Unruly Relations

         The knocking was hard to ignore, like big stones hitting the dirt ground thud after thud. While you are dreaming, it almost feels like an intrusion of your privacy to awaken so suddenly in such a violent manner.

“Jesus what time is it?”

         Sitting up in the bed, she was partially half-groggy and half-still in a daze. She sat at the edge of the bed with her hands on her face trying to get her dreams out of her mind and collect a clear head. The pills insured that even after her eyes would open sleep would still hold a moments hand. The knocking persisted this time in an even more rapid pace. “Who the hell could it be she wondered?”

“Janet!”

          After her senses came back and she could actually hear the voice, shaking her head, yea I know that voice she thought. “What was he doing here this early?” Wrapping her robe around her, she tied it tight. She began walking towards the door.

“Carter! Have you lost your damn mind?”

“Janet I am sorry but I need your help.” 

He was frantic and sweating hard, this was not just another late night rendezvous. No not, like their Fridays or Saturday nights. This was different and her gut told her no matter what was about to come out of his mouth it was not going to be good. Janet had known Carter for maybe close to a year. They met each other while she was working a source “Eddie”; just so happened that Carter had the exact same source, so consequently they would run into each other from time to time. One night while she was leaving Eddie’s place she noticed a man staring at her from across the street. Typically, not a shy girl Janet approached. He was sweating by the time she reached him. “Hi” she said in an overly annoying tone.

“I can’t help but to notice that I’ve seen you around over here. You want to tell me why I always see your face when I come over this way?”

“Hi Carter, my name is Carter and my friend lives just across the street here.”

“You mean Eddie? Eddie is a friend of yours?”

“Yea well kind of.”

“Carter? what do you mean Kind of?”

“W-well he helps me with my job you see I’m a reporter for Conex.”

“W-well, Carter since you’re a reporter I think I’m done talking to you, but do me a favor if you’re going to stare from across the street every time you see me; at least offer to buy a girl a drink sometime. She winked as she dropped her card at his feet and started walking away.”

         Picking up the card it read “Janet Murray” Homicide. Since that day the two of them shared an exclusive relationship, only ever meeting at her place and always late at night simple for the comfort of pleasure and a good night’s sleep, Janet was never good at relationships so she figured it was better not to get emotionally attached as it would be bad for both of their professions.

That was almost a year ago now to this day. Since then Janet had never seen Carter this startled before.

“So spill it. What happened?” An impatient Janet asked.

  “Okay-okay do you remember the story I was working on about the two “Gustavo” brothers?”
“How can I forget, you’ve been working on this story for two months now, I gave you your initial lead remember? The tip we got from that junkie we busted out in front of club Luna. He was all doped up yapping on and on about Julian and Daniel Gustavo.” 

“Right and most of it was bull shit but there were a couple things you gave me that I did look into, and as it turns out Julian Gustavo was at club Luna last night.”

“It’s not illegal to go to the club as far as I can remember, as long as your over twenty-one anyway.” Janet smirked.

“Stay with me; when I got word he was at the club I rushed over there to see if maybe I could trail him a little bit, find out exactly why he was at a club owned by his competition. See if there was any truth to what Eddie was talking. So I get into the club and I see Julian, He was at the bar drinking with two females, both looked excessively young to be there. While I was sipping my brandy, I noticed a bouncer; he walked over to Julian and whispered something in his ear. He shook his head and followed the guard upstairs to the V.I.P area.”

“So far it sounds like a normal night to me no different than any other night albeit not Friday or Saturday it sounds like he was just out for a night on the town. I mean you don’t really think the conspiracy theories of a junkie hold weight do you?”

“Yea and that’s what I left the club thinking too! However, something told me to stay and wait just a while longer, just to see where he might go after he left. So I am sitting in my car just a across the street. 2 A.M. comes and goes, the club shuts off its lights, and the bouncers lock the doors. Now I watched everyone come out of that club but I did not see Julian. Not to mention his car was still a block up from the club. Now there’s an alley right next to the building and it’s only blocked off by a small chain linked fence so-.”

