The Trouble Way Read online

  Ann looked across the table at Linda and gave her a wink and a nod.

  “Come with us,” Linda said and she and Ann went through the ritual of fixing their drinks with the napkin and tilting their chairs against the table.

  Ann and Jesse piled into the back seat of the Audi and Linda and Dwight sat in front.

  “This is some powerful shit, so don’t over-do it,” Linda said and lit the joint, passed it to Dwight, who took a hit and in turn passed it to Ann, then she to Jesse, and back to Linda. It was getting a bit small for her fingers so she took the roach clip from the baggie and clipped it on the roach. The little pow-wow continued untill nothing but a bit of paper existed and it was Linda who took a nose hit from that.

  The four were all laughing as they entered the White Shutters and found their table.

  By the time the band played the last tune, they had all danced to most of the songs.

  “Jesse is going to give me a ride home,” Ann said, leaning close to Linda’s ear.

  “He sure is a cutie,” she whispered back.

  “Anybody hungry? We’re going to stop at Dennys for some breakfast,” Linda said.

  “I don’t know about you, Ann, but, for some reason, I’ve got the munchies all of a sudden,” Jesse said.

  “I wonder why that is?” Linda said.

  Everyone rose, grabbed their jackets and threaded their way through the crowded room and walked into the drizzle of the Seattle night. Ann latched onto Jesse’s arm and he led her to his pick-up. Linda and Dwight walked together. Everyone headed to Dennys in the small town of White Center, Linda in her Audi, and Dwight in his Mustang. Ann made herself comfortable sliding to the center of the seat in Jesse’s green Ford pick-up.

  Jesse turned on the radio and they listened as they took the lead to Dennys.

  “How is the new TV?” Ann asked.

  “What new TV?”

  “I distinctly remember chasing a receipt across the Big Richards’ parking lot one rainy night.” Ann said. “That TV. The one that was in the back of your truck.”

  “Oh, shit.” Jesse put his hand to his mouth, stole a quick look at her, then back at the road. “That TV. I must be losin’ it. Got to be the pot. The TV’s good. Perfect, as a matter of fact.”

  Ann, looked at him, catching his quick glance and back at the freeway ahead, wondering if she should tell him that she knew what his game was and decided to hold her tongue about his little refund scheme. She sat quietly, forming her opinion as to whether she could trust Jesse when it came to personal matters. She wasn’t against his crusade to get back at The Man, but she was a bit concerned when it involved his character and how it would affect any relationship that could develop between them. She decided to withhold judgment for a while.

  The three vehicles arrived at Dennys within seconds of each other. Jesse and Ann pulled into the parking lot first and waited for the other two. When Linda and Dwight pulled in, Ann and Jesse got out to meet them.

  “You have a burned out brake light, Jess,” Linda said. “You might want to get that fixed. You sure as shit don’t want to give the cops any reason to stop you, especially since we’ve been doing a bit of drinkin’ and tokin’ tonight.”

  “Holy shit, I hadn’t noticed,” Jesse said. “I really appreciate the heads up. I’ll get it fixed first chance I get.”

  “I think I had too much to drink, among other things. I think I’ll go with Linda,” Ann said when Jesse asked if she might like to come over for a bit. “I had a great time with you Jess. Maybe we can do it again sometime.” Before he could protest, Ann scurried to catch up with Linda and got into her car.

  “What happened?” Linda asked after they had left Dennys and were on their way home. “I thought you two were getting along great. Did Jesse say something to you?”

  “Oh, we got along okay and he’s a great dancer. It’s not so much as what he said, it was what he didn’t say.” Ann said “He’s a bull-shitter and I’m not so sure I trust him. I know we are not perfect and do stuff we probably shouldn’t be doing but at least we’re honest with each other. I hope I’m not ruining something between you and Dwight tonight, am I?”

  “Not at all. Dwight’s going to stop over in a bit for a little late night teté a teté,” Linda said looking at Ann with a smile and a wink of one of her huge dark eyes, “if you know what I mean.”

  “I’m glad you to are getting along so well. Good for you,” Ann said and reached over and squeezed Linda’s thigh using her fingernails like the claw of an eagle gripping a fish. “You’re so sexy Lindy, I just love you.”

