Oil of Roses Ch. 12

Eddy put his hand out and Karen took it. They gripped each others' hands firmly and then began to tighten their grips, veins popping and muscles flexing.

The contest went on; one minute… two minutes… sweat was starting to pop out over Eddy's brow… three minutes… finally Eddy said "I give" and relaxed his hand.

"Damn woman, you been mainlining steroids?"

"No, just living clean and working out…"

Her statement was interrupted by Patricia, walking in-between them, spraying little bursts of sandalwood mist.

"What in the hell are you doing, Patricia… oh, by the way, I'm sorry, Eddy Janak, Patricia Keller, my partner."

"Oh, I'm just trying to cover some of the testosterone so we don't get mobbed by a thousand screaming drunken sorority sluts."

The three of them burst into laughter so loud it had the staff checking on them.

* * * * *

Philip "Fat Phillie" Philouma was, at 5'10" and 530 pounds, morbidly obese. He perpetually reeked of sweat as even in the coldest room he was bound to be sweating somewhere in his multitudinous rolls of flesh. His eyes were buried in his puffy face and they glittered maliciously in their little caves as he stared out at the world with greed and avarice. He had been a cruel and petty boy that grew into a cruel and petty man.

His father, Victor Philouma, had always been disappointed in his eldest son. Philip took it for granted that he was to inherit his father's mantle so from a very young age had viewed life as though all things were owed him. Philip's childhood years had been very busy ones for Victor and he felt it one of the greatest failures of his life that he hadn't seen and recognized the burgeoning attitude problems of his eldest son until it was too late to do much about them. After he did recognize them, his wife had had to argue him out of killing Philip more than a few times, finally selling him on the compromise of men loyal to Victor acting as watchdogs and handlers of Phil. She had made Victor swear that he would allow nothing to happen to Philip while there was breath in his body. It was a hard vow to make, but Victor had made it and had lived with it, even after his beloved Ricadonna's death.

As Harry and Carol approached the table, Carol recognized Phil's high-pitched whining voice.

"I can't believe you pulled a spade flush outta your ass, Tommy! I've had it; I'm takin' a fuckin' break!"

"We're in luck," she whispered to Harry.

"Yeah, he sounds real happy, we're swimming in luck," Harry muttered back.

They came around a support pillar and Philip saw them as he waddled towards the bar in the far corner of the room.

"Who are you? What the fuck you doing here?"

"Mr. Philouma, I don't know if you remember me, Carol Casetti, I used to visit here with Tony Juliana?"

"Oh yeah sure, Tony's little fuck toy. What do ya want?"

"I'm here as a favor to a friend. He sent his assistant, Mr. Evans here, to look at Tamara; I told him about her, he thought he might be interested in acquiring her."

"Mr. Evans, huh?"

Harry stepped forward, extending his right hand.

"Yes sir, Mr. Philouma, Robert Evans, pleased to make your acquaintance."

Phil looked at him with suspicion tinged with an animal cunning. He slowly extended his sweaty hand. Harry took it and shook it, firmly but briefly.

"Mr. Philouma, my employer is very grateful for this moment of your time. He regrets disturbing you but this was the only time that Ms. Casetti could be sure of us meeting. I was instructed to examine this ‘Tamara' and determine if she would suit my employer's needs. If so, I was to see about acquiring her from you, were you amenable to such a transaction."

"Who's this employer of yours?" Phil sneered.

Harry smiled. "I'm sorry Mr. Philouma; I'm not at liberty to say. My employer is as careful of his privacy as you and your associates are of yours." Harry glanced over at the table and the five men seated there. "I can say, however, that he's a retired businessman living in New Orleans who finally has time to indulge in some of his more esoteric interests… such as young girls with no one to run to and nowhere to go who won't be missed."

Phil's eyes lit up with interest. "So if I was to sell her to ya and your employer did his thing, he might tape it?"

"He might, Mr. Philouma, he might indeed."

"And would he be willing to make a copy of that tape?" Phil's voice lowered. "See, I've got my father's boys making sure I don't have no fun like that."

"Something might be arranged."

"If it was arranged, I'd be willing to pay. You bring the tape, let me check it out at the club here some Saturday, I like what I see, I'd be willing to pay quite a bit." His voice lowered again, even softer than before. "In fact, if you were to bring me a tape of Tamara getting tortured, then getting dead… I'd be willing to go, oh, five, six grand for a tape like that."

