PayBack

She glanced at her watch and took a swig of her Scotch and soda as she waited in a booth at The Rodeo Bar. She looked around and sneered at the sight of a deer head stuck high up on the wall proudly staring her way. She looked over at the men at the bar and thought some of them were mighty fine. She smiled at one when he looked her way. She could do without those cowboy hats though, she thought. After scoping out the scenery she turned her head around to see who was coming through the doors. It was just another man with a big belt buckle, and a cowboy hat that strolled through.

"They're fucking late, damn it," she grumbled impatiently.

She began to text her again but jumped and cringed when she heard pots and pans fall and clang loudly onto the floor coming from the bar's kitchen. The sound of metal clanking together always gave her the chills. She knew why and it was rather fitting actually that she would hear that sound while she was waiting for those two bimbos. After all, it was them that were the new partners in crime now. She smiled sinisterly.

Jolene Parker hated how metal sounded clanking together. It felt so cold to her and loud and solid. It freaked her out every time she heard it. She knew that the sound of prison cell doors clanking regularly would upset anyone if they heard it enough.

The metallic sound made her think back to how she got into this money making scheme. She had one of the best opportunities fall in her lap and she was psyched about it. The funny thing was, she would have done it for half the price after the way Nick treated her in that hospital. Who the fuck did he think he was tossing her out of Jules' room like she was a piece of trash?

"Fuck you, Nick Stokes, fuck you," she whispered and raised her eyebrow, "not such a fuckin' big shot now are ya!" she smirked.

She began to smile wide as she thought back to their meeting and conversation. She remembered it like it was just yesterday….

Jolene spotted him instantly as he was walked in with his cuffs attached to each wrist snugly, and his orange jumpsuit looking a size too big. He shuffled over to her with a smile on his face. "Damn, he was still a handsome son of a gun, even with a slightly crooked nose," she thought to herself. Jolene could not for the life of her figure out how her daughter couldn't see it. "That man had the perfect combination…money, power, and good looks. And she let him go? Stupid, stupid, stupid. That kid turned out to be a real dumb, stupid, idiot," she nearly said her thoughts out loud.

Sitting down across from her, he nodded "hello" to her. The tall and stocky prison guard stood next to the table and rattled off the rules quickly and with a matter of fact demeanor. Once the guard walked to over to the wall, Jolene started the conversation.

"Should I be flattered you used a limited call on me?" she smiled a little too flirtatiously..

"Yea, I guess you should," he smiled back at her from across the small table in the Nevada State Prison visitation room.

"I'm sorry it's been a while since I visited you…I um.." she began before he cut her off.

"Hey, hey, Jo, don't think twice about it. I know you moved far from here. It's all good. You know I love you…you're like… you're my mother in law!" he smirked before they both busted up with roaring laughter.

The guard coughed loudly as a signal to keep it down.

"Listen, I do want to thank you for everything you have given to me. I wouldn't be living in the place I got if it weren't for you. God knows I couldn't depend on my daughter to help me."

"I know, I know, your daughter made a shitload of money in New Jersey and that selfish brat wouldn't give you a penny?" he egged her on, "…it's simply terrible… absolutely sad, really," he shook his head with feigned disgust. "That's why I made sure I could help you, Jo," he winked.

"And that you did, and that you did. You were a faithful guy from the minute you found out I was Jules' mama," she smiled, " And I appreciate it."

"Well, I appreciate you," he stared at her gearing up for his plan. "And I hope you know that I have worked hard at making sure you were taken care of while I am in here."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, of course, I know," she nodded emphatically. "I appreciate it, really! I know it ain't easy getting your ducks in order from in here," she winked.

She was letting him know she knew it wasn't easy for him to keep an eye on his finances from the inside. Although, Jolene Parker didn't know the truth at all. He was well connected and still had his hands in multiple pots…each pot illegal, of course. The handsome man with the crooked nose might have once been a good man, but the man he was had long been dead.

