Sorry that this installment took much longer than I promised!
Swallowing a hardy helping of her glass of scotch, Parker kept a smile plastered on her face as she was told, for the third time, that "Everyone liked Joey". Internally she stewed, 'Well, someone didn't like him because they put a bullet in his skull.'
She had tried being sweet, though it ran against her nature, now it was time to change tactics. The person who said 'you can get more flies with honey than vinegar' had apparently never worked for the Centre or partied with the mob.
In the middle of Benny's story of 'how much everyone liked Joey', Parker cut in sharply, "I guess the person Joey was about to rat out decided he liked living more than he liked Joey."
Benny's words stumbled to a halt, his expression clearly showing that he had never thought about why Joey had been killed. It wasn't his job to think along those lines. No, he just did as he was told. "Joey knew who was selling out to Delano?"
Parker catalogued her new information even as she responded without a moment's hesitation, "Yup. Joey was going to meet Chase Tuesday evening. But, well, he got killed that afternoon."
Sadness overcame Benny's rounded face, "Joey always was looking out for Chase."
"Yes, he was. I guess Joey was worried something would happen to him and that's why he mailed the package to that address. As soon as it arrives there and Chase picks it up, Chase will know who the leak is." She leaned toward Benny and whispered furtively, "And then Chase'll plug the leak. Permanently." With that said, Parker stalked away to her next victim.
Approaching the petite brunette woman who sat watching the dancing couples, Jarod greeted, "Hi, I'm Jarod."
The woman rewarded him with a warm smile, "I'm Gina."
Claiming a chair beside her, Jarod also watched the dancers but couldn't help but skim the crowd for Miss Parker. He found her with a cigarette in one hand, a drink in the other and surrounded by the very wolves Jarod had been trying to keep her away from.
Fighting a sigh of defeat, he turned to the woman he had started this "pretend" for. "You're grandmother Lina is very worried about you," his voice soft and for her ears only.
Gina's eyes flew to his in shock, "You know my grandmother?" her voice no louder than his had been.
A smile sprang onto Jarod's face, "I met her while I was at the grocery story trying to pick out tomatoes. She invited me for dinner and I had the best lasagna I've ever tasted ... and heard all about you."
Dropping her eyes to the ground, Gina softly replied, "She didn't approve of my marriage and now....."
"Now?"
With resolve, Gina met Jarod's eyes, "Now this is my life."
Leaning close, Jarod insisted, "It doesn't have to be. I can help you get away, to live a different kind of life."
Gina's voice turned bitter, "And what would you want in exchange, my testimony, my husband's life, my in-law's lives."
"I'm not with law enforcement or another mafia family. I'm here because your grandmother wanted you to be safe, happy, free."
Fixing her look on a man across the room who was engaged in a conversation with three other men, Gina spoke, "It's not that easy to walk away." Her eyes swung back to Jarod's. "You may call me a fool but I love my husband, in spite of ...well, in spite of everything."
"I'm not here to force you to leave, I'm just here to give you the option to leave. Think it over, Gina." And Jarod rose from his chair and headed toward a group of women discussing the fat grams of the birthday cake.
Finally able to get a moment of solitude, Parker sat in a hidden nook along the courtyard and lit another cigarette. If she had to tell another man about Joey's little fictional package, she was going to put her spiked heel into someone's throat. If her story had garnered any interest, the men had hid it well. But the interest in her, they hadn't even made an attempt to hide.
Taking a long drag on the cigarette, she tried not to cringe as she remembered the pawing she had endured today. How did you say "hands off" to guys who could do anything they wanted to you, here and now. If she had had her gun, she would have said it with a bullet. But here, unarmed, with her life hinging on Chase's and his guest's good graces, she could do little but endure it and escape their presence before they became too bold.
Closing her eyes, hoping to settle her nerves, she remembered Jarod's gentle hands embracing her, his lips caressing hers. She had thought many times of that moment at Elsie's, of her moment of weakness. And every time a twinge of regret had sneaked through her barriers. Now she knew what she had been denied that night. Jarod's kiss was everything she thought it would be, needed it to be. And today he was just pretending.