Harry forced a smile through the roiling waves of nausea that where coursing through him.

"I don't think my employer would be adverse to such a proposition. So I take it I'm to be allowed to examine this Tamara?"
"Oh yeah, sure, the little skank's over there in the corner, take all the time you want."

"Do you mind if I make a quick call, Mr. Philouma, I'd like to inform my employer of my progress?"

"Sure, go ahead."

Harry pulled out his cell and dialed Margo's number.

"Sir, the seller is amenable. We're about to examine the merchandise. Everyone is being most helpful… I'm sorry about the delay, sir, I ‘m sure you were becoming annoyed. It is taking a little longer than we expected, Ms. Casetti ran into some old friends… Certainly sir."

He hung up. "Shall we proceed?"

* * * * *

"So there we were, Patricia, all of us blind-drunk, staggerin' out of McGonnigle's and these five frat punks take offense at Harry and me stoppin' and pissin' on their car. I don't know what the big deal was; it was a piece-o-shit '99 Firebird Trans Am. Pissin' on it couldn't help but improve it. But they take offense anyway and think they got what it takes to stomp the skinny guy, me and the dyke. Harry gets one of ‘em down and bangs on him a bit, the biggest one pounds on me till I put him to the pavement and I'm wonderin' where the fuck the other three are. Look over and see your sweetie has already put ‘em all on the ground and is pissin' on ‘em. Just pulled down her pants and is gushin' like a fire hose all over these dweebs, all three of ‘em out cold. Then she grabs one of their arms, dries herself on his shirtsleeve, pulls up her pants like it's no big deal and away we go down the street. Ya got a cute ass there Karen."

Patricia looked at Karen in astonishment. "You didn't."

"Damn sure did," Karen responded. "They were spoiled little rich boys, it was a piece-o-shit Trans Am and nobody whups on Harry and Eddy but me. Don't tell me you never did anything that would raise our eyebrows."

"Well, there was this time at church camp…"

* * * * *

In the corner there knelt a short, thin, almost ethereal woman, pale skin, almost preternaturally large brown eyes, her black hair in pigtails to either side of her slightly diamond-shaped face, wearing a Catholic school girl's uniform.

"Tamara… Tammy…" Carol said as she knelt beside her, "do you recognize me? Are you okay?"

Her gaze was glassy and she seemed to be floating in a mental fog with no lighthouse anywhere around.

"Carol? How are you? It's been a long time. I haven't seen you since Tony's funeral… I'm not sure anymore how long ago that was."

"Tammy, this is Mr. Evans, he's here to purchase you."

"Hello Tammy… Tammy, look at me. Do you remember the last time you had something to eat?"

"Uh… I had some crackers… yesterday… I think. I had a sandwich… today's Saturday because we're here so it would've been Wednesday. I'm pretty sure it was Wednesday. You know Phil, nobody gets fat but him." She made a pitiful, face-cracking grimace that if it had had any humor behind it might have been called a smile. She seemed to be able to focus a little better. "He hasn't been on this kick for too long though. I check myself in the mirror when I go to the powder room. I haven't got that sexy runway model physique that all the girls crave yet." This time the grimace did contain humor and was a smile. "Give him a few more weeks and I'll be there though. Maybe I can get on the cover of Vogue."

"He's not getting a few more weeks," Harry said under his breath.

He stood up, leaving Carol to see to Tamara and walked over to Phil at the bar.

"Mr. Philouma," he said, hiding his rage, "she'll do, although my employer prefers to thin them down himself, so she'll require a little fattening before he can really go to work on her. I'll give you… two hundred for her."

Phil's high pitched chuckle had little humor in it.

"A most interesting opening offer… since you're going to start low, I'll start high, fifty thousand."

"Five hundred."

"You roughly double yours, I'll roughly cut mine in half. Twenty-three thousand."

"One thousand."

"Twelve thousand."

"In her present physical condition, I'm not prepared to go over a thousand, Mr. Philouma. But I will sweeten the deal somewhat. I think my employer would be very interested in providing you with some tapes you'd find most stimulating. You take one thousand for her, the tape of her and two other such productions free of charge. The other tapes can be negotiated for when you look at them, see what they contain."

"Twelve thousand and her tape plus five others free."

"One thousand, her tape and five."

"I'm not going below twelve, her tape and five."

Harry appeared to consider the offer very carefully.

