Shattered Rules (9 page)

With everyone dressed in black, Kelly was out of place with her blonde hair and blue and white clothes. A few patrons glared, but most people ignored her.

As the night progressed the crowd grew larger.
All the blackness became oppressive. The Gothic music swelled. A sea of undulating bodies moving to the strains of the odd music surrounded her. The room set her nerves on edge and she suppressed an urge to run out to the lighted street.
Afraid of the dark are you?
She laughed.

Brick sat at one of the
tables placed at the edge of the dance floor. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw him. He was watching over her.

S
he made her way around the room. Looking for Amanda, she eyed every woman who had maroon hair and was about to go to Brick and tell him her roommate wasn’t there, when a woman approached her.

It took a moment for her to realize it was Amanda. Her once maroon hair was now black with a bright blue stripe. A low cut, floor length black taffeta dress showcased her
curvaceous figure. Long fishnet gloves adorned her slender fingers and continued up her arm stopping at her elbow. A silver studded dog collar surrounded her delicate neck. Her spider web and butterfly tattoo stood out on the pale skin of her upper right arm. Lips painted black and a heavy layer of black eyeliner made her look as if she were made-up for Halloween even though it was still June.

“
My God girl what have you gotten yourself into?” Amanda yelled over the din of the music. “Answer me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I had to leave my apartment because of you. Some creep came looking for you. He scared the hell out of me.” Amanda held a drink in her hand and her words were slurred. She wobbled on her stilettos.

“I’m sorry.
”

“Yeah
? That doesn’t get my apartment back. Does it?”

“
Who was he? What did he look like?”

As Amanda described him
Kelly realized it was the same man that attacked her in her home, the tall man who’d worn the signet ring.

“What kind of shit
have you gotten into Kelly?

“
Uh, it’s a long story. I’m sorry you got involved.”

“Yeah
. Me too. Some guy called me and offered to pay me if I’d tell what I know about you?”

“
About me?”

”Yeah.”

“Amanda what did he want?”

“
Anything about you.”

“
And you told him?”

“
I needed money. My stinking boyfriend ran off with all my stuff. He even took my car. I have to take a frigging bus everywhere.”

“
You sold me out.”

Amanda
jumped back and spilled her drink. “Kelly, don't you see? I needed the money so I could stay in school? I don't have family. If I don't help myself, nobody's gonna help me. I got to go.” She spun around, walked away.

“
Amanda, wait! Don't go.” Kelly shouted over the loud music. “I won't cause any trouble. I just need your help.”

The roommate
stopped and faced her.

“
Help me Amanda. And maybe I can do something for you.”

A
manda's eyes widened, "What?"

“
I don't know. I don't have much money, but there must be something I could do.”

Amanda took a sip of the drink she was holding.
“Where's your hunk?”

“
My what?”

“
Your boyfriend.”

“
You mean Brick? He's over there at a table.”

Amanda
glanced in the direction Kelly pointed.

“
Sweet heaven, he's one big hunk of man. Girl, if you ever want to kick him to the curb, you just tell me and I'll take him off your hands.”

Kelly
choked, but she managed to nod.

“
He looks tough enough to handle almost anything. I got a little trouble with my ex-boyfriend.”

“
Yeah.”She waited wondering what that had to do with Brick.

“
He’s got my car and I want it back. It's mine. It's registered to me. The jerk won't give it back.”

“
What can I do?”

“
I want you to have your boyfriend jack it for me.”

“
You mean steal it?”

“
It's not stealing, the damn car’s mine.”

“
Well, I—I” Kelly took a deep breath. She'd be asking an FBI agent to steal a car for her roommate. “I don't know if I can do that.” She imagined Brick's angry reaction. She’d be crazy to think of asking him.

“
Then I guess you don’t care how to get a hold of the man who been paying for information about you,” Amanda interrupted her.

“
Are you saying you know where to find him?”

For a
moment her roommate was silent.

“
Amanda, is that what you’re saying?”

“
I'm just saying you help me and I'll help you.” She smiled sweetly.

“
I have to know you’ll make it easier for me to get a hold of the man who wanted the information about me.”

“
How about his phone number?”

“
You have it?”

“
I'll give you his name and his number.”

“Is that the
truth?”

“
I need my car,” Amanda whined. “Look girl, I really can tell you.” Just then the music rose in volume and she raised her voice. “Kelly, tell me if you're interested. Cause after I finish my drink I'm out of here. I'm leaving this damn town and you'll never see me again.”

“
Okay. Okay. Come with me and I’ll talk to Brick.”

C
hapter Twelve

The pounding of the industrial music hammer
ed Brick. He ran his hand over his forehead and wished he had ear plugs. After being up all last night, he’d like to leave the Goth club and get a good night's sleep.

The spinning mirrored ball flashed
throwing flecks of light on the dancers. Just then he caught a glimpse of Kelly. She didn’t fit into the milieu, but that made it easier for him to follow her in the crowd. She zigzagged her way through the swaying crowd, making slow progress toward him. A woman he guessed was her roommate followed close behind.

