Roy Glenn - In A Cold Sweat

It wasn’t too long after that when Freeze called. “Where you at,” he asked once Tammy was in the Navigator with him.

“About to get on the Major Deegan,” Jackie said.

“How’s Travis?” Freeze asked.

“He’s okay.”

“Get off at 179th Street. You know where Roberto Clemente State Park is?”

“No,” Jackie answered and frowned.

“Like I said, get off at 179th Street and turn right on Sedgwick Avenue then make a sharp right at Cedar Avenue. Park by the bridge and wait for us there.”

“On my way,” Jackie said.

Once Freeze arrived at the park, Tammy wasted no time in redressing Travis’s wounds. “You did a good job with this. Probably saved his life,” Tammy told Jackie.

A short while after they arrived at the park, a silver, four door 2006 Acura RL pulled up and parked by the bridge. Jackie began to reach for her gun, but Freeze grabbed her arm. “He’s with me,” he told Jackie.

The man had come to pick up the Hummer that Jackie was driving. He would take the vehicle to a chop shop and Jackie could take Travis in the Acura. Once Travis was transferred to the Acura, Jackie took him home and put him to bed to rest.

“Jackie,” Travis said. “Thanks for tonight.”

“No problem.” Jackie squeezed his hand a little tighter. “I thought I was going to lose you, man.” Tears began to flow from her eyes.

“You saved my life tonight, Jackie. I’m never gonna forget that.”

“You would have done the same thing for me.”

“Yeah, I know.” Travis looked away from Jackie and tried to decide how he was going to say what he had to say.

“What?”

“It’s just that I coulda died out there, and for what? We didn’t even get the processors, so it was all for nothing. Eddie died in there, died for nothing.”

“What are you trying to say, Travis?”

“I’m out Jackie. That was my last job.”

“What?”

“I’m done. Finished with this shit.”

“What are you talkin’ ’bout, Travis. You can’t quit now,” Jackie told her wounded partner.

“Yes I can, Jackie. I don’t need to do this anymore. I got enough money saved and my house in Connecticut is paid for. The economy is getting better, I could live good with a job and the money I got saved.”

“ Wow,” was all Jackie could muster at the time. She let go of Travis’s hand and sat back in the chair next to the bed. She wasn’t liking the sound of this at all. He can’t be serious, Jackie thought . He can’t just quit. “Quitin’, huh?”

“Yeah, Jackie, I’m done with all this. I mean I got no real reason to keep doin’ it. I just don’t need to do this anymore.”

Jackie stood up and bent over to kiss Travis on the forehead. “You get some rest. I’ll be right outside if you need me.” She had reached to door when Travis called out to her.

“Jackie.”

“Yes, Travis.”

“Thanks again.”

“Get some rest and we’ll talk in the morning.

Jackie went into the living room and plopped down on the couch. Out of reflex, she picked up the remote and started flipping channels. Not that she was watching or even cared what was on; her mind was on what Travis had just said.

In her mind, Jackie replayed the conversation over and over again. I’m out. That was my last job. I got enough money saved and my house in Connecticut is paid for. The economy is getting better, I could live good with a job and the money I got saved.

“Yeah, but what about me?” Jackie asked herself. Unlike Travis, who had a long-term plan for the money they had stolen over the years, Jackie spent all of her money on gambling, clothes and her Porsche Cayman S that she dropped fifty-eight grand on.

Jackie rolled a blunt and poured herself a tall glass of Henny and thought about what she was going to do next.

Mike Black

It had been a long time coming. With all that had gone on over the last year, I needed a night out. I hadn’t been out in a while. Unless hangin’ with Bobby counted, it had been some years. I’m talkin’ about out with a woman. Have a good meal someplace nice, take in a show, do a little dancin’ maybe, get some pussy; yeah, I was down for all that.

So I decided that we’d go to my favorite restaurant, McCormick amp; Schmick's on 52nd Street and the Avenue of the Americas. She ordered Tilapia with roasted pepper and Cajun cream sauce. I had the Swordfish with sun dried tomato butter. The shit was off the chain.

After dinner we went to see Les Miserables . When it ran on Broadway the first time, it ran for sixteen years. Now it was back with a new cast, and we were both pretty hyped about seeing it. The story was about this guy in nineteenth century France, who was always pursued by a righteous police inspector. Sorta reminded me of Kirk and the way he’s been trying to lock me up for years.

After the show, we hit the club and danced until the lights came on. I hadn’t had a night like that in years, so I decided to tell her. “I really had a good time with you tonight,” I said as we got to the car.

“Is that so? Well then maybe we’ll do this again real soon,” she said as I opened the car door for her.

“You won’t be able to keep me away from you,” I said with my lips close to hers.

“We’ll see,” she said, without kissing me and got in the car. I shut the door and came around to the driver’s side thinking that she was right. Tomorrow would come and I’d back to doin’ what I do and not thinkin’ ’bout dinner, the theater and dancin’.

I started the car, but before I put the car in gear I turned to look at her. “You are so beautiful,” I told her, because she was. I drove off thinking that she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever met, and I’ve met and had some beauties. “I can’t wait to get you home, baby.”

“I don’t want to go there. Why can’t you just stay here with me?”

“It’s cool, baby, trust me.”

“Michael, what’s going to happen when we get there?”

“I’m gonna ease you out of that sexy black dress.”

“That’s not what I’m talkin’ about and you know it. What’s going to happen when we get there?”

I gripped the stirring wheel tighter. “You let me worry about that.”

“I don’t wanna go.”

“Why not?”

“You know what’s gonna happen when we get there.”

“Nothin’s gonna happen when we get there.”

“Not right away, but it’s gonna happen.” She put her hand on my face. I love it when she does that. “Bart is gonna be there, baby. And he is gonna kill me.”

“No he’s not. I got him this time,” I said and kissed her hand.

“That’s what you said last time, Michael.”

“I got a plan this time.”

“You had a plan the last time and he still killed me. Let’s not go home, baby. We could have so much fun if we. .”

“I have to do this, baby,” I told Cassandra as we pulled up in front of our house. The television was on in the living room and I could see what looked like Bart's silhouette standing off in the corner. I got out of the car and came around to let her out.

“Why can’t you stay here with me? Why do you keep doing this, Michael? Why do you keep dragging us back here?”

I took my beautiful wife in my arms and kissed her; kissed her like it was the first time. “Can’t you see? I gotta keep goin’ in there until they’re all dead.”

I felt cold all over and I shook it off.

“Havin’ the dream again?” Bobby asked.

“Yeah,” I told him and ran my hands over my face. I looked over at Bobby, he was seated in his usual spot, in his recliner, in his basement. I had fallen asleep on the couch and was having the same dream I’ve been dreaming since Cassandra was murdered. I don’t have the dream as often as I used to, but every time I do it changes. But Cassandra was right; he always kills her. It doesn’t matter what I do, he always kills her.