Connie’s POV
It’s been a slow day. I’m filing my nails, ready to paint them, when Barnyard walks in.
I smirk.
“Vinnie in?” she asks. She’s boring holes through me, but she knows better than to say anything. She got what she deserved two months ago. I nod toward his office and she walks in. Moments later I hear the mooing and I laugh.
David walks in with four body receipts. Here’s another asshole that makes my day difficult. I start writing the checks only to realize he’s absolutely silent. Ever since the fiasco with Barnyard, he’s been trying to get back into my good books. Useless. I look up and he’s glaring at the door.
“So, the mooing means what, exactly?” he asks quietly.
“She’s trying to generate work.” I start writing check number three.
“Meaning what exactly?”
I look at him. “What kind of work does Vinnie have to pass around to his play toy?”
A muscle in his jaw twitches and the eyes are dilating. “So, he’s passing her a bond?”
“Depends on how nasty she gets.”
I finish writing the fourth check and pass him his files. David sits on the couch, still quietly furious, and reads through the info slowly. He’s never done that before (he usually does the math and leaves) and I’m amused.
Vinnie’s new employee has had enough.
Joyce walks out, reapplying her lipstick. “Vinnie said to give me three bonds.” She waits, her back to David, which is stupid. She needs to be watching him because he’s furious. She’s messing with his paycheck and he’s not getting that same kind of service Vinnie just got. That’s a problem.
I hand Joyce our three lowest bonds (including Eula. I know she hates picking up Eula, so that should be fun) and smile. “Normal time. I’m not gonna be here all day.”
Joyce glares but leaves. David walks over. “What was the value on those bonds?”
“$500 total.”
His jaw clenches. “Thanks.” He leaves.
I think Vinnie’s pencil dick might have gotten sharpened for the last time.
I step outside to call RangeMan and ask for Hal. I like Hal and working with him is fun. I’m still stuck at nine words, but since Ram managed eleven inside the bonds office, I know it’s possible. It can be done.
“Connie?”
“Hal. I have a favor to ask of you. Well, not so much a favor but an opportunity for a good laugh to present to you.”
Silence. I can feel him considering it. “Go on.”
“I think David’s had enough and I suspect there’s about to be a showdown in Vinnie’s office within the next day or so. Would be great for Steph to get that on tape.”
“Agreed. On my way.” Click.
I count. Seven words. Damn. I step back inside and begin applying nail polish. Moments later Vinnie exits his office.
“I got a meeting.”
I roll my eyes. Yeah, I know what he’s meeting and the poor ducks have had enough. Vinnie leaves and I check the door. Locked. I pull out a bobby pin and pick the lock. Success! I walk in and look around. I hear the doorbell for the front office chime and walk out of Vinnie’s office. It’s Hal and he’s smiling.
“Vinnie?”
“Just left.”
He nods and gets to work. He checks for bugs first (none. Of course not. My fucking area is bugged but none in here. Bastard.) then sets up two microphones and three video cameras.
“Three cameras? Why three?”
“Gotta get all angles.”
I’m up to five words.
Thirty minutes later he’s done. He turns to me and grins.
“Motion and voice activated.” He winks and gathers his things together. I’m up to nine words.
“So, it will record anyone moving around in here and anyone talking?”
He nods. Damn.
“How will I get a chance to review the video?”
“Email.”
Ten. OK, now to go for the prize.
“And Steph? How will she get to view it?”
He motions for me to follow him. Once outside, he grins.
“We know about your campaign to get us to say more than ten words in the office.”
I laugh and Hal smiles. He has a cute smile and I never noticed that he also has dimples. “OK, so I’m caught. So?”
“If we get the video we want, we’ll have a massive viewing party at RangeMan. We’ll invite you. How’s that?” I’m counting words and he smiles. “37.”
Yeah, counting the number, that’s 37 words. “Sounds great. I’m looking forward to it.”
He waves and leaves. Hmm …Hal has dimples and a cute smile. Still too intense for me though. Ram however. . .
“You’re a bitch.”
Joyce and she’s angry. Good. I also gave her William, the nudist, and Earl, who shoots first, thinks second because he’s a druggie.
I yawn and stare at her.
“You’re such a fucking—”
“I have to write your check, unless you want to wait for Vinnie to come back and do it. Keep talking.”
She shuts up. I get the feeling Joyce may be feeling a money pinch. The hair isn’t as 70s fabulous as normal and her cuticles are a mess. I wonder which one of the ex-husbands isn’t paying up.
