” Have a seat mam. You must be new here. I haven’t smelled such scent around here before.” Said Gallagher while he sat with legs crossed gazing at the entrance of the Tavern which he chiefly owned.
” Yes. I’m from Texacana. I’m here to seek for your help.” She said in response to the dark silhouette that spoke in the distance. There was an arcade metallic music that blasted from the speakers which where hung in almost every part of the hall. Apart from light, smoke and silhouettes, the rest things were buried in the otherwise dark hall.
” My help is surely yours, if you will part with your money. It’s what I do for a living.” Gallagher said in his deep Baritone voice and stood up, looking like a Giant grizzly. Had she not heard of his scary physique, she probably would have ran away. Apart from his eluding stature. He appeared to be kind businessman who knew what he wanted_ Money, and she was in possession of it.
” Yes I heard that to. They told me about that. I will be straight to the point.” She said with a tense tone while gazing at the dark line of darkness that gradually disappeared to make visible his face as he walked towards her.
” Perfect. Just say it and I will fix it.” He said and had a sip of what looked to her like a blended pound of flesh.
” My husband serves in the joint military. He is cop who has been mobilized to fight along with the soldiers in Afghanistan. They pay him quite well so he has been bought over by the antics of the Texan government. He leaves me and our three year old daughter behind. I fall sick always from all the sleepless nigh, thinking about his safety.” She muttered bitterly.
” So you want him dead right?” Gallagher asked, cutting her in.
” Yes” ” Jesus no! No! I don’t want him dead.” She said clutching her chest in shock.
” I want him returned to me back here in Texas. Life was so much fun for us when he was just a cop in the district. I hear you have influence and can make such things happen.” She said, taking her gaze away from his scary face.
” Yes I can. With the ease of taking candy from a child.” He said and gazed at the curves of Marilyn. She could almost feel his gaze finding their ways into her pores.
” Alive please. I want him alive.” She reminded again.
” Sure I won’t forget that. I wonder what looser for a husband would opt to fight a war and leave such a beauty behind.” Said Gallagher and raised his right hand forward, catching the chin of Marilyn and caressing it. To her shock, his palms had the sensation of a baby skin. Soft delicate and charming. She didn’t even think of cutting away from it.
” Charming. You will have to cough out about a fifty for this operation. Many hands in the military would need to be oiled you know.” Said Gallagher and took his palm off her chin.
” Fifty what?” She stuttered, refusing to acknowledge the brute of his truth.
” Thousand not millions mam. It’s a small price to pay for the life of your husband. Tell no one about this but the Taliban plan on teaming up with the Al-Shabaab to flush out the presence of the united States. It’s going to be bloodbath…”
” Oh no! Please sir get him out. Your price is unthinkable we don’t even have half of that in total savings.” She cried out in fear that he may be sticky with his bargain.
” Then borrow. Take a loan. Sell a car, sell an ass. If you can do that, then I’m afraid you will them to comfort you when the brains of your husband are splattered by the Arab missiles” he said, breathed deeply and began to walk away.
” Wait. Please sir I have a daughter. Be considerate. I will pay thirty thousand. It’s all our life savings. I don’t want to loose my husband. The money would hurt me if he dies.” She cried out bravely pouncing towards him like a brave feline. I’m afraid that’s just too small. Do you have it on you here I can take as down payment but make sure you bring the rest of it when he’s back.” Said Gallagher after pausing to stage empathy.
” Twenty thousand is all I have as money and it’s not cash. My car and jewelries would have to be sold to raise what’s left of the thirty. I will be back tomorrow with the cash.”
” Tomorrow might be too late. I accept transfers. It’s a digital world. Wire to my bank every last penny in that account of yours and bring back the balance in cash tomorrow. Your husband should be in your arms before the week runs out.” Said Gallagher with so much confidence she felt a need to worship him in gratitude. She wasted no time in making all necessary transfer of funds to him. While he gazed eagerly at his phone for an alert.
A day later
” What’! Are you out of your mind. Why are you selling your Sienna. It works perfectly well and solves a whole lot of problem in the hood. ” Alice protested after seeing the ” for sale” banner placed over the car.
” I need the funds for an emergency. Would you buy the car? She asked her neighbor. ” You know very well that I barely raise money to feed my kids. I got myself three baby daddies that don’t give me shit in child support. Your car serves me just well as if it’s my own. It takes our kids to school. What’s so pressing that you would want to sell it off?” Said Alice in a pained tone and threw her self over the bonnet of the car, caressing it like it was one of her baby daddy.
