The Last Girls' Weekend Pt. 02

The next morning, I told Abbie to come downstairs. When she did, still in my robe, she asked, "Can I have some coffee?"

Abbie had returned the day before, Sunday, from what she told me was a girls' weekend in Miami Beach with her buddies Becca and Claire. It was actually a weekend she spent with her lover Roger, a married con man working the Miami area with his wife, Cheryl. Abbie told me she'd do anything to save our marriage. We're going to find out if that's true.

In response to her request for coffee, I said, "Be my guest. You're going to call your father and tell him you won't be coming in today. I want your family to know that you cheated on me. I don't care what you say as long as it's the truth. Tell him you're taking today off. We have some things to do."

She called him. I told her to put him on speaker, "Daddy, I made a big mistake this past weekend. I met a guy and slept with him. Mark knows and I need to stay home to work on my marriage. That's what's most important to me."

"Who's this guy? Why would you do that?"

"I don't know. I can't explain it. The guy is a bad man and he played me. It feels like it happened to someone else. I love Mark. It has never even occurred to me to cheat on him before. Anyway I have to stay home and try to make amends. I won't be in today or maybe the whole week."

"How is Mark. I'm sure he's furious. Did he hit you or anything?"

"Mark is a wonderful man. He would never hit me. He's very upset with me and should be. I'm upset with myself. Ashamed of myself. He probably hates me right now but he wouldn't hurt me. I have to make this up to him and I'll do anything to get us past this."

"Take as much time as you need. Get your marriage straightened out. Don't worry about coming in. Tell Mark if he needs anything to call me. Tell him your family is behind him on this." They hung up.

Abbie looked at me awaiting her next chore when her mother called, "What happened?"

Abbie started crying, "I met a guy in Miami last June. He gave me a sob story I fell for. One thing led to another and we slept together. I can't explain, it just sort of happened. I didn't intend to cheat on Mark but I did. Mark knows and I'm embarrassed and ashamed. Mark is the world to me and I'm willing to do anything to get us through this, to save our marriage."

"You're unbelievable. Mark is the best thing that ever happened to you and you meet some guy and just sleep with him. How long has this been going on?"

"I met him in June and spent this past weekend with him. Those are the only times I've seen him. I'm going to do everything I can to save my marriage. I told Mark I'll do anything he asks. I just hope I can convince him that this was a onetime mistake and that I love him more than life itself. We're still talking, thankfully. He's asking questions, I think he's trying to sort things out in his mind. I need to get off so we can continue the dialogue."

Abbie's mother said, "Tell Mark we love him. I've never been so ashamed of you." She hung up on Abbie.

Abby broke down, really sobbing. I waited until she calmed down some. She looked at me, pleading. I said to this clearly delusional woman who thinks we're engaging in dialogue, "Make some breakfast." She made breakfast for both of us and we sat across from each other not talking. Abbie kept looking at me, waiting for me to say something, trying to figure out what I was thinking. Finally, I said, "If you wanted to see your boyfriend this weekend, how would you go about it? How would you set it up?"

"He's not my boyfriend. Stop saying that." She was pouting. Unbelievable. "He knows I wouldn't be able to see him again so soon. He knows I'm married and can't take off for another weekend right after I was just away."

I said, "We need a story that he thinks I'll believe so you can sneak away to be with him again this week." I thought for a while, "He knows you do appointment scheduling for your father?" Abbie nodded. "Tell him you're going to tell me a made up story so that you can hook up with him this week. The fake story you're going to tell me is that your father bought a new software module for scheduling. It's an upgrade because it attaches to your invoicing system or whatever. Your story is that the training for this new software is on Thursday and Friday this week. You have to attend the training. That will give you an excuse to be away again so soon. Since it's a bogus story, just to deceive me, if he's not available Thursday and Friday, find out when he can meet you. You'll just switch the days in the fake story he thinks you're going to tell me.

"You have to get a hotel room but I don't want you to stay at any of the H's [national hotel chain that I work for] locations. You're telling him it's a made-up story for me so he won't care about details. Just when your arriving, where you're staying and if you'll be wearing panties."

I finished breakfast and got up to get my laptop. I left the dirty dishes for Abbie to collect. In my former married life, I would have picked up Abbie's dishes, my dishes and washed them.

On my way to get my laptop, there was a loud pounding on the door followed by the doorbell ringing and ringing. I opened the door to find Abbie's BFF Becca standing there. She looked upset. She didn't look like she'd slept or even washed her face or brushed her hair. Behind her, her kids were in her car. I asked, "Begging door to door for money and food scraps now, are we Becca? I hope Bob kicked your ass out. You can't stay here. We don't need two sluts stinking up the place."

"Asshole. You and that bitch told Bob about my boyfriend. Bob threw me out and is threatening to divorce me. He's asking if the children are his. He's talking about suing me for paternity fraud. Where's Abbie? I want to talk to that piece of shit."

"Not available to you."

"You're protecting her? You men are idiots. We tell you we're going on a girls' weekend because we want to spend time with each other, hang out. But we do that all the time. We're constantly together. We go to spas together right here. We don't need to travel two hundred miles to Miami Beach to see each other.

"We tell you it's a girls' weekend so husbands aren't allowed. Why not? If the husbands come, the beach and the sun will still be the same. The meals will be the same. The drinks will be the same. Even if you're there with us, we'll still go off to have our massages, beauty treatments and do our shopping. We could even go to clubs on our own if we want. We do that here. What difference does it make if the husbands come? The only reason we don't want our husbands with us is because if you're there, we can't go out on dates. See other men. Sleep with them."

I asked, "Did you tell your husband what you do on girls' weekends?"

She said, "It doesn't matter now. Thanks to you, he's going to get paternity tests. He'll have proof that I haven't 'forsaken all others'. They're not his.

"How stupid are you guys? You know we used to argue about whether you guys were really so clueless that you didn't know what we were up to on our weekends. Even though it was obvious. I always thought you guys knew but didn't want to know. All of you are too scared to confront us so you ignored our little infidelities.

"You had Abbie tell Bob about my boyfriend. Like you were doing a good deed, like you were doing him a favor. Telling him forced him to face reality and do something. He gets all in an uproar and throws me and the kids out. Threatens me. But pretty soon he'll realize that he no longer has a wife, kids or a marriage. He's lost his entire world. Everything he lives for, everything he wants. He'll tell himself that maybe I'll be faithful from now on. So they aren't his kids but he'll tell himself he's the only father they've ever known. He misses them. He misses me. He'll decide to give me a second chance. He'll be sullen, hurt, and angry. Thanks to you guys, he'll be a real pain in the ass for weeks. But he'll get over it. I'll promise never to be unfaithful again. He'll accept my promise even though he'll know deep down it's probably not true. We'll be back to life as it was. I'll just pick my friends better. No snitches, no rats."

I interjected, "Or maybe Bob will realize that he's well rid of a piece of shit like you and get on with his life."

Becca didn't like that so she continued, "Abbie told Bob about me so let me tell you about Abbie. You think she's so pure? When we go on our girls' weekends, I spend the weekend with my boyfriend but Abbie and Claire go to clubs to pick up guys. And they always pick up guys. Abbie holds the record for scoring in one weekend. One guy Friday night, another Saturday night and a matinee with a third guy she picked up on the beach Saturday afternoon."

Becca shouted, "Isn't that right Abbie, it's the quantity not the quality. The queen of one night stands."

Abbie, in the living room, replied weakly, "It's not true."

"And then she met Roger. Last June's girls' weekend, Claire had a date with a guy she already knew so Abbie was on her own. She didn't want to go to a club by herself so she went down to the bar in the hotel. Ten minutes later she picked up this guy Roger. Abbie really fell for him. He sounded like a sad sack, a real loser to me, but to each her own. Unlike all the guys she's picked up before, she couldn't stop talking about Roger. She told us he's her soul mate. She couldn't wait to see him again. You didn't know about Roger, that she and Roger have been going on for months."

Becca was finished with me and started yelling, "Abbie, Abbie. You bitch. Come here. I want to talk to you."

I said, "I'm going to close the door. My doorbell camera is recording you. If you're still on my property in thirty seconds, I'll call the police. Getting arrested will make your day." I closed the door. She stood there furious for a while but eventually turned and walked away.

Abbie was crying again. I asked, "Are we going to hear from Claire too?" Abbie ignored my question. She was back in her fetal position on the couch. I got my laptop and searched for hotels in Miami. I got up the police report Markey sent me on my friend Roger. I wanted a hotel that was near where he and his wife live but not too near. I found the perfect place. I asked Abbie, "OK, you want to fuck him some more on Thursday and Friday. What do you do? Call him? Text him?"

"I wish you'd stop saying stuff like that. I don't want to be with him anymore. I don't even want to see him again. If we have to do this, I'd call him with the story I'm supposed to tell you and see if he's available. If he is, I'll tell him I'll make reservations and I'll email him with the details. At least, that's what we did last time."

"OK, tell him it won't be at the resort or any of my hotels. Say you're going to tell me your father is paying the software guy for everything and the software guy is making all the arrangements. You don't want me looking on H's internal website to find out you paid for the room. So another hotel chain. If he asks, tell Roger you have your own credit card so I won't see the credit card charges. Tell him you'll probably arrive in Miami around 1 or 2pm Thursday."