"You appear to be a card-playing man, Mr. Philouma. High card contest. I shuffle. I win, it's a thousand and her tape and five, you win, it's twelve thousand, her tape and five."

"No Mr. Evans, you don't shuffle, I shuffle. I win, it's twenty thousand, her tape and five, you win, it's one thousand, her tape and five."

"Then we are at an impasse. If I don't shuffle, I don't play. Otherwise your terms are acceptable."

"Fine, then you shuffle."

Harry walked to the table, following behind Phil. When they got there, Phil plopped his bulk into a loveseat and motioned Harry to a chair.

"Excuse us boys, need to borrow a deck of cards, this'll be over soon, I'll be back in the game."

He shoved the deck over to Harry and as Harry picked them up, he gave them a quick and subtle once-over. Standard deck, not marked or rigged in any way he could determine. He shuffled clumsily, at one point flipping the deck out over the table, many of the cards landing face up. He gathered them back up with apologies to all and continued to shuffle.

Finally he sat them down.

"You first, of course, Mr. Philouma."

Phil cut and showed the Ten of Hearts to everyone at the table.

"My turn then," said Harry.

He picked up part of the deck and showed the Queen of Spades around the table.

"Now I think I'll pay you what I owe, take the girl and be on my way back to New Orleans."

Phil made a motion with his hand. The five players at the table and the two men behind Phil drew their weapons. Harry found himself looking at a collection of .45's. The sound of their hammers being cocked was not music to his ears.

"No Mr. Evans, we'll go best two out of three. And I'll shuffle this time."

* * * * *

Kelly had decided to dress a little daringly for the evening. Given the nature of Chez Bubba's, she'd gone with a bandanna halter that barely contained her and a pair of ragged cut-off jeans that were just a quarter inch of fringe away from being indecent. The thong she was wearing nearly matched her skin tone so the illusion was compelling. With her hair in a do-rag and her feet in a pair of scuffed square-toe cowboy boots she strolled in to the restaurant and was shown to their room.

She heard the eyeballs clacking as they swung to follow her as she pranced through the dining room. It was a good way to start the night.

When she was shown into the room, she saw Eddy and a woman she assumed was Karen, arm wrestling on the table, lit candles burning in either of their take-down positions.

Eddy almost lost when he briefly glanced over to see who was coming in. He recovered quickly though, then it was Karen's turn to be distracted, with much the same result. Patricia leaned over her shoulder whispering "Down girl".

She came up behind Eddy, rested her tits on his shoulder and leaned over, smiling.

"Hi, y'all must be Karen and Patricia. I'm Kelly, Eddy's illegitimate daughter."

She bent down and licked his ear. "Hi Daddy" she breathed into it.

"Gawddamn it Kelly," Eddy exploded, "don't do that!"

"Oh, alright. Hi Karen, Patricia, I'm Kelly, the dominatrix that's been bending Eddy to her will. Now Eddy, beat this woman or I won't let you lick my ass tonight."

Karen was about to lose it, choking back fall-on-the-floor laughter by sheer force of will. Patricia had given up the fight and was holding her sides, laughing almost silently, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Kelly," Eddy said through gritted teeth, "I don't think licking is what I had in mind where your ass is concerned… it rhymes with ‘licking' but it starts with a ‘k'."

She threw her arms around his broad chest and circled his nipples with her fingertips.

"Eddy, are you sure it doesn't rhyme with ‘missing' and start with a ‘k'?"

"Pretty gawddamn sure."

"Okay," she said as her hands went down to his sides, "as long as you're sure."

And she started tickling him.

* * * * *

The silence stretched on for several year-long seconds before Harry found himself able to speak.

"Why Mr. Philouma, I do believe you're trying to alter the terms of our deal," Harry said, fighting to keep his voice steady.

"I believe so too," came an elderly but still vibrant voice from the door.

In his peripheral vision Harry caught someone entering in a motorized wheelchair but couldn't make out much more as he was far more concerned with the handguns in his immediate vicinity.

He heard Carol squeal "VIC!" and glimpsed her running toward the figure in the chair. He kept very still and watched Phil, painfully aware of the unwavering barrels of the guns pointed in his direction.

"What was the deal they agreed to?" Victor Philouma asked one of his men, standing behind Phil.

"If Evans won, he paid Phil a grand and some other considerations at a later time and take possession of Tammy today."

