This is the twentieth installment of
Mrs. Hart's Ache
Chapter XI "…Top Floor, going down…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's note: see the Index of Terms for the definition of any word with which you are not familiar.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a simple tale of retribution, wherein the young hero teaches the mother of his newest girlfriend a few manners while enjoying a few adventures – sexual and otherwise – along the way.
James Mark Masterson.
Just your typical teenager. Smart… sexy… sophisticated… and always horny. With the time and bank to do pretty much what he wants to do.
And to do who he wants to do.
'Tinkerbelle' is in good hands, and the information she has provided as well as the assistance she has given make the next two operations possible.
Not simple, but definitely possible.
In fact, if their luck holds, James and the gang may be able to get both Lydia and Marco at the same time.
Harder to accomplish, but with a lot less exposure.
Read along as Operations 'Fat Ass' and 'Guido' come to a surprising conclusion…
Surprising for Lydia and The Putz certainly; but somewhat surprising for the James gang too…
Happy Reading.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
XI "…Top Floor, Going Down…"
"
…It's vital that we get Marco and Lydia here as quickly as possible…
"
Gwendolyn and Saundra were sitting in the living room talking. They glanced up when I entered. I gave them a brief rundown on my instructions to Cassandra. They agreed to assist if necessary.
I paused long enough to accept a hug from each of them, then grabbed the laptop and the map and headed out the door. I wanted to be close when the villains arrived. Saundra was already punching up Maxine's number when I left.
Lydia's place was less than ten minutes farther down that same road. Traffic was light. I saw two other cars on the drive. The road to Lydia's place was on the right. Maxine appeared from a stand of trees on the left when she saw my car. She waved and pointed a few yards farther up the road where an old cutting, probably a logging road or hunting trail provided a turn out. Her truck was parked fifty feet up, out of sight of the road.
Marti was inside talking on her phone. She shut it as I climbed out of my car. She slid out of the truck as Maxine walked up to join us.
"Cora's found the place to do her thing. The hookup's about twenty yards in." Marti announced. "The power and phone lines run along the road up to the house. It's about a half-mile in, down by the lake. As soon as you're ready, I'll call her and she'll disconnect them."
I thought for a minute, then said. "We'll wait until I'm inside. What I have to say will shake them up. I want you to shake them up more. Let them know that I'm not alone."
They nodded. "That makes sense, James." Maxine said. "I was wondering how we could let them know that you're not by yourself. There's no telling what those two assholes might do if we give them too many options and too much time to think."
Marti punched up Cora again. She confirmed the plan, then we settled in to wait. All three of us were tense, but quiet. I was reviewing everything. Maxine and Marti looked like they were too.
While I thought about things, I glanced at the car. The top was folded down. Good. I wanted the bad guys to see one person get out of the car with no place for anyone else to hide. They'd be watching for it. I didn't want them to get too nervous before I was inside where I could see them.
Twenty minutes later, Lydia's black Lexus roared up the road. She made the turn onto her drive with gravel flying. Marco was right behind in his Mercedes convertible. He was a bit more concerned with the paint job on his car. We gave them one minute, then followed.
I led the way and stopped when Cora stepped from the trees. She pointed to the transformer on the pole beside the road. We all got out for a last conference, then Cora started climbing. I nodded to her, and told Maxine to give me two additional minutes to get to the house.
We both looked at our watches. Seven minutes from the tick, Cora was to pull the power. Ten minutes after that, Maxine was to call in the cavalry if I wasn't out or hadn't communicated with the correct code word: 'sister'.
She nodded then punched my arm. The adrenaline was running, so I don't think I felt it. No bruise either. Surprise.
Marti touched my shoulder. Cora gave me thumbs up from her perch atop the pole. I slid into the car and waved as I drove up the road.
Nice house. Lydia had paid dearly for her comforts and privacy. The house was new. Though I could see that the area had been landscaped in the recent past, an old barn stood across the drive. I'd have bet that Lydia had had the old house torn down and the new place built upon the foundation.
They were standing beside their cars talking, and turned when they heard mine. Both looked puzzled when they caught sight of the Miata. They were expecting Wendy's red Bimmer. I pulled around facing back out, then hopped out with my laptop in hand.
Marco started toward me, but I held up my hand and called out a greeting.
I liked the setting. Outside was better. Both looked bewildered as I set the computer on the trunk of Lydia's car and hit the power switch. As the CPU booted, I turned to greet them by name.