“There he is!” Rikki sat up straight in the driver’s seat of her
Chevy Avalanche.
“Are you kiddin’ me right now? That man is huge!” Grace
didn’t like the adrenaline rush half as much as Rikki.
“I know…we’ve got the element of surprise though…it’ll be
fine.” Rikki resembled a kid in a candy store that just spotted
the kind of candy she wanted. “Don’t move…we don’t wanna call
attention to ourselves.”
“Don’t worry, I never want that man to lay eyes on me…he’s
scary.” Grace was frozen in the floor of the truck with her head
on the seat.
Rikki noticed her voice coming from down under and moved
her eyes toward the passenger’s seat. “What the hell are you doin’ down there?” Rikki giggled at Grace’s fear.
“I mean it Rikki. I don’t want that man to see me.”
Rikki put the truck in drive and followed her target from a
distance. Grace lay in the floor, with her eyes squeezed tightly
and prayed.
“See right there…this is why I bring you. When you’re with
me, you know exactly when to pray.” The target turned left into
a hole-in-the-wall bar. Rikki turned right.
“Why are we stopping?”
“Sit in the seat like a civilized folk and find out.” Rikki was
still amused with Grace’s fear.
Rikki pulled over and watched her target go into the bar.
Grace finally positioned herself on the passenger’s seat.
“Don’t even.” Grace knew what Rikki was thinking.
“Well you can either…go inside with me…safety in numbers…
or you could sit outside in the truck by yourself. Come on it’ll be
fun! What do you want your name to be?”
After careful deliberation Grace answered, “Daisy…cause I
have one tattooed on my ankle.” Her voice was soft. Rikki knew
she was reluctant to participate in the entrapment and then the
arrest she was about to perform but she pushed anyway.
“You can name me…who do you think I should be?”
“Well let’s not go with Lacy…Lacy Panties…like you usually
do. Jackass or Old Number Seven feels appropriate, right now.
I’ve got it…Kitty or Bambi!” Grace snickered.
“I so resemble a Kitty or Bambi…whateeever. Those names
remind me of a girly-girl or a stripper. I kinda like Fancy.” Rikki
shuddered at the thought of being a girly-girl. “When someone
asks my name let’s see which one falls out. I’m leaning towards
Bambi though.” Rikki drove into the parking lot. “Come on Daisy,
I’ll buy ya a beer.” She smiled and leaped out of the truck.
They entered the hole-in-the-wall bar with little expectations.
They were not pleasantly surprised. Grace was scared. Rikki had
a huge adrenaline rush and immediately looked for her target.
She located him sitting at a table close to the one-couple-at-atime
dance floor.
On their way to belly-up to the bar, an old drunken woman
grabbed them by the arms. “You girls are so beautiful. You could
have your pick of the place.” She swung her arm around wide as
if she were Vanna White showing off a brand new car. Then she
smiled exposing one missing tooth, the rest were a dingy brown
color.
Rikki and Grace slowly scanned the room in disbelief that
such an offer had been made to them. Neither said a word—
definitely a rough crowd.
“There’s no one in here I want.” Grace finally whispered to
Rikki leaning into her shoulder, with her hand over her mouth.
Rikki thought she spotted a tear in her eye. Giggle.
Rikki let loose a hearty laugh, throwing her head back. Heads
turned, and looked the two outsiders up and down.
“We’ve got everyone’s attention now. Smile and be friendly.
We need to put out an approachable vibe. Besides, I don’t want
to shoot anyone tonight.” Rikki said to Grace behind her pearly
whites. “There’s nothin’ funnier than real life!” She had a way of
seeing the funny side of things, whereas, Grace saw the scarier
side of things.
“Are you packin’?”
“Did you really just ask me that?” Rikki sneered.
“Boot?” Grace asked.
“Yes ma’am. One in each boot and a knife. Feel better?”
“As a matter of fact…I do.”
“Two Bud Lights,” Rikki yelled at the bartender. “Apparently
it’s karaoke night.” She snarled at Grace.
“I’m gonna stick to you like panties on your ass!” Grace
hollered above the off -pitch karaoke singer.
Rikki laughed, “Relax. Have a good time.”
Grace guzzled her beer in an attempt to relax. Rikki merely
sipped hers, in an attempt to stay sober but appear to be drinking
in abundance.
“Would you like to dance?” A voice came from behind Rikki
and Grace.
“Yes I would.” Rikki answered without looking to see who
asked. She wanted to get closer to her target.
Grace grabbed Rikki’s arm pulling her close. “Don’t leave me
alone.” Her blue eyes were intense, on the verge of tears.
“You won’t be alone for long.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Rikki pranced off to the dance floor. She made eye contact
with her target and smiled. His eyebrows raised and he returned
a smile.
Damn that guy is e-que (huge). Six foot seven inches and two
hundred ninety pounds…wanted for child molestation, child
abuse, drug possession, illegal possession of a firearm and assault and battery on a police officer. Rikki swiftly reviewed his file from memory as she danced like no one was watching.
“Wa-do (thank you) for the dance it was fun.” She said to her
dance partner as they returned to the bar and to Grace who was
shaking in her boots and not trying to hide it.
“I’m gonna dedicate my next song to you two. What’s your
name?”
“I’m Daisy.” Grace snapped, anticipating Rikki’s answer.
“You can call me Duke.” Rikki smiled and tilted her head.
Grace’s jaw dropped. The karaoke king headed to the stage.
“What the hell is Duke?”
“Not sure…that’s just what fell out of my mouth. Daisy and
Duke.” Rikki laughed.
“That’s soooo obviously not your name, retard.”
“This song goes out to the pretty ladies at the bar, Duke and
Daisy.”
“What’s funnier is he doesn’t even get it.” Grace laughed at
the dedication over the microphone.
“Momma never told me ‘bout nothin’ like Y-O-U…” he sang,
“I smell T-R-O-U-B-L-E.”
“Of all the songs in the world why that one?” Rikki giggled.
“I’m gonna go ask bad ass to dance.”
“Are you serious?”
“I’ll be able to pat him down on the dance floor to see if he’s
packin’. Then I’ll go out and get my cuff s and stuff . Let’s make
this happen…so we can get out of here.” Rikki figured out her
plan of attack.
Excerpt from Chapter 1 of Triple Cap...