"What are you planning to do?"

"I told you not to ask questions. What is it about that you don't understand? Are you in any shape to talk and not sound upset or that you've been crying? You should sound upbeat and happy about getting laid again."

Abbie washed and returned to the living room. "Are you ready?" She nodded and tried to smile, getting in character. I said, "OK, listen. You have to be convincing. To do that, to make sure he doesn't think this is a setup, I want you to talk to him like you normally do, not like your husband is sitting here listening. Just pretend I'm not here. You'll have to say things you don't want me to hear. That's OK. You're not going to hurt my feelings. I want you to act like the lover he expects to hear. Otherwise, he'll know something's wrong and he'll bail. He'll either tell you he's busy this week or, more likely, not show up to meet you in Miami."

Abbie said, "I'm only doing this because you want me to. You're already mad at me. I don't want you to get any madder. I'll do as you ask, I'll be the lovey-dovey woman he expects. But understand. It's all lies. I love you, not him."

I pointed to the phone, she dialed and put him on speaker. Our boy Roger answered, "Hi darling. I was just thinking of you. I was going to call you but I didn't want to bother you at work. It's only been a day but I miss you terribly. You literally are my sunshine."

Abbie replied, "Hi love. You're my sunshine too. I miss you too. I'm at home and Mark is out helping his father with something so we can talk. I want to see you and I don't want to wait another month. Or even another week. I came up with a story to tell Mark so I can get away again. This week if you're available. Please say you're available."

"Wait, are you on speaker? Who else is listening?"

"No one. I'm in the living room folding laundry. I'm exhausted so I took the day off. You wore me out with your sweet love. I have a doctor's appointment this morning anyway. There's no one here. Just you and me, my love. I need to finish the laundry and get dressed. The doctor's appointment is in about an hour. So I need to work while we talk. Can you hear me OK on the speaker?"

Abbie's explanation seemed to placate him, "Why are you going to see a doctor? Are you OK?"

"Just a yearly checkup. I think I can get away again to see you this week. I'm going to tell Mark that I have to get training on new software for appointment scheduling. My father's paying for the training but the software manufacturer is making all the arrangements. I can't be at the resort or any of his hotels. I don't want him to look on his hotel's internal website and see where I am and that it was me who paid for the room. So I have to stay somewhere else. I hope it's OK that we won't be at the resort or on Miami Beach.

"Baby, if I can spend time with you, I don't care where it is. I miss you so much. When are you planning to come?"

"Thursday and Friday this week. Leave Saturday. I'll find a hotel in Miami."

"Thursday and Friday are fine. Wonderful. I can't wait to see you. You'll email me all the information, when you'll be here and all? I just thought of something. You don't really have new software, right?"

"No, it's just a story I'll tell Mark. He'll know it's something I have to do so he won't be suspicious."

"What if he asks your father about it?"

"They only talk at family events. And only about sports. Certainly not about me or my job."

"If the software people are paying for everything, won't Hubby see the airline and hotel charges on your credit card? And all of a sudden you have to go to training. Aren't those scheduled well in advance? Maybe this is too risky. I don't want to take the chance of not being able to see you again if he finds out. Our friendship is too important."

"I got my own credit card in my own name. Arrived last week in the mail. Paperless billing. He won't see anything." Abbie had been looking at me but looked down when she told him about the credit card. Abbie continued, "You might remember the clever gentleman who suggested that to me. If he asks me why I didn't tell him about the training before, I'll just say I did tell him. Weeks ago. He'll believe me and think, as usual, he wasn't paying any attention."

"So you took my advice and got your own credit card. Great. I don't want anything to come between us. Like an angry husband who doesn't understand our special connection."

"How are you doing with money?"

"I don't want to talk about money. Talking to you makes me so happy and my money problems are such a downer."

I motioned to Abbie to end the call. I went to the door and rang the doorbell. Abbie said, "There's someone at the door. Let me get a room and tickets and I'll email the information. I'll see you Thursday Sweetheart. I miss you."

"I miss you too. I can't wait for Thursday. Bye Darling." They hung up. Abbie looked at me to see how much more damage to our marriage she'd done by her conversation with Roger.

I asked, "Did you really get your own credit card?" Abbie looked away and didn't say anything. Stupid question. She needed a credit card I don't know about because she planned to have a long-term relationship with Roger. I asked, "How did he sound? Did he believe you?"

"Honey don't get upset by what you heard. It was all a fantasy I was living. I didn't mean anything I said to him. I have never meant anything I ever said to him. Please understand. I must have had temporary insanity or something."

"Did he buy your story? Is he going to meet you in Miami on Thursday?"

"I think so. He wants money. He followed our usual routine. I ask about his money problems, he refuses to talk about it. Like he just did on the phone. When I get there, he'll continue to refuse to talk about it until I insist he tell me. Then he reluctantly tells me his latest money crisis and how much he needs.

"He'll be there to meet me. I don't think he saw any red flags. He won't give up the chance to get more money."

"I'm curious why you didn't send him money during the two months you were talking on the phone. Didn't he ask you for money when you were just talking? The two months between when you gave him $500 and the $1000 last Saturday."

"We talked about his money problems but he never came up with an amount. He said he's getting by but it's day to day. I don't know why he didn't want me to send him money."

I thought about it. Maybe he thought Abbie wasn't hooked enough yet to ask for money over the phone. Or maybe he didn't have a way to receive money long distance. He didn't use his real name with Abbie.

I had Abbie's credit cards in my office. I went through them and found the one she just got only in her name, her new personal credit card, and gave it to her. I showed her the hotel I picked out and told her to make a reservation for just Thursday. "We won't need Friday. Also make the reservation just for you. Don't tell them I'll be with you."

I thought for a second, "Actually, we may need two rooms. Reserve two rooms next to each other with a connecting door. See if you can do that. If they ask, tell them the second room is for your kids."

She did and then asked me, "What time do you want me to make the airline reservations for?"

I said, "We won't be flying. We're going to drive."

"But it's about an hour flight. Driving is over four hours. Why aren't we flying?"

"Because you can't bring a gun on the plane."

"What?" She stood up, "Why do you need a gun? What are you going to do with a gun? I'm not going if you bring a gun. That's crazy."

"So it turns out you won't do what I ask after all. I knew that was another lie. Pull out some clothes from the bags and get dressed. Then call your father to pick you up. I'll help you out to the curb with the bags. I'll have my lawyer contact you. From now on we'll only talk through lawyers." I got up and took one of the huge suitcases and opened it. "Just take out enough clothes to leave in."

"I'm not leaving."

"Yeah, you are. Either dressed or in my robe." I zipped up the bag, opened the door and picked up both bags. "I'll put these on the curb for you." I started to take them through the door.

Abbie yelled, "Stop. OK. Just promise me no one will get hurt."

"You said you'd do whatever I asked. This is what I'm asking. There will be more I'll ask you to do. I expect you to do everything I want you to do. As you promised. You don't get to ask anything of me."

"OK, I'm trusting you not to hurt anyone."

"Then you'll have to do the hurting. Take out enough clothes to get you through Friday." I unzipped the bag. She took her clothes out and I zipped it back up.

I handed her the laptop. "Find a flight that arrives in Miami around 1pm so you can text him that you'll be arriving on that flight. Don't book it. But it's a real flight in case he looks it up. I don't want him to know your room number so just text him the hotel and when you'll be arriving."

Abbie texted Roger with the hotel, airline and when she'll be arriving, about 1pm, and when she'll be at the hotel, probably by 2pm. She'll check in and text that she's there. Roger replied he can't wait to see her.

I mentioned I was working the second shift and Abbie took off work so we were in the house together until I left to get to work by 4pm. Abbie wanted to talk. I wanted her not to talk. I finally told her we can discuss our future when we get back from Miami. Until then, I have nothing to say. She went back to work Tuesday. She gets home from work after I leave for work. We'd only be in the house at the same time when we're asleep. In separate beds in separate rooms.

We left for Miami in the morning on Thursday. I had the.45 in the belt holster at my side covered by a Rays jersey. This is a concealed carry state so I haven't done anything illegal. Yet. We didn't talk much in the car. I wanted to listen to an afternoon game. Abbie wanted to listen to music. We listened to the game. Abbie looked out her window and pouted. In my previous married life, we would have listened to the music Abby wanted.

We arrived at the hotel around 1pm. The two hotel rooms were small, one was the mirror image of the other. This will work. As usual, the bathrooms were next to the front doors. King beds. I picked one of the rooms as our main room and closed the door to the other one.

I walked Abbie through what I wanted her to do, "Open the front door when he knocks but back away slowly toward the bed. Don't rush. Big smile. Don't make him suspicious. I'll be in the bathroom and when he's in, I'll come out. I don't want you and him hugging or kissing when I come out. You need to be a few feet away from him. I don't want him to use you as a shield. We practiced. I played the part of Roger. He'll wonder why she's backing up and doesn't just meet him at the door. This won't work. It doesn't make sense that she wouldn't just open the door and jump in his arms. He'll become suspicious and bolt. I had to come up with something else. I finally did.

