Bottom Feeder by Maria G. Cope Page B

garage.
Again the wall slides back to expose a cutout in the secondary
wall. Only this time there are no security cameras. The hidden
compartment reveals an arsenal. Pistols, revolvers, shotguns,
rifles and several small arms decorate the concealed
wall.
    What the hell? Is he planning anarchy
or forming a coup against the government or something?
    He removes a Smith &
Wesson .38 Special DK pistol from the wall. I tense when the
magazine shoves into place with an ominous click. There are two options if he
points that thing in my direction: him or me. I guarantee it will
be him.
    How will I explain
something like this to my First Sergeant? “Oh, I was just having a meeting with a mob boss, Sergeant
Wotley. Just a day in the life of Specialist Jackson Monroe. No
big.”
    Before I formulate an escape plan to a
foreign country without extradition, Cordell tucks the pistol into
the back of his waistband underneath his jacket.
    “ Wow. That’s um, some
collection you got there, sir.”
    “ You can never be too
careful or too aware, son. I’m sure with your line of work you can
relate.”
    I nod.
    “ I need you to be
interested in her,” Cordell sighs, sitting in the oversized leather
chair behind the desk. His face is solemn, as if he is sorry I have
to do this.
    Wait. What am I doing?
    “ Excuse me?” I try to fix
my face so it’s not mimicking his.
    I know what you might be
thinking: this is one of those stories where the guy falls for the
girl and they live happily ever after despite her crazy father and
blah blah blah. Uh, no. I do not do relationships.
    Even if I did, Maddy is not my
type.
    “ She has to trust you. I
need you to pretend to like her so she doesn’t throw a fit that you
are driving her. Maddy was looking forward to driving
alone.”
    I sit down before my knees buckle.
“And how should I go about doing that, Mr. Carrington?”
    “ Hell, son, I don’t know.
What do you normally do to let a girl know you’re interested? Throw
some charm at her. Take her to dinner. A movie. Go for ice cream.
Go to church. Something . I don’t care how you do it. Just get her in public, let the
town see you out so it doesn’t appear that I set this up. I
understand she’s not your type. But just like there are rumors
about me, son, this town has rumors about you, too. Maddy is a
bottom feeder, I know, but from what I hear you aren’t exactly
choosy when it comes to who you get in the bedroom.”
    I grimace. Now my face is definitely
mimicking his. Damn. I knew all those girls were going to come back
and bite me on the ass.
    “ Look, it’s only for a
couple of days. How you act after she’s away from me is not my
business. I don’t care if you love her, drop her, or one night
stand her as long as she’s not my problem.”
    Cordell rolls his chair to a writing
table on the back wall, punching another code into a keypad. He
slides a drawer open, removes a stack of money and tosses it to
me.
    “ Five grand,” he says.
“I’ll be fair and say this doesn’t count as part of your ten. Use
this to take your new girl out, Jackson. Her name is Maddy. Not
much to look at or talk to, but just think of it as sort of a . .
.” he pauses to tap his chin with his right index finger.
“ Mission for the
greater good. You know, taking one for the team.” He laughs. I
squirm.
    “ Whatever you need me to
do,” I say reluctantly. I grab the money from the desk and shove it
in my pocket.
    “ One last thing,” Cordell
says. “This conversation never happened. Understand? I will explain
to Maddy that you were planning a trip to New York City and asked
to accompany her so she doesn’t travel alone.”
    “ Yes, sir.”
    “ Keep the things you heard
today well-guarded— as if your life
depended on it . And believe me, son, it
does.”
    The money weighs heavily in my pocket,
like a ship anchor holding down a canoe. I walk to the Civic, my
legs feeling as if they are treading quicksand.
    What the hell have I gotten