Jimmy Cole was not the type of man normal people would be impressed with. Cole turned into a money and power hungry criminal a long time ago and he still had the need to control everything. He also still could not live with the fact that he could not have the one girl he wanted most. Jules was his girl. She told him it would be forever. He tried to get her to remember that forever meant forever! He furrowed his brow and let his thoughts run wild. "Yeah, so, it's true, I did slap her around, but it didn't mean I didn't love her...she didn't have to leave me for it. And yeah, I did beat her into a coma, but Goddamn it she asked for it! Why can't anybody see that? I didn't mean to hurt her that bad...I didn't mean to almost kill her," Jimmy grumbled silently.

Jimmy Cole's last futile attempt to win Jules back from Nick Stokes was holding her against her will at Nick's neighbor's house. "I was only trying to make her understand how much I loved her. She didn't have to shoot me! Fucking little bitch!" Cole's anger started to rise just thinking about how she turned on him. Thinking about her CSI coming to her rescue. He felt his rage and he stifled it in order to have this conversation with Jolene.

He regrouped his thoughts and changed his demeanor. He smiled at Jolene, he wanted her to believe it took a lot for him to keep her taken care of. The fact was he made a fortune selling drugs and pimping his girls over the years. He knew were his money was stashed. He knew where it was invested and who had access to it. To throw Jules' mother a bone here and there was easy for him. It didn't hurt him one way of the other, but he knew it would help keep her under his thumb for when the time came. And whether Jolene knew it or not, the time was now.

"So, why did you call me?" she asked as she snapped her gum.

"Well, I know this girl. She came to town, gee, I don't know…God quite a few years ago now? I don't remember, but anyway, she came to town and got herself into the Show Girl life. Well, Jo, that life ain't for everybody, ya know?" he nodded as he spoke, "it's a damn cut throat line of work."

Jolene nodded and listened intently.

"Well, anyway, that gig dried up fast for her, as they usually do. She didn't have what it took, I guess, I don't know," he shrugged, " All I know is she went on to dance at the casino bars, then to the local bars until she finally landed on her ass at my strip club. Bing, bang, boom. She was a fallen star…poor kid."

"Do I know her or something? Why you telling' me this, Cole?" she scratched the back of her head.

"Oh, yeah well, I'm getting to that," he put his cuffed hands up to wave some patience her way.

"Well, turns out she and I had a nice talk one night and she mentions she was originally from Texas. Now, let's face it Jolene, Texas is a big ass state, so what are the chances that she not only knows Nick Stokes but she dated the mother fucker too!" he shakes his head dramatically. "I mean really! You can imagine my shock? You just can't make this shit up!" they laughed together.

"Well anyway, as I was saying, I told her to call me if she ever has a run in or an opportunity to have a run in with CSI Asshole. I told her there could be a huge payoff for that kind of situation, ya know?" he smirked.

"Ohhhh, I think I am following ya now!" Jolene smirked back.

"So, I'll cut to the chase for ya…This girl just sent me a letter and in the letter was her new phone number…she had moved back to Texas….and she said she had information I might want and was wondering how much would it be worth to me," Jimmy nodded his head up and down showing how interested he really was. "So, I give the broad a call as soon as I can and I ask her what she's got."

"Come on, Cole! You're killing me! What's she got!?" Jolene tapped her long, red, nails on the table excitedly.

"Ok, ok, she told me she had information about a wedding she would be going to and guess who would be in the wedding party right along side her?" Jimmy laughed loudly.

"No! No!" Jolene gasped, "…you're lying!" she smiled.

"Ohhh yes!" he smiled back proudly. "So I offered her a deal. I told her if she could find a way to fuck with Stokes and make him miserable I would pay her five G's. AND, wait, wwwwaaait, here is an even better offer…" he said keeping Jolene from almost interrupting him.

"I told her, if she had the power to break up the Stokes' pathetic marriage then she was guaranteed double as a bonus.

"Yeah? And…and so tell me, will she do it?!" she wrung her hands together.

"Oh yeah, she wants to go for the jackpot," he laughed.

"You're willing to pay her ten grand? To break up Jules and Nick? Extreme don't ya think, Cole?" she said.

Cole frowned.

"I got nothing but misery from those two. I got a busted nose. I got a bullet still stuck in my shoulder blade. I am locked up in this hell hole…all because I was trying to show Jules that she still loves me. And what do I get? Misery. And then to add insult to those wounds…she marries the mother fucker! Did you know they have a kid now too?" Cole's face turned red with rage.

