Mike Jastrzebski - Key Lime Blues

He jumped up and pointed a finger at me. “Well someone’s lying to me. I’ll leave it to your imagination to figure out what I’m gonna do if it’s you. Now turn around and face the wall.”

“Look I…”

“Shut up,” Willie said. He came lumbering across the floor and stopped in front of me. “Frankie said turn around.” He poked the barrel of his gun into my chest. “Now.”

I didn’t have a choice. I turned to face the wall.

“Put your hands against the wall and spread ‘em.”

I followed his instructions and stood there while Willie frisked me. When he finished he grabbed my arm, spun me around, and poked the pistol into my stomach hard enough to play havoc with my lunch.

“Where ya hiding Frankie’s diamonds?”

“I told you I don’t have them.”

“Can I shoot him, Frankie?” Willie seemed way too excited when he asked the question.

“Not yet, Willie.” Frankie turned and pointed to a chair at the end of the table. “Tie him up. Destiny, go find Willie some clothesline.”

While Destiny ran off to get the rope, Willie jabbed me several more times in the gut. Using the pressure of the revolver he guided me over to the table. By the time he shoved me into the chair, Destiny had returned with the rope and a knife to cut it.

Willie tied my hands and feet while Frankie sat down to my right. He pointed to the chair across from me and told Destiny to sit down. She ran to the couch, picked up her purse, and when she was situated, she took out a nail file and began filing her nails.

Frankie watched until she sat down, then he seemed to lose interest in me. He picked up a deck of cards from the table and dealt out a hand of solitaire. Willie pulled out a handkerchief and began to wipe down his gun while I began to question my sanity. Either I’d just stepped through the looking glass into the 1940’s, or I was seated at a table with a bunch of wackos.

While I watched, Frankie counted out three cards, placing one back on the bottom of the deck when he didn’t like what he saw. “Why play the game if you’re going to cheat?” I asked.

“I wasn’t cheating, smart ass.” Frankie flipped the rest of the deck onto the table and looked at me. “Where are my diamonds, Wes?”

Since I’d already answered the question and he didn’t want to hear what I had to say, I changed the subject. “I’m thirsty,” I said, hoping I didn’t sound as frightened as I felt.

“I’m not an unreasonable guy,” Frankie said. He glanced over to where Destiny was sitting. “Go get the man a glass of water.”

“Frankie, I’m doing my nails.”

He slammed his fist on the table. “I said get him a glass of water.”

“Sure, Frankie.” Destiny jumped up and darted from the room.

“How the hell did you let her get away with the diamonds in the first place?” I asked.

Using his left thumbnail, Frankie began to pick beneath the nails of his right hand. I thought he was ignoring my question, but then he glanced back up at me. His forehead was furled and his eyes had a dreamy look to them.

“I’m getting old,” he said. “Hell, I’ll be eligible for social security in a couple of months.” He shrugged and went on.

“You know what they say about an old fool. I wanted to believe she was in love with me. One day, to impress her, I took the stones out of my safe and spread them out on the dresser. I let her hold them and she squealed in delight. Those diamonds made her hotter than hell. We had the best sex I’ve had in twenty years.”

“But how’d she get away with the diamonds?” I asked again.

Frankie’s eyes hardened. “She asked me to leave the diamonds out while we made love. I did what she asked. After the sex I drank a little too much wine. When I woke up the next morning the diamonds and Destiny were both gone.”

Destiny returned and set the glass on the table in front of me. “I told you I was sorry, Frankie. If Wes hadn’t taken them away from me I’d a given them back. I swear I would, Frankie.”

“Here’s your water.” Frankie stood and picked up the glass. He held it up to my mouth, tilted it, and I took a sip. Then he tilted it a little more, pushing my head back at the same time. Finally, he tipped it all the way up, pouring the water across my face, down my shirt and into my lap.

When the glass was empty he tapped the base against my forehead, softly at first, then with more force. About the time I thought he was going to slam it into my face, he pulled his arm back and threw the glass across the room where it shattered against the front door.

“I want my fucking diamonds.”

“Sorry Frankie. I don’t have them.”

“Damn it all,” he said.

Frankie’s face turned red, his lower lip trembled, and he was breathing hard. I was sure he was going to kill me. Instead, he slammed his fist on the table and kicked out at his chair. It flew over backwards, and he began pacing along the length of the table. When he stopped in front of me, he drew back his arm and backhanded me across the face.

My head snapped to the side and the hot, metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. His eyes told me that the only thing keeping him from ending it right then was that he was afraid he’d never find the diamonds if I was dead.

“Frankie, I’d tell you if I knew where they were.” I tried to reason with him. “I have no reason to lie to you.”

“Give me your gun,” he said to Willie.

“Sure boss.” Willie slid his gun across the table and it did a slow spin, coming to rest six inches from the edge.

“I’m going to count to five. Then, if you don’t tell me where my diamonds are, I’m going to pick up Willie’s gun and shoot you.” Frankie smiled. “If you tell me where they are, you get to live. It’s as simple as that.”

“Frankie, if you shoot him you might never get the diamonds back,” Destiny said.

Frankie snatched up the gun, swung around, and pointed it at Destiny. “Did I ask your opinion?”

“No, Frankie,” she held her hands up in front of her as if they would protect her, and licked her lips. I could read the fear in her eyes. She hesitated, and then she went on. “I’ve got an idea.”

Glaring at her, Frankie held the gun steady. “Go ahead. What’s this brilliant idea of yours? It better be good, because I’m in the mood to shoot someone. Wes, you, it doesn’t much matter to me right now.”

“I know where he’s staying. I could go over there and search the place. If I don’t find the diamonds I’ll wait until Tanya gets home and convince her to come here with me. Wes likes her, I can tell. He’ll tell you where the diamonds are if you have her, don’t you think?”

Frankie appeared lost in thought. He lowered the gun and handed it across the table to Willie. “You’re right. That is a good idea.”

Destiny let out a deep sigh and smiled. “I thought so,” she said. “I’ll change and get going.”

“I don’t think so,” Frankie said.

Destiny looked confused. “But you said it was a good idea.”

“It is. But I can’t trust you, Destiny. If Wes isn’t lying to me, it means you are. It makes more sense to send Willie over there. Then I have you, Wes, and the girlfriend.

“On my way, Frankie.” Willie was up and tucking the gun into the back of his jeans before Frankie was finished talking.

Frankie reached out and stroked Destiny’s hair. “Why don’t you write out directions for Willie, dear? And make them very clear. You wouldn’t want him calling and telling me he got lost now, would you?”

My stomach churned as I watched Willie walk out the door. I needed to warn Tanya, and the only way that was going to happen was if I could get free. As I tried to figure out what I should do, Frankie gathered up his cards and dealt himself a new game of solitaire.