Cory paced in the small apartment. Every sound she heard made her jump. It
had now been close to twelve hours since she'd last seen from Jesse and
there was still no sign of him at all. Jesse hadn't left the county, she
knew that by the amount of clothes that still remained in his room, and he
hadn't gone of with anybody. Jesse would never do that to. The only other
explanation was that Jesse was being held against his will.
"He's been here for a week and a half," She thought out loud, "and he couldn't possibly have any enemies. He's too lovable anyway." She thought of Jesse with his big blue eyes and dark, chocolate hair. He wasn't scrawny but he wasn't muscular, instead he was a combination of both, he was perfection.
The phone next to her rang and she jumped a foot in the air, swearing at her absurd behavior.
"Hello? Jesse?" She answered quickly. Her hopes soared, but the voice on the other end of the phone sent her hopes crashing to the ground.
"Cory? It's Monica." She sounded distant and far away, probably on a cell phone, Cory figured. "We talked to Reeve Dellums, and he said that Jesse was messed up with a guy named Bryon Sanchez, it seems to be a betting thing. Do you have any idea what they're talking about?"
Cory racked her brain, in the entire week and a half Jesse had been here, Cory had never once heard of Bryon Sanchez, let alone Jesse's gambling. "No, I have no idea. And you're sure this is correct? It's not false information, one of those 'look-the-other-way' tactics?"
"Positive. Bobby and I are on our way to see Bryon Sanchez. T.C. wants up undercover as gamblers and get close to him. T.C. also seems to think that Bryon is going to know where Jesse is, whether or not he's responsible for the disappearance is still undetermined."
"OK. Call me when you find out more information." Cory was about the hang up when she paused. "Monica? Please hurry, this isn't just some stranger. This is my best friend."
Monica hung up and tried to keep the tears from springing to her eyes. Cory was so desperate to find Jesse, it was clear from her voice and attitude. Monica made it her personal goal to find Jesse, to find him alive.
The apartment said to be Bryon's was in the classy section of town, where condo's were regulars and the apartments started at one thousand and five hundred dollars a month. Bryon's apartment was one of the large, more expensive, and fancier apartments in the vicinity. It was clear to Bobby, as he waited for the elevator to reach the fourth floor that Bryon was very good at what he did.
"Do you know anything about betting?" He asked in a hushed voice.
"Let me take care of myself. I've grown up around football, and I used to be in a pool." She told him.
"Glad one of us does. OK, so it's like we discussed in the car. We're engaged, just moved here, and we're looking to make some cash quick so that we can get this wedding underway."
"Think he'll buy it?" She doubted very seriously if anybody would believe she and Bobby were engaged. Shaking her head, she scolded herself. Now was certainly not the time to have doubts.
Bobby seemed to agree with her because he looked at her and said sternly, "We'll make him believe."
Taking her hand, he led her to apartment number 438. After knocking he heard rustling as, he assumed, Bryon made his way to the door. "Yes?" He asked as he opened the door a crack.
"Mr. Sanchez? I'm Bobby Cortez and this is my fiancee Monica Williams."
"That's nice to know." He said slowly, unclear as to what they wanted.
"Mr. Sanchez, Bobby and I are getting married in a few weeks, and I really like this dress. The thing is, it's way over our price range. Ultimately, I was hopping to get into your football pool." Monica told him, rather convincingly.
Bryon frowned, then opened the door to let the pair step in. "How did you hear about my pool?"
Monica threw a glance at Bobby. "You're very well-known, Mr. Sanchez-"
"Call me Bryon, please." He interrupted her then nodded for her to continue.
"OK, well Bryon, you're very notable, as I mentioned already. Quite a few people have had good things to say about you."
Bobby restrained himself from huffing and looked at Monica. He was amazed at how well she improvised their story, especially since they didn't have much time to get a good story together.
"I normally don't let people place bets after Thursday." He started. Monica sucked in her breath; they had to get into the pool today, Jesse's life depended on it. "However, you people seem decent. What game are you betting on?"
Monica glanced at Bobby, they'd completely forgot to figure that out. Not to mention that Bobby wasn't much of a football fan. "The Patriots versus Packers."