” It’s very personal. But trust me, it’s for the best. I Will have to sell it if I must meet up with a life or death deal. Don’t worry Alice we would get another one soon.” Said Marilyn in sullen tone.
” Does Gustavo knows about this. It’s his car. You should ask him first.” Alice intoned.
” Yes he knows. It’s his car but it’s gotten in my name. Please don’t make a scene here Alice get off the car. You are chasing potential buyers. The buyers at the car mart would rip me off. She said and walked to Alice, systematically taking her hand and towing her away from the car. ” Let’s stay over here and wait for the next bidder.” She said as she walked her sad neighbor across the road.
The next morning, she was back at Bear creek with a fat purse. ” Glad to see you could make it. I don’t want to raise your hopes so much but no doubt your husband should be home anytime soon. However we just need the last ten thousand to set things in motion. Do you have it here?” Gallagher asked with a smile, as he sat on his office chair gazing at the flay gown Marilyn had wore. It was far more modest than and less revealing the than the tight shots she had worn the day before. Yes I do have it here, all my efforts landed at an amount a little short than the ten.” She mumbled.
” What! How much do you got there? Gallagher said and stood up on his feet. When it came to money, he didn’t want anyone cutting down his ration. He hated excuses. He gazed at the door of his office, it was locked shot. When it came to business, he wanted some privacy away from his goons.
” Nine thousand two hundred, it’s all and all I could raise from the sale of my car and the sale of my jewelry. I’m broke and have no money left. If my husband don’t return this week, I don’t even know how we will feed and stay warm this winter. Please sir be merciful on a poor mother. She said and fell to her knees, causing her breast to bounce aloft in her blouse. It caught the attention of the big beast just well.
” I’m sorry mam business is business. Give me what you have there.” He said and stretched his hands towards her, collecting the purse. He opened it and quickly ran through I with his eyes. You are short of eight hundred. Sell your cars, jewelries, ass and house to save your husband.” He uttered as he gazed at the full breast of Marilyn.
” Sir… I sold it all and ended with this. You have to help me get him back. The rest I will have to pay in time.” She said feeling so scared he was going to turn her away without keeping the part of his bargain.
” Or pay in kind. A fine lady like you can fetch a good couple of hundreds on the streets. Look past your modesty and save your husband. No one will know. Lots of married woman hook all night to provide for their husbands needs. It called true love. Would you keep your legs closed and watch him die on live TV tonight?…” He intoned in a falling intonation.
“No. I don’t want him dead. Please.” She sprang up begging and crying. ” Hmm I’m not without mercy. I’m a merciful man. Since it’s a deal within the two of us, why would I let someone benefit from your goodies when I can also buy from you. Stand up and follow me.” Gallagher said and shoved the big purse at the side of his jacket before taking a deep breath and headed straight to yet another inner office. Marilyn knew what was coming. She didn’t have the guts to go along with him. The notion of cheating on her husband to save her husband was really very hard to swallow yet her hands were tied and she knew it.
” I’m a catholic. It’s a mortal sin to commit adultery. I can’t cheat on my husband.” She said with her face bent to earth and her hands curled over her bosom in modesty.
” Then go home and watch the night news. The big assault is today and your husband shall die. The last bucks would take him off the field on an emergency basis. Life is priceless. If he lived to make a thirty then he can live to make three million. If he dies, you all shall suffer.” Gallagher uttered in majesty.
” I will have my money back. Then I shall go home and pray. I can’t cheat on my husband.” She said in fear that was propelled by her brave wits.
” I see ! A good woman huh. I’m famous for two things. Seeking freedom and seeking money. What makes you think that I will let back a single coin that has been registered in my journal, back on the street. You want to put me in debts huh?. Truth be told your husband is at the last stages of being deployed back to Texas. If you want it cancelled then you have to pay another thirty so the process can be reversed. I’m afraid the processes in the government is really not how you think it is.” Said Gallagher in an emotional voice. He could here the Young lady crying in silence. He knew he had won.
” I will lay with you but it’s a secret between me and you. Tell no one about it. May God see through my heart for the reason why I have traded my body and forgive me.” She said but knelt rigid gazing at the floor, her tears pelting drop by drop against the black tiles.
” Amen. You have my words. Now don’t stand there like a statue. I won’t buy your goods there would I?” ” Follow me.” He said and pushed the door open. She cleaned her tears, sniffed in softly, stood up and began to walk slowly to towards the door.