  Linda reflexively jumped at Ann’s grip. “Goodness, that shoots shivers up to you-know-where. You better be careful I may not be able to stop.”

  Her response was giving Linda’s thigh another quick nail-squeeze causing Linda to react the same. This time she let her hand linger for a moment on Linda’s thigh. Linda fixed her gaze on Ann, curved her lips into a sexy smile, and then pursed them and gave Ann an air kiss.

  “I’m beginning to scare myself,” Ann said and began to giggle. “This is definitely not like me. It must be you.”

  “As much as I’d like to stick around, Hon, I can’t. Dwight’s on his way over.”

  “Some other time then, okay, Lindy?”

  “Promise,” Linda said. “If Dwight weren’t on his way over, you’d be in big trouble.” She pulled the Audi into an open space in front of Ann’s apartment. “‘Nite, Hon.”

  “Remember, now, you promised. Don’t make me wait too long Lindy.” Ann leaned over, used both hands on Linda’s cheeks, and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. “‘Nite, Sweetheart.” She gave Linda’s leg another squeeze, and scooted to her door, got out of the car, and hurried into her apartment.

  Jesse sat at the end of the bar near the jukebox when a short curly hair blond walked in and found an empty table near the window. He waited a few minutes and determined that the girl was by herself. He beat the barmaid to her table. “Buy you a drink?” Jesse asked.

  “I’m waiting for a friend,” Candy said. “Be here in a few minutes.”

  “Well, how ‘bout I be your friend till your boyfriend shows?”

  “I guess so. My friend’s a girl,” Candy said giving him the quick once over. “What’s your name?”

  “Jesse Martin. Haven’t I seen you over at Big Richards? You work there, right?”

  “Yeah, I do. But, I don’t want to talk about that, if you don’t mind. I’m sick of that place. I’ll have a screwdriver,” Candy said. “Where are you from? I haven’t seen you in here before.”

  “Here and there. I’ve been in here once or twice. I moved here from Oregon.” Jesse, caught the eye of the barmaid and motioned her over. “Moved here a few months ago. Got divorced and figured it was time to pack up and head outa Dodge.”

  “That bad, huh,”

  “Yeah, you know how it goes ... women, can’t live with’em, can’t shoot’em ... except for in the state of Montana,” he said as he turned to the barmaid. “Another Bud and a screwdriver for ... I didn’t catch the name.”

  “Candy.”

  “A screwdriver for my sweet little friend here, Candy-Cane,” he said and gave Candy a cheesy grin.

  The barmaid gave Jesse a smile as she threw a coaster in front of Candy and turned and headed to the bar. “Sure thing, Cowboy,” she said.

  “How did you come up with the name Candy? Is it short for Candice?” Jesse said.

  “No, it’s not short for anything, it’s just Candy. I think my mom must have been high when she named me. My last name is Lane.”

  “Candy Lane, cute,” he said. “My mom was drunk when she named me too.”

  “Jesse sounds like a good name. Why do you say she was drunk?”

  She was drunk when she named my brother too. Matter o’ fact, she was drunk the day I left home at sixteen and every other day I remember too.”

  “You’re too funny, Jesse,” Candy said and watched the as the barmaid returned to the table with th
eir drinks. Jesse handed her a twenty.

  “Be back in a sec, Cowboy,” she said, looking in her apron pocket for change and finding herself short.

  “My goodness, Jesse, how did you live if you left home when you were sixteen?”

  “Well, Candy Cane, I lived “off the fat o’ the lan’,” as Steinbeck said.

  “Steinbeck, who’s that?” Candy asked.

  “It’s not important. Here’s to you,” Jesse said, lifting his Bud in a toast. “My Sweet Candy Cane.”

  “Yuck, yuck, yuck.”

  “You are really cute,” he said. “What happened to your friend?”

  “I have no clue,” Candy said. “Ann said she would be here in a few minutes.”

  “Ann? I know an Ann,” Jesse said, “Ann Sandal.”

  “She’s my roomie. How do you know her?”

  “I ran into her a couple of times,” Jesse said. “Never been out with her. Just met her with some friends a time or two.”