I finally start writing her checks and she takes them and leaves. I hit the computer. Hmm …She’s being foreclosed on. Divorce decree states that Ex #2 was responsible for signing the title over to her and paying the property taxes, but he hasn’t paid in four years. New Jersey and Mercer County put a lien on her house, but since he still hasn’t paid, they’re pushing it. Tax dodge? Ex #2 also successfully petitioned the court to end his alimony because, as he pointed out, she was married again. At the time of her remarriage, the alimony should have stopped, but it didn’t. So he’s suing her for repayment of all alimony he paid during and after her third marriage.
I’m laughing my ass off. This is wonderful. Joyce is getting it stuck to her by all the men she’s stuck.
She’s getting to the end of her alimony with husband #3 because it was rehabilitative alimony, not permanent. They weren’t married long enough for her to get that, and her alimony from him will run out in six months. The court rejected her petition for an extension and rejected the petition for an increase. The papers I’m reading show that ex #3 despises her and is thrilled to be done with her. He won’t pay her a penny he doesn’t have to.
Well, that explains her increased presence here and her eagerness to try to muscle in on a RangeMan skip. She needs money since her ex-husbands are coming after her.
I print copies of all the court filings and put them in my purse. I think I’ll take these to ML’s and see if she can dig up some gossip.
Three days later
Showtime.
David shows up calm and happy. I’m wondering what’s bitten him. He hands me his body receipts and I write his checks. He motions towards Vinnie’s door and I nod. Yeah, he’s there.
I call RangeMan the moment he walks through the door and ask for Hal.
“Hal?”
“Connie?”
“Showtime.”
“10-4.” Click.
Fifteen minutes later, David exits Vinnie’s office, smiling and whistling. He nods at me and leaves.
Vinnie pokes his head out. He’s pale.
“He gone?”
“Yeah. You OK?”
Vinnie swallows hard. “Yeah, I’m fine. Look, I need to reduce some expenses around here, so Lula’s fat ass is out of a job. Don’t hand her any more FTA files.”
“What about filing?”
“She doesn’t file.”
“Yes she does.” Lula, you owe me for this.
“Oh yeah? Find me Andy Jabowski’s file.”
I head right to the J’s and dig out the file. Vinnie is stunned. “You filed this.”
“Nope. She filed it. It was misfiled, by you, in the Y’s.”
Vinnie’s jaw clenches. “Fine. She can continue as the file clerk, but no more FTAs.”
I shrug. Vinnie swallows hard.
“And none for Joyce.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Really? And what are you going to tell your lady love?”
Vinnie scowls. “I’m a married man. There’s nothing going on there.”
Vinnie shuts his door and leaves. I laugh.
“Yeah, nothing except Joyce’s manicurist bills.”
Hal calls 20 minutes later.
“Connie?”
“Hal?”
“You have plans tomorrow, say, 1p.m.?”
“I can be available.”
“See you then.” Click.
I count. Ten. Damn. RangeMen have it down to a science.
I pull up outside RangeMan and Ram’s standing there grinning. Jesus, where’s he been all this time? Brown hair, blue eyes, and gorgeous when he smiles. That wavy mane of his is in constant need of a haircut.
“Connie. Good to see you.”
“You too.” And I mean that. I have space in my bed if you’re interested.
Mary Lou pulls up, excited. “OK, what’s going on?”
Ram smiles at her. “Mary Lou, glad you could make it. Thought we might have a little viewing party.” He scans his card in front of a black pad and the door opens. He motions for us to enter and we walk into a beautiful lobby. This is a really nice building, and I’m glad I’m getting a chance to see it for a second time.
“Unfortunately, Steph’s unable to view it with us. She’s out at Point Pleasant with the family and having fun, but we decided that there was no need to limit our enjoyment of the video.”
Ram’s bouncing up and down on his toes and grinning. It’s infectious. ML and I are grinning now, wondering what’s on this tape.
We hit the elevator and get off at the 3rd floor, same floor as last time, but we walk into a different conference room. ML and I stop and gape at the sight of all the gorgeous men with hard bodies packed into the room.
I feel faint. It’s been a while since there was a man in my bed and this is like being presented with a chocolate during Lent. I wonder how my boobs look in this top. I look over and ML looks affected too. Her cheeks are pink and she’s wide-eyed.
A short, sweet looking Hispanic woman walks up to us and smiles. “Overwhelming, isn’t it?” she whispers. We nod and she giggles. “I’m Ella. You must be ML,” ML nods, “and Connie.” I nod. “It’s a pleasure to meet you ladies. Stephanie’s told me so much about both of you.”
