Chapter 16- Dissolution #2
HELEN MADE IT TO GROSS Pointe Shores in a little under four hours. The drive had been silent, and Apple made no comments or offered any suggestions since he wanted to truly see how Cranberry’s mind worked. At the gate, the security guard stopped them, looking into the car and spotting Apple.
“Oh, aren’t you a big ole serving of yummy,” Apple said, laying it on thick. “I think while my Boss Lady is at the party. I may come out here and start a private one with you, Stud Monkey.”
“I’m on duty,” the man said.
“So is that boodie, which is why I’m shooting my shot, Big Man,” Apple said with a wink.
The guy flashed him a smile and waved them through. Helen looked over at him. “I’m telling Ricky,” she said.
“Hell, how do you think I pulled his fine, no cooking ass?” Apple said, winking at her as a woman in a vest showed her where to park. “What is the plan?”
“Seal Commander, you’re on my six, serving as my private security,” she said.
“I have a small stack in the back I gently borrowed from my husband’s safe that I gotta return after I use it to get in the door.
I’m going to ask for what I want, get to the room, and get the girl.
I’ll call you. You look for the big bitch that hurt Pear and start a fight.
I come down with the girl in the middle of ruckus, shoot her, the cops arrive, we leave with the girl, and find the sommelier. ”
“What?” he said looking at her.
“Follow my lead and let’s do this,” Helen said.
At the entrance, they were eyed suspiciously. “No men allowed,” the woman said.
“The Commander goes where me and this money go,” Helen said, flashing the bag of cash. “I go have a good time; he stays with my money. I get my needs, he pays, we leave. What’s the problem?”
Apple placed his hand on his hip, smacked his lips, and rolled his neck. “I don’t even know why you like to come to these fish festivals, Boss Lady. You could stay home and order your clams and take your time to enjoy your meal.”
“Variety Commander,” she said, “are you letting us in or not?”
The woman allowed them inside. A table where food should have been displayed only showcased a couple of bowls of fruit, cheese and crackers, and a potential roast chicken from Costco.
Azrael had come through. However, there was wine, which may have come from her personal reserves, but Helen didn’t see the woman in question.
Another woman in her early twenties met Helen at the bottom of the stairs. “How may I serve you?”
“I dunno, I want something, un-eager if that is word,” Helen said, looking around. “Most of the floor samples seem to enjoy the work if you know what I mean.”
“Are you requesting forcible?”
“No, I want willing, but not eager. She will do the job but isn’t anxious to make the party pop-off.
You know what I’m asking,” Helen said, looking around the room again.
“I’m nice. Don’t want to hurt no one, but I want to be able to show how good it can be.
Not a conversion, but yeah, you know, all-girls school kind of thing. ”
“Gotcha,” the woman said, showing Helen two images. One was of Candace, the other of an Asian girl with sad eyes.
“I haven’t had Asian in a while,” Helen said as the tablet blinked, leaving only the image of Candace. “I guess she’s it. Has she been washed, cleaned, tested?”
“All the above,” the girl said as a young lady appeared at Helen’s side. “Please show our guest to Room 4.”
Helen looked back at Apple. “Commander,” she said, as he snapped to attention, “give me thirty and you have the con.”
“A tank full of fish ain’t no con,” he said, smacking his lips. “I’ll be here when you finish drinking out the fish tank.”
“Remind me to fire you when I come back,” Helen said, snarling at him. She followed the girl up the stairs, reaching door number 4. Helen tapped lightly on the door, as a shaky voice told her to enter.
The girl who escorted her to the door arrived first. “Candace, you have a guest,” the girl said.
Candace looked up to see Helen, who was frowning. “She ain’t much to look at. You sure the Asian chick ain’t available?”
“I will treat you well,” Candace said. “We will have a nice visit.”
“I guess,” Helen said as the escort nodded and walked away. Helen locked the door and gave Candace a once over. “Well? You want to get out of here or what?”