“
You want me to what!” Brick’s voice boomed, just as the music changed to something quiet. People sitting at the next table stared at him.

“
You've got to be kidding,” he said lowering his voice. “I'm not a repo man.”

“
It's not stealing.” Amanda blinked her lashes at him. “It’s my car, and my jerk of a boyfriend took it. You got to get it back for me. You’ve got to.”

Annoyance pricked the back of his neck.
He was tempted to stop this right now. He’d take Amanda into custody and hold her as a material witness. It wouldn't be long before she gave up everything she knew. But if someone was watching her, he didn't want that person to know the FBI was involved. And if he took the roommate into custody Kelly would be upset. She’d jump to her defense and start to question his motives. In order to keep a low profile, he decided to play along with the woman at least for a little longer.

“
Do you have proof the car belongs to you?”

“
I've got the pink slip.”

“
Where is it?”

“
Why? I told you it's my car.”

H
e gave Amanda an impatient glare.

“
It’s in my motel room.”

“
What about the phone number of the man?” Kelly asked.

“
That’s at the motel too.” She finished her drink and burped. “You going to help me get my car or not?”

“
If you can prove it's yours, we can talk.”

“
It's mine.”

“
Then let's go get the pink slip.”

Amanda
burped again, stood and swayed but managed to walk out of the club under her own power.

***

The motel was only a few blocks away from the club. They all rode together in the Volvo.

A blast of wind sent l
itter swirling on the dirty street. The motel was in the kind of neighborhood Brick wouldn't want any woman to be in alone. In his career he'd spent too many hours undercover in neighborhoods like this one. The hair on the back of his neck prickled and he wished he hadn't brought Kelly with him.

The street light near the motel was burnt out and night seemed darker than it had on the main thoroughfare.
Well after one a.m., the road was quiet enough. An old man huddled in a doorway of one of the rundown buildings next to the motel and two shabbily dressed men sat on the curb sharing a bottle, a night cap before the oblivion of a wine soaked sleep overtook them.

Brick
steered the Volvo around the men and into the pothole infested motel parking lot. The building had probably once been white but now it was just dingy. On the roof, a cobalt blue neon sign flashed one word “Motel”. Apparently no one had cared enough to name the motor inn. A static red neon sign proclaimed a vacancy, no surprise there.

Amanda
pointed to her room and he parked in the space in front of the door.

She
and Kelly went to the room to get the pink slip.

***

The man in the nearby doorway watched the sedan enter the motel parking lot and park. Two women got out and went into a room. “Bingo.” He smiled. Amanda was back and she had Kelly with her. So the little bitch did know where to find Kelly.

He scratched his hand and dug his fingernail into the rash near his ring.
Shit.
He'd paid the roommate while she told him lies. Still, without realizing it, Amanda had done what he wanted. He’d followed her when she left the motel earlier in the evening.

He rubbed his hands together.
After he took care of Kelly, he'd come back and fix Amanda. Nobody lied to him, took money and got away with it.

He walked to the
rental truck parked nearby and waited.

***

After Kelly and Amanda left the car, Brick unlocked the glove compartment and took out his holstered nine-millimeter handgun. He strapped it on and covered it by pulling on his black windbreaker.

The minutes
passed. Impatient, he grunted. The car window was open and the smell of urine turned his stomach. He wanted Kelly out of this neighborhood ASAP.

They
needed the information. Still, if Amanda thought he was going to commit grand theft auto for her, she could think again. He'd give her a couple hundred dollars if she came through with the phone number. That was more than she deserved.

T
he women returned to the car. Amanda carried a shopping bag. “I’ve got scads of paper.” She shoved her hand into the paper bag. “I had to leave my apartment so fast I just dumped it all into this damn shopping bag, but I know the pink slip is in here.”

H
omework notes and receipts were scattered all over the backseat. Amanda read each note she found. Kelly helped.

Brick
squelched an expletive and strained to continue to be patient.  He glanced out of the car window and searched the parking lot for movement. The two people who sat at the curb were still there, but the man who’d been in the doorway was gone.

“I got it.” A
triumphant smile spread across Amanda's face. She handed the pink slip to him. “This proves I own the car.”

“
It looks okay. The car seems to be yours.” He handed it back to her.

“
Then you're going to get my car for me?”

“
I just can't go stealing cars. See a lawyer. I’ll give you a name of a good attorney and a couple a hundred bucks to get you started.”

“
But you said…”

“
I said we could talk. Do you want the two hundred?”

“
Yeah, but that's not going to get my car back.’ Amanda's eyes filled with tears.

He
wondered if they were real tears or crocodile tears. Maybe she could cry anytime she didn't get what she wanted. Nonetheless, tears spilled out of her eyes washing black eye liner down her cheeks.