She cut him off. “Let me guess you decide to turn into super reporter and go on a wild goose chase, when in fact everyone knows that club Luna acts as a regular after hours spot for many of this city’s low life’s and a couple judges too. Now that is not against the law but you know what is Carter? Trespassing and guess what you were doing when you climbed that fence!”

“Yes I know I know but let me finish, so I get over the fence and walk down the alley. At the end of the alley to the left is a fire escape. I managed to pull down the staircase by standing on a dumpster. When I got maybe halfway up the stairs, I saw a light through the window so I leaned in for a closer look. Now this is the crazy part; inside Julian was sitting against the balcony with a female between his legs um, checking his belt.”

“Checking his belt? You mean fellatio?” 

“Right, and while he was sitting there, another man comes into the section and sits directly across from him, it seemed like they were just talking you know, both of them were laughing, smoking cigars, having a good time. Out of nowhere, this guy just stands up pulls out a revolver and shoots Julian straight in the face right in the fucking face! It scared the shit out of me; I fell forward as soon as the gun went off. They must have heard me because as soon as I moved from the window the glass shattered. I hauled ass as fast as I could jumping down onto the dumpster and racing back up the alley. I made it to the car just as a bus was passing the club, I saw two people at the door staring at my car. I started the engine and got the hell out of there but I think they got my plate. You have to help me Janet.”

“Did you call the police?”

“No I came straight here. Guess I was hoping you could protect me and maybe report straight to you superiors.”

“Carter look at me, are you sure that’s what you saw? I mean one hundred percent guaranteed that is what you saw happen last night.”

“Janet look at me do I look like I am unsure to you?”
         
She was looking, the sweat was still pouring down the side of his face. She had to admit he did look shaken up. Janet knew there was a local beef and the Gustavo family had been trying to muscle out any other competition. It was mostly over the afterhours seen however, a somewhat big racket, but not the amount of money that would constitute murder, especially in such a raw fashion. They were not your modern day gangsters. The Gustavo’s roots were much deeper in fact they had no hand in the local drug trade and were somewhat respected in the local community. Regarded by some as valuable members of society, they hosted events every thanksgiving as well as Christmas. Inviting anyone to come and celebrate with them at their club for many of the holidays. In fact, some members of the police force had made it a habit to attend their Thanksgiving Day roast, which was coming up in just a couple days.

“Look I want you to stay here for the time being, I have to make some calls and see if anything’s been reported.”

The pipes always made a loud grinding sound every time she turned on the water for the shower. Normally she hated it but this certain conversation-required stealth, just in case there were any prying ears outside the door. It was always louder with the hot water starting as a low groan then turning into a loud raddle. As the steam filled up the small bathroom, her pager vibrated. The number reminded her, damn I miss home she thought. Looking up into the mirror, she could no longer see her face but instead saw just a blur. A reflection of who she had become. Scrolling through her numbers she stopped on Daniel Gustavo, she pressed the call button.

“I was about to call before I got your page.”
…..

“Yea I’m aware, he’s here.”
……

“No he came straight here.”
……

“I will handle it. I know I told him not to dig he wouldn’t listen.”

……

“Bye.”


The pitch was piercing; he did not realize that it was coming from just inside the bathroom until he heard the second scream; it sounded like Janet just screamed his name. He got up and pounded on the door.

“Janet?”

“Janet!”

“Help me!” her voice cried out.

         Stepping back, he went forward kicked the door with all his force, the wood splintered as the door flung open.  A cloud of steam greeted Carter. “Janet? He yelled out again.” The steam warmed his face as he stepped into the bathroom, his palms began to sweat, and he could not see anything. The only thing he heard was the running water from the showerhead. The air grew still. Carter was not sure what just happen he felt a fierce burning in his stomach. He touched his shirt and felt a warm thick liquid; looking at his hand he gasped, not understanding what just happened he looked up; Janet was holding a small thirty-eight caliber pistol. A second shot went off again this time hitting him in the chest. He dropped to the floor shaking as his last few moments of life left him. Janet immediately picked up the phone and dialed 911.

“This is Officer Murray; I need police assistants at my home address 4146 Van Rd. A man just broke into my apartment and attacked me, I shot him twice he is dead.”






THE END.