The Word of a Liar (4 page)

“When you comin’ back?” she whispered. “I thought you were done with security.”

She rubbed his fly with her palm. He moaned.

Taking her by the shoulders, he held her away from him.  “You be careful around Jack.”

Her eyes questioned him. “But, Rambo, Jack’s offered me a modeling job for his company, Fortunate Son’s Auto Dealership. He wants me to be the model on next year’s calendar. He promised to put me in a TV commercial. I might even get a new Porsche out of the deal.”

Desi smiled, her excitement evident.

He shook her shoulders. “I don’t want you getting involved in any kind of business dealings with that guy. Understand? You saw how he went off on Muck Eye: the guy’s crazy.”

She pulled away.

“But he’s a friend of yours. Weren’t you the one who invited him? According to Dee, Spider and Mad Dog roughed you up because you invited him without club permission. Why did you invite Jack if he’s not a friend?”

She tossed her head, moonlight shimmering on her bare shoulders.

“That’s none of your business. Do as I say, and stay away from the guy. And be nice to Ellen. She’s scared half to death. I gotta go.” He cradled her hand, bringing it to his mouth. “God damn, you’re beautiful… later.”

He winked and left her by the tent.

When Mason returned to the fire, he saw Mad Dog taping a gauze bandage on Ellen’s ankle.
Shit!
He’d forgotten about her burn. A sudden pang of jealousy quickened his pulse. He gripped his rifle.

“Come on, Jack, let’s go. You ready?” he asked Mad Dog.

Mad Dog patted the top of Ellen’s thigh. “That ought to help.” He smiled and then he retrieved his rifle from the flatbed. “Let’s go, brother.”

Ellen stood. “Where are we going now?”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Mason replied. “You’re staying here with Dee Dee.”

Ellen’s dark, confused eyes reminded him of a scared child waking from a nightmare.

“What do you mean?” Ellen stammered. “You promised to take care of me.”

Her eyes darted to Mad Dog. “You can’t leave me. What if Spider comes and sees I’m still here?”

Her bottom lip trembled. Her chest heaved.

Mason stepped closer. “It’ll be okay.”

“No! No, it won’t be okay!” Panic punctuated her voice. “I never should have believed you.”

Mascara tears cut small trenches down her dirt-smudged cheeks. She closed her eyes and shook her head. “I want to go home. Please, I just want to go home. I want JD.”

Overwhelming emotions cut her speech short.

Mason couldn’t bear to see her unravel, but what could he do? Dee Dee came to his rescue. Grabbing a blanket from an abandoned chair, she wrapped it around Ellen’s shoulders and sat her down.

“Don’t you worry, honey. Spider won’t hurt you. I’ll kick his ass if he even looks cross-eyed at you.” Dee Dee smiled. “Rambo and Mad Dog are good people. They’ll come back as soon as their job is done.” Dee Dee looked up at Mason. “Go on now. She’ll be fine.”

Wearily, Mason turned to leave and then saw Desi. Her emerald eyes glowered with anger and confusion. Well-acquainted with her jealous nature, he hoped she would go easy on Ellen.

The men walked in silence. Soon Mad Dog left to find Spider. Jack paused to light up a joint. “Sorry about my little outburst. I hope I didn’t get you in any trouble with your friends. I can’t abide an employee not following orders.”

He took a hit then passed it to Mason.

Mason waved it away. “Can’t right now. I’m on security.” 

“You take your responsibilities seriously. That’s good,” Jack said and took another drag. “Muck Eye tells me you’re looking to get into another line of work. Tired of mill work.”

“I sure the hell am. I hate the mill. I’ve been buying from Muck Eye for a long time, and so I asked him to invite you to the rally. I figured we could check each other out, and if we liked what we saw, we could make a deal. I see the money Muck Eye makes peddling your product, and I want in on the action. Life’s too short to waste it in a fucking mill. I want to hang with my brothers and ride my motorcycle. Working for you, I’d have the time and cash to do that.”