Her eyes snapped open. "Stop it Parker," she growled. "He's the mouse, you're the cat." Scanning the crowd, she saw her mouse surrounded by three beautiful women. And they were hand feeding him desserts. "You're suppose to be finding Joey's killer, Jarod. Not being the bake off judge."
Grounding her cigarette into the ground, she was about to break up Jarod's party when she saw the scar faced man from the warehouse latch onto the arm of a young man conversing with two men at the side of the courtyard. The scarred man seemed to be angry and he whispered urgently into the young man's ear. Moments later both men were cutting through the dance floor into the house. Sensing that her tale had finally gotten a response, Parker followed the two men into the house.
"Damn it! You told me Joey had nothing concrete," the scarred man's voice was barely audible through the door Parker leaned against.
"He didn't! Well, I didn't think he did but now this woman's here, talking about some package..."
"What woman?"
"You know, the one that came with the new shooter, Jarod."
A curse rent the air. "I shoulda finished them both at the warehouse!"
Suddenly a hand wrapped around Parker's mouth even as an arm snaked around her waist. She was about to go on the attack when Jarod whispered in her ear, "It's me." For a moment she sagged against him in relief as he removed his hand from her mouth. Turning to face Jarod, she breathed, "You scared the hell outta me!"
"Good!" Jarod angrily whispered back. "What are..." but he broke off as the door began to swing open and he yanked Parker clear of the door's swing and into his arms. They remained stock still in one another's arms as the young man stormed out of the room, never bothering to close the door. Soon the scarred man made his exit and slammed the door shut without a backwards glance.
"That was so close," Parker breathed, involuntarily leaning against Jarod's chest in relief.
But a smile was on Jarod's face, "Reminds me of when we were kids, snooping around the Centre."
"Yeah, but being found snooping at the Centre didn't get you killed," she countered but then she became so still that Jarod pulled back and cupped her face with her hands. "That's got to be one of the stupidest things I've ever said," Parker growled.
"When we were kids, we didn't know the risks, the dangers, Miss Parker," Jarod softly remembered.
Parker's eyes turned cold as her voice, "But now I do." She stepped out of his hold and began to head for the courtyard again but Jarod latched onto her arm.
"What did you overhear?"
Meeting Jarod's stern look, Parker announced, "Scarface is our murderer." And she made to walk away but Jarod didn't release his hold on her arm.
"And what, you think Chase is simply going to take your word on that?! He considers "scarface" family, you, he's known only a few hours."
"I can be very convincing," Parker purred.
"This isn't about who tells a better tale. This is about loyalty, family. We need proof, and hard proof at that before Chase will believe any of his men are responsible for Joey's death."
"Alright, well then we'll just have to let things unfold."
"Let what things unfold?" Jarod demanded, as he sensed that Parker wasn't telling him everything. "What exactly did you overhear?"
Parker met Jarod's eyes, "Well, while you were judging the Betty Crocker bakeoff, I was working on getting out of here alive. I put out some bait and apparently I got a fish on the line."
"What bait?" Jarod's voice hedged on a reprimand.
But Parker smiled proudly, "Well, apparently Joey, before he met his untimely demise, was trying to figure out who was leaking information to someone named Delano. I let it be known that Joey took precautions and mailed his evidence to an address where Chase will be able to pick it up."
Jarod seized onto Parker's arms, "And you gave them the impression that you knew the address?!"
Parker smiled deviously, "I never said that."
"Damn it!" Jarod exploded and jerked Parker to be only inches away from him, his eyes boring into hers. "I thought you wanted to get off the hit list, not top it! Now if Chase doesn't kill you, Joey's murderer will! How could you be so stupid!?!"
With surprising ease, Parker flung off Jarod's hold and snarled, "I'm not stupid, Jarod! I did what was necessary to survive. You think you can just burrow down somewhere and you'll survive. Well, life doesn't work that way Jarod. In life you sometimes have to risk everything to win."
Jarod's voice was soft, sad, "And you're all about winning."
"I'm about surviving, Jarod!" When she continued her voice was full of sad conviction, "And only winners survive. My mother's fate won't be mine."