Abby texted Roger at 2pm that she's checking in. "There's some mix-up about the room so I don't know what room I'll be in yet. Hopefully, they'll sort out the room before you arrive. Call when you get here."

I didn't want his wife Cheryl to know our room number. If she doesn't know which room we're in, she can't mount a rescue for Roger. Of course, he can call or text Cheryl with the room number before he comes up. I can't do anything about that. He has to know the room number to come into the room. I was hoping that Cheryl would be satisfied with knowing which hotel it was and wouldn't press for the room number. Roger texted back he'll be here in twenty minutes.

After Roger's text, I told Abbie to take off all of her clothes. She looked at me puzzled and asked, "Are you crazy? Why do you want me to take off my clothes? I'm not taking off my clothes."

I sighed, "Do you want to get through the next few hours?" Abbie nodded. "I'm going to tell you to do things. You don't ask questions. You don't hesitate. You do what I tell you to do when I tell you. Take off your clothes and hang them in the closet."

She did. Very offended, she put her hands on her opposite shoulders, elbows hiding her nipples, and glared at me.

About ten minutes later, Roger called from the lobby. I opened the door an put the security latch between the door and the doorframe so the door wouldn't close and lock. I told Cheryl to get on the end of the bed facing the door, lean back on her arms, feet on the bed, knees up and legs open. Wide. Big inviting smile. "When Roger knocks or peeks in the door, say, 'Come here my love.' I want the first thing Roger sees is your pussy. Then your big inviting smile."

I went in the bathroom and shut the bathroom door three quarters closed. Roger knocked and then opened the door to look in, "Hello?"

Abbie said, "Come here my love."

When I heard the door close I came out of the bathroom with my.45 and aimed it at Roger's head. He was walking toward Abbie carrying flowers in one hand and an overnight bag in the other. I smiled and said, "What pretty flowers. How nice."

Roger turned and, looking between my pistol and me, said, "Look, I'm in the wrong room. I knocked on the wrong door. I'll just leave. I don't want any problems."

I said, "Sorry Mr. Addison, big problem. How's your wife, Cheryl? Maybe we can all meet up tonight. Like a double date. Drop the flowers and bag and put your hands behind your head and turn around. Face the window."

Roger asked, "Are you a cop?"

"You're going to wish I was. No, I'm Hubby. Turn around and clasp your hands together behind your head." He did and I grabbed his hands like they do in the movies and walked him to the wall near the window. The drapes were closed. "Put your hands on the wall, wide apart, and walk back. Spread your legs. More." I grabbed his belt and pulled him back so his hands on the wall kept him from falling. I took his cell phone and keys and threw them on the bed. He had a wad of money. At a glance, probably $2-300. And a pocketknife. I put his money and knife in my pocket.

I said, "Abbie there are zip ties in my bag. Get two." No response so I looked at Abbie, hands back on her shoulders hugging herself, terrified. Looking back and forth between me and the gun. I yelled, "ABBIE! ABBIE!" until she focused on me, "Get two zip ties from my bag."

Roger started to turn his head around and said, "Just let me go. I won't see your wife anymore. It's over."

"I tapped his head with the barrel of the gun and said, "Roger, shush."

He turned back to the wall and said, "Let me go. You're going to be real sorry you messed with me. Let me go now and I'll forget you did this."

I tapped Roger again and said, "Shut up Roger. If you talk again, it'll be more than a tap on the head."

Abbie got the zip ties. "Roger, put your hands behind your back. Abbie, put a zip tie on his wrists. Tight. Don't get between me and him." She did. "Roger sit in the desk chair." He sat in the chair the hotel provides. "Abbie, tie his ankles together with the other zip tie."

When his ankles were tied, I picked up Roger's overnight bag from the floor and opened it. Clothes, another few hundred dollars and a very small video camera attached to the narrow side of the bag with a hole for the lens. I pulled the camera out. He hadn't turned it on yet but I took out the SD card and bent it in half. I put the money in my pocket.

I picked up his phone, poked the phone to light it up and held it in Roger's face. It unlocked. I put it on the window sill. "Abbie, there's tape in my bag. Bring it." She did and I put tape over Roger's mouth.

I told Abbie, "There's a knife in my travel bag. Get it."

"Why do we need a knife? You said we're not going to hurt anyone."

"Abbie, get the knife and stop arguing with me." She did. "Open the knife and stand behind him." I opened the camera app on Roger's phone and focused it on Roger and Abbie.

"You're not going to take a picture of me like this. I have to get dressed first."

"Abbie, just do as I say." I held up the video camera I took out of Roger's bag. "They were filming you all last weekend. I'm going to send the picture to Cheryl. It'll be more effective if you're naked. One more picture of you naked isn't going to matter. Open the knife and stand behind him."

"They have videos of me in bed with him? We have to get them back."

"Abbie, open the knife and stand behind him." She did. "Smile. A devilish smile like you're going to enjoy yourself. Good." I took their picture.

I opened Roger's recent calls. A number with lots of calls was labeled "Cheryl". I went over to Roger and asked if that's his wife's number. He nodded. He was sweating badly.

I texted the photo to Cheryl and waited for her call. I didn't have to wait long for Roger's phone to ring. I answered, "Hi Cheryl. Roger's a little tied up at the moment. Can I help you?"

"Who the fuck are you? What did you do to my husband?"

"Don't worry. He's fine. For now. It's possible he may even leave here intact. Depends on you. If you do exactly as I say."

"What do you want?"

"I want you to bring me $25,000."

"We don't have that much money. We spend it as quickly as we get it. Roger has $200 or so in his pocket. Take that. That's all we have."

I got out their address from the police report and replied to Cheryl, "You have a very pissed off woman who's angry that Roger used her. I told her you'd pay $25,000 compensation for her pain and suffering. But she's very pissed. I don't know what she'll do if I tell her she's not going to get her money. She's threatening to do all sorts of bad things to Roger. She's naked because she says she doesn't want to get blood on her clothes. All I know is that I wouldn't want to be Roger. I'll tell you what. If you're still at [their address from the police report] I'll mail any of Roger's missing body parts to you. Bye!"

I hung up but held the phone. She called me back 30 seconds later. I answered, "$25,000. In cash. In an hour."

Cheryl didn't say anything for a while, I guess trying to figure out an angle. Finally, she said, "You must be Mark. Abbie talks about you all the time. When she's fucking Roger. Hi Abbie, can you hear me too? it's nice to meet you. I feel like I know you. I have hours of video of you. We record all the wives Roger fucks. I'm going to send you a video we took of Abbie last weekend. It's a shorter clip and one of the tamer videos. Hold on."

A text with an attachment popped up on Roger's phone." I opened it. It was a video of Abbie giving Roger a blow job. The camera must have been positioned on the hotel's credenza so it filmed them from the end of the bed but slightly from the side. You could see Abbie bent over Roger laying on the bed with her ass in the air. Abbie's head was going up and down. You could see her mouth on Roger's dick and enough of Abbie's face so it was clear it was her.

I turned off the video and forwarded it to my phone.

Cheryl said, "Mark, your wife is pretty disgusting. The stuff she does even makes me blush. Nasty stuff. Really disgusting. Roger taught her anal and she loves it. Kept demanding poor Roger stick it up her ass. She does worse stuff but it makes me nauseous to talk about it. I made Roger shower for thirty minutes after he came home from being with her.

"I'll give you all the videos and pictures of your wife if you let him go. You wouldn't want anyone else to see those videos. Let him go and we won't use them, we won't send them to anyone. If you don't let Roger go, we'll mail copies to your boss and the people you work with. Let him go. Now."

Abbie, very alarmed, said, "Mark, we have to get those videos back."

I said into the phone, "I don't care who sees them. Send them to my boss. He's a dirty old man who will love them. Make his day. If you need it, I'll text you my boss's address. My co-workers will undoubtedly enjoy them too. We can have showings in the lunch room. Maybe Abbie will agree to make personal appearances. Sign autographs. What do you think, Abbie?" Abbie didn't say anything.

"I don't give a fuck if you have pictures of Abbie. Sell them to a cable TV station and let them run 24/7 for all I care. But do give me copies. I'd like to send them to our relatives and friends. Maybe as Christmas presents this year.

"Cheryl, was that your big play to get out of paying me the $25,000? Are you done? I hope you have the money. Roger hopes you have the money even more than I do."

"It may take a little longer than an hour but I'll have it. Where do I bring it?"

"Cheryl, you know exactly where we are."

"What room number?

"When you have the money, call. I'll give you instructions then." I hung up.

I turned to Abbie, "Abbie, here's what's going to happen. She'll call and I'll tell her you're going to meet her at the reception desk in the lobby. You and I will get on a video call. We'll stay on the video call the whole time. OK?"

"Why do I have to meet her? Why don't you go and get the money?"

I gave her another look that said, "You're still doing this?," and continued, "Just do what I say and stop asking questions. I don't want you to say anything to Cheryl unless I tell you to. Follow my instructions and don't question or be alarmed by anything I say. You're there to hold the phone so I can talk to her and keep an eye on what she's doing. Markey told us they've used a toy gun in the past that looks real. If she pulls it out, don't freak out. It's a toy. I'll be able to convince her to give the toy to you." Abbie was very unhappy but she'd do it.

