Susan pulled into the slot in the supermarket parking lot. She got out, took the stroller out of the car and then helped little Andy out of his car seat. She was putting Andy in the stroller when a white van pulled up next to her. The side door slid open and Henry stepped out. He motioned for her to get in the van and she bent over to take Andy out of the stroller, but Henry said, "Leave the kid. Gloria will take care of it."
Susan climbed in the van and found Diamano sitting on a couch and before she was even fully inside the van his hand shot out toward her, "The money!"
Susan looked at the outstretched hand and felt sick inside. "I don't have it," she said. She thought back to yesterday, so full of promise at the start, so disastrous at the end. Susan had gotten out of bed feeling curiously refreshed and she knew it was going to be a great day. While having her first cup of morning coffee she had read her horoscope in the morning paper - "Your investments will bear fruit so press your advantage. Beware of confrontational personal matters."
By ten in the morning she knew what she had to do. She packed up little Andy and had gone out to the racetrack. She had won $200 on the first race, $165 on the second and $210 on the third. Knowing that her luck had finally changed she had plunged heavily on the next three races and when it was time for the seventh to run she was broke. She had gotten up this morning and gathered together all of her jewelry and she was going to pawn it as soon as she left the grocery store.
"I'll have some of it a little later today, I promise," she'd said, but Diamano just looked past her, "Gloria - bring her car and follow us."
Susan paled, "Where are you taking me?" as Henry climbed in the van and pulled the door closed.
"To a place where you will settle your debt to me."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++