He glanced at
Kelly and saw her eyes soften. She was feeling sorry for her roommate. The sooner he got her away from her the better.

A
car raced into the parking lot. The sub-compact flew over the speed bumps and screeched into an empty parking space a few yards away.

A man, the size of a linebacker, got out of the car.
Dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, his muscle-bound body flexed. He ran his huge hand over his shaved head as he scrutinized the area.

“
My boyfriend. I knew the jerk would stay here. And he's driving my car.” Amanda threw open the Volvo's back door and ran toward the guy.

She
stopped a few feet away from her vehicle. “Norm, you jerk, Give me my car.”

“
Who's going to make me? You bitch? You going to make me?”

“
Yeah. I've got my pink slip.” She waved it at him. "And I'm getting a lawyer.”

“
Give me that.” Norm held his beefy hand out to her.

“
Give me my car.”

Brick watched her
hide the pink slip behind her back.

“
Hell,” Brick whispered. He didn't want to get involved in a domestic dispute. It wouldn't help Kelly or the FBI. But it looked as if Amanda was determined to have a fight with her bodybuilder friend.

If anything happened to
her they’d never get the name of the man who wanted information on Kelly.

Brick got out of the car. “Kelly, stay in the car. I’ll be right back.”

Norm glared at Amanda. “Give it.”

In a flash,
Norm ran to Amanda and twisted her arm, but she held on to the pink slip. He slapped her, knocking her to the ground. She shrieked. He picked her up by her neck choking off her cry. Amazingly, she still held the paper in her hand.

Brick moved closer.
“Norm, let her go.” The boyfriend’s eyes darted from Amanda to him. Brick noticed perspiration bead on the man’s forehead.

T
he Volvo door opened and closed. Kelly was out of the car. In his peripheral vision, he saw her edge toward him.

He
looked back at Amanda. Norm still had his hands around her neck. He could snap it in an instant.

“
It’s okay buddy. Don’t hurt her. I'm not going to do anything. I just want you to release her. She’s your woman you don’t want to hurt her.”

He watched
Amanda’s face turn a pale shade of blue as Norm held her.

“
Let go now!”

Norm
relaxed his hold and some pink color came back into her face.

“
Who are you asshole?” Norm's face flushed red and his free hand flexed into a fist.

“
I’m the asshole who wants you to let your lady go. Release her now and we can all go home.”

“
It’s not your business, asshole.”

Brick’s
back muscles tensed. Amanda was in danger of dying of a broken neck.

“
I'm willing to listen to your side, but first you have to let her go. Then we’ll go have a beer.”

“
You get out of here before I break her in two!” Norm hissed.

The longer this went on the more likely Amanda would end up dead.
“If you don't let her go, I am going to have to take you in.”

“
You some kind of cop?”

“
Yeah, I'm some kind of cop.”

Just then, Amanda moaned and tried again to free herself from her boyfriend's grip. The pink slip she
’d been holding dropped from her hand.

Kelly
rushed to pick it up.

Still holding Amanda,
Norm swung at Kelly with his free hand.

She gasped and a
ir whooshed from her lungs as she dropped to the ground. The pink slip floated to the ground next to her.

Stunned, Brick watched
her lay lifeless on the ground. Before he could run to her, the boyfriend threw Amanda to the ground and with a grunt charged him.

Instead of trying to stop
over two hundred pounds of raging power, he used Norm’s momentum. He yanked the man forward and sent the boyfriend sprawling face down on the blacktop. With his knee in the man’s back, Brick put his own considerable weight on the man.

“Get off me
, asshole!”

“
Put your hands behind you.”

Brick applied more pressure on the man.
“Hands behind your back.”

The
guy complied and he secured boyfriend’s hands with the handcuffs he had in his jacket pocket.

“
Norm, look at me.”

The man lifted his face off the black top and twisted his head to glare at
him.

“
Try anything and I'll make sure you regret it.” He allowed his holstered gun to be seen under the windbreaker he wore. Norm's eyes widened as he started at the weapon, but he said nothing.

There
was a rustle of taffeta as Amanda got up. “He tore my dress, my beautiful.” Amanda coughed. “My beautiful dress.” She patted her dress as if it were an animal. “Norm, you jerk.” She coughed again and then cleared her throat.

Brick glanced at
Kelly lying motionless on the ground. He didn't dare go to her until he’d rendered Norm harmless. He looked for a place to put him.

Amanda ran toward her
motel room. She returned, carrying her suitcase. She stopped long enough to retrieve the pink slip that lay near Kelly’s still body.

“
What about the phone number you promised to give us?” Brick shouted.

She
threw a wadded piece of paper in his direction. Then without so much as checking on Kelly or a thank you, she jumped into her car and drove away.

Norm lifted his head off the pavement and yelled,
“Bitch!”

“
What did you say?”

“
Nothing.”

“
That's what I thought. Keep it that way.”

Brick
glanced at Kelly again and prayed she was all right. Her eyes were open, but she still wasn't moving.