“Well, she’s told us about you too,” ML says, falling into perfect ‘Burg manners. “The wonderful Ella, the queen of all she surveys, the craftiest woman she knows.” ML winks. “And she wasn’t just talking about your skill with an embroidery machine.”
Ella laughs. “Oh how lovely. Well, come with me. The men have placed a couch in the perfect spot for us.”
We walk into the middle of the room and sit on a large leather sofa. It’s comfortable and we’re just waiting for the show to begin. Finally Hal walks in, smiling, and stands at the front of the room.
“Men.” Everyone comes to attention. “We are here to enjoy the further humiliation of the Red-Headed Demon.”
“HUA!“
ML and I are wide-eyed. Ella is laughing. She looks at us and whispers, “The boys love injecting some pageantry every so often.” Another older Hispanic man sits on the arm of the couch next to her. This must be Ella’s husband, but I don’t know if Steph ever told us his name.
“However,” Hal continues, “we must give credit and thanks where they are due. Ms. Rosolli, would you please stand?”
I stand, confused, and the men whistle at me. I smile.
“Ms. Rosolli, Connie, called me with an invitation for a unique opportunity. She said that she wanted to present to us the opportunity to have a good laugh and help the CO at the same time. Anything Vinnie related is always a good laugh, so I eagerly agreed. Please extend your appreciation to Connie for her assistance.”
The men rise and give me a standing ovation. A few whistle. I haven’t gotten that kind of response from men since I lost my bikini top at Point Pleasant as a teenager. I’m sure I’m red. Hal motions for everyone to die down and he motions for ML to stand.
“As we all know, Mrs. Mary Lou Stankovic is the CO’s childhood friend. Further investigation, via female intel networks, revealed even more interesting information. Please thank Mary Lou for her assistance in this endeavor.”
Again, cheers and whistles. Mary Lou looks over at Ella and asks, “Female intel networks?”
Ella is giggling. “Gossip. They prefer to call it by the fancy name.”
We laugh and the applause dies down. Hal grins. “And now, without any further ado, let’s enjoy the show.”
The video begins rolling and I’m waiting to see what happened.
The video is excellent. Hal used high quality cameras for this and I can see Vinnie, sitting at his desk, looking at fetish porn sites. The men start cracking up.
“Nasty dog.”
“I’m sure there’s a video of someone fucking just that on there.” Groans.
“Dude, I never want to think about it.”
“I don’t either but hey, you gotta remember the ducks.”
The video has barely begun and I’m laughing.
Moments later, David walks into Vinnie’s office and sits. Vinnie scrambles to shut down the porn site and look busy.
“Vincent, we need to talk.”
“I’m busy. And how about you have a little respect for a man’s space, huh? You just come barging in—”
“Fine. I’ll go talk to your backers instead.”
Vinnie smirks. “Good luck with that. You won’t make it out alive.”
“I have and I did.” Vinnie looks up, confused. “Harry the Hammer, right? That’s your backer. Your father-in-law?
Vinnie says nothing.
“Yeah, I recognize that under normal circumstances the last thing a mobster, even one as flea-bitten as Harry, wants to see is a cop, former cop, or any kind of law enforcement, but I gave him an invitation he couldn’t refuse.“
Everyone is leaning forward to watch. David sits back in the chair and smiles coldly.
“I assume you have some time to talk to me now?”
“Well, you’re yapping. Might as well finish.”
“How kind.” I hear a few chuckles. “Like I said, I decided to go have a talk with your backer. I did some investigating and realized that you’re a shit employer. Your former BEA, Morty, was replaced by your cousin Stephanie when he was just out with a burst appendix. Now, you could say that was providence, since he got his ass blown up, but considering he got his ass blown up because he was trying to steal back a truck and file your cousin stole, well …”
The men are grinning. This is good.
“Then, let’s see. Your cousin breaks her leg, because she has no fucking skill at this job, and her . . . whatever the hell he is to her, the Ranger guy, hires her to run his business. No idea how she’s doing in that job and don’t really give a fuck as long as she doesn’t come back here trying to be a BEA. So, she’s out for three months with a broken leg and you replace her before week one is up.”
The men are alternately pissed at his characterization of Steph and proud he’s sticking it to Vinnie.
“Now I’m here. I’ll give you credit. I didn’t know Joyce was your mistress—”
“For God’s sake, she is not my mistress!” The camera has panned back around to Vinnie’s face and he looks panicked.