"Abbie, you might be less conspicuous if you put your clothes on. But if you want to go like that, fine." Abbie walked over to the closet and dressed.

I looked through Roger's phone to see if there's a tracking app. There was. I opened it and I checked their address again. Cheryl was at home. Probably arranging backup. After about twenty minutes, she called. "I have the money. Where do I bring it?"

"Bring it here. When you get here, Abbie will be at the reception desk. Abbie knows what you look like. You're very pretty in your mug shot. If you fuck around in any way, if you bring anyone with you, I will seriously fuck up your husband. If everything goes smoothly, you'll leave with your husband in one piece."

Cheryl said, "OK, let's just get this over with."

"How soon will you be here?"

"Probably forty-five or fifty minutes."

"Cheryl, you're at home. Ten or fifteen minutes away. Roger is hoping you're not going to fuck with me. Isn't that right Roger?" Roger grunted. "I'm going to send Abbie down to the lobby in twenty minutes. If you're not in the lobby, she'll come back to the room and start on Roger. I won't be able to stop her."

"OK, I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

"Thank you, Cheryl." I was pretty sure now she was going to try something. We'll have to change the plan. "I'll send Abbie downstairs in twenty. Be there or Roger will be very unhappy." We got off.

I said to Abbie, "Go downstairs now and sit in the lobby where you can watch the parking lot. If you see anyone hanging around like they're waiting for someone, call me on video. If you don't see anyone, call me on video the minute you see Cheryl. If anyone follows her into the lobby, maybe twenty, thirty feet behind her, tell me. Get the trash bag from the bathroom. Take it with you. And your card key for the door." For once, Abbie didn't have questions or want to argue. She left to go downstairs to the lobby.

Thirteen minutes later, Abbie called when she saw Cheryl get out of a car, "Cheryl's almost in the lobby." We waited. "Cheryl went right to reception. She just saw me."

"OK, call Cheryl over and tell her to sit down. Put your phone on her so I can see what she does." I heard Abbie call her and watched on my phone as Cheryl walked over.

Abbie said, "Sit down."

Cheryl did. Abbie held the phone so she could see me on the screen. And I could see her. Cheryl is hot. Her mug shot, a much younger version of Cheryl, doesn't do her justice.

Cheryl pulled a gun out of her handbag and hid it from the guy at reception with her bag. She said, "If Roger isn't down here in five minutes, I'm going to shoot Abbie."

I said, "No problem, Cheryl, shoot her."

Cheryl didn't expect that, "I will shoot her. Don't think I won't."

Abbie was sitting facing Cheryl with the front door of the hotel behind Cheryl. In the background I saw a guy rush through the automatic doors, look around anxiously, spot Cheryl and walk quickly over to stand behind her. The guy looked like Roger, but maybe five years younger. About Roger's height but skinnier. He was carrying a gym bag.

Cheryl glanced back at him and said sarcastically, "Glad you could join us." And then repeated, "Let Roger go or I'll shoot Abbie. I'm serious."

I said, "Who's this?"

"Don't worry about him. Worry about me shooting your wife."

I repeated, "Shoot her." For once, Abbie kept her mouth shut. The guy behind Cheryl couldn't seem to stand still. Twitching. He was on something.

"Cheryl, you have a toy gun. I have a real knife and Roger is here with me all tied up. "Give your toy to Abbie. You have one minute." I looked at my watch. After thirty seconds, I said, "Thirty seconds..... Twenty seconds." Cheryl gave the gun to Abbie who put it in the trash bag.

The guy behind Cheryl opened his jacket to show us a pistol stuck in his waistband. He pulled it up to make sure I saw it and put it back. It was a cheap.32. I wondered if he'd ever fired it. Not likely. It probably would have blown up in his hand.

Cheryl said, "Jimmy, I told you not to bring a weapon. Close your jacket. Did you bring the money?"

I said, "Aren't you going to introduce me to Jimmy?"

"He's Roger's brother. You didn't give me enough time to pick up the money so I sent him. He's only here to bring the money."

Jimmy said, "Just tell him I'm going to shoot her with a real gun if he doesn't let Roger go." He put his hand on the grip but didn't pull the gun out."

Cheryl said to Jimmy, "Shut up and give her the money. Close your jacket before you shoot yourself." Jimmy wasn't happy but he handed the gym bag he was carrying to Abbie.

I said, "Thank you Cheryl. Jimmy, you can leave now. You have one minute to leave the hotel."

Jimmy said, "Why don't you come down here and face me like a man. You too chicken? Hiding behind a woman. Come down here now or I'll find you later. You can't do this to my brother. I'm not finished with you. I'm coming for you." He made a point of adjusting his gun in his waistband.

I said, "Thirty seconds."

Cheryl shouted, "JIMMY, LEAVE!" And then to me, "He's leaving, don't do anything." Jimmy fidgeted, was about to say something else, but he angrily closed his jacket and headed to the front door.

"Thank you, Cheryl. Abbie, go the front door and make sure he drives away."

"I'm at the front door. He's getting in his car..... He's driving out of the parking lot."

"Go back to Cheryl." She did and held the phone so I could see Cheryl.

I said, "Cheryl, Roger is waiting for you. Put your pocketbook in Abbie's trash bag. You'll get it back after I look in it. And your phone."

Cheryl said, "Abbie has the money. Just let Roger go."

"Not before we've met. I want to make sure the money's all there before we part ways. You're going to have to come up here and get him. Put your pocketbook and phone in Abbie's trash bag." She did.

"Abbie is going to bring you to our room. You will stay four feet in front of Abbie the whole time. She will tell you where to go. I'll untie Roger and have him answer the door."

Abbie stood up and followed Cheryl to the elevator. Cheryl pressed the "up" button and when the elevator doors opened, they got in the empty elevator. I watched as they got off and walked to our door. When Cheryl knocked on the door, I opened it and Cheryl entered followed by Abbie.

Cheryl saw Roger still tied up and said, "I thought you untied him. You said he was going to answer the door."

I took the gym bag Jimmy brought and handed it to Abbie, "Count the money over by the window."

To Cheryl I said, "I lied. I'm not ready to let Roger go just yet. I haven't gotten to know his wife. Put your hands on the wall and spread your legs." Cheryl was wearing the woman's version of a wife beater t-shirt and what I guess are called yoga pants. The pants women wear to the gym these days. I frisked Cheryl thoroughly. Very thoroughly.

Cheryl said, "Are you enjoying yourself?"

I said, "I am. Are you?"

Cheryl turned her head and smiled, "Actually, I am. I think you missed a spot."

Cheryl wiggled her ass.

I looked at Roger who was watching me. He seemed angry. I said, "Come on Roger. You did a strip search of Abbie. I'm just looking for weapons." I winked at him. I told Cheryl to stand by the bed.

I pulled Cheryl's pocketbook out of the trash bag and emptied its contents on the dresser. There was a pocket knife like the one Roger carried. And condoms. I picked up her wallet. She had twelve dollars. I put the money from her wallet and her knife in my pocket. I put her phone on the dresser. All that was left in the trash bag was the toy gun. I took that out, dropped it on the floor, smashed it with my foot and shoved the pieces under the bed.

Cheryl said, "I knew you were a football player but I didn't realize how big and handsome you are. You're better in real life than you are in the pictures I saw of you. I bet you're big everywhere. I know you want revenge on Roger. I'm willing to help with the revenge. Roger fucked Abbie, so why don't you fuck me. Let Roger go and you and I can spend some time together. As long as you want. If Abbie wants to join in, she's more than welcome." Cheryl gave me what I guessed was her sweetest smile. The one she uses to con men into giving her money.

I said, "Abbie, a three way sounds good. What do you think?" Abbie put the money on the dresser, crossed her arms and looked away from me. She didn't seem happy. "Come on Abbie. Cheryl's hot and you fucked her husband. Might as well see what the wife's like."

Abbie said, "I'm not doing that. We have the money. Let's just go home." She was angry.

Cheryl said, "Come on Abbie. I liked you from the moment I saw you in the bar last June and pointed you out to Roger. Abbie, I guarantee I'll make you forget Roger." Abbie, arms crossed, wouldn't look at either of us. Roger looked so mad that I thought steam might come out of his ears.

I said, "I think just you and me for now Cheryl. Abbie's too grumpy to be any fun. Maybe Abbie will decide to join in. Roger, I'm going to take Cheryl up on her offer. Is it OK if I fuck your wife for a few days? A sort of 'tit for tat'?" Roger's eyes widened. He looked back and forth between Cheryl and me.

Cheryl said, "Roger doesn't get a say in who I fuck. It doesn't matter what he thinks. Just let him go and we'll have some fun." Another big smile.

Abbie said, "You're not really going to do this."

I asked Abbie, "Did you count the money?"

She nodded, "Yeah, the money's bundled in packs of $100 bills. The packs add up to $25,000."

I threw the empty trash bag on the bed and said to Cheryl, "Take off all your clothes and put them in the trash bag."

She hesitated and said, "No problem. Just let Roger go first. As soon as he's out of the room."

