Some People Never Change
He stood there wondering what had her in such a tizzy to want to even call him to begin with. Well, much to his dismay, he was about to find out. Ned stalked over to the roadside taking in the view, when she again emphatically called his name to gain his attention. He ignored her until finally she had enough.
If he only listened to his gut instinct, he would have realized that Jude had done a job without his help. This was cause for alarm and he'd better beat a hasty pronto, because she'd likely blown it too. Stupid bimbo couldn't plan or pull a heist to save her life, but she was damned good at spending their hard-won proceeds, he thought angrily.
She eyed him haughtily, as though she really didn't need him at all, which got his dander up in a big way; since her call had hurried his ass to see her. She had waited long enough, popped the trunk, walked over grabbing his arm hauling his ass over to the car and demanded he see what waited inside its confines.
Jude whipped him around and jabbed him in the gut to get his attention, proving again that she only saw him as a pawn. Ned didn't want to look, but had to so he could assess the situation and gave a dismayed gasp when he realized what the bitch had done. Hunkered down uncomfortably atop the spare lay a woman who was probably in her late 30s or early 40s. She was tightly bound to the point that the ropes were cutting into her tender skin and she tried not to heave because her gag reeked of gasoline fumes.
Their hostage thought him insane when Ned spun around, planted his hands firmly on Jude's hips, and let fly with language even she hadn't heard. He resisted the urge to shake the crap out of her, because they were in enough hot water, but man was it hard not to do that.
"No way! No f'ng way! You f'ng crazy bitch! Are you out of your freakin' head?"
Jude jutted out her hip and pouted, furious with him for bellowing at her in front of their captive.
"God damn it, Ned. If you'd only listen to what I have in mind. This IS the best one yet and will set us both up for permanent retirement."
"NO! NO! NOOOOO!" he replied angrily, expressing his displeasure with signs that Jude unwisely ignored. "I want nothing to do with any more of your f'ng hair-brained schemes – especially this one. You did the stupidest thing taking this woman, because we'll get caught, guaranteed."
He paused for a long moment and added for emphasis, "There's no f'ng way I'm going for that again," he said hardly. "I served your time in there and paid in more ways than I care to count. I WILL NOT go down for the count because you didn't wait for me to plan something better than this."
"You don't even know what I have in mind," she replied with a wild-eyed giggle. "Think about it, Ned. You got a rap sheet with serious charges. You won't find more than minimum wagers, bucko," she reminded him. "How will you live on that?"
She was right. He'd tried so hard wanting to play it straight. This instant kick into reality with her harsh words made him think twice.
They were doing well until the diamond heist. They always had money enough to afford them a reasonable life together. Unfortunately fate put him with a bitch with an insatiable need of the high life and it had cost him dearly. He had resisted her nagging at first, but eventually caved to shut her up, and that had been his downfall.
He balked when Jude talked him into the diamond heist, because in his gut he knew that she was letting her greed get them into something that was way over their heads. With three bodies as a result, all on account of her insanity, he took the fall and she was still on the run. Was he really as stupid as Uncle Mike said?
"I'll take my chances, Jude," he stated, knowing it was the right decision for him.
He understood too well that going straight would be difficult no matter how kind a spin they put on it. While Ned could stomach working in low-paying jobs for awhile, sensing that his work ethic and gift with engines would eventually get him where he wanted to go, he knew that Jude would never settle for a common job as a waitress or airline stewardess, because she said as much continually.
She ignorantly thought that felons weren't capable of more than crap jobs, when Ned knew otherwise. Hell, he'd thrown over a great job in Arizona and for what? To sit here and listen to a lazy whore bitch about how hard her life was?
Who'd done the time that saddled him with a seemingly dismal future? Not her, that was for sure. She'd gotten off scot free, so she had endless possibilities. Her issues were her shitty attitude towards honest work and her lack of willingness to wait while their hard work paid off for them.
