Jay poured a little more Scotch into his glass and a lot more into Susan’s. It was nearly two o’clock in the after noon.

David had driven out to Sam Cornel’s house and parked up the street in the shadow of a long block wall.He was still on the guest list for Jay’s sister and no problems getting in. He sat low in his little black car with a pair of very good binoculars. They had come out of his dusty foot locker. There were more interesting things in there but it had never come up in a conversation with Susan or Ja An hour had passed since he had left Susan and Jay at the house.

“Are you sure it’s safe to go in to Oscar’s tonight Jay?” “Not really Susan, but I need to get in there and see what is happening. Surely they will have replaced Cheeto with someone else. I”ll need to find that person and try to see what . I will contact the chief and give him all of the information on what he looks like and who he might be. That shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out.

This drug traffic here won’t top just because we have a few guys locked up and Sam under surveillance. But if we make him look bad enough to his bosses, he may be moved on out. In the end that’s all I want to accomplish. I want that family out of my sister’s neighborhood for good. This drug war is going to be a long one. I can only do so much. I’m in this to protect my nephew and sister at the end of the day. I think I have nearly accomplished that.”

“When are you going in there?” “Well Susan, we have plenty of time for a nice conversation and to learn more about each other Susan. We’ll have a few drinks and get to know each other better. What’s wrong with that?” Sam poured them a couple of drinks and they talked for almost two hours or so.

They started talking about family and easy topics. But soon it arrived at more serious places and events.

“It seems you are plying me with drinks while you drink hardly anything Jay.” “My secrets are few and easy for me to tell, Susan. I think yours are much deeper and more dangerous. I’m just a guy willing to do anything to protect my family and society from “The Sam Cornels” of the world. My methods aren’t always legal, but they do work well. I have some training and a few contacts.

“Well, I can’t tell you everything about me, Jay. I still do a little work now and then for Uncle Sam. That’s how I keep my resources available.” “I understand that completely Susan. I’m in the same boat as you but on a lower level of course. I guess semi retired would be the way I would put it. I was retired until this thing with my nephew came up.” “Well then I guess you could say that I am semi retired as well, Jay.”

“What were you and your husband up to in Germany? What did your father have to do with it?” “I see you noticed the photos in the hallway, Jay.” “Yes, they were very informative. What happened to your brother?” “Those questions are all related to each other Jay. That was a long time ago before the Berlin wall came down.

I was there with my husband and ended up working in the American Embassy in Berlin. My father helped get us the placement while we were in the service. He was a senator, by the way. That work was a step up in pay for us and gave us more chances to live abroad. I was soon approached by some East German agents working for Russia and I went undercover on a few things. “Like what?”

“It’s still hush hush, but not top secret anymore. The technology used back then has been replaced by newer tech and so I became unneeded. Much of the work I did back then had the personal touch. Some was done in person and on the street. A lot of it is now done by hight tech computers and phone systems working in conjunction with satellites. The technology has made me move on to other things.”

“What were you trying to do Susan?” Sam asked as he took another sip from his short wide glass. “I did what ever I was told to do to push the interests of The United States forward. My bosses were to be trusted totally and I had no reason or power to ask for explanations. I did as I was told.

“Like what?” “Well, I wouldn’t want you to think less of me but I did do a bit of the “honey pot game. I didn’t do that when my husband was alive. He didn’t like me to do that. But after he was gone I did some of that. I can still get by on my good looks in a certain age category, believe it or not. Not all of our targets want the very young girls.” “What happened to your brother?” “That is a sad story from long ago. He and my husband did some work together in the eastern section of Europe now and then.

My brother didn’t make it out on the last trip he made into that dangerous area in the Balkans. He was ratted out by a double agent in the Berlin Embassy. My husband made it back but he was injured and nearly died. I took care of that agent in our Embassy that caused the death of my brother. I have killed several people, if that was what you were wondering Jay. It is part of my job.

