Another tasty bit of Sarah

It's time for more Sarah. Notice, please, I've set up links to the first three 'tastes' in the upper right hand corner of the page. I WILL work on the link colors - I have more work to do and get done on this page before it looks like it's supposed to.

From last time ...

She leaned across the counter, and looked Jake square in the eye.

"Look. I don't fucking know!!! All I know is that somehow I got caught in the middle of something - I have no idea what!! - and The Kid was sent to kill me and he didn't do it because he knew me - at least I THINK that's why he didn't do it - and we all got in my car and went to the bus station and he dropped us there and left!! That's it!! Nobody knows I'm here - my Mom and my son are safe - nobody but you knows I saw anything at all and don't fuckin' call me SISTER my name is SARAH!!!"

They stood there, almost nose to nose, eyes locked.

"You got balls, Sister Sarah. I'll give you that. You got balls. You can call me Jake."

and now .....

"One question though. When did you say you saw Sully do your friend?"
"Night before last. About 10 o'clock."
"That's funny. I haven't heard nothin' on the radio about anything like that. Usually a body laying somewhere gets the whole town goin'. I wonder what's goin' on here? I wonder if Vito got a lid on this."

"So how do you know this Vito Giamatti?"

"Business. Strictly business. Used to be I paid protection, but when he found out about my 'special skills', they stopped collecting from me and started paying me to do favors for them, from time to time. I don't have no choice, really. If I don't do the 'favors', I get my kneecaps busted - or worse."

"Favors? What kind of favors?"

"I make weapons. Specialized weapons and small explosive devices, that sort of thing. And don't look at me like that. I do what I have to do to survive. The government don't help me none. This shop is all I have. Their protection money was drivin' me out of business. That's what they do, ya know? They bleed ya until there's nothing left and then they take over your business and then they own it, legit. And you can't do nothin' about it. Anyway, I got caught planting a device under Giamatti's car, but instead of killin' me, he put me to work as their weapons factory."

"How many guys does Giamatti have working for him?"

"As far as I know, not counting him and Sully, and if The Kid is out, then there's nine, no ten ... ten guys."

"And you know all these guys?"

"Well, yeah .. I guess I do. I guess I've seen 'em all at one time or another."

She closed her eyes as it all came to her in a rush. I didn't know what I wanted to do. I didn't know who I wanted to do it to. And I didn't know how. Now I know what I have do - and he's going to teach me. He knows who I have to do it to. And he is going to supply me with my weapon.

"You know Jake, I get the feeling you and I are going to be working together. Or am I out of line? Does Giamatti and his family scare you? Are you willing to give up his business? Are you scared, Jake? Are you scared?"

She was right in front of his face again. Not yelling, this time.

"Don't do that. It ain't necessary and it won't work, anyway."

"What do you mean it won't work? You got a problem with girls?"

"No. IT won't work. I got chewed up pretty bad in the war. Caught a claymore mine head on. Almost cut me in half. Sometimes I wish it had."

"I'm sorry. Sorry, Jake. I ... I guess that was mean."

"Don't worry about it. And ya know? I'd love to get out from under Giamatti. I still lose a lot of business. Everybody knows those guys come around here and the regular people just kinda stay away. I have a small group of customers that stay with me - but most people just stay away. Yeah. I'd really like to get clear of Giamatti."

There was a reason that Jake Bertrett's gunshop was out in the desert, away from the city, away from people. Away from women. Most of the women he saw out here were grey and withered, dried out by the desert wind and sun. They didn't remind him of what he lost in the war. They didn't remind him of what he would never have again. What he had had but once in his life. Jake Bertrett was an angry and bitter man for good reason. And the presence of Sarah Pierce was not going to help.