I said, "Roger won't mind watching. Get your clothes off."

"Not until you let Roger go."

"Cheryl, you're not calling the shots here." I picked up the knife." Get your clothes off." She began removing her clothes."

Abbie asked, "Are you really going to do this? Let's just go."

I replied, "Grab my bag from the window side of the bed. Don't go near Cheryl. Put the money in my bag." I looked at Cheryl as she stuffed her bra into the trash bag. When her panties went in the bag, she was completely naked. A heavenly body.

"OK, my clothes are off. Let Roger go." I smiled and slowly shook my head no. Cheryl was angry now. "That was our deal."

I told her, "I'm tired of arguing with you every time I tell you do something. Just do as I say and you may both get out of here in one piece. Cheryl, what do you want to do first? Pussy or asshole?" Cheryl didn't respond.

"Cheryl, do you want me to decide? I think asshole first and then pussy. Maybe I'll go back and forth between the two. We have plenty of time but we have to open your ass up some. Abbie, there's some lotion in the bathroom. Those little bottles the hotel provides. Would you get it? Bring that and the shampoo. We need something to help with a smooth entry." Abbie sat on the bed, arms crossed and wouldn't look at me. "Sorry Cheryl, Abbie won't get it so I guess it'll be a rough entry."

Cheryl said, "I was lying about the anal. We have videos of Abbie but they're pretty tame. Abbie didn't do any of that."

"Well, you are going to do all of that. You got me all hot and bothered. Roger, Abbie, do you two want to fuck while I sample every hole Cheryl has? I don't mind." Neither Abbie nor Roger seemed all that interested in fucking. Roger was glaring at me furiously. Abbie was sitting on the bed almost as angry as Roger.

I thought, "A pretty good day's work. Roger was alarmed and furious. Abbie was scared and angry. Cheryl looked concerned about what I was going to do next. I, on the other hand, was feeling pretty good." I figured I've fucked with them enough. Time to go.

Then Cheryl said, "Can I talk to you in private? Maybe in the bathroom?"

I was curious so I opened the door to the adjoining hotel room Abbie also reserved. She went in and I followed. Very nice view of her naked ass. She closed the door behind me. I said, "Make it quick."

"You got two rooms. Smart. Another exit if things went south. You have a knack for this."

"What do you want Cheryl?"

Cheryl said, "I want you. But not in front of Roger. Let him go and you and I can get to know each other better."

"And Roger would just leave without you?"

"I'll figure out something to tell him to get him to leave me here. We've been working together a long time. He knows to listen to me. At least he's listened to me in the past. I think he'd still do what I tell him in this situation. Especially if it gets his ass out of here. He'll know I have a plan. He also knows I won't put myself in jeopardy to save him. He'll know I think I'm safe. He'll leave. Just let him go. You have no idea how much trouble I'll have if we hook up with him in the next room. You got me up here and got me naked. I'm not going to do anal but I'll give you the experience of a lifetime even without that. We'll have some fun. Let him go." She walked up to me and began to unbutton my pants.

"No. Roger stays."

Cheryl sighed, "You don't know the problems you're creating for me with him. You know what? Fuck him. He got us into this mess." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me.

Cheryl is really hot. I thought if she's willing, why not? I don't owe anything to Abbie. Certainly not fidelity. Roger did my wife, why not repay the favor?"

I took the magazine out of the gun and ejected the bullet from the barrel. I put the gun on the windowsill and the clip and bullet in my pocket. Cheryl helped me undress.

I lay on the bed. Cheryl studied me and said, "Shit. I should have brought the condoms in here with us. Oh well. I'll have to tell Roger that you threatened to hurt him, that you forced me." She jumped off the bed, opened the door, and came back with two condoms, closed the door and said, "I brought different sizes but I guessed right about you. These should fit."

She tore the top off and put it aside and started to stroke my cock with her hand. She said, "I wasn't much for football in high school. I really wasn't much for high school. But I did fuck our quarterback. Disappointing. He didn't know what he was doing. I bet you do." She put my dick in her mouth.

I'm not sure it was the experience of a lifetime but it was one I won't forget. I was on my back and Cheryl's head was on my shoulder. She was running her fingers over my balls and playing with my dick. She said, "I have another condom your size. When you're ready, I'm ready." I was ready too. Cheryl tore open the other condom.

Afterward, she stretched and said, "You're no high school quarterback. Thank God." She put her arm over my chest and laid her head on my shoulder. Talking softly she said, "It's time for me to move on from Roger. It's been over ten years and it's been a good run but he doesn't listen anymore.

"I told him this visit from Abbie smelled. Abbie able to see him again so soon. He's so cocky. He thinks he has all these women under his spell and they'll never betray him. So he went ahead with this even though I told him not to. He's begun hanging out with his brother and getting high. He's spending my money on drugs. He's becoming unreliable. It's just not worth it anymore. Time to cut ties."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I have a proposal for you. Just hear me out before you say no. Roger's not a brain but he can sense when he's putting himself in harm's way. You had him all tied up in minutes without anyone getting hurt. You obviously did your research on us. I'm impressed how you set this up. As I said, you have a knack for this.

"Have you ever thought about a life of crime? It's always exciting, fun, you meet new people and you'll have more great sex with your new partner. I could use a big intimidating guy like you. When you bust into a room and ask the guy what he's doing there with me, he'll give you everything he owns to get rid of you. It'll be a great partnership. Business and pleasure. What do you think?"

"I'm not a criminal. I'm not interested in being a con man."

Cheryl laughed, "Pretty much everything you did today is a crime. Everyone's a con man, con woman, con person. Whatever. Abbie's been conning you for the last two months about Roger. She was an easy mark for us last June because it was obvious she was at the bar to hook up. So she's probably been conning you for years.

"You conned Abbie into doing this today. You told her she needed to do this to prove her love for you. Or some similar bullshit about saving your marriage.

"I'm serious about us partnering up. I'll have to train you and that takes time. That's true for anyone new to the game. I met Roger when he tried to lift my wallet out of my pocketbook at a Starbucks. He needed a lot of training. We can start with short cons where I'll do most of the work. But you have a way about you that the ladies will like. I'll help with that. You'll learn in no time and you'll make more money than you're making now. More money than you ever dreamed of.

"I had to do all the planning with Roger and he needs a lot of direction. You're smart. You planned all this today. Together we can come up with even more elaborate cons. We'll make a fortune. Roger's out of the picture regardless. Take his place. It'll be fun."

"I thought you and Roger were married."

"This is a business for me. Roger wanted romance so we had a romance. A means to an end. The only problem up until now is Roger gets jealous of other men. They're just marks but he never understood that. You're not going to be possessive and jealous."

"So you've been conning Roger?"

"Everyone cons everyone. Abbie conned you. You conned Abbie. You conned Roger and me to get us up here. Don't think you're different. You're a natural. Your con today got you $25K. Not bad. You have to learn to do this without threats and violence. You don't threaten people or beat them up. You don't rob them like a common thug. You simply ask them nicely for money. If you do things right, they give it to you. As much as they have. More than you would if you point a gun at them."

"Why the videos? Why film Abbie with Roger?"

"We film all the married marks. If they figure out what's happening and threaten to go to the police, they think twice about that when we show them a video they starred in.

"Think about my proposal. Take a leave from the hotel business and work with me for a few weeks. See if you like it. I bet you will." I wasn't sure what she was after.

"If you're ending things with Roger, why come here, give me $25K and put yourself in danger? Why not tell me to fuck off when I asked for the money?"

Cheryl was stroking my dick, getting me hard again. She continued, "I've done a lot of research on you and Abbie. Unless you're on a football field, you're not violent. You're not going to hurt me. It wasn't a big risk. And there's something else I want to talk to you about. Roger took my stash and hid it. It's a significant amount of money. We've been having problems, arguing a lot, so he may sense that our partnership is coming to an end. He took the stash to hold over my head. Give him leverage. He knows I won't leave him without my money.

"So I really came for the money Roger took. If I left him here with you and did nothing, he'd know that he and I are done. He'd never give me back my money. If I show up to save him from you, he'll think we're still good. Hopefully, he'll give the money back eventually.

"I had to borrow the $25K from guy who charges a lot of vig and who you want to pay on time. To stay healthy. That's why it took so long to get the money here. Jimmy had to go pick it up. But I'm the one on the hook for the money. Not Jimmy or Roger. Me."

"So when you and Roger leave here he'll give you back your stash. You can pay the guy back."

"It's not that easy. Roger gets really jealous. You saw how he was after you told him we were going to fuck."

I interrupted, "But that was all you. I didn't even mention fucking until you brought it up. Why would you do that if you knew it would set him off."

"Roger and I have been together a long time. He figures I have a plan to get the money back and get us out of here. If you had let him leave, you would have given the money back or not. But I would have denied we had sex. Since you didn't let him leave, after being in here with you, Roger will be furious with me. If he wanted to hide money from me before, he'll really want to hide the money now just to punish me. He'll be useless for a while. There won't be any money coming in. I'll explain that I had to do this because you were threatening to harm him. That I was forced. Maybe that'll work but it will take time for it to sink in and for him to calm down. Having my money gives him some control. And keeps me from leaving.

