Jack Parker - Photo orgy

"What's your plan, Pete?" she asked.

I looked right into her eyes and reached for my pocket. This was it. I found myself going through the motions mechanically, opening the wallet, slipping the picture out, and laying it in front of her on the counter. Her hand froze again. This time she removed it from my arm.

After looking at the photo for a long while, she raised her eyes and looked at me. Whatever understanding she had shown before was gone now. Her eyes were cold.

"Where was he hiding, Pete? In the closet? One of your young buddies, no doubt."

"That doesn't matter," I said. And with a burst of guts, I blurted the rest out, glad to be rid of it. "What matters is that I got eleven more just like this one and they'll stay under wraps if you just do me a favor."

"Yes." The way that word hissed out of her, you'd have thought she was a snake.

"I'm gonna be needing some money," I said, still with the nervous cracking to my voice. "Now, I know you ain't rich, so I don't expect a fortune. Just whatever amount you can manage each week. And you don't have to worry that I'll soak you because I got other women on my list. So if you can handle ten or fifteen a week until I got what I need, I'll give you the pictures back in a year or so."

Her eyes were narrow slits of hate. She pushed herself away from the counter and stood. "And if I don't?" she asked.

"Look, Lois, why be like that? I'm not asking for so much, a lousy ten or fifteen a week. Hell, you can manage that; just cut down on a six-pack here and a magazine there and you got it. And if things go the way I hope, hell, in a couple of years I'll even pay you back. Why don't you just figure it's a loan, that's all?"

She had her hands on her hips and was looking at me like I was some kind of lower life or something. "And if I don't?" she said. Her voice trembled.

"Lois, shit, don't talk like that. Why wouldn't you want to help me out? I'm not asking so much, really. Be reasonable. I mean, once I make it big you and me, we'll live it up good. I'll take you to the best places. Come on, will ya?"

"For the last time," she said. "And if I won't?"

"But why wouldn't you, Lois?" I said. "I mean, what's a lousy fifteen a week compared to all this?" I waved my arm around the room. "Do you want to give all this up? Maybe you'd have to, Lois, if Herb got a look at the pictures. I mean, from what I know about him, he's a pretty simple, old-fashioned type guy who would get real upset knowing his wife was playing around."

Once the threat was out, I felt relief. The worst was over. And I didn't feel so guilty anymore. Hell, didn't I offer to show her the best once I made it big? And I meant it, too. I liked Lois. I wasn't blackmailing her, exactly, just hitting her up for a loan.

But she didn't figure it that way. Her face was dark and mean now, and she stared at me with eyes that dripped hate.

"You sonofabitch! You dirty pig bastard mother-fucker! You…"

"Take it easy, will ya?" Christ, she was wild. I never thought Lois could talk like that; she was such a nice, even-tempered woman. I took a step around the counter and made for her, to try and calm her down but she backed away.

"Keep away from me, you prick! Get away!" She was in the corner now, with her ass against the edge of the stove.

"Lois, please, be reasonable, I…"

"You dirty snake!" she hissed in almost a whisper. "And to think I thought you were a good guy. You've got some nerve, coming around here with your sob stories. Why don't you go out and better yourself like a man? What kind of a man are you, anyway? God, how I've misjudged you! All the time we were making love I thought it was for fun and you, you dirty, filthy, unspeakable bastard, you were planning to…"

"That's not true!" I broke in hotly. "I didn't even think of this till a few weeks ago. Before then, I was loving you for yourself. Why can't you see…"

She took a step forward. "Fuck yourself! That's right, Goddamn you! Fuck yourself. You rotten bastard, oh, I can't believe…"

She burst into tears and sagged against the stove. I went to her to calm her down and make her understand, but as soon as I touched her she screamed and started swinging and scratching. I beat a retreat.

"You keep away from me!" she cried through her tears. "Don't touch me!"

"Lois," I said, "keep it down, will ya? You want the neighbors over here?"

"I don't care!" She wiped her eyes on a paper towel hanging from a roll next to the stove. "Why don't you just get the hell out of here?"

"What about our deal?" I asked.

"There's no deal!" she hollered. "Get out, get out!"

She wasn't thinking right. I knew that after she calmed down she might change her mind. So I grabbed up a pencil and slip of paper and wrote down my box number at the post office.

"I'm leaving this for you," I said, dropping the paper on the counter, "in case you change your mind. I think…"

"Get out!" she hollered again, turning her face away.

Now I was getting pissed. I had tried to be reasonable and she had no call to yell at me like that.

"Listen," I said, "think it over. I want ten a week mailed to me or I'll make sure Herb gets an eyeful, you understand? And let me tell you, I could have asked for fifteen but since we're friends, I'll let it go for ten. But don't think I won't get the pictures to your husband if I have to, I will. Think it over. You don't wanna lose everything just for a lousy ten a week. And I guarantee…"

"Get out of here! I don't want to hear it!" She glared at me.

"And I guarantee that when I get enough money saved up I'll give you the pictures or burn 'em, whatever you want."

Once that was out and finished, I turned and walked quickly through the kitchen door and through the living room. Just as I put my hand on the knob of the front door, she screamed again.

"Bastaaaaaard!"

I ducked out and made a dash for the truck. There was no telling what she'd do in her state. I wasn't in the mood for a big scene right there in the drive where all the neighbors could see and hear.

I was in a bad mood for the next few days. I got a conscience, no matter what anybody might think, and it bothered me. I mean, I was sorry Lois got that shook and, in a way, I guess I could understand. But I had to do what I had to do.

Every lunch hour I went down to the post office and checked my box. On Friday there was still nothing there and I started getting nervous. Lois was a test case; if she didn't come through, maybe the others wouldn't. Tony was pestering me like crazy to set up another session, but until I knew whether this was gonna work or not, I held him off with excuses.

By the following Monday I was really depressed. I was beginning to give up all hope. So when I opened the box and there was the envelope. I made a loud noise of glee and several people looked at me. But I didn't care.

I ran out to the truck and when I was behind the wheel, I ripped open the envelope. There was a ten dollar bill and a note inside. The note was typed; there was no date or Dear Pete, just the following:

You could have asked me for a loan. I would have managed it and we'd have kept our relationship going. Now, I don't want anything to do with you. You say you want to better yourself and become something more than the other townies. Well, I've got news for you. You're worse than the worst of any of them and no amount of money will ever change that. And to think I actually made it with you. My flesh crawls at the thought.

I didn't like it, what she said, but I was so happy at getting the money that by the time I finished opening a savings account at Chemical, I had forgotten all about her words. Before I went back to work I called Betty Ayres. She and Hope were next on my list.