Bryon smiled and walked to his desk where his chart was sitting. "OK, my starting rate is fifty dollars."
"We'll put in one hundred." Bobby piped up. "I've got a good feeling about this."
"He's been here for a week and a half," She thought out loud, "and he couldn't possibly have any enemies. He's too lovable anyway." She thought of Jesse with his big blue eyes and dark, chocolate hair. He wasn't scrawny but he wasn't muscular, instead he was a combination of both, he was perfection.
The phone next to her rang and she jumped a foot in the air, swearing at her absurd behavior.
"Hello? Jesse?" She answered quickly. Her hopes soared, but the voice on the other end of the phone sent her hopes crashing to the ground.
"Cory? It's Monica." She sounded distant and far away, probably on a cell phone, Cory figured. "We talked to Reeve Dellums, and he said that Jesse was messed up with a guy named Bryon Sanchez, it seems to be a betting thing. Do you have any idea what they're talking about?"
Cory racked her brain, in the entire week and a half Jesse had been here, Cory had never once heard of Bryon Sanchez, let alone Jesse's gambling. "No, I have no idea. And you're sure this is correct? It's not false information, one of those 'look-the-other-way' tactics?"
"Positive. Bobby and I are on our way to see Bryon Sanchez. T.C. wants up undercover as gamblers and get close to him. T.C. also seems to think that Bryon is going to know where Jesse is, whether or not he's responsible for the disappearance is still undetermined."
"OK. Call me when you find out more information." Cory was about the hang up when she paused. "Monica? Please hurry, this isn't just some stranger. This is my best friend."
Monica hung up and tried to keep the tears from springing to her eyes. Cory was so desperate to find Jesse, it was clear from her voice and attitude. Monica made it her personal goal to find Jesse, to find him alive.
The apartment said to be Bryon's was in the classy section of town, where condo's were regulars and the apartments started at one thousand and five hundred dollars a month. Bryon's apartment was one of the large, more expensive, and fancier apartments in the vicinity. It was clear to Bobby, as he waited for the elevator to reach the fourth floor that Bryon was very good at what he did.
"Do you know anything about betting?" He asked in a hushed voice.
"Let me take care of myself. I've grown up around football, and I used to be in a pool." She told him.
"Glad one of us does. OK, so it's like we discussed in the car. We're engaged, just moved here, and we're looking to make some cash quick so that we can get this wedding underway."
"Think he'll buy it?" She doubted very seriously if anybody would believe she and Bobby were engaged. Shaking her head, she scolded herself. Now was certainly not the time to have doubts.
Bobby seemed to agree with her because he looked at her and said sternly, "We'll make him believe."
Taking her hand, he led her to apartment number 438. After knocking he heard rustling as, he assumed, Bryon made his way to the door. "Yes?" He asked as he opened the door a crack.
"Mr. Sanchez? I'm Bobby Cortez and this is my fiancee Monica Williams."
"That's nice to know." He said slowly, unclear as to what they wanted.
"Mr. Sanchez, Bobby and I are getting married in a few weeks, and I really like this dress. The thing is, it's way over our price range. Ultimately, I was hopping to get into your football pool." Monica told him, rather convincingly.
Bryon frowned, then opened the door to let the pair step in. "How did you hear about my pool?"
Monica threw a glance at Bobby. "You're very well-known, Mr. Sanchez-"
"Call me Bryon, please." He interrupted her then nodded for her to continue.
"OK, well Bryon, you're very notable, as I mentioned already. Quite a few people have had good things to say about you."
Bobby restrained himself from huffing and looked at Monica. He was amazed at how well she improvised their story, especially since they didn't have much time to get a good story together.
"I normally don't let people place bets after Thursday." He started. Monica sucked in her breath; they had to get into the pool today, Jesse's life depended on it. "However, you people seem decent. What game are you betting on?"
Monica glanced at Bobby, they'd completely forgot to figure that out. Not to mention that Bobby wasn't much of a football fan. "The Patriots versus Packers."
Bryon smiled and walked to his desk where his chart was sitting. "OK, my starting rate is fifty dollars."
"We'll put in one hundred." Bobby piped up. "I've got a good feeling about this."