"Or he may think, correctly, that after this fiasco, I'm going to dump him. When Abbie called him to set this up on Monday, we had a big fight. I told him to blow Abbie off. He wanted to do it. He has always listened to me in the past. I implied that if he went ahead with this, he and I were done. It was stupid of me to do that. He went ahead with it and also took my money.

"Now I owe a loan shark $25K and I don't have the money to pay him back. If I tell Roger that I need my money to pay the guy, he'll just tell me not to worry, he'll protect me. He can't even protect himself so I'm up shit's creek.

"You've had your fun with me. We've had fun together. It was great for me. I'm not bullshitting you, I enjoyed myself. But I need the $25K back. If I can pay the guy back tonight or tomorrow, I can cover the interest. I'll give it back to you from the first $25K you and I make together. Or when I get my money back from Roger, you'll get your money. I'm fine with that."

She put me in her mouth. I guess I'm supposed to agree to give the money back to her because she's giving me a BJ. No more condoms so she finished me with her mouth. It would be a lot of fun to be with Cheryl. The sex is great.

After she returned from cleaning up in the bathroom, she said, "I know it sounds shady about the money but it's true. It would really be a lifesaver if I can just give this guy his money back. You just wanted the money for revenge on Roger. You've had your revenge by fucking me. That's worse for him than the money. Let me have the money back and partner with me. We'll have the $25K back in no time."

"Cheryl, why do I feel like a mark?"

She laughed, "Don't be silly. I'm asking you to come in with me. You'd be perfect. I couldn't con you if I tried. You're too smart. We just don't need some guy looking to break my legs, or worse, while you and I get up and running."

I got dressed, put my gun together and put it back in my holster. I told Cheryl, "Let's go." We went back into the room with Abbie and Roger. Abbie was crying. Roger was glancing back and forth between me and Cheryl, looking daggers at both of us. He was furious. I told Cheryl to stand by the bed.

I said, "Abbie, put the money and my knife in my travel bag. And your cellphone." She did what I asked but refused to look at me. Mad about something.

"Cheryl, Roger, it's been nice getting to know you. This was fun. I know you know where I live. But I also know everything about you. As you've probably figured out, I have very good connections with the police." I went over to Cheryl and squeezed her ass and kissed her. I said, "Cheryl, thank you for everything. I'm going to pass on your proposal that I replace Roger as your partner. Not the life I want. Thanks anyway." Cheryl rolled her eyes and slowly shook her head. I guess her asking me if I wanted to replace Roger was supposed to be a secret between her and me. I figured their relationship, partnership, marriage, whatever it was, was already on the rocks. Why not sink it? They certainly helped sink mine.

"I don't want to hear from either of you or from Jimmy. If I do, even a Christmas card, I'll come for you and I won't be so nice next time. You really don't want to fuck with me. You're both still in one piece. Quit while you're ahead. You've suffered some humiliation, a little loss of dignity and I took your money. The same experiences the people you con suffer. Just move on."

I turned to Abbie, "Do you want to say something to your soul mate? Or maybe give him a blow job? I'll wait if you want another fond memory with your lover. Cheryl won't mind." Abbie, even more offended, started toward the door. "No? OK, your loss."

"Cheryl, are we done? Are you and Roger going to leave me alone?"

Cheryl agreed, "We're done. You leave us alone and we'll leave you alone."

"Roger, are we done?" Roger just glared at me. Pure hatred. He still had the tape on his mouth but he could have nodded. He didn't.

Cheryl said, "I'll talk to him. I'll convince him it's over."

"What about Jimmy. Do I have to worry about him?"

Cheryl didn't say anything for a while, then said, "I'll tell Jimmy it's over. It wasn't his money, he just picked it up for me. But Jimmy is unpredictable. He's high all the time. I can tell him all day that it's finished and he'll say, 'OK,' and ten minutes later he'll get angry that you did this to his brother. And he knows you have $25,000 in cash. You might not want to take the cash. Too dangerous. Leave it here. I'm just saying. I'll talk to him, tell him to leave you alone. I can't guarantee he'll listen."

I said, "I'm going to throw your pocketknives in the toilet. You can use them to cut Roger free. We're going to put your clothes, Cheryl, and your phones in the trash can near the elevator. Abbie, grab the bag with her clothes and their phones. Take the key cards to both rooms."

I took their pocketknives and threw them in the toilet. We left. I stuffed the garbage bag with Cheryl's clothes and their phones in the cylindrical trash can near the elevator. I put my travel bag in the trunk with the money and we got in my car. I turned on the car and drove out of the parking lot. There was a parking space across the street. I parked there.

Abbie asked, "What are you doing?"

"I want to go back and check the rooms. I'm sure they just left Roger's zip ties for housekeeping to find. And probably the bag Jimmy brought the money in. I want to look through the rooms one more time and clean the place up. Get rid of anything sketchy. We won't have to wait long for them to leave."

About ten minutes later, we saw Cheryl walking out of the hotel. Roger was behind her, yelling at her, really angry. Cheryl looked very unhappy but ignored him and stayed about ten feet ahead of him. He yelled something at her and broke off to head to his car. They drove their cars out of the parking lot. I drove back to the hotel and parked.

I said, "Let's go." We got out of the car. When we were at the entrance, I patted my pockets and said, "I must have left my phone in the car. You still have the key cards? Ok, I'll meet you up there. Start looking around for stuff we need to get rid of. Start tidying up. I'll be up in a minute."

"I'll wait while you get your phone."

"Go on up and get started. I don't want to hang around here any longer than we have to. I'll be right behind you."

Abbie went into the lobby and I turned back to the car. I unlocked the car door and looked into the lobby. Abbie was waiting for the elevator but turned to watch me. I got on my knee on the front seat of the car and looked around for my phone. Abbie got in the elevator. When the elevator door closed, I sat, started the car, fished out my phone from under the seat where I put it when Abbie wasn't looking and drove out of the parking lot.

I found a steak and potatoes place to eat and thought about my day. I think it went pretty well. Certainly could have gone much worse. I had fun and achieved much of what I wanted. Roger and Cheryl feel a little of what they do to others. I don't think it will change their behavior. If anything, they'll be more careful. But I did it not to get them on a more righteous path but because I wanted them to suffer a little of what their victims suffer. A little punishment. They destroyed my marriage for money. Not for love, not even for lust. For money. That's what they do for living. Find useful idiots like Abbie and destroy lives, destroy marriages.

I began to get phone calls from a Miami area code and eventually Abbie's father called. I ignored all the phone calls.

I didn't think that Cheryl or Roger would come after me. If they do, I'll have my guns close. Abbie won't be there to tell me she doesn't want guns in the house. Jimmy was the only unknown. I was concerned about Jimmy so I called Lt. Markey on his cell as I drove north from Miami.

Markey answered, "Hey Mark. You calling about Roger and Cheryl?"

"No. Roger has a brother. Jimmy or James, I guess, and probably Addison. What can you tell me about him?"

"Hold on, let's see what we have." I drove and waited for Markey, "I have his rap sheet. Let me take a look. Twenty-seven years old. Got three years for assault when he was seventeen. Let me read through the assault charge." I waited. He started laughing. "Wait 'till you hear this. He was doing the same short con as his brother with a prostitute who was working the bars on Miami Beach. She gets this guy up to his room and lets Jimmy in. Jimmy demands money, the guy tells him to go fuck himself and Jimmy pistol whips him. Real gun. The prostitute runs out of the room. Jimmy takes the guy's money and leaves.

"The next night, the guy is out of the hospital, scheduled to go in the next day to look at mug shots. He's back at his hotel and goes to wait in the bar for his restaurant table to be ready. The prostitute is in the same seat she was sitting in the previous night when he met her. He calls the cops, they arrest her and she gives up Jimmy. Think she'd pick a different bar for a few nights."

"You'd think. What else about Jimmy?"

"A couple of other arrests. Bar fights. He was picked up with a bunch of dope but the Miami cops fucked up the arrest. Let me call a guy in Miami PD who probably can tell us about him."

"Can I listen in?"

"He'll probably be more open if it's just me. I'll call you back." We got off. I continued north on 95.

Markey called back about twenty minutes later. "My guy wasn't in when you called Sunday about Roger. I talked to someone Sunday who knows them but he only gave me the official stuff. My guy is working tonight and he follows them, knows what they're up to. He knows me so he was more forthcoming. Jimmy is doing some B&E, some strong arm stuff, some short cons. He told me Roger was doing the same sort of shit until he met Cheryl. She got him away from all the strong arm stuff. She's the brains. She tells Roger what to do. Roger's good with women but Cheryl is the one who does the planning. If Roger is going after your wife, Cheryl knows everything about you and your wife down to your shoe sizes. Already knows how much they can milk your wife for.

"They'd probably take Jimmy in with them but he's erratic and unreliable. He's always high."

"What drugs?"

"My guy thinks meth but if you have something to share with him, Jimmy won't refuse."