The two men stopped and considered each other. Jack looked nothing like what Mason had expected.

Jack took another drag of the joint. “My payroll is stacked right now, but I’ll keep you in mind. Are you handy with that weapon?”

“Pretty good. Why? You looking for protection?” Mason asked.

“I might. I tell you what, Rambo. You’re a smart guy, so why don’t we see how things go this weekend? You might decide you don’t like the way I run things. Not everyone is good enough to work for me, you know.” Jack ground the blunt into the ground. “I can be a real son-of-a-bitch.”

“I think we’ll get along fine, Mr. Nelson, if you keep away from Desi. She’s not part of the deal.”

Jack laughed. “Ah, I saw the two of you at the river this afternoon. She’s even more beautiful topless.”

Mason’s jaw clenched, but he forced a smile. “You know, you and I are a lot alike.”

Mason spat, missing Jack’s sandaled feet by a mere inch.

“We both appreciate beautiful women.”

Mason looked Jack straight in the eye.

“And we both can be real sons-of-bitches.”

***

Dee lit up a cigarette. Desi twisted the cap off of a beer bottle and sat down, pulling her long legs up. She studied Ellen with contempt.

Ellen pulled the blanket taut, using it as a shield to protect herself from the hawk-like stare. A trapped rabbit, she expected Desi to spring from her chair and pounce.

“So, Rambo said he’d take care of you?”

“Yes.” Ellen nodded. A shrewd offensive move began to formulate. Excitement crept up Ellen’s spine. She could use Desi’s jealousy to her advantage.  Leaning forward, Ellen explained.  “All I wanted to do was use the telephone at that farmhouse to call a tow truck. Your boyfriend wouldn’t allow it. Said he didn’t want the police showing up, even though I assured him I would never do that.  He got angry and pinned me up against the car. I’ll probably have bruises.”

Ellen shook her head. “I can’t figure out why he is so set on keeping me here. Can you?”

Desi guzzled her beer and then tossed the bottle. It struck the large rocks encompassing the fire. Cracked glass sizzled. Ellen bent back as sparks flew. Blue flame immediately consumed the gold foil label, peeling it away like blistered skin from a bad sunburn. The fractured bottle exploded with a loud pop. 

Dee Dee jumped. “What’s the matter with you? Why the hell did you throw that into the fire?”

A stoic Desi caused a sinking feeling to gnaw the pit of Ellen’s stomach. Her sneer could only mean Ellen’s ploy had failed, and now Desi probably would attack. But then Desi’s eyebrows rose slightly and a pink, glossy smile slipped across her jaw.

“I can take you over to Old Man Mullen’s place. You can call for a truck and be on your way. Rambo and Mad Dog probably won’t be back until daylight. By the time they miss you--if they even do--you’ll be gone.”  Desi twirled a piece of her blonde hair around a manicured finger.

“You’d do that for me? How very generous!”

Ellen stood, tossing the blanket on the chair. Relief swelled. Finally, she would be able to get out of this nightmare.

“Lead the way.” Ellen smiled, sweeping her hand outward.

Desi stood and slipped on a pair of leather sandals. They started for the house, but a low gravel voice stopped them cold. Panic slithered up the back of Ellen’s neck. She turned. Dee Dee aimed a finger in their direction. The fire light glowed in her kinked red hair, and her petite size suddenly loomed large. Ellen felt like she was looking down the barrel of a forty-four. 

“Sit down! No one is going anywhere.” 

CHAPTER four

“You’re not taking Ellen anywhere.” Dee Dee marched over to them, reached up, and yanked on a chunk of Desi’s hair.

Desi squealed. Dee Dee exhaled through gritted teeth.

“You better learn your place, young lady. Mad Dog and Rambo are officers in this club, and what they say goes. You got that?”

Desi tried to free her captured tresses, but Dee tugged harder, bending Desi nearly to the ground.

“Yes, yes, I got it. Now let go!”

