No Quit

Chapter 20

"You don't expect me to allow you to stay here do you?" Arlene pulled her robe tighter and glared at Sandra.

"I do. And there isn't a whole helluva lot you can do about it. Try kicking us out and old John here—an apt name by the way—will be the next Hammond headline. What with your hubby caught with his 'assistant' in the hotel, I should think you'd be more than happy to have us here... keeping quiet." She tossed the empty wallet back to John who was sitting in shock on the other end of the sofa.

"What do you know about that?" Arlene 's voice sounded strained.

"Everything. It's all over the news."

A gurgling sound came from Arlene's throat and she covered her mouth with her hand.

"If you continue to make nasty about our being here well then, Mrs. Maxwell, you'll have to explain your activities with John here while your husband was getting his brains beat in."

"I know you from the bank, don't I?" Arlene hid her failing confidence with bluster, turning her attention to Curtis.

"I've served you from time to time." Curtis answered stubbornly. His future was looking far less rosy than the imagined adventure he'd... well... imagined.

"I wouldn't remember." She threw back with disdain.

"That it?" Sandra asked. "Are we done sparring? Don't make a mistake in thinking I'm as sweet as I look... Arlene—might as well get on a first name basis." Arlene screwed up her face at the nasty bruise on Sandra's face. "I'm Sandra and this is Curtis." She reached across and patted John's leg, which jerked like he'd been zapped. "We already know yours, Johnny." She turned back to Arlene. "I'll use this if I have to." The gun bounced up and down once in her hand.

"Fine, but I'm expected at the hospital for my husband and the police want to interview me again after I see him."

Curtis looked to Sandra with a doubtful expression. "That could well be true."

"We could all go. What do you say? Curtis can drive, I'll ride beside him and you and John can neck in the back on the way." Sandra laughed. "We aren't wanted for anything, Arlene. We could just be concerned friends."

"If that's true why are you here at all?" John snapped out of his stupor and braced her angrily.

"Excellent question, Johnny. It so happens—"

"It so happens, Johnny, she's here because she thinks she can hide from me."

The reactions varied but all were expressions of surprise, confusion and particularly, dread. The man who had appeared in the livingroom doorway unnoticed leered over the barrel of his gun at the room's occupants.

"Hello, Curtis. Sandra, bitch." Gabe sauntered into the room keeping his gun aimed right at Sandra until he snatched hers away and stuck it in his belt. "Want to introduce everybody... bitch?" She didn't answer. "No? How about you, Curtis?" Gabe walked over and stood behind a cringing Curtis, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Mrs. Maxwell," Curtis pointed nervously. "This is the man that- that..."

"Beat the shit out of your philandering husband." Gabe grinned. "Don't thank me, it was a treat. I gave his little whore a taste of her own medicine too." He stared smugly at Arlene who seemed to wither inside as she gawked back at the man who raped Zeena. Her heart began to pound and she cast a nervous glance at John who rolled his eyes and looked quickly away.

"Ooh, what have we here? Is Johnny boy here on monkey business with you, Mrs. Maxwell?" He went to the couch and rested the gun barrel on John's neck. "Did John come here for a cup of Maxwell's house?" He looked about and laughed loudly at his perceived joke. "Hey, Johnny, get it, Maxwell's house?" He pressed the gun into John's neck and cocked the hammer. Arlene and Sandra gasped and John let out a loud moan as his bladder let go on the very expensive upholstery of the sofa.