Perspectives Pt. 1c - Laci Morgan

Author's Note: If you just want to read the main story then follow the "a" parts (1a, 2a, 3a, etc.). This will tell a complete story from the main protagonist's view (Rachel). The other parts will be stories that take place with other characters at the same time (1a, 1b, 1c,) they build on each other and offer a few more pieces to the world around Rachel and her friends/family or they will be the same scene from the other person's viewpoint to give the reader a different, well, perspective. I hope you enjoy.

Laci put her suitcase in the truck and jumped into the backseat of the car. The Uber driver smiled into the rearview and introduced himself before pulling away; she wouldn't remember his name, so she didn't bother listening. It was early but she was ready for a drink sooner rather than later and this two-week vacation in Denver is just what she needed, despite some unfortunate work she needed to do. She looked back at her house and wondered if Lawrence waited until she pulled away to call whoever she was he'd been talking to for months now.

"Can I smoke in here?" she asked.

"Uhm, no, I'd rather you not," the driver said looking through the rearview mirror. Laci pulled out her wallet and sat two 20's on the console.

"It's 30 minutes to the airport and I want to smoke. Will that help?"

"Smoke 'em if you got 'em." The driver picked up the cash and rolled down a window. According to her mother, she sat out in the sun too much and smoked too much. She still didn't look a day over 30. Her dark completion and light blue eyes drew people to her and if the wrinkles were going to set in they were still a long way off she figured. She saw herself in the rearview mirror and wasn't disappointed in the pretty face that looked back.

Lighting a cigarette, she pulled out a folder listing some of the clients Lawrence visited frequently. She didn't know who it was but knew she lived in Denver from the few texts she saw and she may be one of their hotel/restaurant clients. Her sister, Mandy, would tell her any details she found when they met up today. She let Mandy in on it when she found money going to a bank account at odd times that didn't match any receipts. Then, one day, she grabbed his work phone by accident, thinking it was hers, when the message came through:

"Payroll for the restaurant is ready. Call me to iron out details."

It was on a Tuesday and they didn't have any restaurants where payroll was ready on Tuesday. She handed him the phone and he took the call in private, something he never does unless it is them calling. "Them" being Chicago. She didn't want to think about them right now, but her heart started beating fast thinking of the reality of the situation. She lit another cigarette off the first one and threw the butt out the window as she looked over the folder in her hand. Payroll's ass. That was a code in case Laci saw the phone.

She wasn't leaving him but he wasn't leaving her either. If he wanted a side girl then he would man up and tell her and she would probably let it go if it was just sex, but each time he let it go to fucking far and started falling in love with them. She knew this would be an issue when she married him and she blamed herself. She wanted to be enough for him but this was the third time. When would it be the last? When would he sneak out and never come back? Their peculiar arrangement with Chicago gave him access to a lot of hidden money, her too, but she didn't want to leave. She wanted him and she planned on keeping him. She would handle this one just like the last two. She put the folder away and grabbed one last cigarette as the airport came into view.

Her flight landed and she made it through the terminal with no problems. She smiled when she saw her sister, Mandy, standing at the doors waiting for her. Mandy was one year older, but they could easily be twins. She kept her hair shorter than Laci's but everything thing else was a match. Both had jet black hair but Laci kept a darker tan. One day Lawrence smacked Mandy on the ass when he saw her in a bikini thinking it was her. They had a good laugh but from behind it was easy to mix them up and they filled out a bikini perfectly. Her ass was a little bigger since her twenties but she loved how she looked and Mandy's looked the same way. They got a lot of attention, especially when they were together. She ran up and hugged her as she came off the escalator.

"Laci! I've missed you. Come here."

"Missed you too, Mandy." Laci hugged her tight. "Let's go outside and smoke before we leave."

"C'mon, I've got your bag." They made it to Mandy's car and chatted. Mandy lived in Pueblo but made the trip to see her when she came to Denver with Lawrence. She was a private detective who seemed to be able to make her own schedule, so it was always easy for her to stay if Laci wanted her, and she always wanted her to stay.

Mandy put her luggage in the truck and lit a cigarette.

"How was your flight?"

"Easy with no delays," Laci replied.

"When's Lawrence coming?"

"Tonight. He needed to get things straight at the office."

"Good, we can talk about this and have girl time. The bar's waiting so let's do it." Mandy put her cigarette out on her shoe and jumped in the car; Laci followed. The drive to the resort was easy once they got out of traffic and in less than an hour and half her and Mandy were sitting at the bar of the New River Ski Lodge and Resort. Because it was members only, they could smoke inside so it was their watering hole of choice and it was rarely crowded. Skiing was done for the season, but the resort had enough summer activities with the spa and hiking. The drive back to Denver was quick so it was perfect and her and Lawrence owned three of the cabins.

"The bartender keeps checking you out." Mandy took a long drink from the Old Fashion in front of her and lit a cigarette. "He's cute, too."

