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8/21/2008

On the Tarmac -- The Kid, Part 5

Please Note: Links to the previous episodes are in the top left panel. However, last Saturday, I published a slightly edited version of The Story So Far which makes the first episode's relationship to the Past Lives series invisible. So you can choose. Follow the links on the left to see it with the unmodified First Episode, or click on the Saturday story to read it just focused on The Kid.

And now ... The Kid ...


Kansas City. A cool, crisp night. He leaned up against the low chain link fence that separated the rest of the world from the airport, thoughts of Vegas and what it was going to be like out there filled his head.

"Don't move, Joey."

He felt a gun muzzle in his ribs. Not for the last time in his life, either.

His mind was racing. He had called him "Joey". If this guy was gonna kill him he'd have done so by now. He had to figure out what was going on. So play along ....

"Howdya find me?"
"The hat, fucker. 'Look for a guy wid a red fedder in his hat, Billy', the boss sez. 'It's shaped like a heart.'"
"No, howdya find me HERE?"
"Remember that cabbie in Chicago? The one that drove ya ta Midway? Shit Joey, every cabbie in the city was on the lookout. The cops ain't the only guys was lookin' fer ya. He watched ya buy yer ticket and called it in. Yer boss called my boss and here we are."

"You gonna kill me?"
"Nah, not unless ya give me a reason to. You and me are gonna be on the next plane back ta Chi. The people who want ya dead are gonna be waitin' at Midway."

"You gonna hold a gun on me all the way back to Chicago?"
"Wid all these people around? Waddya think I am, stupid or sumthin'? Nah, I'm gonna put my gun away. Just like this."
He slid his gun into the holster under his armpit and closed his jacket.
"You and me is gonna be pals, Joey. And pals stick together, see? Close together. If you try ta run, you won't get no more than five steps. 'Cause I KNOW you ain't faster than no bullet. Now waddya say we walk into the terminal and get our tickets ta Midway."

"Yeah, sure. I gotta take a leak, anyway."

As they walked toward the terminal building, he tried to make sense of what was happening. It was obvious this guy didn't know who he really was. He wondered if the cops knew who they were chasing; who it was they found dead. And when the boss called this guy's boss, he told him to look out for Joey. Could it be? Could it be, that they didn't know Joey was dead? Could it be, that they thought Joey had killed HIM? He had to think fast. And he knew what he had to do. Joey was never known to carry a weapon. Which means that this guy has no idea ...

"The men's room is right over there. I'll be right back."
"Now I KNOW you think I'm stupid. Pals, remember? I'm going, too."

The Kid pushed the door open with his right hand, stepped into the room and caught the door with his left hand, holding it open for his 'pal', Billy. His right hand, now out of sight, slid into his pocket and pulled out the stiletto, opening it with a well practiced move. As Billy moved into the room, he let go of the door and swung his right hand around and up under his 'pal's' sternum, his left arm clasping him around his shoulders. Billy let out an "oof" and leaned into The Kid as the life left his body.

The Kid walked out of the restroom. He had a jacket over his arm, and no hat. Under the jacket he carried the .45 Colt Automatic and it's holster. He went over to the all night newsstand and bought a little travel valise and some toiletries. He slid the jacket and gun into the valise, along with his newly purchased items, and slowly walked out to the plane, waiting on the tarmac.

In the men's room of the Kansas City Airport, later, they found a man in a hat with a stab wound to the heart. His body was taken to the County Morgue. After three days, and no one had come to claim or identify the body, it was turned over to a Mortuary and buried in Potter's Field.

The Boss in Kansas City assumed Billy Caprone, or Billy Goat, as he was known to his friends (Caprone means 'goat' in Italian), had killed Joey the Hat and taken the money. He called Chicago and told them as much. He also told them that when he caught up with Billy, he would send them Billy's right hand, along with whatever money they might manage to recover. He was told to "Just send the hand."

When The Kid took his seat on the plane, the Stewardess noticed he wasn't wearing his hat. She liked the look of his white-blond hair. If not for those cold grey eyes .... but she pushed those thoughts from her mind and went back to counting passengers, in preparation for takeoff. Some other time, maybe .. some other guy. Not this one ... no, not this one.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

This just keeps getting better! Nice. I also love the little splashes of humor amid the darkness - "just send the hand" bwahaha. ;)

Shadow said...

smart stewardess! lovely...

Christy said...

More interesting all the time, Lou!

Great job!

Anonymous said...

Another amazing piece!
Love it :)!