Dee dropped her hands to her hips. Breathing heavily, her dark eyes seared the two women. Ellen smoothed back her hair, fearful she’d be next.

“I was trying to help Ellen out.” Desi rubbed her scalp.

“Like hell you were. And you—” she turned to Ellen. “You better do as you’re told if you want to get home unharmed. Mad Dog and Rambo aren’t going to hurt you, but some other crazy fuck might. So stay put!”

Hard lines creased the corners of Dee’s eyes and outlined her mouth. The woman reminded Ellen of a Chihuahua whose ferociousness nullifies its small size. For the moment, Dee Dee effectively squelched any plot to flee. Ellen lowered her gaze.

Desi sat down and Dee walked over to a cooler, retrieving another beer. “Would you like one, Ellen?”

Dee Dee’s hostility had dissipated like the fury of a passing squall.

“No, thank you, I don’t drink beer.” Ellen picked up the blanket, wrapped it around her shoulders, and then sat down, scooting her chair close to the fire. Weary, her burn stinging, she wanted to crawl up in a ball and sleep.

“How about a whiskey?”

“No, thanks.” Ellen stared at the fire, hoping the absence of eye contact would stop Dee’s pretense of hospitality.

“If you’re hungry, there’s a couple of hot dogs left.” Dee lifted the lid on the grill and frowned. “They’re kinda on the crispy side.”

“I don’t care for anything.” Ellen blinked away tears and focused on the stars.

“Do you smoke weed?”

Ellen smothered a scream.
Could this woman get any more annoying with her phony act of concern? If she is so interested in my
well-being, why did she stop me from going to the farmhouse and using the phone? What is Dee going to ask me next…if I participate in group sex?
Ellen shook her head. “No. I don’t smoke.”

Desi got up and went over to a small wood pile. Selecting a good size piece of firewood, she unceremoniously dropped it onto the burning logs, causing the charred, glowing teepee to topple. Sparks flew. Ellen bolted upright to escape being burned. She looked over at Desi and saw the corners of her mouth turn upward.  Ellen jerked the chair back a safe distance and sat down. Desi slipped into her lawn chair. Leaning forward, elbows on her knees, Desi watched the flames then looked over at Ellen.

“So, Ellen, you don’t smoke cigs or weed, and you don’t drink alcohol. What do you do for fun? Play Bingo at the senior center?”

The snide comment tore away the last remnant of Ellen’s threadbare good manners. “All right! All right!” She threw up her hands. “I’ll go along with this charade and pretend I’m not some undesirable you’re forced to tolerate for the night. If you have any, a Coke would be good.”

“My, my I never would have guessed.” Desi grinned. “We’re fresh out of nose candy, but I’m sure I could find a rock or two. Someone’s bound to have it. Maybe even Rambo.” Desi’s eyebrows lifted.  “Shall I go ask?” She jumped to her feet.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”  Ellen wanted to leap over the fire and choke her, but her lack of experience in the fine art of cat fighting, kept her seated.

“I’d better go find you some sweats. I can see my jeans will be way too small.”

“Don’t bother.” Ellen gripped the chair handles, ready to defend herself if the need arose.  Desi and Dee Dee might be a lot tougher, but at least she’d go down fighting.

Desi tossed her head back, like an insolent princess. “I’ll get them. I don’t want Rambo coming back here busting my ass because I didn’t treat his guest right.” Her eyes burned hotter than the fire.  She spun around and then stormed off.

“Jealous bitch.” Dee Dee chuckled, tossing a cigarette butt into the glowing cinders. “I don’t blame her. Rambo’s a fine lookin’ man.” She smiled.

“I assure you I have no interest at all in Rambo. I wouldn’t even be here if Mason…Rambo, whoever he is…didn’t threaten to hog-tie me to the back of his motorcycle.” Tears stung Ellen’s eyes. She reached down and slapped at a mosquito, biting her ankle then looked into the fire. With the back of her hand, she brushed tears from her cheeks and for the second time, wished she hadn’t thrown away Mason’s bandana.