"Actually, no…. girl or boy?" Jolene asked.

"Who gives a fuck? You got a granddaughter…congratulations!" he growled.

Jolene nodded not really caring one way or the other.

"Okay then, Cole, I get it. You want them to suffer now too. I don't blame you. But, um, you're gonna offer me some of that cash now, right?" the greed crept back into her eyes.

"I called you first, Lovely Lady," he winked again. "Now here is where you come in…I need you to fly out to Texas. Don't worry, I will hook ya up with a first class ticket," he raises an eyebrow, "I need you to meet with her and give her three grand to let her feel it in her hands…incentive, ya know?."

"Yeah? That's it, Cole?" she squished up her face unsure. "How come you just don't wire it to her or something?"

"No can do. I want nothing traced back to me. And it's not like I can write her a check!" he looks around at his surroundings, " or stroll into a Western union, ya know what I mean?" he chuckled.

Jolene nodded and smirked. "And you need me to do something else don't ya?"

"You got it little lady!" he laughed. "I will pay you for your troubles. I will give you a ticket to Texas, a hotel stay for a week in a beautiful suite just for shits and giggles. Enjoy yourself."

Jolene stared knowing damn well he was gonna give her more if she waited before showing any emotion.

"Annnd, I will give you an extra two grand for whatever you want," he said.

"Now we're talkin', Cole!" she grinned.

Cole laughed out loud. "Wanna speak my language a little more?" he asked.

She nodded interested.

"I want you to scare the mother fuckin shit out of her. I will double your cash if you let her know that I will …well, you know…" he looked on each side of him to be sure no one was listening to him incriminate himself.

"Let her know, Jolene, if she should open her fucking pie hole to anyone about what she's done and who had her do it, I would have no problems showing her what a bad idea that would be," he looked around as he lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Deal! I'll do it. Not a problem. You think I don't want to see that prick crash and burn? I wouldn't mind seeing my daughter feel a little pain for not coming to see me when I asked. For not contacting me. Never seeing if I could use some financial support. Selfish little shit, " she frowned feeling like she deserved all of it. "I wondered if Nick ever told her I was in Room 507 trying to make amends for the past. I wonder…OHHHH…," she stops and her eyes grow wide, "…Ohhh, and I'd like to fuck Warrick over good too…:" she stared off.

"Not interested in your vendetta for Warrick Brown, Jolene," he said uninterested in her feelings, "you want this, or not?"

"Ohhhh, I want this. Just tell me when and where!" she replied happily. "Give me the details, Cole…I'm listening,"

"I knew you would come through for me, Lovely Lady," he smiled.

"Now…what I need you to do is make contact with a girl named…

Brooke Latham."

Jolene was startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hi, Jolene," she said quietly, "This is Alicia…the one who will take the pictures."

"Don't care, Doll," she snapped. "I have your money, but you will only get three now."

"WHY?" her eyes grew wide, "I'm giving Alicia a thousand dollars to take these pictures…I need it!" Brooke complained.

"Because Cole wants to see the job was done right. In few days, I am going to take the pictures and tell Jimmy it's done. If he gives the okay, then I will call you to meet me in my hotel room…come alone. Once your paid, your job is done, I will take the pictures back to Cole."

The pretty blond nodded.

"Hey, can I have my cash and let me out of here now?" Alicia said as she brushed her dark, shiny, hair away from her eye.

"Yep, good idea. You only have your one job," Jolene nodded , "but you only get half too. I will give Brooke your other half at the hotel."

Alicia nodded. Jolene reached into Brooke's envelope and took out five hundred dollars. Handing it to Alicia from across the table, the girl took it and didn't bother to count it. She just stood up and grabbed her purse off the table.

"Thanks, Ladies. Thank you very much." she nodded, "pleasure doing business with ya and I will see you tomorrow, Brooke. I'll wait for your call," she laughed and headed toward the door.

Brooke stared at Jolene.

"Well?" she said in a low southern drawl.

"Jimmy says thank you," she handed her a business size envelope with a lump of cash inside, "and if it turns out to be a job well done…then expect the other half…and maybe a bonus."

Brooke Latham smiled wide.

"Oh, it will be a job well done…I can promise you that."

"That's exactly what we wanted to hear..." Jolene smiled wide.