In The Company of Deceit

Chapter 13 - The Curse of Money

Edwin sat uncomfortably on the small sofa while Rose puttered about getting drinks and a few snacks from the cupboard, chattering inanely throughout the evening. She was almost giddy at the idea of getting five hundred dollars and she stopped pouring the drink, considering her situation if he tried to renege. Best to get the money up front, she decided.

She carried the small tray of goodies to the coffee table and sat beside Edwin, her hip against his thigh.

"Let's have a little toast to our agreement shall we?"

"I don't really drink, señorita and I am very tired. I offered to pay for a place to rest." He felt for his case on the floor and squeezed the handle reassuringly.

"Then just pretend." She laughed without humour and handed him a glass. "To the pleasant trip we enjoyed together and to the uhm- the promised compensation." She clinked his glass and drank. Edwin sipped his and closed his eyes.

"About that compensation, Edwin. You mentioned five hundred dollars?"

He put down his glass and lifted his case to his lap, undoing the straps and lifting the flap. He reached inside and took out a bundle of money that made Rose catch her breath.

"Holy crap! How much is that?"

Edwin silently peeled off five hundred and hardly made a dent in the bundle, handing her the money and throwing the rest back in the case and closing it all up again.

"Is that all money in there?" She wriggled on the sofa.

"I believe our deal is finished. You said I could stay the night."

"Baby, you can stay forever." She put down her glass and crawled onto his leg, arms snaking about his neck.

Edwin balked and tried to push her off, but his hands only found purchase in the most intimate places and Rose's ardour meter immediately shot up. He had made a huge mistake allowing her to see in the case. He cursed his stupidity, blaming it on the mix of fear and weariness he felt.

While they wrestled together the knocking on the door was missed and when suddenly Edwin saw the man from the bus over Rose's shoulder, he managed enough strength to cast her off in a heap on the floor.

"What the hell?" Rose saw the man and she gathered herself up and stood, straightening her dress. "Who are you? What's the idea just walking into someone's─"

"Aunt Rose?" The address stunned her and her mouth dropped open as she gawked at the man, blinking.

"Aunt Rose, it's Mickey. Mickey Wireton."

"My sister's boy? My nephew?" She sank back onto the sofa just missing Edwin's lap.

"And look at you. Hi Edwin, lotta folks lookin' for you." Now wasn't this all he needed.

It took nearly an hour and most of the opened liquor bottle for Mickey to explain and fabricate all the events leading up to where he now found himself. Rose was feeling light-headed and Mickey was warming to the fact that she was a damn fine looking woman with apparent needs. Wave a few bucks in her face and old Auntie Rose might just be the cover he needed.

He gave Edwin a wink.

"So, you just walked away from the accident? How come, you illegal? The cops have been asking everyone about you."

"Cops! They want you, Edwin? Why?" Her eyes fell on his case and she felt a sudden surge of excitement. "Is it because of that?" Edwin clamped his arms around the case and gave her a thunderous look.

"What about it?" Mickey asked.

"It is nothing, señor and I think I will make a different arrangement for the rest of the night, señorita. Thank you again for the ride." He stood as did Rose and Mickey.

"It's full of money!" Most of the bottle's contents had found its way down Rose's throat and now she was bright-eyed, slurring her speech and bending slightly like a tall reed in a summer breeze.

"Really? Is she right, Edwin? You got a bag of money there?" His thoughts immediately went to his own pack on the floor by the door. "That why you bin' hangin' on to it so tight?"

"I wish to leave."

"Oh c'mon. We're all friends and family here, give us a peek."

Mickey's mouth smiled independently of the rest of his face. Rose giggled and fished her five hundred from the top of her dress and waved it at the two men.

"See, he already gave me some."

Edwin made a move toward the door and Mickey placed a hand on his chest and shoved him back onto the sofa.

"I said, let's have a peek, Edwin." Nervously, Edwin undid the straps again and slipped his hand inside, this time coming out with a gun.

"I do not want to do this, señor, I just wish to leave peacefully. Now step back out of my way." He started to rise and Rose threw her handful of bills in his face.

Disoriented and off balance, Edwin felt Mickey's hands grabbing his wrist and forcing him back down on the sofa. They struggled briefly, getting caught up in the big cushions and then the loud noise made Rose scream. Mickey rolled away and squatted on the floor. Blood was all over his shirt front and he stared at the gun in his hand. Rose screamed again and he stood up and slapped her, stunning her into silence.

Edwin lay crumpled on the sofa, his mouth open gasping for air. The front of his shirt began to change colour as his blood soaked quickly into the material. A shaking hand probed the hole below his rib, coming away dripping. He looked to Rose and then Mickey and muttered a plea for help, coughing and spitting up more of his life's precious fluid.

Mickey bent down and opened the case, his eyes widening at the sight of all the bundles of cash. He just stared, thoughts crashing about like pins in a bowling alley. There had to be thousands, hell, hundreds of thousands, he figured. Rose began sobbing again and he turned to her and told her to shut up while he thought.

The decision was easy after he ran back over all the facts about how Edwin got there and that he was wanted by the cops and who knew who else. He leaned down and asked carefully where the money came from. Edwin coughed up more blood and groaned.

"Where, Edwin."

Slowly, his eyes drifted up to Mickey's face seeing the greedy hunger and knowing he was a dead man anyway, decided to stay silent. It seemed his earlier wish for death had come true. Mickey shrugged and placed a sofa cushion against Edwin's forehead then the barrel of the gun and pulled the trigger.

With the muffled roar of the gun Rose's scream faded away as she fainted.