When my son died, I decided to take on Sam Cornel and his criminal enterprise as I was in between jobs at the time. I have the skills for that and help to disappear in a moment without a trace, if necessary. I have nothing holding me here now.If thinks went bad here, I could go anywhere in the world to live if I need to. I could even go back to work in Europe again if I wanted to. The work would be different but I’m sure they could find something for me to do.”

“I sure they could Susan.” “Thanks Jay. I have been asked more than once to do that. But I like it here in the desert where it is warm. What about you, why are you on this fools errand? Other police officers could do what you are doing now to save your family. You didn’t need to get involved.”

“It’s not that simple Susan. They have too many restrictions on their activities. I have none of those to deal with now. Let’s gather our selves up and head over to your office across from Oscar’s. We need to get eyes on that place soon. That’s one of the reasons I haven’t drank that much. I’ll drive Susan. We’ll talk more once we get there.”

Jay put on his jacket and grabbed the bottle of Scotch while Susan put two glasses into her purse. “Let’s go Jay, I’m ready.” They walked out to Jay’s car and settled in. Soon they were headed for the car rental office. They arrived in just ten minutes.

The sun was just going down behind the mountains in the west. The traffic was getting a little busy as people were now leaving work and heading home. Jay pulled slowly into Susan’s parking lot between two of her cars. They walked up the stairs to the door and Susan unlocked it. They entered and found two comfortable chairs and turned them in the direction of Oscar’s. Susan pulled out the glasses from her purse and walked over to the small refrigerator in the corner and brought out the ice tray. She dropped tow cubes in each of the glasses. Jay poured the scotch.

Jay looked across the street and saw a large man enter Oscar’s after leaving a black SUV now parked in the lot. A woman followed close behind him. “Look out there Susan. Do you think that might be Cheeto’s replacement going into Oscar’s?” “He has that look Jay.” “Yes, he does. I think I’ll go over there and see what is going on. If that woman is Sam’s girl friend, we might get something going on tonight that might turn out interesting. I know Sam is inside. His car is parked in the lot in it’s usual spot.”

“Jay, you didn’t answer my question that I asked you at my house. Why did you get involved in something that was unnecessary for you to get involved in and might lead to some time in jail if caught?”

“My sister has made my nephew’s life difficult in many ways. She divorced his dad out of selfishness. He was a decent man and caring father. She has been drinking too much instead of watching over her son. I’m sure he feels neglected and with good reason. He has no father in his life. She makes it almost impossible for her ex husband to see his son. I’m pretty sure that’s why he has started on the drugs and hanging with the wrong crowd. He needs to see that someone cares enough for him to help him in a tough spot. I decided it would be me. It’s really that simple.”

Susan’s cell phone rang as Jay finished talking. Susan picked it up from the desk next to her. “Hello David, what’s going on? I see. Are you sure? Good. I’ll call you back in a few.

David says that there is a strange car in Sam’s driveway that two men might have come in it. They have come out to smoke a few times since he has been watching the house. The maid is there with Sam’s wife and the kids.” Susan told Jay what David had said.

Sam looked up at Susan and took a drink from his glass sitting on her desk. He drained it dry. The ice clinked and swirled as he put it back down on the table.

“I’m going in. If I find that Sam’s girl friend is there with him, I’ll call you and you can call Loretta. That should spice things up a little. I’ll figure out what that big guy is up to, if anything. He might just be going in for a drink but he is dressed like most of Sam’s henchmen. I think it’s a regional thing. The boots, the tight pants and long sleeve shirts may imply that they are cowboys of some sort, perhaps from the part of the country where Sam’s bosses are located. I suspect South or Central America.”

“I’ll wait here then Jay. I hope you don’t think less of me now that you know a little more about me.” “I was just curious why you came along on this adventure. Most women I know would have called the police on me long ago. I figured you were a little different from the start. I understand you a little better after we have talked about some of your past. I get what you are about to some degree. Our conversation has helped me to understand you a little better.”