“My apologies. Your fuck toy.”
Vinnie sinks in the chair. “Christ alive, you’re trying to get me killed.”
“No, actually, I’m trying to keep you alive.” David is staring coolly at Vinnie. Everyone is waiting. “You see, Harry’s heard the rumors.” Vinnie sinks lower. “And he does what I just did. He keeps an eye on Joyce’s financial state. Did you know her second ex-husband filed for bankruptcy?”
Vinnie says nothing, just listens silently.
“She’s about to lose her house because he hasn’t paid the property taxes on it for the past four years. He also filed for repayment of alimony. You see, when Joyce married the third time, alimony should have been stopped. It wasn’t. So, he’s trying to get every penny of it back. Then the last husband, well, she didn’t get permanent lifetime alimony from him and it ends in six months. So in six months, Joyce is going to be up that creek without a paddle unless she finds a new source of income to tide her over.”
The men are grinning. This is hilarious. David is prepared for this showdown. “I’ve fucked enough gold-diggers to know one when I see one and Joyce reeks of it. I was going to keep her though, because she looks good and she’ll do nasty stuff.” He chuckles. “Then again, you already know she does nasty stuff. Mooooooooo.”
Hal pauses the tape so we can all laugh. ML and I are holding each other’s hand tightly. Oh, God, it’s wonderful to watch that bitch go down.
“So Harry’s been ignoring the rumors because it was clear that you were simply helping one of Stephanie’s friends, giving her the work Stephanie couldn’t handle.” David’s voice is ironic and the men are shaking their heads. “However, now that Stephanie isn’t working here and you have a new, competent BEA, he wonders why Joyce even needs to be here. That’s more BEAs than you need. Especially since Lula was Stephanie’s partner?” He raises an eyebrow. “So if you have one competent BEA doing the work, what do you need with the other two women? Especially since I have a 90% success rate so far?”
David sits back.
“He and I pondered this question. After all, Lucille is not a jealous woman, but her father will not allow anyone to slander her marriage. Even if her husband is a . . . let’s see, how did he describe you? Duck-loving sexual degenerate with the morals and abilities of a neutered tomcat in heat.”
Again, Hal pauses the tape so we can all laugh. One of the men passes two handkerchiefs over for both me and Mary Lou. Our mascara is running, we’re laughing so hard.
“Yes, he and I can’t understand why you continue to employ Lula and Joyce as BEAs. Now, I did you a favor by stating that I was interested in Joyce and that if she needed money, she could negotiate with me for her bond files.” David smiles cruelly. “Makes sense to me. After all, I’m the one losing the money. I should get the pleasure of the negotiation, at a minimum. No need for me to get fucked on the front and back ends like you’ve been doing.”
Vinnie is red and his hands are trembling.
“So, here’s what we’re going to do. You will never give my files to anyone else. You give my files to someone else and I quit. That day. Harry’s watching you on the back end and I’m watching the front. We set up a meeting once a month to discuss what files came in and what FTAs I brought back in. You screw either of us and it’ll be the last time your dick does something other than piss. We clear?”
Vinnie is silent.
“Now, as far as the high bonds, Harry told me I had no hope there. Apparently he fears the Ranger guy enough that I can’t get everything. So I’m going to keep working and showing him I can handle everything and that he doesn’t need RangeMan. That’s my goal because right now I can’t meet my child support. That’s something you wouldn’t know about, but they will put you in jail for being late on child support.” David stands. “A former cop in jail is never a good thing so I’m perfectly willing to break your legs to prevent you passing my files around. We clear? Joyce is my toy, I don’t give a fuck about Lula, and I’ll leave Connie alone. I’ll treat her like I already do.” A nerve in his jaw twitches and he stands. “We clear?”
He gives Vinnie a jaunty wave. “Always good doing business with you, Vinnie.” He exits the office and the entire room breaks into applause. ML and I are crying with laughter.
Vinnie is screwed and David was the one who did it to him. Joyce has been downgraded from wife to mistress to fuck toy.
Damn shame. Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person.
Ram’s POV
As amusing as the viewing party was (and it was amusing), David slandered the CO. The insult cannot be allowed to stand. Plus, he thinks he has a hope of getting the high bonds. Best to burst his bubble now. We’re too busy to toy with him.
I asked Connie to have David call us in regards to the big bonds. David called almost immediately and we asked him to come to the office to discuss the possibility. He showed up at 10 a.m. and was shown to my office immediately.