"My guy says that if Cheryl sees a problem, she and Roger walk away. They disappear. The toy gun is the most violent Roger and Cheryl have ever gotten since they got together. It's really a stage prop. They think if they're caught, it's a toy so they can say they're not armed. Good luck with that. Neither Cheryl or Roger have been arrested since they started working together. The mug shot I sent you of Cheryl was taken over fifteen years ago. The last time she was arrested. Is Cheryl as hot as she is in her picture?"

"I replied, "Hotter than her picture."

Markey continued, "If Jimmy sees a problem, on the other hand, he makes it worse. Usually with violence or the threat of violence. The guy in the hotel room that Jimmy beat up didn't have much money. He thinks Jimmy pistol whipped him just because Jimmy took offense to the guy telling him to go fuck himself. Cheryl and Roger are bad news in their own way but Jimmy is very bad news. He's a stupid druggie who thinks he's a tough guy."

"Does he own a gun?"

"Not legally. Mark, what's going on. I'm your friend. You can tell me."

"I'm driving back from a very pleasant, very friendly meeting in Miami with Roger and Cheryl about their relationship with my wife."

Markey interrupted, "Am I going to hear from Miami PD about this?"

"No, very civil, very cordial meeting. We came away agreeing about everything. But Jimmy showed up while we were having our very friendly meeting. Jimmy wasn't very nice. He had what looked to me like a.32, a Saturday Night Special. He seemed high. Very fidgety, couldn't stand still. For some reason, he didn't like me. Very unfriendly. Cheryl asked him to leave because he was being so rude. She told me he was unstable and I should be careful."

"Why didn't he like you?"

"Honestly, I don't have a clue. Everyone likes me. Cheryl, Roger and I became good friends but Jimmy really didn't care for me at all. For some reason I rubbed him the wrong way. I have no idea why."

Markey didn't say anything so I asked, "Can you find out if Jimmy owns a car?"

"Hold on...... A blue '23 Mustang. GT."

"Does Jimmy have friends?"

"He used to run with two other fuckups. One's in prison. B&E. My guy thinks Jimmy was part of that job but got away. His buddy didn't flip on him. The other fuckup pissed off someone and ended up no longer breathing. If Jimmy's found anyone else to pal around with it's too new for my guy to know about it. Except Roger. Jimmy and Roger spend a lot of time together."

"I'm concerned he might become a bother. Can you have your people keep an eye out for his car? Give me a heads up if you see him?"

"Of course. If we see him, we'll pull him over and find out about the gun. If he has one, you won't be seeing him for a number of years unless you visit him in prison. I'll also tell Miami PD that he was seen with a gun. I won't involve you. If he stops by your house, don't confront him yourself, call 911. It's much cleaner if you let us deal with him. I'll let you know if we see him."

I thanked Markey and we got off. About an hour north of Miami, I stopped at one of our hotels off 95 in Boca. It was a long day and I was tired.

I was on the road again after breakfast and arrived home just before noon. Abbie's father's plumbing truck was parked in front. I parked in the driveway and went in the house.

Mike, Abbie's father, was standing facing the door. He didn't look happy. Abbie was sitting on the couch, looking exhausted and red eyed. She'd been crying. Mike didn't say hello, just said, "You left my daughter in Miami?" No, he definitely wasn't happy.

"Yeah. The idea of spending four hours in the car with her was more than I could bear. And she wanted to fly. She got home quicker than I did. I wasn't worried. If she was able to make arrangements to go fuck her boyfriend on Miami Beach, hotel reservations and flights there and back, she's capable of making arrangements to fly herself back from Miami.

"I left her the credit card she just got for herself. The one she got solely in her own name so she could hide the costs of her infidelity from me. There's a hotel phone in the room and a computer off the hotel lobby available for guests. So she shouldn't have had any problems making arrangements to return."

We stared at each other for a while but he really didn't have anything to say to that. I said, "Mike, why don't we sit down and the three of us can discuss what happens now." He sat down next to Abbie on the couch. I sat in the recliner. I said, "I'll start. Abbie and I are divorcing. I don't care why she cheated on me, how long she's been cheating, whether this is the first, tenth or hundredth guy. She cheated. Period, the end. We're divorcing. End of that discussion. Since Abbie is the one who broke our marriage, I think she should be very generous in our divorce settlement. But I don't expect her to be. So our lawyers will fight it out. I have a lawyer. Abbie should get one.

"Abbie, all your clothes are in those two suitcases. If you want to look around to see if I missed anything, fine. I'll hold on to the jewelry unless a judge tells me to give any of it to you. You cheated so you should be the one to leave. If you don't leave, I'll stop paying the mortgage. You'll have to cover it or they'll take the house. Otherwise, we'll see what's what when the attorneys start talking. I think that covers everything. I'll help you out with the suitcases."

Abbie said, "We need to talk. I want to explain. You said we'd talk after we returned from Miami."

I said, "Abbie, I'm sure it will make you feel better to tell me all your pathetic excuses, reasons and justifications along with your apologies and regrets. I understand you want to get it all off your chest. I'm sure you've found plenty of blame to spread around: Roger conned you, you're lonely, I have to work so I neglected you, you found another gray hair, your slutty girlfriends were a bad influence, the Miami moonlight was so romantic. Lots of fault to pass around, lots of reasons you cheated. Whatever. I'm not interested. It's simple for me: we took wedding vows. I took my vows seriously. You didn't. You broke your vows and that brought our marriage to an end. I don't want or need any other explanation."

Abbie started to cry, "I think you should talk to me. We can fix this. We have to discuss this. We can get past it."

"No."

Mike's turn, "Why'd you take Abbie to Miami. She told me she was terrified the whole time. You put my daughter in danger."

"Abbie paid her lover fifteen hundred dollars and gave him an all expenses paid weekend at a first class resort just so she could get laid. I can't get back the infidelity, the fucking part, but I wanted them to return some of the money. We went to Miami to ask nicely for it. Abbie's boyfriend and his wife were kind enough to give the money back. I'm sorry Abbie was terrified. But she should have been terrified the moment she kissed her lover for the first time. Terrified when her lover started to unzip her dress. She should have been terrified that what she was doing was destroying her marriage."

Mike tried again, "Abbie made one mistake. Everybody makes mistakes. Including you. She loves you. She'll never do anything like this again. Why can't you give her another chance?"

"Abbie met this guy and she claims she held off sleeping with him for a whole entire day. Probably not true but it doesn't matter. That was in June. She had a telephone romance with him for two months. She spent last weekend with him. If that was a mistake it was one very, very long ongoing mistake. If it was a mistake, it seems to me that at some point during those two months Abbie would have said to herself, 'This is a mistake.' But she never did. It only became a big mistake after she was caught.

"I have to get to work. Since there is definitely nothing else we have to talk about, let's leave the rest to the lawyers. I'll help with the bags." They actually left.

This is a no-fault state. Abbie got a lawyer, probably at her father's insistence. My lawyer submitted a divorce agreement that's fair. Some alimony but not much, a percentage of my income minus a percentage of hers, lasting the number of years we've been married. The house has a mortgage and there's not much there after the mortgage is paid. I like the house now. I like the quiet, especially now that no one's buzzing in my ear. I can afford the mortgage on my own so I proposed to buy out Abbie's part of the equity.

Abbie and her attorney haven't responded to our settlement offer except with a demand for marriage counseling. Marriage counseling first and then we'll see about the divorce. Abbie's stalling hoping she can force me to talk to her so she can explain and, of course, she believes once I hear her out, I'll call off the divorce. I won't agree to marriage counseling so we're stuck.

Abbie came to see me the Friday following our discussion with her father the previous Friday. She was waiting on the porch when I returned from the gym. "I have to talk to you. I need to explain. We haven't talked about this. It can't end like this. We can fix this."

"Nothing to explain. I'm not interested. Nothing to fix. Our marriage is over. Please stop bothering me."

"It's not fair. Becca's and Claire's husbands are divorcing them. But Becca and Claire been cheating for years. I can understand why they're divorcing their wives. I make one mistake and you won't even give me a chance to explain. To try to make it right."

I had to laugh, "The queen of one-night stands is somehow not as bad as her buddies. Give me a break.

"You're stalling on the divorce." I pulled out my phone and opened it to the picture I took of Abbie behind Roger, naked, with a knife in her hand. She was smiling. She looks demented.

I showed Abbie the picture and said, "I want to get the divorce done. Stop dragging your feet. If you don't get on with it, if I don't see progress on the divorce from your attorney in the next week, I'll send this picture along with the video of you giving Roger a blow job to your parents, your co-workers and everyone else I know. Don't think I won't. Sign the fucking paperwork or come up with a serious counter. Drop the request for counseling. Now, go away and don't bother me again."

"You made me take that picture."

"I didn't make you give Roger a blow job." I went in the house and shut the door. After a while, Abbie left. The following Monday my attorney got a counter to our divorce proposal from Abbie's attorney. Our divorce is underway. Funny how that works.

I've taken to wearing my.45 when I'm out of the house. Not when I'm working, just going to and coming from work or out and about. At home, I have my shotgun and a larger caliber revolver. I'm not overly worried but I try not to be careless either.

Ten days after we had our meeting with Cheryl and Roger, I was still on second shift. I'm technically off at midnight but I spend twenty or thirty minutes wrapping up my accounts and going over anything unusual with my third shift replacement. When I was ready to leave, I attached my pistol in its holster to my hip. As always, by the time I leave all the second shift employees have gone and the parking lot is empty of people.