TBC
Swallowing a hardy helping of her glass of scotch, Parker kept a smile plastered on her face as she was told, for the third time, that "Everyone liked Joey". Internally she stewed, 'Well, someone didn't like him because they put a bullet in his skull.'
She had tried being sweet, though it ran against her nature, now it was time to change tactics. The person who said 'you can get more flies with honey than vinegar' had apparently never worked for the Centre or partied with the mob.
In the middle of Benny's story of 'how much everyone liked Joey', Parker cut in sharply, "I guess the person Joey was about to rat out decided he liked living more than he liked Joey."
Benny's words stumbled to a halt, his expression clearly showing that he had never thought about why Joey had been killed. It wasn't his job to think along those lines. No, he just did as he was told. "Joey knew who was selling out to Delano?"
Parker catalogued her new information even as she responded without a moment's hesitation, "Yup. Joey was going to meet Chase Tuesday evening. But, well, he got killed that afternoon."
Sadness overcame Benny's rounded face, "Joey always was looking out for Chase."
"Yes, he was. I guess Joey was worried something would happen to him and that's why he mailed the package to that address. As soon as it arrives there and Chase picks it up, Chase will know who the leak is." She leaned toward Benny and whispered furtively, "And then Chase'll plug the leak. Permanently." With that said, Parker stalked away to her next victim.
Approaching the petite brunette woman who sat watching the dancing couples, Jarod greeted, "Hi, I'm Jarod."
The woman rewarded him with a warm smile, "I'm Gina."
Claiming a chair beside her, Jarod also watched the dancers but couldn't help but skim the crowd for Miss Parker. He found her with a cigarette in one hand, a drink in the other and surrounded by the very wolves Jarod had been trying to keep her away from.
Fighting a sigh of defeat, he turned to the woman he had started this "pretend" for. "You're grandmother Lina is very worried about you," his voice soft and for her ears only.
Gina's eyes flew to his in shock, "You know my grandmother?" her voice no louder than his had been.
A smile sprang onto Jarod's face, "I met her while I was at the grocery story trying to pick out tomatoes. She invited me for dinner and I had the best lasagna I've ever tasted ... and heard all about you."
Dropping her eyes to the ground, Gina softly replied, "She didn't approve of my marriage and now....."
"Now?"
With resolve, Gina met Jarod's eyes, "Now this is my life."
Leaning close, Jarod insisted, "It doesn't have to be. I can help you get away, to live a different kind of life."
Gina's voice turned bitter, "And what would you want in exchange, my testimony, my husband's life, my in-law's lives."
"I'm not with law enforcement or another mafia family. I'm here because your grandmother wanted you to be safe, happy, free."
Fixing her look on a man across the room who was engaged in a conversation with three other men, Gina spoke, "It's not that easy to walk away." Her eyes swung back to Jarod's. "You may call me a fool but I love my husband, in spite of ...well, in spite of everything."
"I'm not here to force you to leave, I'm just here to give you the option to leave. Think it over, Gina." And Jarod rose from his chair and headed toward a group of women discussing the fat grams of the birthday cake.
Finally able to get a moment of solitude, Parker sat in a hidden nook along the courtyard and lit another cigarette. If she had to tell another man about Joey's little fictional package, she was going to put her spiked heel into someone's throat. If her story had garnered any interest, the men had hid it well. But the interest in her, they hadn't even made an attempt to hide.
Taking a long drag on the cigarette, she tried not to cringe as she remembered the pawing she had endured today. How did you say "hands off" to guys who could do anything they wanted to you, here and now. If she had had her gun, she would have said it with a bullet. But here, unarmed, with her life hinging on Chase's and his guest's good graces, she could do little but endure it and escape their presence before they became too bold.
Closing her eyes, hoping to settle her nerves, she remembered Jarod's gentle hands embracing her, his lips caressing hers. She had thought many times of that moment at Elsie's, of her moment of weakness. And every time a twinge of regret had sneaked through her barriers. Now she knew what she had been denied that night. Jarod's kiss was everything she thought it would be, needed it to be. And today he was just pretending.