As for where he'd go and what he'd offer others, there'd been the one job and he knew there'd be others because he'd make sure there were. He was good with his hands, patient in his craft, and loyal to his bosses; which always played well in the world. He also had a good heart and a sound mind, two things Jude never did have.
"Whose car is this?" Ned asked crossly when he realized that there was no way this was Jude's Mustang. It held a price tag that was well over her financial level. So, the only thought was that she had boosted it.
Jude tried to walk away because she knew damned well that even when found in a used car lot this ride cost way more than she could ever afford. She also knew that she couldn't fob him off with pat answers forever, because Ned knew where the diamonds were, and that wasn't with her.
Ned tried to keep his anger in check, because he didn't want to terrify their hostage overmuch. He tried, but her constant whining and wheedling grated on his nerves, so he started going ballistic on her. First, he was angry that she turned her back to him and second that she was driving her captive's freaking car!
"How stupid can one bitch be?" he hollered, once he'd gotten them out of hearing range. "Not that I really want to know, because I already do, but whose fucking car is that?"
Jude stubbornly remained mute, not fully comprehending how dangerous Ned was in this mood because she'd never seen him in it. He noted the slope to her shoulders and the determination in her eyes, but persisted because he needed and deserved answers, especially if the bitch expected him to put into this disaster.
"I ain't goin' in blind this time, Jude," he reiterated slowly and concisely, the temperature in his voice dropping a couple of degrees every time he spoke. "I asked you whose car this is and have a right to an answer, since you dragged my ass out here to help you with this nightmare."
Jude wanted desperately to spit in his face. It really was not his freakin' business. As his rage hit explosive levels, he started to shake her violently.
"Who's f'ng car is this!"
"It's hers! It's hers! OK. You happy?" she finally answered just to get him to release her.
Rubbing her arm, Jude was sure she'd have some painful bruises from how tightly he held her.
Ned walked away trying to restrain his fury. "Ned, I needed wheels," she said pleading her case.
"So, you just take hers? Don't ya ever think that the cops will be out looking for her and her wheels? Jesus Christ!"
The woman would never change. Ned lowered his head and shook it from side to side. He knew she was as crazy as they came, but this took the cake.
"I liked the car. And really, like anyone even knows she's missing. Ned, you dick, this is the perfect scam. We ransom this little cutie pie and we're golden. No more heists. No more struggling. Just you, me, and a pot of gold."
He raised his hands to his temples trying to calm himself. She could see he was struggling with the hard reality he had to face. There was no way Jude would ever go straight. She was too cold and heartless to change now.
Surprised with his wrath and amazed by his truly firm decision, she watched him walk away to catch his breath, running his hand through his long ginger hair. His gait and body language read like a red light. He was obviously struggling to do what he knew was right, balancing that need with what he only thought he wanted when she was there distracting him, and what she eagerly pointed out would be impossible to reach.
"Where'd she come from, Jude? Where'd ya pick her up?" Ned pried.
"Some book signing thing in New York City. Ned, it was so easy! I ran up to her begging for her to sign a copy of her book I boosted off the shelf. Told her I had a dying aunt who loved to read her stuff. It's money in the bank, Ned!"
Ned took several calming breaths to clear his head of the rage-induced sense of panic, so he could think through this clearly. Jude noticed his efforts and thought they were pointless, so she spun him to face her, pointed to her right ring finger, and spat,
"Hey, Ned, check out this rock she was wearing," Jude said admiring the engagement ring she'd snatched off the lady's finger. "This has to be worth a small fortune just by itself. I'll bet Two Bits in the Bronx would fence this for us."
Ned walked over and grabbed it away from her, grumbling at her for being such a dim one. He whistled under his breath after he used his loupe on it, because the thing was exquisite and surrounding by an equally stunning band of emeralds and sapphires that easily put the piece into the six-figure range at retail.
"It's at least five carats," he replied while examining it closely and thinking of the small fortune it would provide them. Yet, he knew Jude was so out for herself it was making him physically ill. "Jude, give it back."
"Why are you so freaking sentimental all of a sudden?" Jude barked, furious with him for taking her prize back to the lady that owned it.