“David.” I stand and shake his hand. “Ramsay Sinclair, head of Client Services here at RangeMan. Nice to meet you.” I motion for him to take a seat. “My apologies for not reaching out to you in advance. We like to meet with all BEAs operating in our territory, to establish friendly relations.”
I smile coolly. He’s looking around my office and, although he’s doing a good job of hiding it, he’s nervous. I put every single one of my marksmanship awards, patches and medals from the Army on the walls. I’m making it perfectly clear.
I’m a sniper. A rifleman. A marksman. Fuck with me if you want to.
I sit back in my chair and get comfortable. “Water?” He nods and I pass him a bottle. “I’m waiting for Simon Flynn, the head of Apprehensions and Bonds Enforcement here at RangeMan Trenton. We thought we’d both meet with you at one time.”
He leans back, sips the water and smiles. “Great.” He nods at the medals. “Army?”
“President’s 100 and Special Forces.”
He pales. The President’s 100 and the Special Forces tabs are two of only four permanent patches in the Army (the others are the Ranger and Sapper). I can wear those on my dress uniform for the rest of my life.
“Impressive.”
“Ranger has two. Ranger and Special Forces. Hal, the head here, has two. Sapper and Special Forces. Between the three of us, we have all the prestigious permanent Army patches covered.”
He swallows hard.
Simon enters and I smile. Yes, he’s feeling fear and has no idea what to expect for Zip. “David Pickens, Simon Flynn.” They shake and Zip takes a seat.
“He was admiring my display,” I tell Zip, who grins.
“Yours sucks. Hal’s is impressive. Mine is impressive. You’re just a fucking sniper.” We laugh and turn to David, dropping all smiles.
“We came across some information of interest to us,” Zip says. I turn on my TV and cue up the video. It’s at the beginning of the tape, where he insults Steph. We play the tape and watch him pale. I pause the tape and I look at him, fingers steepled.
“We don’t take insults to the Managing Director lightly. She had a 98.5% success rate over four years in an industry in which she had no background, no experience, and no training. Your success rate as a detective in Maine was 74%. Frankly, you know nothing of her background or abilities, so you have no room to insult her. We assume you’ll find it within you to alter your opinion quickly.”
He swallows hard and nods once. I smile just slightly and motion to Zip.
“Now, we understand that you are interested in taking on the higher bonds.”
“Yes, I would like to,” he says slowly. “I mean, I have kids. They have needs.” He smiles charmingly.
“Well, if you intended to fuck around on your wife, you should’ve done it in a more discreet manner,” Zip says, just as charmingly. David’s smile drops. “Of course we did a full background on you. You’re in our territory. We needed to know about you. The Managing Director doesn’t particularly care for you because of that. She’s been in your wife’s position. She has little sympathy for you.”
“Your Managing Director has no right to use her personal opinion of me against me. This is business.”
“Correct,” Zip says coldly. “She’s not using her personal opinion against you. We’re telling you that we’re not using your personal situation for or against you. Your child support issues are your own. You solve them. In the meantime, if you attempt to take the high bonds,” Zip and I both lean forward, “no one will find your body,” Zip hisses.
We both sit back and watch David swallow hard. His hands are trembling.
“We have Harry’s number. That’s why he pawned you off on us. That’s also why Vinnie won’t pass you shit. So you have no hope of getting anything more than what you’re getting now,” Zip says. “However, because we’re not complete shits and your children do matter, we’ll give you a hint.” David sits up. “Douglas Prather, in Cherry Hill, is another bondsman we work with. He’s looking for someone to take his low bonds as his assistant bondsman recently retired. We’re handling them at the moment and we don’t handle anything under $50,000.”
David is nodding thoughtfully. “Thank you.”
I snort. “Don’t thank us so fast. We expect that your proceeds will reach your children, the innocent victims of your wandering dick, not . . . let’s see . . . Simon, you have that list?”
“I do,” Zip says, smiling. He riffles through some papers. “Let’s see, there’s Joyce, the neighborhood handle, Mary, Patricia, Lisa, Monica, Janice, Laura, my oh my but you’ve been a busy boy,” Zip says, amused.
David is stunned. We smile. We sent Mary Lou a gift certificate for her and Lenny to go out to dinner to thank her for digging this information up.
“And we’ve only been digging for a week,” Zip says. I play the part of the tape where David tells Vinnie that Joyce is now his play toy. I pause and we look at David, who is pale. “Like you said, you have a play toy. That’s what you negotiated for. Develop some self-control.
After all, if you can’t manage it, we’ll be more than happy to help you help yourself.”