Her eyes snapped open. "Stop it Parker," she growled. "He's the mouse, you're the cat." Scanning the crowd, she saw her mouse surrounded by three beautiful women. And they were hand feeding him desserts. "You're suppose to be finding Joey's killer, Jarod. Not being the bake off judge."
Grounding her cigarette into the ground, she was about to break up Jarod's party when she saw the scar faced man from the warehouse latch onto the arm of a young man conversing with two men at the side of the courtyard. The scarred man seemed to be angry and he whispered urgently into the young man's ear. Moments later both men were cutting through the dance floor into the house. Sensing that her tale had finally gotten a response, Parker followed the two men into the house.
"Damn it! You told me Joey had nothing concrete," the scarred man's voice was barely audible through the door Parker leaned against.
"He didn't! Well, I didn't think he did but now this woman's here, talking about some package..."
"What woman?"
"You know, the one that came with the new shooter, Jarod."
A curse rent the air. "I shoulda finished them both at the warehouse!"
Suddenly a hand wrapped around Parker's mouth even as an arm snaked around her waist. She was about to go on the attack when Jarod whispered in her ear, "It's me." For a moment she sagged against him in relief as he removed his hand from her mouth. Turning to face Jarod, she breathed, "You scared the hell outta me!"
"Good!" Jarod angrily whispered back. "What are..." but he broke off as the door began to swing open and he yanked Parker clear of the door's swing and into his arms. They remained stock still in one another's arms as the young man stormed out of the room, never bothering to close the door. Soon the scarred man made his exit and slammed the door shut without a backwards glance.
"That was so close," Parker breathed, involuntarily leaning against Jarod's chest in relief.
But a smile was on Jarod's face, "Reminds me of when we were kids, snooping around the Centre."
"Yeah, but being found snooping at the Centre didn't get you killed," she countered but then she became so still that Jarod pulled back and cupped her face with her hands. "That's got to be one of the stupidest things I've ever said," Parker growled.
"When we were kids, we didn't know the risks, the dangers, Miss Parker," Jarod softly remembered.
Parker's eyes turned cold as her voice, "But now I do." She stepped out of his hold and began to head for the courtyard again but Jarod latched onto her arm.
"What did you overhear?"
Meeting Jarod's stern look, Parker announced, "Scarface is our murderer." And she made to walk away but Jarod didn't release his hold on her arm.
"And what, you think Chase is simply going to take your word on that?! He considers "scarface" family, you, he's known only a few hours."
"I can be very convincing," Parker purred.
"This isn't about who tells a better tale. This is about loyalty, family. We need proof, and hard proof at that before Chase will believe any of his men are responsible for Joey's death."
"Alright, well then we'll just have to let things unfold."
"Let what things unfold?" Jarod demanded, as he sensed that Parker wasn't telling him everything. "What exactly did you overhear?"
Parker met Jarod's eyes, "Well, while you were judging the Betty Crocker bakeoff, I was working on getting out of here alive. I put out some bait and apparently I got a fish on the line."
"What bait?" Jarod's voice hedged on a reprimand.
But Parker smiled proudly, "Well, apparently Joey, before he met his untimely demise, was trying to figure out who was leaking information to someone named Delano. I let it be known that Joey took precautions and mailed his evidence to an address where Chase will be able to pick it up."
Jarod seized onto Parker's arms, "And you gave them the impression that you knew the address?!"
Parker smiled deviously, "I never said that."
"Damn it!" Jarod exploded and jerked Parker to be only inches away from him, his eyes boring into hers. "I thought you wanted to get off the hit list, not top it! Now if Chase doesn't kill you, Joey's murderer will! How could you be so stupid!?!"
With surprising ease, Parker flung off Jarod's hold and snarled, "I'm not stupid, Jarod! I did what was necessary to survive. You think you can just burrow down somewhere and you'll survive. Well, life doesn't work that way Jarod. In life you sometimes have to risk everything to win."
Jarod's voice was soft, sad, "And you're all about winning."
"I'm about surviving, Jarod!" When she continued her voice was full of sad conviction, "And only winners survive. My mother's fate won't be mine."
TBC