Sticks and Stones
(Alyssa Chau Series #1)
Notes and Disclosures: Most of the characters and settings in this story are borrowed from the amazing world of Stephanie Plum by Janet Evanovich. Some of the plot similarities come from her first book in the series, "One for the Money." I am not making a profit from this story.
A/N: This is my first attempt at fanfiction so please be kind! I would love for the readers to review and provide me with ideas and constructive criticism. I discovered fanfiction a couple of months ago and have been obsessed since! I am a Ranger fan through and through and I hope that I do him justice.
I have replaced Stephanie Plum with my own original character Alyssa Chau. Although Alyssa does possess some of Stephanie's characteristics she is of my own creation. I love Stephanie but I wanted to insert my own character to play in the world of Plum and hopefully if it's well-received, I will continue with a series. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I enjoy writing it!
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" I screamed at the tow truck driver extending my right hand up gripping onto… Butchy's arm —let's call him Butchy for the moment, he looks like a Butchy.
I stood there for a few seconds gasping for air. I only ran down a flight of stairs from my apartment complex to the parking lot.
Damn. I'm in really bad shape.
"What are you doing with my car," I asked a little shriller than I anticipated.
"Lady, it's not your car. It's property of Lowenstein and Goldberg on account that you're several months behind on your payments," he responded in a perturbed voice.
"Please, don't take my car. I was going to make a payment tomorrow!" I pleaded. I squeezed my eyes tightly trying to push out a tear. Nothing.
Damn.
"Look lady. I'm just here to repossess your car. If you want to work it out you need to call your bank. This little lady is now lying in my bed and I don't intend to let her off it." He secured the harnesses and stepped around to the driver side of the truck, got in and pulled out of the parking lot.
I stood there as I watched my beautiful electric blue mustang convertible disappear off into the distance. I could feel a huge lump forming in my throat. I swallowed hard to choke back the tears that came too late. Leave it up to me to always have a delayed reaction, comeback, anything.
Feeling defeated, I walked back into my apartment building, stepped into the elevator and made my way up to the second floor. I stepped up to my apartment door, reached out and grabbed the door knob and pushed. Nothing.
Damn! I locked myself out.
"Wow, this is the start of a really great morning" I grumbled stepping back into the elevator descending down to the ground floor.
I approached single apartment door on the ground level and knocked. Five seconds later the door opened and I was standing face to face with a friendly, smiling face with messy brown tousled hair − the building super, Dillon.
He looked at me and smiled warmly, "Locked yourself out again?"
"Yes," I replied warily.
"Come on in while I grab the keys. Have you had breakfast?"
As if on cue, a monstrous gurgling filled the room. I peered down at my stomach and groaned. With this morning's excitement, I haven't had a chance to eat or enjoy my morning coffee. I was suddenly feeling nauseous.
Dillon chuckled and pointed in the direction of the kitchen, "There's a bag of donuts on the kitchen table. Help yourself."
"Dillion, you're a god among men!" I shouted while pulling a Boston cream out of the bag inhaling it.
While licking the corners of my mouth and fingers with satisfaction, a soft moan slipped through my lips as I held my eyes closed − Heaven.
Dillon stepped out of his bedroom and dangled the keys, "Shall we?"
I nodded my head eagerly, "Thank you."
xxxxxxxxxxxx
I walked back into my one bedroom apartment. It wasn't much but it was home. It was an old building and the units were all industrial designed with a warehouse-like feeling with high ceilings, metal beams, cement walls, and metal window frames. It had character.
I looked over at the window and scrunched up my nose at a sad looking creature with wilting limbs sprawled all over the window sill.
Pfft.
The woman at Sunshine Nursery told me that it was next to impossible to kill this stinking plant. "It's an easy care household plant that doesn't need much sunlight and rarely needs watering," I thought in a mocking voice.
Easy care. Ha! Once again I defy the odds!
I reached out and lifted one of the wilting limbs and felt a pang of sadness. I can't seem to keep things alive in my life for very long.
I quickly showered, threw on a bathrobe, and pulled my long, sleek, straight, black hair into a high ponytail, puckered my bottom lip out and blew my wispy bangs out of my face and drew another deep breath.
"Today I will get a job!" I told myself in the mirror determined to not let this day get started off on the wrong foot regardless of this morning's circumstances.
I kind of didn't have a choice…rent was due next week. And all I had was —nothing.
