Pissing in Pools #3
Joel felt Simo’s eyes drill into his skull once more. All he could do was shrug at the big guy. “I don’t think so… should I?”
“Don’t know. I heard through the grapevine you might know where she is. People want her…”
“Sorry, big guy. I never heard of her, I swear.” Simo stared at him for a long moment, then turned and casually walked away without looking back.
Joel looked down at the newspaper clipping in his hand. He noticed the paper was today’s edition. Unfolding it, he realized it was an advertisement… for Viagra. “Fuck me…” Joel muttered and stared at the advertisement, remembering Jessie from the club. “Fuck…”
It was late afternoon a few days after he had met with Joel Miller. Simo was standing with his back against one of the white columns that support the upper roadway at Los Angeles International Airport.
Simo glanced at his G-Shock diver’s watch and discreetly tucked his long black ponytail under the collar of his baggy light blue dress shirt.
He wiggled his belt on his khaki pants, then adjusted the strap on the black laptop bag hanging from his shoulder.
Reaching into his shirt pocket, he retrieved a pair of wire-framed glasses and put them on.
He leaned back against the column and waited.
Soon Jenny Jones exited from baggage claim.
Keeping her in his sight as she stopped behind a group of people waiting for their rides, he could see she had dark circles under her eyes and looked like she was dragging.
Her once shoulder-length dishwater blonde hair was now gone.
On her shaved head she wore a gray beanie.
Watching her, Simo guessed that she had not slept on the plane from New Zealand.
She feared crashing again. Good, Simo thought.
She would be tired and not be paying attention like she should.
Moving away from the column, he waited until three people were behind JJ.
As she proceeded up to the curb, he slowly made his way next to her as she waited for Larry the limo driver to pick her up.
He glanced down as JJ reached into her purse and pulled out her cellphone and began texting. When she was done texting, he shifted and turned toward the approaching traffic, causing his heavy laptop bag to smash into JJ’s purse, causing it to spill all its contents out onto the street.
Disguising his voice and with no accent, he blurted out, “Miss! I am so sorry, pardon me!” He quickly stepped into the street and began picking up her ejected things.
JJ sighed. “Oh, that’s ok. Thank you.” She watched the big, nerdy guy pick up her things and hold them out to her. He motioned for her to open her bag as he smiled goofily at her.
“Miss, I’m sorry… I didn’t sleep much on my flight. Guess I’m still out of it. Are you alright?” JJ opened her bag for him and he dropped in all her things along with a new unmarked ballpoint pen.
“I’m good and I understand. I didn’t sleep much either. Oh! I think my ride is here, thanks for your help.”
Simo smiled and backed away as JJ picked up her small suitcase.
“Sorry again, Miss.” Simo moved away as JJ’s limo driver rushed up to help.
Simo turned so Larry wouldn’t recognize him.
Then, when Larry was helping JJ into the limo, Simo put his finger up to his ear and spoke quietly in Greek. “Ella, indaxi.”
JJ’s limo slowly negotiated the traffic as Theo pulled up in Simo’s black Challenger. Simo jumped into the passenger seat. “Feego! Go!” Theo deftly negotiated traffic and came up behind the limo. Simo pulled out a small receiver and listened in to JJ speaking with Larry…
“…my pleasure, JJ. I—I have to say that I am so, so sorry to hear about Doug and… Halo. Are you ok?”
Simo could hear the pain in JJ’s voice. “I’m ok… got a steel plate in my head now and no hair.” JJ sniffed. “I miss them terribly…”
Larry cleared his throat. “It’s so, so sad… I took that Xander guy to the airport after he auditioned for you guys. I never expected him to do something like that to Halo… he seemed like such a nice man.”
“Larry, don’t believe everything you hear on the news…”
There was a long pause, then Simo heard Larry speak. “Home?”
“Yes, please.”
“Sit back and relax, JJ. I’ll have you safe and sound at home real soon.”
Simo sighed and turned to Theo. “Keep following them. Keep an eye out for anyone else following them too.”
Theo nodded and maintained a discreet distance. Half an hour later, Theo followed the limo up to the security gate. When it was their turn, Theo showed the gatehouse guard his credentials and was waved through.
“Theo, drive slower. Pass JJ’s road, go up Davenport and turn around, loop past Halo’s house and back.”
Simo recognized the Lexus SUV parked in JJ’s driveway as the limo pulled up. “Jillian Raines is there, head home.”
“Nea,” Theo replied.
After they passed through security, Simo looked over at Theo and clapped him on his shoulder. Theo let out a grunt and Simo nodded his head. “Remember, killing women is bad for business, but it does pay good. Don’t forget that.”
Theo turned to Simo smiling, nodded, and winked.