  “We’re about to be ex-roomies pretty soon,” Candy said. “Things aren’t going too good.”

  “Why are you out having drinks with her then? Sounds like a losing proposition, if you ask me.”

  “Actually, I’m looking for another apartment. I’m about ready to get out of Dodge myself but I’m really having a hard time finding something. Sometimes Ann’s really mean. She expects me to clean up the apartment all the time. She acts exactly like my mother. She’s just not fair. I really don’t care if she shows up at all, if you want to know the truth.”

  “Well, Candy-Cane, I’ll keep an eye pealed for a cheap apartment and if I come across something I’ll let you know. Do you have a phone number?”

  “Sure, let me find a pencil.” Candy opened her purse and she grabbed a handful of envelopes and papers overflowing her purse and set them on the table. “I know there’s one in here someplace.”

  “How about you and I blow this joint,” Jesse said as Candy settled on a stubby pencil and scrap of paper and scribbling her number and handed it to him.

  “I put my work number on it too,” she said and began to rise. “Sure, I’ll be glad to leave this place. I didn’t want to see Ann anyway.”

  Jesse got into the cab of the green Ford pick-up and leaned over and pulled up on the door handle and let Candy in on the passenger side. “Sorry about the mess. Just shove that shit on the floor.” He cranked the engine and it roared to life.

  “You’re such a gentleman,” Candy said with a grin as she swiped the seat clear of empty beer cans and fast food bags and climbed in and made herself comfortable in the middle of the seat.

  He noticed Ann’s car drive up to The Triangle in his rearview mirror as he turned onto Delridge Way on his way out of the parking lot.

  “What say we hit the Climax,” Jesse said as he put his hand on her knee. “I hope you don’t mind a few topless barmaids.” He gave her knee a squeeze.

  Candy looked up from the TV when she heard the key in the door. She was sprawled out on the rumpled covers on the hide-a-bed when Ann opened the door. “I met the neatest guy.”

  Ann opened the hall closet to hang up her jacket. “So, where did you meet this neatest guy?” Ann said. “Don’t tell me, at Big Dicks.”

  “No, close though, it was at the Triangle. He’s a sports freak. A Seahawks fan. That’s why I missed you for drinks … so sorry. He asked me to go to another bar and I just couldn’t resist”

  “He said he wasn’t too happy with Big Richards. He returned something at the service desk and the service desk girl gave him trouble about returning it.”

  “Is he a cowboy?”

  “Come to think of it, he was wearing cowboy boots.”

  “Any chance he was he returning a TV?” Ann said.

  “I don’t know. Maybe he said it was, I don’t remember. Said he bought whatever it was for a present and it was the wrong thing.”

  “Don’t tell me, he lost his receipt,” Ann said.

  “How did you know?”

  “Just a wild-ass guess,” Ann said.

  “He said one of the operators said he bought it earlier with cash so they gave him his money back. It was around a hundred bucks. Anyway, he asked me if I’d like go to the Climax for a beer and a change of scenery.”

  “Does this cowboy-sport-freak have a name?” Ann asked.

  “Of course he does silly, it’s Jesse Martin. Do you know the Climax is a topless bar?”

  “Yeah, the Climax is a real classy place,” Ann said. “I knew a cowboy with that name.”

  “He’s really cute,” Candy said. “Funny thing, though, he didn’t mention you. I said I had a roomie whose name is Ann.”

  “Who knows; may not even be the same Jesse. Doesn’t matter, we didn’t hit it off anyway. My Jesse wasn’t very honest.”

  “That doesn’t sound like the Jesse I met. He said he had his own business,” Candy said. “Buys and sells stuff. He takes orders from people and finds the best deal and gets it for them. He’s really smart. I really like him a lot.”

  “Well, good luck, Candy. Maybe he can find you a good deal on an apartment.”

  “I don’t know about that, but he’s really neat. You’re starting to sound like my mother again. Please don’t spoil my good mood tonight. Anyway, I’m going out with him this weekend. And, for your information, I have been looking really hard for an apartment. They are just so expensive. I just can’t afford one yet.”

