feedback.
Like old buddies, they clapped each other on the back before they bellied up to the mahogany bar for their Buds and waited for a table to clear in the back of the bar. While they waited they dissected every female within eye range, a temporary distraction to pass the time. When a table cleared they beelined to it and yelled their order to a cute waitress who grinned at them. Her skimpy shorts, long legs and tight spandex top did not go unnoticed.
Jack blurted out his story as he played with the long-neck in his hands. When he finally wound down he said, “I need you to tell me if I’m nuts or if I’ve got something going on here.”
Mark removed his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose and then settled the wire rims more firmly before he spoke. “Man, you got something going on here. You took a fucking month off just to work on this! What if you can’t nail it by the end of the month?”
Jack eyed the pudgy man sitting across from him. His dark brown eyes behind his wire rimmed glasses were starting to steam up with his excitement. It looked to Jack like Mark was losing his hair, too. Better not to mention something so personal. Damn, it had been a while since they’d seen each other. “I don’t know, Mark. I just know I gotta do it. What’s your spin on this?”
“Off the top of my head, and it’s a wild guess on my part, I think you’re looking at a bunch of female vigilantes. What’s with that Charles character?”
Jack shrugged.
“Maybe he’s the brains of the outfit. Excuse me but I think you’re giving Nikki too much credit here and, besides, you want it to be her so you can get even with her. How’m I doing so far?”
“To what end? Who? What? Where?”
“How the hell do I know? You just told me the damn story. The only player I know is Nikki. Maybe that Llewellyn babe was their first shot. Hey, it worked, smart ass. She’s gone and it was on your watch. Maybe they’re gearing up for something else. The only thing of interest going on in this town right now is Senator Webster being picked to be Crawford’s running mate. Both parties are sniping at each other. Nothing new there. No big time stuff out of the ordinary is going on at the Bureau. The world is a crazy place these days, Jack.”
Their double burgers and sides of fries arrived along with two more long-necks. The friends wolfed down the burgers and ordered seconds. While they waited, Jack said, “What would you do if you were me?”
“Go home and get under the covers and don’t come out till the end of the month. How the hell should I know what you should do? You’re not going to leave it alone, are you?”
Jack shook his head.
“That’s what I thought.” Mark sighed. “OK, what do you want me to do?”
“You’re pretty much a nine-to-five guy. Help me out at night. See what you can come up with on Charles Martin and Senator Webster. In the morning I’ll drop off the files I’ve accumulated unless you want to go home with me and get them tonight. By the way, how’s your love life?”
“In the dumps like yours. Don’t go there, Jack. You’re gonna owe me for this.”
“Yeah, I know. Good burgers, eh?” Jack said, chomping down on his.
Between mouthfuls of food, Mark asked, “Just how rich is Myra Rutledge?”
“Fortune 500 company. Did I say she’s personal friends of the governor? She called him last night to get me off the property. Don’t you think that’s a stretch?”
Mark belched, then apologized. “Depends on what she’s involved in and what she’s trying to hide. Everyone needs a big gun to call on when their ass is about to be nailed to the wall. It doesn’t get any better than being on a first name basis with the governor of this fine state.”
Jack leaned back in his chair. “You’re my big gun, Mark.”
“God help us both, Jack, if I’m the best you can do.”
Six
“Are you ready, girls?” Myra all but squealed, her face alight with excitement.
“We’re
Like old buddies, they clapped each other on the back before they bellied up to the mahogany bar for their Buds and waited for a table to clear in the back of the bar. While they waited they dissected every female within eye range, a temporary distraction to pass the time. When a table cleared they beelined to it and yelled their order to a cute waitress who grinned at them. Her skimpy shorts, long legs and tight spandex top did not go unnoticed.
Jack blurted out his story as he played with the long-neck in his hands. When he finally wound down he said, “I need you to tell me if I’m nuts or if I’ve got something going on here.”
Mark removed his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose and then settled the wire rims more firmly before he spoke. “Man, you got something going on here. You took a fucking month off just to work on this! What if you can’t nail it by the end of the month?”
Jack eyed the pudgy man sitting across from him. His dark brown eyes behind his wire rimmed glasses were starting to steam up with his excitement. It looked to Jack like Mark was losing his hair, too. Better not to mention something so personal. Damn, it had been a while since they’d seen each other. “I don’t know, Mark. I just know I gotta do it. What’s your spin on this?”
“Off the top of my head, and it’s a wild guess on my part, I think you’re looking at a bunch of female vigilantes. What’s with that Charles character?”
Jack shrugged.
“Maybe he’s the brains of the outfit. Excuse me but I think you’re giving Nikki too much credit here and, besides, you want it to be her so you can get even with her. How’m I doing so far?”
“To what end? Who? What? Where?”
“How the hell do I know? You just told me the damn story. The only player I know is Nikki. Maybe that Llewellyn babe was their first shot. Hey, it worked, smart ass. She’s gone and it was on your watch. Maybe they’re gearing up for something else. The only thing of interest going on in this town right now is Senator Webster being picked to be Crawford’s running mate. Both parties are sniping at each other. Nothing new there. No big time stuff out of the ordinary is going on at the Bureau. The world is a crazy place these days, Jack.”
Their double burgers and sides of fries arrived along with two more long-necks. The friends wolfed down the burgers and ordered seconds. While they waited, Jack said, “What would you do if you were me?”
“Go home and get under the covers and don’t come out till the end of the month. How the hell should I know what you should do? You’re not going to leave it alone, are you?”
Jack shook his head.
“That’s what I thought.” Mark sighed. “OK, what do you want me to do?”
“You’re pretty much a nine-to-five guy. Help me out at night. See what you can come up with on Charles Martin and Senator Webster. In the morning I’ll drop off the files I’ve accumulated unless you want to go home with me and get them tonight. By the way, how’s your love life?”
“In the dumps like yours. Don’t go there, Jack. You’re gonna owe me for this.”
“Yeah, I know. Good burgers, eh?” Jack said, chomping down on his.
Between mouthfuls of food, Mark asked, “Just how rich is Myra Rutledge?”
“Fortune 500 company. Did I say she’s personal friends of the governor? She called him last night to get me off the property. Don’t you think that’s a stretch?”
Mark belched, then apologized. “Depends on what she’s involved in and what she’s trying to hide. Everyone needs a big gun to call on when their ass is about to be nailed to the wall. It doesn’t get any better than being on a first name basis with the governor of this fine state.”
Jack leaned back in his chair. “You’re my big gun, Mark.”
“God help us both, Jack, if I’m the best you can do.”
Six
“Are you ready, girls?” Myra all but squealed, her face alight with excitement.
“We’re
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