"I'm not available," Laci replied looking over at the man stealing glances. He was younger, mid 20's probably. His uniform was all black and had a "I didn't bother shaving for three days" growth on his face, but he did mange to trim the neckline so maybe it wasn't just laziness. He was cute. His hair was a dark brown and his rolled up shirt showed a tattoo sleeve on his right arm.

"Why not? Your fucking husband seems to be pretty available." Mandy turned her head and blew out a large puff of smoke.

"Are we going to do this right now?" Laci asked, probably more harshly than she meant to. "If I wanted a goddamned lecture I'd give myself another one. I don't want to hear it."

"Look, it just sucks, ok. I want to help and I don't think this is the best way to do it. I love you and I hate seeing this happen."

"Seeing what happen? I don't care who he's fucking as long as I have him but he doesn't get to love anyone else but me. I'm sorry if that doesn't fit your notions of a relationship, so help or don't, but save the lecture. Bartender, a shot of 1800. You want one, Mandy?" Her sister was clearly not happy about the exchange but she had to know it wasn't going to do any good. Laci had been down this road with her and it would always end the same.

"Fine, whatever, yea, I want one. May as well get drunk if we have to go through this again." The bartender smiled as he brought the drinks over and Laci saw his eyes cut to her tits. She was just in a t-shirt but it was tight. Her bra wasn't padded but it had enough lace to hide her piercings. She smiled thinking of how he would react if he saw those through her shirt.

"Told you," Mandy said just before downing her shot and stuffing a lime slice in her mouth.

"Told me what?"

"He's checking you out. That is why you were smiling. He was looking at your tits."

"I wasn't smiling at that."

"Whatever. At least you admitted that you knew what he was doing it."

"I did not."

"Then what did you mean when you said, 'that'?"

"Stop pretending you're a fucking cop and quit interrogating me." Laci took the shot down and chased it with a beer.

"You drink like a cop. A sexy cop."

"Shut up," Laci said with a laugh. Don't call me sexy, weirdo. Let's not fight either, ok."

"Ok, and you look just like me so I'll call you sexy if I want. Let me tell you what I found." Mandy scooted closer and made sure their new bartender friend wasn't hovering.

"Her name is Abby and her dad runs one of those "breasturant" knockoff sports bars."

"Jubblies?" Laci said looking at her without a hint of humor in her face.

"Yea, Ju..." Mandy started laughing and couldn't control herself. "You looked at me and said Jubblies so seriously. Oh my god. What a stupid fucking name."

"Stop laughing or I'll start too." The infection spread though, and they were both in tears saying "Jubblies" and posing suggestively to each other. The bartender came by to check on them.

"Now, ladies, it is only 3 o'clock. Am I going to have to cut you off?"

"No, but you may have to pour yourself one and join us." Mandy said holding up her glass.

"Not on the clock, but a gentleman offered to pay for your next round so what will it be?"

"Please tell me it isn't that creepy asshole in the corner," Laci said with a disgusted look. "He is always in my fucking business when I'm here by myself."

"It's the creepy asshole in the corner but you can pretend it is from me, so I'll buy you a drink using his money. What do you say?" He grinned showing a smile that made Laci pause. He was cute.

"Fine, but if he comes over here, you have to help shoo him away. Deal?" Mandy asked.

"Anything for the twins of New River."

"We're not twins!" They said in unison which brought on another round of laughs. Letting their laughter die, they got back to business.

"Seriously, Ok, what did you find?"

"Like I said, her name is Abby."

"Yea, here is my list. This girl here, Abby Lintner. She is listed as a payroll specialist for Ju- the restaurant." She barely managed to hide a smile. Well, the lady that sends the payroll is 74 years old so I don't think they are fucking; this is just a fake account for her.

How much money goes in there a month?" Mandy asked.

"About 2000 or so," Laci said has she brought up the account on her tablet.

"Clean money? Which account?"

"Dirty money. That idiot. It's the offshore account."

"See, you're going to get busted, Laci. If not "Chicago" then the IRS. He's thinking with his dick again. Fuck him."

"Hey, want to tell the whole goddamned bar?"

"Sorry. Sorry, ok. Let's just figure this out."

"We'll do what we did to the other two and that will be it. We never heard from them again."

"No."

"What do you mean, 'no'?"

"This girl is young and we aren't destroying her. I think the last one is still in therapy after what you did."

"Please, she liked it in the end."

"Laci, you made her masturbate like a porn star on video so you could use it for blackmail."

"It worked."

"It was too much, Laci. Shit. You need to start thinking about your safety, not only from the mess y'all are in with the mob but from these women maybe coming after you. The first girl was ready to leave her kids and disappear with him. I don't get it."

"You don't? If the guilt wouldn't kill you, then you would have fucked him too."

"That's not ..."

"Yea, it is. You know it and I know it. Tell me I'm wrong. I've seen you look at him. Remember when he slapped your ass thinking it was me? I saw how you looked at him so save it. What's the bartender's name?" Laci looked at her sister and saw the acknowledgment in her eyes. "And you had an affair too so save the morality speech."

