could do was lie around the hotel. Most of the time was spent in his room staring at the ceiling. His mind was occupied with the mistakes he had made. But still he knew he would have to do something soon.
After the second call from Detroit, he began to sit around the lobby all day until he had the man he stalked down pat. He knew when the man left and just about when he would return. The one woman the man associated with was a tall blonde who wore heavy makeup.
Despite the pain it caused him to move, Daddy Cool began to take exercise daily until he believed he was able to move fast enough to get away. In the early morning hours he practiced constantly with his throwing knives, though there was never any doubt about his skill.
He still had a tendency to brood over his daughter, Janet, even though he realized that was the cause of his being hurt. If he had kept his mind clear, nothing would have happened to him.
On his third day of recuperation, the woman named Sally who had helped him to the hospital came by. He met her in the lobby and bought her a cup of coffee. With the utmost patience, he finally got rid of her, promising to take her out for dinner on the coming weekend. Now more than ever he knew he would have to make his hit and be quick about it. He was becoming too well known. The elderly people sitting around the lobby were becoming overly friendly.
For the first time in his life he became worried about a job. He would have liked to be able to pass up the contract, but he knew he couldn't get out of it. He became nervous, worrying over small things. As a last resort, he went out and rented a car under an assumed name. This way he was sure of getting away fast if something went wrong.
Finally Daddy Cool made up his mind that today would be the day. He had his mark down pat. He knew when the man would arrive once he went out. So he set everything in motion. Taking his bags down, he paid his hotel bill, covering his rent
"Hey," Ronald said quickly, "I'm going downstairs to the car for a few minutes. By that time, both of you should be done got together, and when I come back everything should be okay." He stared coldly at Janet. He reached over and patted Tony on the back. "Don't worry, my man," he said with a grin, "just as long as you keep your word and spend the hundred with her, there won't be no problem. Oh yeah, Janet, be sure and don't take anything less than the hundred either, hear, baby?" He flashed her his brightest smile.
All Janet could do was stand and stare stupidly at the old man holding the money. She watched Ronald walk out the door as if she was watching a stage play. This can't be happening to me, she tried to tell herself, but it was all too real.
The trick almost shoved the money into her hand. She stared down at the bill, then realized that she didn't have anything on but a towel. But after a second she knew that it didn't make any difference what she had on. She stared down at the money in her hand. Well, now or never, she told herself, and slowly let the towel drop as tears built up behind her eyes.
It took less than three minutes. As soon as the old man entered her, he let out a yell and she knew he had come. But it didn't make any difference to her how long it took. She knew what she had done and no amount of baths would ever be able to wash away the guilt feelings that she would now carry around in her mind. But for some reason she didn't blame Ronald. She blamed herself. She should have known better. She could hear her father's words ringing in her ears and, at long last, she knew that he had spoken the truth.
FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS all Daddy Cool could do was lie around the hotel. Most of the time was spent in his room staring at the ceiling. His mind was occupied with the mistakes he had made. But still he knew he would have to do something soon.
After the second call from Detroit, he began to sit around the lobby all day until he had the man he stalked down pat. He knew when the man left and just about when he would return. The one woman the man associated with was a tall blonde who wore heavy makeup.
Despite the pain it caused him to move, Daddy Cool began to take exercise daily until he believed he was able to move fast enough to get away. In the early morning hours he practiced constantly with his throwing knives, though there was never any doubt about his skill.
He still had a tendency to brood over his daughter, Janet, even though he realized that was the cause of his being hurt. If he had kept his mind clear, nothing would have happened to him.
On his third day of recuperation, the woman named Sally who had helped him to the hospital came by. He met her in the lobby and bought her a cup of coffee. With the utmost patience, he finally got rid of her, promising to take her out for dinner on the coming weekend. Now more than ever he knew he would have to make his hit and be quick about it. He was becoming too well known. The elderly people sitting around the lobby were becoming overly friendly.
For the first time in his life he became worried about a job. He would have liked to be able to pass up the contract, but he knew he couldn't get out of it. He became nervous, worrying over small things. As a last resort, he went out and rented a car under an assumed name. This way he was sure of getting away fast if something went wrong.
Finally Daddy Cool made up his mind that today would be the day. He had his mark down pat. He knew when the man would arrive once he went out. So he set everything in motion. Taking his bags down, he paid his hotel bill, covering his rent
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