The 16mm Caper

Chapter 21

Peter lay on the sofa while Mary puttered around the kitchen making work so she wouldn't have to sit down and face him. The meeting at Catlin's had ended with a kind of non-decision nobody wanting to make a firm statement regarding how to approach his or her problem. Maybe they didn't even have one, Cheryl had suggested after a lot of debate. She reasoned that since they got her disc they might just let the whole thing drop.

It was Harv who pointed out to her that Fisk had been roughed up after her little meeting, which sort of indicated things weren't being dropped. In the end they agreed to tread water and see what developed. If things got really dicey they would bring in the police. Neither Peter nor Dylan revealed the fact that the original material was right under their feet in Dylan's safe.

"What are you doing out there?"

"Just cleaning up a bit."

"Cleaning? You?" He sat up, immediately regretting the comment. "Sorry, Mare. Old habit. We used to joke together a lot."

"I can't seem to find anything funny in all this, Peter."

"Look, you heard everybody's input. We agreed to sit tight and see. When things settle down we'll take another look at how best to market the film."

"If things settle down."

"Oh, Mare, c'mon now--"

"Who's that?" The rap on the door stopped their conversation and Peter climbed up from the couch and went to see.

"Don't open it!"

He gave her a long-suffering glance and opened the door. "Yes?"

Douglas pushed into the room with Harry close behind. He shut and locked the door and leaned against it while Douglas strutted around playing the tough guy.

"What the hell is this? Who are you guys?"

"Sit down and shut up," Douglas snarled, showing a fist.

"Screw you, Jack. Get outta here!"

"Oh my, another tough guy." Harry walked over to Peter and chopped him across the side of the neck. Peter collapsed with a grunt onto the edge of the couch, bouncing down to the floor. Mary screamed a sharp short sound before Douglas wrapped his arms around her and dragged her, struggling, to the couch.

"Down, sweetheart." He shoved her over the arm and grinned as her skirt flew up. "Nice drawers, sweetheart."

"Lay off." Harry grumbled at his partner, squatting down beside Peter. "I'm making a one time offer, pal. Twenty-five thousand for the original film, all the copies and accessories and we're out of your life forever."

Peter rolled over and leaned up on one elbow, his neck aching fiercely. "If I refuse?"

"Please don't. Things would not go well." He purposely looked up at the trembling Mary.

Peter followed his eyes and saw Mary watching him nervously; the younger man was lifting strands of her hair and laughing silently as she pulled away.

"I don't have it."

Harry dropped his head in disappointment. "Not a very convincing lie."

"It's not a lie. I don't have it." Peter leaned up on one hand, his eyes level with the man's.

"Okay then, where is it?"

Mary let out a cry as Douglas place his fingers on her shoulder and squeezed. "Let her leave and I'll tell you."

Harry gave him a look of disdain. "Do I look stupid to you? I mean do you think I'd actually let her go to learn something I can get the hard way in a matter of seconds? I made you a legitimate offer, now where's the film?"

"Let me convince him," Douglas grinned eagerly. He grabbed Mary's chin and turned her face to his. "You wanna learn how to satisfy a man, sweetheart?"

"I said to lay off!" Harry stood up, dragging Peter with him. "You want me to leave her with him?"

Peter swallowed so hard it hurt. "It's not here and that's the solemn truth."

"So where is it?"

"I can't get at until tomorrow. Honestly. And I have to go alone when I do."

"Oh right, alone."

"That's okay, Harry," Douglas chuckled, I'll entertain the little miss until he gets back."

Harry turned slowly, his eyes burning with rage. Douglas made a puzzled shrugging motion and frowned then his jaw dropped, as he realized he'd used Harry's name. Before anyone could move or say anything more, the voice from the hallway froze the scene.

"Amateurs, both of you." Vera moved into the living room and stood beside Peter. "Hello again." Her eyes flashed and she ran a pink tongue across her teeth.

"Why are you here?" Harry started.

"Because you and Puff the Magic Gangsta here can't get the job done fast enough." Douglas made a noise deep in his throat and Vera cocked her head, eyes wide, waiting for him to act. "Nothing, Puff? Good. You and your partner go on out and leave this to me."

"This is not what—"

"Don't make the same mistake," she cautioned, and pointed a slender arm toward the door. Harry jerked his head at Douglas and the two men left as told.

"Now," Vera smiled and settled next to Mary on the couch. "Where were we? Oh yes. You were about to take me to the film and make yourself a nice little lump of money." She dragged a nail down Mary's leg, making her cringe away. "Or, we could explore just how much you both mean to one another."

This time her hand slid over Mary's thigh and she held her tight so she couldn't move. Mary's mouth opened and she closed her eyes against the pain.

"Don't! Don't. Please leave her alone." Peter rubbed his sore neck and held out a pleading hand. "I honestly can't get it until tomorrow. It's in a safe."

"A bank?"

He hesitated, frantically trying to think of a plan. Mary squealed and he jumped. "Yes! Yes, a bank. Let her go, please."

Vera studied him and came to a conclusion. She rose in one easy move and stepped up next to him. "You realize of course that I can't just leave and come back." He nodded uncertainly. "What time does your bank open?"

"Uh- it uh- ten I guess. That's when most of them open."

"You don't know when your own bank opens?" Her hand slipped around his waist and Peter tensed.

"It uh- it's not my bank -. not my regular bank." The hand dropped down over his backside and he shut his eyes, waiting for something nasty. "I used a different one, for secrecy."

"My, my. He's a clever lad, don't you think?" She smiled at Mary as her hand pressed something that gave Peter a brief jolt of blazing pain. "See what can happen if you're naughty? Now, I guess it'll have to be Mary and me in the bedroom tonight and you on the couch." They looked at one another, and Peter felt he could see his life with Mary drifting away like a morning fog.