Dee Dee got up and fished out a can of Coke from the cooler. She pulled back the tab, poured some on the ground then reached for a bottle of Jack Daniels. She handed the spiked soda to Ellen. “Drink it. The whiskey will do you good.”

Ellen gulped the cold fizzy liquid, feeling the heat of the whiskey. Dee Dee went to the truck, returning with a can of
Off
. “Probably need some of this too. The mosquitoes are bad around here.” Ellen took the offering, noticing how Dee Dee’s face had softened.  Maybe it was the firelight, but she looked less threatening.

“I’m sorry for what I said. It was rude.” Ellen sighed. “You’re very kind to share your campfire with a total stranger.” 

Dee took another cigarette from her jacket pocket and lit it. “So what happened Ellen?  How’d you end up here?” She sat back, folded her arms across her chest and puffed on the cigarette, ready to listen.

Desi’s absence and the relaxing warmth of the fire and whiskey slowly eradicated Ellen’s fears.

“I moved to Milwaukee at the beginning of the month.” Ellen explained. “My son JD is staying with my sister, who lives in Madison while I settle into my new job and our new home.”

Ellen told Dee Dee about how she happened to be stranded and how Mason and Mad Dog helped her. She told her about her new position at Brookfield Alternative High School and learned Dee Dee and Spider’s daughter had enrolled there and they lived only a few blocks down the street from Ellen. Shocked at first, Ellen began to realize she enjoyed conversing with Dee Dee. Despite her brittle demeanor, Dee was quite genuine.

Engrossed in conversation, Ellen didn’t notice Desi return with the sweats. She threw them, striking Ellen across the head. The pants landed in the dirt. Stunned, Ellen looked up, expecting a fight, but Desi sat down, crossed her legs and smiled.

Ellen picked up the sweats, shook them and then slipped them on, stretching out the waistband.  “Look Desi, there’s room to grow.” She returned a sarcastic smile. If Desi wanted a fight, then so be it. She wasn’t going to tolerate any more of that shrew’s snide comments. Ellen picked up the insect repellent and sprayed every inch of her clothing and hair.  She squirted more into her hand, rubbing it on her face, neck and then her feet. Still not satisfied, she sprayed her clothes until the can emptied.

Desi coughed. “Be careful! Are you trying to set us on fire with all those fumes?”

“Well now that I stink maybe your hairy boyfriend will leave me alone.” Ellen sat down and finished her drink. The charged night air crackled with impassioned friction.

Dee Dee stood. Like a barrier between the two, she held her hands out to the fire. “Don’t you think it’s time to call a truce?” Dee Dee’s eyes darted from Ellen to Desi. “Because I’m getting real tired of the bullshit.”

Ellen swallowed. Dee Dee was right. She had no business fighting with Desi. After tonight she wouldn’t see her again. Besides, she never physically fought with anyone in her life. She needed to be the adult. Sucking in her lips, than rolling them over her teeth, she looked at Desi and forced words into sound. “Thank you for the sweats.”

“You’re not going to believe this, Desi,” Dee Dee said. “But Ellen lives right up the street from me and Spider and a few blocks down from Rambo. She bought the house Rambo was interested in. Isn’t that wild? Here we are neighbors and we meet here in the boonies.”  She took a drag off a pipe and passed it to Desi.

Desi hesitated. “You live on Washington Street? Rambo’s street?”

“Yes. In an old Victorian.”

Desi inhaled deeply off the pipe. She held her breath for so long Ellen thought she was going to implode. Finally Desi released the smoke into the blackness. The pungent sweet cloud hung in the air.

“Are you married?” Desi’s cold eyes made her shiver.

“I was.” Ellen blinked at the fire. “My husband was killed in an accident about seven years ago and left me and my son JD to carry on. That’s why I moved. I needed a fresh start. My younger sister, Samantha and my parents have been watching JD for me while I get things settled in the new house and at school.  I’m going to miss them not living so close, but JD and I will get by.”