"Because it's wrong to keep it. It's probably etched and easily identified, Jude. I'm sure every pawn shop from here to California is on alert if ya try to hock this. Stupid f'ng bitch! Uncle Mike said it best. You're a major liability to an operation, because you never f'ng think things through. Forget it. Do this job yourself. I'm outta here."
"I can't believe yer actually considering going straight. What are you planning to do with yourself? You're a felon. You are a murderer. And yer serious about livin' on the straight and narrow?"
"What's your plan, Ned? Go back to school? Get that GED and maybe get a job in a six by six cubicle some place? Or go live on some f'ng dirty farm in some f'ng stupid little town or out in the woods like Paul f'ng Bunion?"
"If doing that allows me to live a straight life, I'm game, Jude," he returned fire, knowing it was the right decision for him.
With this latest debacle on their hands, he realized in his soul that he'd never have a life with her because she was too damned determined to continue on her path to Hell, and she sure as all heck didn't want to share in his dreams, because they involved hard work to make them come true.
"I know it'll be difficult at first, but I don't want to be a lifer criminal. I was stupid the last time I listened to you; I'd be a true dumbass if I played along with you now." Though it was hard to admit and even harder to say, Ned faced his former sweetheart and said bluntly, "I was stupid to love you and even stupider to try to trust you."
He saw her wince as the darts went home, not because she cared but because she was losing out on his joining her to see this job through. He backed away because he felt like a complete and utter heel. He had fallen in love because his heart was just too big. He had convinced himself that their life as petty criminals was perfect because they were good together, good partners in crime and in the bedroom.
His three years with nothing to do but think had taught him differently and then sealed his newly learned wisdom in his heart. An honest fool can't live with a dishonest one, no matter how much he loves her, because her crookedness will always cause problems for them as a pair. Yep, he was much better off alone or at least alone until he met someone who shared his way of thinking.
"Yer so stupid, Ned," she insulted him, succeeding only in further distancing him from her. "If we played it right, this one job would set us both for life. Just one last time?" she said as she slinked up to him again.
As her hand slid over his chest and down south, his change of heart was coming quickly. He tried really hard to consider his choices, but yeah, one more job would gain him the finances to let him split town and head to Canada. She continued her tirade in a vain effort to keep him focused on doing things her way, he raised his glaring eyes at hers and she saw that he was struggling with his options.
Ned roughly pushed Jude against the Mustang and jabbed his index finger into her heaving chest. His pursed lips and knitted brows were enough information to get the message across without him uttering a word. Ned wasn't going there, not ever again and let alone with her. He walked several paces away again running his hand through his hair trying to stave off the desire to just shoot the bitch and be gone.
"Aww, Ned, your ass still hurt from your time with the big leaguers? How about a little play time with me? You know you want me."
He instantly ran back and grasped her neck with both hands.
"I'd do this now and dump your f'ng body in the river without a thought if I wanted to live the rest of my life in a cage. Unlike your dense mind, mine took in the fresh air and sunshine I got for one lousy hour a day while I was inside. Unlike your frozen heart, mine actually grew and I'm proud of that."
"Unlike you, I'm not proud of what I did to go inside and will not repeat my mistake with you, am I clear about that," he spat as he flung the bitch to the dirt, where he believed she belonged.
"What about the lady in the trunk, Ned? What'll we do about her? If you ain't gonna help me ransom her, then she has to die. I won't let her live and go squeal on us."
By 'us' Ned knew damned well Jude meant herself, but her harsh words reminded him of the innocent, terrified woman in the trunk. Her wild eyes and rapid breathing bothered him, because they meant she was close to losing it. Being a secret gentleman, he had never liked seeing any woman look so terrified, especially when she didn't deserve it.
He was cool with pulling petty thefts because for the most part nobody got hurt. The jewel heist bugged him big time because way too many people got hurt and three had actually died.
He stalked towards his car and made to go, saying curtly,
"If you let her go home now, I doubt she'd squeal."