As the coffeepot began making a satisfying whirring, gargling sound, I felt instantly gratified as the kitchen filled with the aroma of coffee.
I walked over to my laptop and logged onto my bank account…I scrunched up my nose…I had $603.45. I plopped down at the kitchen table banging my head down into the table and groaned out loud.
The phone rang. I stood up and grabbed it. I squeezed my eyes closed and held my breath. "Hello," I responded cautiously.
Please don't be a debt collector. Please don't let it be a debt collector.
"Alyssa Chau! What are you doing?" a shrill high-pitched voice screamed through the phone. The voice belonged to my friend Misty Plum. I wouldn't call Misty my best friend but she was pretty much my only friend currently. So I guess by default she would be my best friend, I grimaced.
"Nothing at the moment. Are you on your way into the office?"
"I told Elliot that I was going to be out of the office the whole day at client meetings. So I'm free the whole day! Want to go shopping?"
"You know I can't go shopping. I don't have any money. I don't have a job remember?" I replied dryly.
I've been unemployed for nearly six months now. Misty and I had worked together at E.E. Martin as lingerie buyers for about five years. From day one, Misty latched her talons onto me and hasn't let go since.
Unfortunately, six months ago E.E. Martin announced that they were being bought out by Baldicott, Inc. Baldicott being a larger, well-established company, already had a fully staffed department of buyers. So they only had room to transfer one buyer from E.E. Martin and I got the shaft.
I can't say that it was much of a surprise to me. The professional reason to choose Misty over me – in addition to her two more years of sales experience than mine – is that she is a natural negotiator.
She could negotiate the pants right off of you. The common perception of why Misty got chosen over me was because she could literally charm the pants off of you. It was obvious our boss, Elliott, had a thing for her.
So, this has left me jobless the past six months. I have nothing left in my savings account; my cupboards are bare except for a jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, two boxes of Kraft macaroni and cheese and a bottle of soy sauce.
"You're so not fun anymore!" Misty cried out. "All you ever talk about is no job this and no money that. I'm tired of it already! I need my friend back."
"Well, I'm so sorry that my life has caused so many complications for you, Mis. You know that I want to go on a shopping spree more than anything in this world. But, I haven't been able to find a job yet. The job market is bled dry," I responded impatiently.
"Well, I think I have a solution for you. My cousin, Vinnie, just happens to have an opening at his office for a file clerk."
"Do you know how much it pays?" I asked not really thrilled about moving backwards in my career path.
"It's probably a crap job that pays minimum wage, but a job's a job right now in this economy right?"
She was right. Beggars can't be choosers and it'll only be a temporary setback. "You're right, Mis. I really appreciate your looking out for me."
"Great! Meet me at the office at eleven. It's located off Hamilton and Olden. In the meantime, you sure you don't want to go shopping and grab lunch?"
"Sorry, I wish I could but I need to go get myself a new car."
"What happened to your car?"
"Repo."
"Man, I'm sorry. That really blows. I know how much you loved that car. Maybe, you'll be able to find something better!"
Yeah right. That's, Misty for you, always the optimist.
"Well, I'll see you later then. Tonight we'll go dancing to celebrate your new job! Good luck with the car!" she shouted as she disconnected.
I pulled on a light gray pencil skirt, a sheer powder pink sleeveless wrap blouse with ruffles down the front, light gray three-quarter length matching blazer, and a pair of pink one-inch pumps. I gave myself the once over in the mirror to make sure I didn't have a random panty hanging out of the back of my waistband or anything else seemingly out of the ordinary.
"Not too shabby, Chau. Today is the day you'll finally be employed again," I reassured myself.
I locked up the apartment and walked three blocks down to Blue Ribbon Used Cars. Sitting in the front lot was a two-door Chevy Nova that was barely recognizable as a car.
I think the car is supposed to be red but you could barely see any of the original paint on the car as it was covered from head to toe in rust. I got the car for a steal at $500 and they even paid for my registration and taxes.
It was a scorcher of a day. The A/C was busted in the car so I had to roll down all of the windows. No power windows here. The AM/FM radio didn't work but it was equipped with a cassette player.
"Cassette player…I am the spitting image of awesomeness,"I muttered sarcastically scrunching my nose.
I pulled my new ride into my parking lot remembering one very special cassette tape from my youth.
I sprinted up the stairs with my mind focused on grabbing the tape out of the brown shoebox, with the pretty pink ribbon wrapped around it, carefully sitting in the far back corners of my closet.