Re gas prices: That's Croatian "Kronen" :)

Unknown said...

maggies mind: I suppose that could be seen as humorous .... Bwahahaha. gotcha.

Shadow: Thank you.

Christy: Thank you, Christy. It will get more interesting as we go along - I hope.

Nicole: Thank you. Now I have to go figure out Kronen for Dollars ...

www.ayewonder.com said...

Very smart non-move by the flight attendant. And great episode. I gonna start calling you butter, Lou. Cause you're on a roll.

Expat No. 3699 said...

@ayewonder: Butter, that's a good one!

Bravo, Lou! You're sucking us all in. Great chapter!

Honeybell said...

Halfway through I realized I was holding my breath . . .

Unknown said...

ayewonder: Thank you, Mike. SWMBO been calling me butter for a long time. Different reaon, though. Which I will NOT go into, here.

Employee: Thank you, ma'am. Glad you liked it.

Honeybell: That is insanely flattering. O.K., then. Deep breaths ... not too deep, now. Don't want to turn anybody on ... I'm just sayin'.

BenefitScroungingScum said...

Hi Lou, I was hunting for an email addy for you, but couldn't find one so it's the comment box I'm afraid!
I was wondering (along with a huge amount of grovelling) as you are an artist if perhaps you could help me out with a photo I want to frame for the captain's birthday please?
It's nice enough as it is, but as it was taken on my camera phone it could do with the kind of touch ups I don't know how to do..that is more than clicking auto fix!
I'd be incredibly grateful if you could help, my email is benefitscrougingscum@hotmail.co.uk
Thanks either way, BG x

moneythoughts said...

Nice chapter Lou. As you finished with the little housekeeping messages at the beginning and said now for the next chapter, it made me think that all you need is a sponsor and it would be just like when we were kids and listening to the radio. BTW, you are a great story teller too.

Momisodes said...

The "oof" and "the hand" sent chills down my spine. The details are remarkable in this piece. I have to agree with Moneythoughts' comment as I've mentioned it before, I can imagine myself huddled on the floor, glued to the speaker of my radio reading this :)

Unknown said...

BenefitScroungingScum: Sorted.

moneythoughts: Thank you, Fred. And now for a word from our sponsor ... Do you have your 'Kid' stiletto and decoder ring? Well, here's how you get yours .... Mail $5.00 cash, no credit cards, please, to ...

Sandy C: Brought to you via transcription from our studios at WLCL. Thanks Sandy. Huddle up. It gets even better ...

Soge shirts said...

that was my favorite story yet Lou. Felt like I was watching a good 1930s mob movie.

Joyce-Anne said...

Wow. You had me riveted with the first sentence. Love it.

Jientje said...

I almost forgot to breathe too, loved every word of it! Ifind myself looking forward to Thursdays, and to reading the next episode ...

Oh and um .. yes, she does look pretty, I can see why you would love her! I had a great time this afternoon getting to know my guy too.
He rocks!

Unknown said...

Sogeshirtsguy: Cool. Thanks. Black and white, right?

Joyce-Anne: Glad, so very glad, you like it.

jientje: Breathe!!! I can just see it now - newspaper headlines all over the world - MYSTERY MALADY STRIKES BLOGGERS ON THURSDAYS - FAINTING SPELLS FROM NOT BREATHING - BUMPS AND BRUISES REPORTED

ConverseMomma said...

You have an excellent sense of dialogue and pacing. You really inhabiat your characters. I admire that in a writer.
I'm intrigued!

Unknown said...

ConverseMomma: Thank you. That's high praise, indeed.

Unknown said...

Billy Caprone--Billy Goat! That's awesome.

I'm not even going to try to figure out the next chapter.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful read Lou.
10 minutes I wouldn't ask for back.

You write it well.
I just want more.

Holly said...

Great dialogue, Lou!

Funny comment by ayewonder.com.

Crimzen Creative said...

AWESOME! I really enjoyed this installment. You do tell a good story and it keeps getting better. Yeehaw!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this treat, Lou.
Well done!
Mwah!

Elizabeth said...

Loved it! You ready to post the next one yet?! Huh Huh??? :)

Unknown said...

hyphen-mama: Billy goat. An echo and homage paid to David's Lives.

warriorwoman: More coming. I promise.

Holly: Yeah. I like Mike.

lady language: Why, thank you, ma'am.

witchypoo: Welcome home and thank you for you comment - which is so very kind.

Anonymous said...

Clean, tight, chillin' Whew!

I see it in black and white, and directed by Alfred Hitchcock.