Chapter Six
Two days later and she had a meeting with Eric. They had just finished a very obscene phone call where her finger was still dripping from banging herself repeatedly. She didn’t know how he had gotten underneath her skin, but it was liberating to give herself permission to crave something more than money.
She came out of the bedroom to find Nicholas standing with his arms crossed. He was wearing boxer shorts with hearts on them and nothing else.
“I wasn’t sure, but you proved me wrong. I thought you were deluding yourself into thinking that he was the next one on our list of victims. You always seem to be able to spot them from a mile away. I don’t know how you do it, but I would love to know your secret for success.” Nicholas didn’t have the curves or the eye for detail when it came to picking out a victim ripe for fleecing.
“I know what I said, but I’m having second thoughts. This isn’t something you want to hear, but I think it would be best for us to cut our losses before it’s too late. He’s very astute and he’s going to figure out something is wrong before we are able to skip town. I would suggest turning our attention to someone less likely to see through my machinations.” Claire was nervous and two days had left her feeling withdrawals from not being next to him. Leaving him wanting had the unseen side effect of making her feel like her pulse was racing out of control.
“I don’t want to hear about this. A couple of days are nothing compared to some of the long cons. This is something to be proud of and I know I’ve never been happier with the outcome.” Nicholas was thinking about what he was going to do with his half of the bounty.
“It feels too easy and you know how I get when I feel that something is thrown into our laps. Karma has a funny way of balancing things out.,” she said. “I know you don’t believe in any kind of superstitious nonsense, but I couldn’t be more serious about this.” She knew the money was easy pickings and the property was handpicked because of his connection to it.
Nicholas suspected that $20,000,000 would be a parting gift and he was even thinking that maybe this partnership had run its course. It was his usual pattern when it came to playing these games with a partner.
“You’re going to have to put your game face on and we don’t want him to see through your subterfuge. I’ve known you for several years and this nervous energy in the air isn’t like you. Take your feelings out of the equation and do what you’re good at. I hate to threaten you, but I feel you need proper motivation.” He showed her photos of several documents relating to the property which wasn’t for sale.
“I know all about the way that you like to use leverage. I brought you into this and I can easily leave you in the dust. I will forgive you this one time, but don’t let it happen again.” She was foolish to tell him anything. His head was full of caviar dreams and lobster dinners.
The greed was written all over his face. Recognizing the signs wasn’t hard when she looked into the mirror every morning and didn’t like what she was seeing looking back.
“You’re not the only one in this and you wouldn’t have the information you need without my prowess on the computer.” Nicholas felt like he was the glue that made up this partnership.
What he didn’t realize was Claire had a mind of her own and was getting tired of being tethered to a heavy weight around her neck.
“Tensions are high and the payday is practically in our hands. We can’t let anything stand in our way when we are this close to getting everything we want,” she said. “Nicholas, I will finish this by gauging him every step of the way. It’s possible the check will clear quickly and we can put this city in our rearview mirror. I don’t take anything for granted and there are too many variables.” She had seen things unravel in the past where they were running with the hot breath of the authorities on their neck.
“I think you’re right and what I need right now is to take my mind off of everything. I saw a massage parlor not too far away. If there’s a God, then there will be a happy ending. It’s not like I’m getting anything here.” They usually burned off that frustration with the giddy thrill of mattress tag. He tried to initiate only to be shot down with a glare to freeze any man to the spot.
“I’m not in the mood for your childish antics. You know the very thought of you touching me makes me cringe. You’re not even my type,” Claire said. “I’ve only been with you in the past because there wasn’t anything better. I could close my eyes and pretend you were anyone. I’m not saying this to hurt you, but to make it painfully clear what we do is on my terms.” She saw the look of stunned surprise on his face. It felt good to put him in his place.
He was going to have to reevaluate the partnership. Getting rid of her meant that the money could be his. He had to keep her thinking this was a match made in heaven. He would need to stroke her ego long enough to see the dollar bills.
He began to feel that it was time to exchange her for a younger and more naïve model to mold into his image. He was going to put sex on the table from the very beginning. He didn’t do that with Claire and wasn’t going to make that mistake again.
Claire could see the way the Nicholas was looking at her and she could practically read his thoughts. She kept him at a distance to avoid a messy breakup. There was no doubt in her mind that what they had together was fleeting. He was good at what he did, but he was more trouble than he was worth.
“I’ll do what I always do. It shouldn’t surprise you to learn this life is getting old quickly. I needed time to recharge and you took that away from me. I’m burned out and what I don’t need is for you to maul me like some kind of Neanderthal.” She was putting the finishing touches on her makeup and looking at the face in the mirror.
“You always get this look right before you go out. It’s almost as if you put on the makeup to prepare yourself for the battle. I couldn’t swear to it, but I get this inkling that maybe you are a little bit too nervous for your own good.” He circled her while she sat in the chair. He could tell she was avoiding his suspicious stare.
“I’m getting tired of having this same argument. Your part of this job is over and I still have to face him,” Claire said. “The one thing that nobody understands is how hard it is to be like a light switch. I have to turn it on and off. It’s not easy. I may make it look like it is, but there are always butterflies in my stomach.” She was worried. What she had done with Eric had made her realize what she was missing.
This time it was a red dress with an open back to expose just enough to get his attention. There was no doubt she knew how to handle herself in any situation. She was going to miss having him around. It made her smile every time they looked at each other in the eyes. It was clear she was not going to be able to stick around to see the aftermath.
“This is not the time to get soft.” Nicholas gave her a scrutinizing look, trying to find a weakness in her expressionless façade.
“I don’t need you to police my actions and I have been responsible for my own life for as long as I can remember,” she said. “I survive by my wits and my God given instincts. Don’t think for a second that I need you. I could easily cut ties and walk away to do this on my own.” She didn’t bother to look at him as she opened the door, leaving the same way she came in. This partnership was coming to its inevitable conclusion. It was a matter of whether or not she was going to get out of it unscathed.
Nicholas watched her from the window planning his exit strategy and leaving no witnesses behind was paramount for his plan to work. Disappearing with the money would be child’s play.
Claire climbed into her rental, a very sporty number that had become one of her secret weapons in her quest for fortune. She still recalled how her face was plastered on wanted posters. Continually changing her look was the only way that she was going to hide in plain sight.
Gunning the engine, she felt compelled to fishtail out of the motel parking lot. She wanted him to know her anger was not going to subside anytime soon.