Ellen turned to Dee. “May I have another whiskey and Coke?”

“Sure thing, honey.”

Dee Dee got up and made Ellen another drink. “You know, you and Mad Dog have a lot in common.”

Dee Dee handed the can to Ellen.

“How so?”

Ellen took a long drink. Even to this day, talking about Paul and the accident made her sad.

“His wife was murdered a couple of years ago.”

“Oh my god!” Intrigued, Ellen straightened.

“It was an awful thing.” Her voice low and husky, Dee Dee looked into the fire. “Gina, his wife, was a bartender at a place called the Ritz. One night when she was closing up, someone came in and shot her.”

Tears brimmed in Dee Dee eyes. She sniffled.

“It was awful for everyone.” She paused, looking at Ellen.  “The police thought Mad Dog did it. They never gave him a moments rest. He was a mess.”

Dee Dee turned her attention back to the fire. “He’s getting it back together, but it’s been rough on him and his kids.”

She swiped at an escaped tear.

“Gina and Mad Dog were like Spider and me.” She held up her hand with two fingers entwined. “Like this…tight...you know? And what makes it even worse; the murderer has never been caught.”

“Testing. Testing. One, two, three,” a loud male voice boomed out over the field followed by the sound of hissing speakers.

The conversation ended. Dee and Desi stood, focusing on the man standing on the make-shift stage with something in his hand.

“That’s got to be Spider.” Dee Dee laughed.

Desi sat back down.

Ellen couldn’t tell who it was, but another man jumped up.  A robotic voice bleeped. “Desi Harrington, we’re looking for Desi Harrington. Desi will you come over here?”

“Mad Dog.” Desi giggled, but stayed seated.

Next, Ellen heard Mason belt out, “D... e…s...i!” like Marlon Brando in
Street Car Named Desire
. “Where are you darlin’?  They want you to dance.”

Mason’s plea carried across the field, the other men’s laughter trailing.

“Spider’s putting on your favorite song, and if you don’t get your sweet little ass over here, they’ve threatened to kill me!”

At that announcement, Desi stood and looked toward the stage. The thin moon spotlighted the figure of a man, pointing his rifle at another.

“Those guys are crazy.” Dee Dee shook her head. “You better get over there. They’re liable to do something stupid, if you don’t.”

Desi’s face glowed. Ellen watched her swagger across the field, obviously reveling in the attention. People began to gather around the trailer, cheering and clapping as she approached.

“Come on, this is going to be great. Desi’s a dancer at the
Paradise Club
.” Dee motioned for Ellen to follow.

When they reached the stage, Ellen saw Mad Dog and Mason each take Desi by the hand and pull her up. Jack, standing next to the front of the trailer, put his hand on Desi’s butt as if he were giving her a boost, but Ellen doubted Desi, needed the help of three men.   Behind Jack, Muck Eye stood between two women, his arms slung over each of their shoulders

“I don’t have a hat! How can I dance to this song without a hat?” Desi hollered over to Spider, who was operating the equipment.

Eager to help, Jack handed her his cowboy hat. Desi nodded to Spider to restart the music. Joe Cocker’s, “You can Leave Your Hat On” pulsated the night. Desi’s physical refinement made her sensual moves hypnotic. Men howled appreciation as she swung her hips and tossed her head between her long slender legs. Blonde hair fell in a wild silky motion over her delicate face.

Ellen had to admit Desi was truly a beautiful woman
.
The raw sexuality of her dancing was mesmerizing. No wonder Mason loved her. What man wouldn’t?
She studied the spellbound crowd. She thought how liberating it must be to have the confidence to dance like that and be so at peace with your body. With each seductive movement, Desi unleashed something primal in the men’s masculinity. Throbbing, sultry rhythm intensified her spell. She eyed the crowd, pointing at Mason. The moon lit up his smile. Joe Cocker roared on.