“Cranberry? Is that really you? How did you find me? The security here is nuts,” Candace said, nearly in tears.
“Yeah. Yeah. Get out of those hoochie clothes so we can bounce,” Helen said, keying the open line on her phone to Apple.
Downstairs, he spotted the woman with a tattoo on her hand. The big girl fit the description of the woman Pear said beat her up. Her knuckles were bruised with broken skin, making his anger boil.
“You’re a big old bitch,” Apple said. “I bet you’re one of those who take joy in first licks and strapping up to hurt some of these young children?”
“Who let this man in here?” The big woman said.
“Your bitch let me in,” Apple said, provoking the woman. “If I liked pussy, I’d fuck her just to show her how it’s actually done, versus the shit you call yourself doing.”
The woman swung at him, which was exactly what he wanted. He punched her in the face, coming in contact with a really hard skull, hurting his hand. Apple didn’t move fast enough as the woman’s fist made contact with his lips, staggering him.
“Is that all you got?” He charged at her, taking her down, providing fast-fisted blows. Two women dragged him off the lady as Helen came down the stairs, Candace in tow, to the ruckus of Bad Apple on the floor, swinging at women. It looked so terrible and beautiful at the same time.
“Commander!” she shouted, and he bound to his feet, snapping to attention.
While in that position, the big woman was aiming to swing at him.
Helen happily pulled her weapon, shooting the woman in the knee.
The sound of the gunshot sent people scrambling as flashing red and blue lights appeared outside the door as a man with a camera came through, snapping photos.
Screams and yells were heard as Helen grabbed the bag of cash she’d brought, alongside the pile next to the concierge stand.
They made an exit to the door as police officers streamed in while Helen, Apple, and Candace slipped out.
On her way out the door, she looked back. In the corner, dressed like Norma Desmond waiting for her closeup, was whom she assumed to be Swallowtail. Helen provided a nod and exited quietly.
In the vehicle, she exited a different way from the front gate, having learned the layout of the property from earlier records during her research of the home. She drove, pressing the one on the phone.
“State your need,” the voice said.
“Package secured,” Helen replied. “Looking for the location of the sommelier.”
“Reynolds and Sixth, three blocks from you,” the voice said, “alive but unconscious. What is your plan?”
“Best you don’t know; plausible deniability,” Helen said, “Cranberry out.”
In the back seat, Candace buckled up, leaned forward and offered her hand to Apple. “I’m Candace. Are you Cranberry’s man?”
“No, I am The Bad Apple,” he said.
“The way you were fighting them mean women, you sure are,” she said. “That was impressive. I need to learn to fight.”
“We need to get that tracker out of you. Do you know where it is?”
“I’m thinking, my right arm,” she said. “I knew it felt weird, but they are always drugging us, so I didn’t know if it was a knot from the injections or what.”
Helen said no more, locating the van that had a sign which read, ‘Tip of the Tongue.’ The van sat in a dark alley. The driver slumped behind the wheel, she opened the cargo door to find cases of good wine, high end liquors, and spirits.
Apple asked, “What are we doing?”
“Taking this shit home. My man used to own a winery, so he is going to love this,” Helen said.
“So, we’re stealing now?” Apple said.
“I can split that bag of cash with you, or I can keep it for myself,” Helen said. “I’m planning to take all that bitch’s money and possibly her life. This is just the start. I plan to give some of it to Pear and Candace to start her an account. You want part of the spoils?”
“Well, yeah, and that big heffah hit me in my mouth. She hits like a man, but I was about to break her in half,” Apple said, touching his mouth.
“You two act like brother and sister,” Candace said.
She grew quiet and suddenly there were sniffles.
“You came for me, Cranberry. You came for me. I thought I was going to be sold this time for running away. She beat me and made me spend time alone with her. Will you go back and shoot her for me, please?”
“Darling, I may go you one better,” Helen said, loading in the first case of liquor, then noticing movement across the street. From behind the safety of the rear door of the van, she spotted a sight she didn't expect to see. “Well, isn't that interesting?”