“This is so relaxing,” said Polly as she followed Master Wu’s movements.
“Relaxing?” Pearl scoffed. “If some fool rolls up on me, I don’t want him hypnotized, I want him hospitalized. I don’t see how you can possibly bust someone’s melon with this weak-ass stuff.”
“Just do what Master Wu says,” Jolene said.
“Well, he might be Master Wu to you,” said Pearl. “But he’s just plain old Wu to me. You don’t ask an old black woman to go calling someone Master.”
“Pearl,” Polly pleaded, “just do what he does. We’re all here for you.”
“Just you remember,” Pearl said as she began to flap her arms up and down. “I didn’t ask for any help. This is your crazy scheme.”
“Excellent work, class,” Master Wu said as he walked among the students and inspected their movements. “Drop your elbows down. Keep your hands relaxed.” Suddenly, Big Esther collapsed to the floor with a thud. Master Wu rushed to her side. “Back away, people.” He fanned the air around Big Esther’s pale face.
“Oh, my God!” cried Polly. “Is she having a heart attack?”
“I don’t think so,” replied Master Wu. His fanning of the air seemed to bring some color back into Big Esther’s face. Slowly her eyes opened, and Master Wu gently assisted her to her feet. The room of students stood in hushed silence around the wobbly woman.
“I’m okay,” Big Esther said faintly.
“Let me guess,” said Master Wu. “You forgot to breathe.” Big Esther sheepishly nodded her big head in agreement.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
It’s Not a Party Until Someone Gets Shot
Later that evening, an Austin police department cruiser worked its way through the highway traffic. The roads were still congested, even though it was after sundown.
“How much further?” Agent Diaz asked the police officer who had picked her up at the Austin airport.
“Not too far,” the patrolman. “Should be another fifteen minutes.” Maria shifted her position in the car seat so she could lean forward and grab the file resting on the floorboard beside her feet. She winced slightly as her arm sling pulled on her wounded shoulder.
Inside the big white house, Jackie, Kip, Bennett, and Polly sat in the parlor. All were sipping after-dinner drinks except Polly, who cradled an iced tea. Max was curled up in Bennett’s lap, snoring and dreaming. Jackie smiled ever so bashfully as the other three raved about the meal she’d prepared for them earlier that evening.
“Come on, guys,” Jackie said. “It was only lasagna. Ya’ll have to come by the restaurant. That’s the kitchen for preparing something special.”
“I’d come by more often if I could pronounce anything on the damn menu,” Bennett said as he sipped his bourbon. “You just drop off a pan of what you made tonight once a week and you’ll make an old man happy.”
“Well, I’m glad you liked it, although I think Avery just pushed his around the plate a couple of times.”
“Don’t mind him,” Kip replied. “If it doesn’t have sugar or caffeine listed as two of the main ingredients, he doesn’t much touch it.”
“Well, the peach cobbler in the oven ought to work for him, then,” Jackie said as she checked her watch. “Should be just about ready to pull out.”
“Jackie, dear,” Polly said. “Thank you so much for letting the girls come around to join us for dessert on such short notice. It means so much to them. Big Esther, that’s the tall one, not the short one, had the most awful day at tai chi class. I was afraid we almost lost her earlier. And Little Esther nearly had a conniption just seeing her there limp on the floor. Not to mention poor Jolene is horribly heartbroken. Her date tonight cancelled at the last minute.”
“Can you believe it?” Bennett said as he rolled his eyes.
“You hush, old man,” Polly scolded. Bennett held up his hands in mock surrender. “Her much younger man dumped her for a much younger woman. She’s real upset.”
“It’s no problem at all, Polly,” Jackie said. “Really, there’s more than plenty to go around.”
“Still, it’s so sweet of you. Not to mention it gives me an excuse to keep an eye on Miss Pearl, what with her probation and all. That scallywag.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Jackie replied. “Well, I think the cobbler is close.” She looked at her watch. “I better check on it.” Jackie rose to head to the kitchen.
“Such a dear,” Polly said as she looked at Kip and whispered through cupped hands, “don’t you mess this up.” Kip frowned back at her. Suddenly, the lights in the house went dark.
“Oh, my heavens!” Polly cried out. “What just happened?”
“Settle down, woman,” Bennett growled. “Power just went dead.”
“Must be the breaker,” Kip said as he got up and looked out the window. “The rest of the block seems fine. The box is in the basement. I’ll go check it. Pop, you got a flashlight downstairs somewhere?”
“Inside the door in the kitchen that leads to the cellar,” Bennett replied. “It’s by the recycling bin.” Suddenly Max jumped from his master’s lap and raced toward the kitchen, barking and growling.
“What’s going on, boy?” Kip called after the little dog. His question was answered by the sound of Max’s sharp whimper. A large dark man walked out from the kitchen holding Max aloft by the scruff of his neck with one hand and a silenced pistol in the other.
“You two,” El Barquero said, motioning to Jackie and Kip with his pistol. “Sit down.” Jackie and Kip complied. “Now, where’s Avery?” El Barquero asked as he pitched the little dog across the parlor and into Bennett’s outstretched arms.
“And just who the hell wants to know?” Bennett asked as he rubbed the growling little dog’s thick neck.
“Not important,” El Barquero replied menacingly. “I’ll only ask you one more time. Where is he?”
“Please don’t hurt us,” Polly said meekly.
“Shut up,” El Barquero said calmly as he pointed the gun toward the trembling woman.
Upstairs, Avery checked the surge protector for his computer system, hoping he hadn’t lost any material on the letter he was composing. “Bennett!” he yelled out. “Turn my damn power back on!”
“Avery? Is that you up there?” El Barquero called up the stairs. Avery froze, instantly recognizing the sinister voice. “Bring my money to me, Avery, and I won’t have to kill you or your family. You hear me?”
“They’re not my family,” Avery called out as he hurried to lock the door to his room. “I don’t know any of them.” He fumbled in the dark to find the duffle bag containing his equipment for just such a contingency. Avery had planned for years on how to delay an armed commando extraction team sent to capture him. He just always thought it would be Navy SEALs or the CIA, not a six-and-a-half-foot-tall Mexican assassin.
“Avery?” El Barquero called out again. “I’m not playing around here. I want the money.”
“Just give him what he wants, Avery!” Bennett bellowed.
“I’m sorry,” Avery replied. “I don’t recognize that person. I’m afraid you’ve made a mistake. Come back later.” He hastily arranged various items around the room and collected the lawn bag full of money from under his bed. “I’m very busy right now,” Avery yelled as he extended a rope fire escape ladder out his bedroom window, securing the ladder’s metal hooks on the sill. “Wednesday is much better for me. Shall we make it, say, three in the afternoon?”
“Don’t make me come up there, Avery,” El Barquero replied.