I walked to my car, in employee parking at the far end of the hotel's parking lot, unlocked my car with my key fob and was opening the car door when I felt a poke in my back. "Turn around, slowly. Put your hands up." I turned around. Jimmy and Roger were standing about four feet away in an empty parking space next to my car. Jimmy had his.32 pointed at my chest. He repeated, "Put your hands up."

I put my hands up and said, "Yes Sir."

Roger said, "Not bossing people around now are you tough guy? You actually thought you could get away with treating me like that and taking my money. You're going to wish you never fucked with me."

I said, "Yes Sir."

"Cheryl's afraid of you but there's really nothing to be afraid of is there?"

"No Sir."

"She thinks a whimpering coward like you is going to replace me. You don't have the guts for what I do."

"No, Sir."

Jimmy was twitching. He couldn't stand still. He was high. Roger also looked high. Just what I needed. Two stoned assholes with a gun.

Jimmy said, "Is your wife at home? Roger says she's a firecracker in bed. You don't mind if I try her out, do you?"

"No Sir." I wasn't going to disappoint them by telling them that Abbie is no longer living with me.

Roger asked, "Where's the $25K you stole from me?"

"At my house. In a safe in my office. Facial ID to open it. Sir."

Roger said to Jimmy, "We'll have to take him with us to open his safe. That's OK. I want him to watch us with his wife."

Jimmy said to me, "Looks like I'm not going to shoot you. Yet."

"Thank you, Sir."

Roger said to Jimmy, "He has a gun on his left hip. I'm going to take it. He won't do anything. He's so scared he'll probably piss himself. But keep an eye on him. If he moves, shoot him until he stops moving."

Roger said to me, "Take out the gun using only fingers of your right hand." I gingerly lifted the gun out of my holster with my right hand. I held it out. Jimmy was standing directly in front of me about four feet away with his.32 in his right hand. Roger was standing to Jimmy's right and my left. Roger walked in front of Jimmy to take my gun from my right hand.

I'm a good six inches taller than Roger and Jimmy and outweigh each of them probably by a hundred pounds. I spent a lot of years moving offensive linemen, tackles and guards weighing three hundred pounds and more, out of my way so I could get to the quarterback or a running back. I didn't think Roger was going to be too much of a challenge for me to move.

When Roger stepped between Jimmy and me, I dropped the.45 on my way to grabbing Roger under his arms. I picked him up and threw him into Jimmy standing behind him. Roger landed on Jimmy and they both tumbled to the ground. The gun went off. Roger lay on top of Jimmy. Jimmy was struggling to move Roger off him so he could free his hand holding the gun, pinned under Roger. I kicked Jimmy in the head which ended his struggles. Roger wasn't struggling but he was doing a lot of bleeding. I bent down and felt his pulse. Nothing. His breathing stopped. Just stopped. His eyes were fixed. Looked dead to me.

I pulled Roger up enough to find Jimmy's gun. When I lifted Roger off the gun, it slid out of Jimmy's hand into a pool of Roger's blood forming next to Jimmy on the ground. I left the gun and laid Roger back where he was. Jimmy wouldn't be able to use the gun and I didn't want any confusion about who shot Roger. If Jimmy starts to wake, I'll just kick him in the head again.

I took Roger's phone out of his pocket and put it in front of his face to open it. I picked up my.45 and looked it over. A scratch on the grip. Shit. I put it back in my holster and called Cheryl with Roger's phone.

Cheryl answered, "Where the fuck are you? You know I had a date tonight and that I needed pictures of him and me together in the restaurant. I spend all this time setting this shit up and you flake out. Are you with your idiot brother?"

I said, "He is. I have some bad news for you Cheryl."

"Who's this. Where's Roger?"

"I'm afraid Jimmy shot Roger. Roger's dead."

"Who is this?"

"Mark. We met a couple of Thursday's ago in Miami. I'm the one who admired your ass."

A long silence from Cheryl, then, with a calm, steady voice she asked, "Are you sure he's dead?"

"He's right here. He's not moving. Not breathing."

"And Jimmy shot him?"

"It was an accident. Roger backed into Jimmy and Jimmy's gun went off."

"Where's Jimmy? Can I talk to him?"

"Jimmy's taking a nap."

Cheryl sighed, "He just couldn't let it go. He's been completely useless since we...... your visit. He's been spending all his time getting high with Jimmy. And yelling at me. Idiots, both of them. You said Jimmy's still alive? Do me a favor and shoot him."

I was ready to get off the phone, when Cheryl asked, concern and urgency in her voice, "Where's Abbie? Is she at your house?"

"No. Abbie and I are divorcing. She's living with her parents. Why?"

With even more urgency in her voice, "Thank God Abbie's not there. Do you have a security system? You know, the kind where you have a few seconds after you enter your house to put a code in a keypad or an alarm is sent to the security company? They're notified if there's a break in?"

"No. I have a doorbell camera. That's all. Cheryl. What's going on?"

Her voice steadier, the urgency gone. I could almost hear the smile in her voice. "Well, here's the thing. Roger's death puts me in a real bind. He never gave me back my money. I've searched everywhere and now he's dead. I've been able to keep up with the interest to the loan shark by doing small cons, mostly on my own, waiting for Roger to give me my money. These small cons are very risky and don't produce much money. Now I have no money and no money coming in until I find and train a new partner. So I'll have to avoid this guy. I'll have to get out of Miami. I'm tired of Miami anyway and I know the perfect place to go.

"I mean, think about it. You caused all this anyway. I helped a little, I'll admit, but you're the one who decided to tell Roger I wanted to replace him with you. That was a nasty thing to do. I owe you for that. You're the reason I'm now a poor widow with nowhere else to go. Since Abbie's gone, you have plenty of room. I have to pack up some stuff and it's about a four hour trip. Right? It's almost 1am. I should be at your place in the morning around 7 or 8.

"Don't worry, I know your address. If the cops are still interviewing you when I get there, I'll just go in and make myself at home. Thanks for letting me know your place doesn't have an alarm. If you're still with the cops and I get there before you, I'll be asleep in your bed. I'll stop and buy condoms on my way. Wake me up if you want to get it on.

"Good decision divorcing Abbie by the way. I always thought she was a skank. Pretty, really great tits, but a skank. Someday, you'll have to tell me how you found out about her and Roger. I'm sure Abbie didn't just 'fess up. She was in for the long haul. Roger really had his hooks in her. I'll bring all the video I have of them together if you want to watch it."

"Cheryl, I'm not giving you the money back. You're not going to live with me. And how exactly are you planning to get in my house without a key?"

"Of course I'm going to stay with you for a while. You owe me that. Tell the cops Roger and Jimmy came after you because I told Roger I was leaving him for you. Simple, easy to understand and here I am, living with you. A much better story for you to tell the cops than what really happened in Miami. You really don't want the cops to find out about our hotel meet-up. I won't tell."

"You don't want the cops to know about Miami either. What you and Roger did that led up to my visit."

"Absolutely. Win-win for both of us. But Roger hooking up with Abbie and accepting gifts isn't illegal. Roger's dead and I, of course, knew nothing about what Roger was doing. I was devastated to find out that Roger was unfaithful to me with Abbie. But I didn't tie up or threaten anyone with a gun.

"But I have no interest in dealing with cops. I don't want them in my business. I'll just tell them Roger was very upset that I was leaving him for you. I left Roger and you kicked Abbie out because we wanted to be together. Love at first sight. It never occurred to me that Roger was so nuts he'd come after you. A nice uncomplicated love story that the cops will like."

"You want to know how I'll get in your house without a key. I started breaking into houses when I was in middle school. I don't need a key. But it's easier if I have one. There's probably a spare key under a potted plant near your front door. Don't worry, I'll find it. I'll probably be there when you get home. If you're there first, I'll just let myself in unless you want to stay up to welcome me. And it's not about the money. Keep it. I just want to get to know you better. I need a break from grifting anyway.

"I'm really looking forward to this. We'll have a lot of fun. You won't be sorry. We can talk about the money later. Is there anything to do in L [the town where I live]? Are there any upscale hotels with bars? Other than yours, of course."

"Cheryl, why am I getting the feeling that I'm now a mark?"

"Well, duh. Your name is Mark." She laughed, maybe more a cackle than a laugh, and said, "I'm just kidding. I can't play you. You're too smart for me." More laughing, "See you soon...... Mark." She hung up.

Mackey said Cheryl and Roger were married how long? Ten years? I guess the grieving period for Roger is already over.

I wiped Roger's phone down and used the bottom of my shirt to drop it under his hand in a puddle of blood. I have to tell the cops something about why Roger and Jimmy were here with a gun. I can't say it was a random robbery. If the cops actually investigate, they'll be able to tie them to me. Markey knows I've been asking about them. Cheryl's story about our romance and Roger's jealousy is a good one. I can sell that story to the cops. It won't matter what Jimmy says, they'll believe me over him and Markey will protect me. I just don't know who's going to protect me from Cheryl.

I got out my phone, dialed and heard, "911, What's your emergency?"