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Chapter 582 Ford Fiesta Fail

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Sweat was pouring off Eric. He cranked up the air conditioning in the little Ford Fiesta. He cursed traffic. Was there ever a time when there wasn't bumper to bumper traffic? Damn California!

He'd just heard on the radio a small plane made an emergency landing on the freeway. It wasn't on his side of the freeway, but it didn't matter. Everyone on his side would want to check it out. While stopped on the freeway, he tried to find an alternate route using his phone. An alternate route would add hours. Either way, it was a problem and there wasn't a damned thing he could do about it. Once he got past the plane part, the freeway might open up.

"Hey, Carlos, amigo, we're almost in Charming," Eric called, trying to encourage him. There was no reply and Eric worried that he was going to be too late and he was going to die before Carl could save him.

Hours later, Eric reached the single off ramp to Charming and quickly drove to Carl's house. He backed the car in the driveway so it would be easier to get Carlos out of the backseat. Eric took a peek at his passenger. Carlos' eyes were closed and he wasn't moving.

He looked around to see if anyone was looking. Carl lived in a large house on a huge lot, so he didn't have any close neighbors. He was pretty sure he was unseen.

He tapped at the door. Carl opened the door a crack.

"Why the hell didn't you call me? Carl demanded. "Is it done?"

"Well . . ." Eric began.

"Oh hell," Carl said exasperated opening the door, "don't tell me you fucked it up," Carl's dark eyes lit up with anger.

"We hit Knowles, but probably not good enough to kill her. We backed up to hit her again and this guy she was with started shooting at us . . ." Eric paused. Carl filled the silence with swearing. "Carlos got shot up a bit so he's in the back and you need to fix him."

Eric couldn't hear all the words that Carl was saying but he did catch "shit for brains", "dumbass" and "inbred" while Carl walked over to his Fiesta.

Eric opened the back passenger door for him.

"He's dead," Carl said without even touching the man.

"Are you sure?" Eric asked anxiously.

"Check his pulse."

Eric leaned in and touched Carlos. He was cold. That couldn't be good. Still, he touched his wrist and didn't feel anything. Yeah, he was dead alright.

"My back seats are all bloody," Eric moaned.

Carl put his hands to his face and shook his head.

"I knew you were going to screw this up. Knowles is alive and you have a body to deal with."

"What do you mean I have a body to deal with?" Eric demanded.

"Your screw up, your mess to clean up."

Eric scowled.

"What the hell am I supposed to do?"

"Wait an hour or two and dump the body somewhere out of the way."

"And my car? What the hell am I going to do about all that blood?"

"You'll never get it all cleaned up. Wait until the middle of the night and drive it away somewhere not near where you dumped the body, torch it and return home. The next morning, report your car stolen."

"I hate to lose my car like that."

"It's a Ford Fucking Fiesta. It's not like it's a good car."

"It was to me," Eric said pouting. His car was named Bruce and they were very close.

"Set it on fire and collect the insurance. Take a baseball bat or hammer and beat it up. The cops will think some kids took it for a joy ride, beat it up and set it on fire. I'll give you a couple of thousand dollars to put with the insurance money so you can replace your Fiesta if you get rid of the body and you burn your car and don't screw up anymore," Carl said wearily.

This was a score for Eric. Since Carlos was dead, he was going to keep Carlos' share of the money, combine it with the insurance money and the money Carl was going to give him, so he could get a 2019 Fiesta. So much for his love for poor bloody Bruce and onward to a new hunky Fiesta named Liam. This was all going to work out just fine.

"How am I going to get back after I set my car on fire?"

"I have no idea. How did you get from your car to my front door? Legs. You used your legs and walked. Try that," Carl's said sarcastically. His hands were balled into fists making Eric fear he was going to hit him.

"Fine. I'll do this but I want 10 grand for dumping the body and setting my car on fire."

"I shouldn't give you a damned dime since you didn't kill Knowles and I have to figure out how to clean up that mess."

"I didn't screw up. That was Carlos. He worked for the Mexican cartel. He should have been able to get the job done right."

"Just get rid of the body and torch the car," Carl snapped.

"I'll be by tomorrow night for my money."

Carl turned muttering under his breath. Eric was pretty sure he heard the word "moron" and "idiot".

That was fine. Carl could call him all the names he wanted, but he was going to do such a great job getting rid of Carlos and torching his car, Carl was going to give him a bonus beyond the 10 grand.

Eric smiled dreaming of Liam, the Fiesta he was going to buy. It would help keep him focused. He was just two steps away from his next Fiesta.