  “Candy, I’m not trying to spoil your good mood, but we’ve gone over this a hundred times about your living here for only a short while. Jar any memories? It’s been months. I can’t afford to support you. If you don’t find something in a week, I don’t care, you’re out of here.”

  “Maybe Jesse will have some suggestions about an apartment. At least he isn’t a nag.” She crossed her arms and set her eyes on the TV.

  “Fine,” Ann said and went into her bedroom and shut the door behind her.

  “How did you get my number, Mr. Jake?” Ann recognized his voice immediately.

  “Well, I have to apologize, I hope you don’t mind. I looked in your personnel records,” Jake said. “If you are upset, I won’t call again and will toss your number.”

  “Nah, it doesn’t bother me. What’s up with you Mr. Jake?” Ann was not only surprised but pleased that Jake had pilfered her phone number and called her. She had been a little disappointed with her encounter with Cowboy Jesse and was glad that Jake seemed interested. “Aren’t you worried about Mr. Hedd finding out?”

  “Well, as far as I am concerned, Mr. Hedd doesn’t need to know anything about my personal life. I was hoping you might feel likewise.”

  “You don’t have to worry about me spilling the beans, Mr. Jake,” she said, “Your secret’s safe with me. What do you have in mind?”

  Ann hiked her collar up around her ears and grabbed Jake’s hand and they made a quick dash between the rows of cars on the ferry. It was pulling away from the dock, leaving Seattle, as they made their way to the stairs leading to the observation deck, one above the parking level. The wind chilled them both. They pushed the heavy door and were greeted by warm air as they entered into the cavernous, enclosed, observation deck.

  The ferry’s destination was Bremerton, about a thirty-minute ride across Puget Sound from Seattle. The auto deck was filled to capacity, over a hundred cars. The weather was gorgeous, a guarantee that the ferries would be filled to capacity with tourists flocked to catch a few rays while the limited opportunity presented itself. It was a rare day in Seattle where the sky was cloudless and visibility unlimited and the crowds were not about to miss out on that. Plus, it was Saturday when tourists were out en-mass.

  “Let’s go outside,” Jake said soon after they warmed their selves next to one of the ferry’s heater grates. He led Ann out one of the side doors on the starboard side to the walkway that coursed around the observation deck.

  Jake asked one of the other tourists wandering on the deck to take their picture and he and Ann stood wi
th the city of Seattle with its Space Needle and the monstrous, snow-capped Mt. Rainier in the background while the tourist snapped their picture and then another one, just in case.

  “Looks like we lucked out, it’s not overcast or raining,” Ann said. “It’s not often the sun is shining in Seattle.”

  The wind always blew on the Sound and Ann snuggled up to Jake as they rested their elbows on the railing watching the seagulls glide in the updraft alongside the ferry. The wake of the ferry’s big props churned up the dark water of the sound into waves of white gleaming froth. Jake turned toward her, raised her chin, and surprised her with a soft sweet kiss.

  “My my, Mr. Jake, are you supposed to be so fresh with one of your employees,” she said in make-believe shock.

  “I’m sorry, Miss Sandal, I’ll try to control myself in the future. It won’t happen again,” he said, “I promise.”

  “Don’t you dare make any promises you can’t keep,” she said and reached up with both hands, cupping his face, and pulled him down so she could prove him wrong that instant.

  “Well, aren’t you just a sweetheart,” he said when they parted and once again drew her to him and held her lips to his once again.

  “You send shivers down my spine, Mr. Jake.”

  “That was my plan, sweetheart,” he said. “You fell for it. Now you’ll have no choice but to let me keep you warm.” He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.

  Ann noticed an elderly couple standing near the railing looking at them and smiling. “We have an audience,” she whispered and tried to make herself tiny as she snuggled yet closer. She was a little embarrassed at his instigating such a public display of affection, but not enough to stop. It felt way too good. In any event, she took him by the hand and guided him further down the deck, hoping to find a place a bit more private. But, there were too many tourists enjoying the rare sunny Saturday in Seattle.

  “Let’s go inside. It’s getting a bit chilly out here,” Jake said and he took Ann’s hand and they walked hand-in-hand around the observation deck to the entrance on the opposite side of the ferry.