"Pay my son his money, Mr. Evans, then Philip, you and the boys get out of here."

"But he cheated!" Phil whined.

"If everyone you accused of cheating was guilty, our family and friends would be the biggest group of card sharps in existence. Truth is, Philip, you suck at cards just like you suck at almost everything. Now take your money and get out."

Harry reached into a pocket and brought on a sheaf of bills, put it on the table, and stood up.

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Philouma," Harry said, offering his hand. "I believe I'll be taking my employer's property and going now."

Phil ignored the hand, took the bundle of cash and tried to stalk out as best he could while waddling. The rest of the men at and around the table followed.

"I don't think you'll be leaving just yet, Mr. Evans," said Victor Philouma, head of the Philouma crime syndicate.

* * * * *

In the ensuing free-for-all everyone avoided getting burned, no one got beaten or kicked, Kelly narrowly avoided a spanking, and proper introductions were made.

Another round of drinks was ordered and while Kelly and Patricia watched, Eddy and Karen went at it once again in arm-wrestling.

Patricia leaned over to Kelly. "So, I've sort of gotten the Harry, Carol & Margo story, where do you fit in to all this, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Patricia, I never mind questions… I mind people who expect answers." She smiled. "It's a simple story. Delivery driver for Chinese restaurant shows up with order, is seduced by older couples' sex toy, continues to come back and play with them because she likes them, feels safe with them, is even starting to have deeper feelings for them, meets their friends, likes them too, plays with some of them, that big hunk o' man over there for example."

"I heard that," Eddy said.

"I meant you to, still feels safe after playing with him, as incredible as that may seem. She looked at Karen, struggling mightily against Eddy, then at Patricia and slowly and sensuously licked her lips. "Wouldn't mind playing with more of their friends."

Patricia smiled. "Sorry Kelly, you're a lovely girl and imminently do-able, but we're monogamous."

"Yeah," Karen added, "I've got some severe jealousy issues I need to work on and Patricia just feels safer in a monogamous relationship. But I guarantee you, we ever change our minds and we'll invite you over to be dinner."

"Don't you mean ‘for' dinner," Kelly asked, eyes sparkling.

"You heard what I said," Karen responded, finally forcing Eddy's hand down to the candle.

"OW! Gawddamnit you steroid-abusin' dyke Amazon! Have you ever once considered how I feel about losing to a woman?" He buried his face in his hands, great heaving fake sobs coming from within. "I feel so… much… less… a… man… now."

Once again the laughter was so loud the staff felt obliged to check and see if everything was alright.

* * * * *

Carol came over, Victor in his chair behind her.

She pushed him toward a chair. "Relax, it's alright, sir. Sit down." Victor's chair rolled up to him.

She spoke softly.

"Sir, this is Victor Philouma. Vic, this is Harry Grimes, my new man."

Harry put out his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Philouma."

The old man took it, shook it. He might be in a chair but his grip was still hard and firm.

"Well kid, he's a damn sight prettier than Tony was. He good to you?"

"Vic, I'm taking his name of my own free will. I love him more than I've ever loved anyone."

"That's good… you two running a number on my fat moron of a son?"

"Yes Vic. We're getting Tamara out of here."

"And you, Mr. Grimes, you cheated at cards in front of my son, six of his boys and two of mine. My boys spotted you putting a crimp on that queen just like I did, watching from the security room. That's why the boys were going to let him shoot you. You're guilty. The only reasons you're still living is I like it when people put one over on that sweaty dumbshit and because of little Carol here"

"I didn't have his minimum number and I couldn't get him down into what I did have available to me."

"You risked getting your head blown off for a girl you just met tonight?"

"Is that so hard to believe? Your son was going to slowly starve her to death. What else could I do?"

"You're not a cop, are you?"

"No sir, I'm in advertising."

"Thank God, cops with your kind of balls I don't need. I'd have to kill a cop like you to stop a cop like you. Very bad for business in the long run. You've got what you came for; you can go in a minute.

"Carol, Tony left you something in his will. I never questioned why you disappeared so fast after the funeral. I know my eldest; I know what he was looking to do with you. But it meant you weren't there for the reading of Tony's will. I had what he left you boxed up and put in storage in a climate-controlled space on the south side. You give me an address, I'll have it delivered." He read the worry on her face. "Don't worry, none of Phil's boys will know about it."

"But what about after you're gone, Vic? They'll all be Phil's boys then."