Possession

Help

1987

"So what's up?"

Tamera sat across from her, dark glasses enclosing half her face, her lips moving down to straw to suck up cola. Jean sat back in the booth and laid the menu to the side. She took off her sunglasses off her head and set them gingerly on the table as a distraction from her thoughts.

"It's bad," Jean said.

"How bad is it?"

"There's no money," she replied.

"Do you know that for sure?"

"He's broke," Jean replied. "He spent every nickel of credit building a huge house and keeping his business afloat. He makes no money off the legitimate business."

"The only money is from stolen goods?"

"He loses money on a lot of that, too." Jean rubbed her eyes and moved forward in her seat. "They're bleeding him dry. I'm afraid for him."

Tamera lifted her sunglasses up to the top of her head and crossed her arms.

"He made his bed..."

"I'm afraid for myself," Jean interrupted. Her face was suddenly strained, looking sullenly at the laminate table surface. "If they decide he's not worth anything to them any more then they might think I'm a liability too..."

"They won't do that."

"They might. Who am I to them? Don't I know too much?"

Tamera licked her lips and looked out the window to the parking lot, her skin glowing in the reflected light. Jean felt a moment of jealousy.

I must look like shit.

As if to confirm this Tamera asked her:

"You look like you need a drink."

"I had one. In the car."

"You look like you need ten more."

"Oh Jesus, I do. I do! Tamera, let me tell you, he's such a goddamn mess. I couldn't believe it. Could not believe it."

Tam paused for a moment to take a drink.

"I think you can believe it."

Jean looked away from her, turning her eyes back to the window.

"You knew just a little, Jean," Tam said, holding her index finger and thumb an inch apart. "I'm sure you could hear the train coming if you listened a little."

"I'm deaf to trouble, you know that."

"No, you're just drawn to it."

"Tam," Jean said, flustered. "I can't say you're wrong."

"What do you want me to do about this?"

"I don't know if you can, but, I guess I'm just asking... Is there anything that Dan can do for you?"

"For me?" she asked, surprised. "Why would I need Dan?"

"Mass transport, around the country. Trucks going everywhere. Hide something in the back end and the driver drops it off..."

"That's involving a lot of people," Tam said, shaking her head. "Besides, Todd isn't a dealer like that. He's more of a wholesaler and he keeps his hands as clean as possible."

"But does he know someone that would be interested?"

Tam swallowed hard. She talked softly

"In transporting... hard drugs... around the United States... in a truck and trailer?"

"We're talking real money, Tam."

"We're talking about danger, Jean."
"Maybe you're happy with a nice house and a little side business but not everyone is," Jean protested. "There's people willing to take the risk."

"And you're one of them?"

"I am to save some lives. I am to save a town's business. I am if I'm the one that's organizing it and I can control it."

Tam leaned back, biting her nail.

"I'd say that you must be crazy," she said after a moment. "But I know that you must understand what you're asking."

"We need to raise about ten million dollars. And then we're done. Just a short bit of fundraising. And think about what you or Todd's contact could make."

"These are dirty people, Jean. Like, no joke, drop you in a river dirty."

"I've been around that, Tam."

"And you want to go back to it?"

"When have I ever left them, Tam?" Jean shrugged, a sad smile forming a line across her face.