Ned and Jude watched the brunette-haired lady rapidly nod her head in agreement with him. Jude's eyes grew colder than usual because she sensed that her former beau could fall for the beauty in the trunk if he chose. He had warmth and compassion, traits she lacked. Her hostage had them too, proving that by signing the book that got her into this mess. Those traits would see him into hell soon enough, with Ms. Priss along for the ride if she had anything to say about it.
"See? She has no problem with you. Let her go, now," Ned ordered coldly.
He watched Jude square her shoulders and lengthen her torso as she stated,
"No way she's getting' out of this before I'm rich. She's my ace in the hole, Ned. If you don't go along with this, I'll make your life a living hell; much worse than you thought you had it while in jail."
With his back to the wall, Ned knew he had no choice but to play along with the crazy woman until an opening presented itself. He'd have to figure out a way to undermine Jude's impact on his libido if he had any intentions of getting away unscathed. So, he needed to quickly change his tune and make her think he saw her logic since she was leaving him with little choice.
He restrained his anger with great difficulty, but he did it, saying curtly, "I did my f'ng time and I'm not f'ng going back there. If we do this, we do it my way."
"Whatever you say, big boy. Yer the planner," Jude snickered, thinking she was roping her favorite sap into her plans, when he was actually plotting her downfall.
He watched the woman in the truck shaking with terror. Ned knew she came from money just by the look of her. Where she really came from was anybody's guess as Jude hadn't relinquished the information yet, but he saw she'd picked a winner and heaved a heavy sigh because her kind of money always meant major trouble.
Unlike Jude, Ned understood that money meant power, power meant high-placed friends, and having those always brought serious heartache to anyone that sought to hurt you.
He knew that Jude would never take someone who was a low life, but wished she had this time, because it would've made things much simpler. Ned knew all too well that rich folks didn't take kindly to his kind of folks, and things were now complicated if a rich fiancé from high society was involved. Those kinds of men would easily squash guys like Ned. Jude sensed his dilemma and waited patiently, because she thought a major change of tune was coming.
She thought she had it when he turned to her and spat,
"If she's even half the bitch you are right now, maybe you're right," he pretended to go along with her to get her off his back so he could think things through properly.
He kicked the trunk of the car with his boot making the lady inside cower with intense fear. Ned knew that he had to be convincing so Jude would back off long enough for him to formulate a workable escape plan. "She's all sweetness and light now, but yer right, she'll squeal to heaven as soon as we're gone."
Ned's eyes met the captive's and she stopped squirming because she now feared deeply for her life. There was a cold, hard-hearted look in his eyes. He let her see that and think he was as much a creep as his partner was, but he knew very differently.
"We'll need time to come up with a plan," he stated before walking away, running his hand through his long red hair in a clear sign of his deep agitation. "Shit," he whispered to himself as he sat down on a rock and stared at the ground.
She walked over to him sliding up close. "Just like old times, hey, baby?"
"Why, Jude? Christ, I was just getting back on track and you had to do this," he spat, eyeing her with a heat that had her scared for the first time since they hooked up.
"What's the matter, little pansy have an issue with gettin' tough," Jude pressed, worrying Ned with her insistence. "This is what we're good at, Ned. Let's keep that in mind." Her hand slipped inside his shirt feeling him tense with her touch.
"Aw, Ned, this is so unlike you. Let's have a little fun while we can."
"Fuck off, Jude. As I said, we do this, we do it my way."
The blonde smiled because she thought she had him again, hook, line and sinker. Ned waited for her to go inside, walked to the trunk, and wondered how to broach this to his lady hostage without spooking her, gentled his expression, and said,
"I apologize for this, more than you ever know I wish it never happened."
The lady in the trunk nodded mutely, still suffering the burning in her throat from dehydration and the fumes in the gag. Ned noticed her discomfort, removed the gag, and placed a gentle forefinger over her lips to ensure she remained quiet. He almost danced when she complied so readily, sensing that he had an intelligent and clever woman who was well aware of the circumstances and in time would learn he wasn't the one to be afraid of.