“Well Sam, I like a little adventure as much as you do I guess. This car rental business is pretty boring after my life in Europe and other places.” “Yes, I can see that might be the case. Wish me luck Susan.” “Break a leg Jay.”

Sam walked slowly out of the office and then quickly down the stairs. He wanted to get across the street before anyone saw where he came from. He didn’t want Susan to have any uninvited guests. He knew she could handle herself, but he didn’t know that she always carried her gun in her purse. Susan was no fool. Jay ran across the street when the traffic thinned out.

Jay made it into Oscar’s unseen by anyone outside. Jay walked into the parking lot and say the guard at the back door. The guard on the rear door was on his phone as usual and not looking in Jay’s direction. Jay crossed the parking lot and entered Oscar’s. The low lights made it hard for Jay to see anything for a few moments. Sam then saw the large stranger seated at the bar in Cheeto’s stool as his eyes adjusted to the light.

He recognized him as one of the men who had been standing on the stars in Sam’s office when Loretta had tried to shoot Sam. The strange woman sat next to him. Sam took up a seat a few stools away and ordered a beer. He listened to them as they talked. He heard enough to know that the woman was Sam’s girl friend.

In a few moments the woman got up and walked to Sam’s office and knocked on the door. It opened after a few moments and she entered the office. Jay had watched the attractive woman walk across the room. She was around thirty, well built and had brown eyes. She was dressed in a tight skirt, low cut blouse and high heeled shoes. Her hair was stacked up high on her head. She had a nice neck. Several men watched her as she walked across the bar.

Jay walked to the men’s room and called Susan. “Call Loretta and invite her to come down to Oscar’s to have a drink and talk with Sam and his girlfriend.” “Oh, that sounds like a grand idea Jay. You’re awful.” “I know, my wife tells me that now and then. Make the call.”

Susan dialed Loretta’s number and waited for her to answer. After a few rings, she answered. “Hey sweet heart, it’s Ruth. Come on down to Oscar’s for a drink with Sam and I. We need to have a serious discussion.” “Who the hell do you think you are?” “I’m your younger and better replacement honey. What more do you need to know. Come on down and join us.”

Loretta yelled for her nanny as she hung up and shoved the phone into her purse. She told the nanny that she would be leaving for Oscar’s immediately. The two men at the house noticed that she was very upset.

“What is wrong Loretta? Is Sam alright?” “He won’t be when I get done with him.””That was his girl friend on the phone. They’re together at Oscar’s, or so she says. I’m going down there to kick her and Sam’s butt right now or worse. You can’t stop me.”

Loretta left the house in a huff with her bag and keys swaying in each hand. She climbed into her expensive sedan and raced away with squealing tires. Lights came on in some of the neighbor’s homes and people looked out of their drapes. This house had been a problem for sometime with strangers coming and going at odd hours most nights. Many neighbors were sick of it. There had been reports to the police and the association members. They were tired of hearing about it.

The two men in her home got into their car and followed Loretta out to the street and tried to remain behind her all the way to Oscar’s. They called her father as they followed her. She drove like Jay. Very fast and with seemingly little regard for others. But Jay did care about others and never took unnecessary chances when he was driving. One couldn’t say the same about Loretta, tonight. The men sent by her father raced behind her and talked with her father as they followed behind. They tried to formulate a plan. David Called Susan.

“Loretta and the two men are headed your way. Loretta is driving like a lunatic. They are close behind her.” Susan called Jay.

“This should be interesting Susan,” Jay said as he received her call. ” I couldn’t have wished for a better outcome. The woman has just gone into Sam’s office.”

_________ _________ __________

Well, what the heck is going to happen next? Is Sam heading to Central America or to a shallow grave out in the desert? Will Sam survive his wife’s vengeance? Is David going to like living with Susan? It seems there will never be a dull moment around that house.