"The bartender's name is Nathan," Mandy said as she tried to light another cigarette, but the lighter wouldn't catch. "That wasn't fair to bring up."

"Here," Laci grabbed her lighter and lit it for her. "Nathan," she called out, "another round and another shot."

"Yes ma'am."

"Laci. No ma'am stuff."

Yes ma ... Laci."

"Are you trying to get me more drunk so I stop getting upset about this fucked up mess?" Mandy asked as took the first sip of her new drink.

"Yea, is it working?" Laci held up the shot glass and waited for a response.

"Maybe, cheater, but stop taking digs at me." Mandy held up the shot to meet hers. "I need a break after this one; I have to call the office then we can start up again. Look, I just think you need to take this up with Lawrence. Since you're okay with an open marriage then tell him but the rule has to be that you know."

"Didn't you and Will do that? He had a girlfriend."

"It was more like a threesome partner, but yea. This girl, Abby, is a kid and is obviously in love with him since they text or talk every day. It's been going on for months. You've found some of the texts but we don't know all what he has told her so he may be fueling some 'runaway together' fantasy for her. Who knows, but I will put a stop to it this week and it will be my way. Also, this is the last one unless you set up some rules. I get you can't divorce him even if you wanted to, but you don't want to so you've got to figure something out."

Laci heard the pleading in Mandy's voice. She remembered when she met them - Chicago. Lawrence had cooked the books for two businesses and they were paying well. Lucio was the one she met. He looked dangerous, like a knife ready to strike; she was terrified of him. He didn't like that Lawrence brought her in and he warned that a divorce would be, how did he say it? 'Bad for business.'" They both got the hint so divorce was off the table until this was over and she didn't believe Lawrence when he said it would be soon.

"Ok, just let me try to get past this "Chicago" thing. Marcus told us ..."

"I don't trust Marcus, Laci. Do you realize that I can't find anything on him after he left law school? Nothing. No job, no clients, nothing. Hell, I don't even know where he lives. He is a ghost and that isn't someone you need to trust. Just let me handle the girl and you talk to Lawrence and we're done with this."

"Fine." Laci took a long pull from her beer and saw the bartender staring at her again.

"You should show that bartender your tits. He'd jerk off all night thinking about them." Mandy said laughing.

"You show him. Yours look just like mine."

"I'm married," Mandy said with a wink.

"So am I." Laci turned away from her sister and looked at the TV. She had more things to be concerned about than baseball but she needed her mind to be somewhere else for a minute.

"I need to call the guys at the office and take care of some things. Come get me in a few hours and we'll pick up where we left off." Mandy grabbed her things and left, flashing Nathan a smile as she walked out to her cabin.

"Can you turn on the Cardinals game?" Laci flipped open her tablet to see what she could find on Abby.

"Sure, because we like having depressed patrons. Why not the Reds?" Nathan replied fumbling for the remote.

"Do you even watch baseball? The Reds are in the basement and will probably live there until Pete Rose dies and gets reincarnated as a 28 year old hitting like he did in the late 60s. Reds my ass." Laci shook her head and took another drink.

"The Reds are Chicago, right?" Nathan smiled again, he had to know that was his strong point.

"Nathan, you are going to buy me another drink for that."

"Do you always accept drinks from funny, semi good-looking bartenders with bad jokes?"

"Do you always flirt with married women that vacation with their husband and family?" Laci smirked as she held her hand out for the remote. Nathan kept his smile and made a small nod as he poured another beer and a shot. He walked over to Laci and leaned over the bar, scooting the drinks in front of her.

"Only the ones that I think want me to."

He was close to her. He had his hands palm down on the bar as he made eye contact. He held the stare for a moment before he dropped his eyes down to her chest and turned away pretending to wipe down the bar on the other end.

Laci sat with an unlit cigarette in her hand and felt a rush thinking about how openly he just gawked at her. Lawrence would have beat his ass. She would have in the past. Why wasn't she? She lit her cigarette and started looking for Emily on social media platforms. She adjusted her bra and felt another butterfly in her stomach as the fabric rubbed against her nipple ring. She turned on the game and ignored her new friend.

The happy hour crew made it to the bar so Nathan had to actually work and Laci focused on Abby. She wasn't a detective but she didn't need much time to find her. She was young. Maybe 21. She was so much that Laci wasn't. Short, small body, blonde, bubbly. She would be labeled cute more than pretty she thought. She looked young. Lawrence dated her when she was this age. Is that what this one was about? Reliving his youth. The other two were married and around Laci's age. All of them were in other cities, but this was the first young one. If their new secretary wasn't such a stick in the mud, she would be worried. She found herself looking through her pictures at the beach, and with her family. She seemed like a nice girl but she was fucking her husband so she had to be dealt with. She wanted to keep him. Maybe this one would be the last.

"I admit I was wrong. The Expos beat the Reds; they are terrible," She glanced up to see Nathan making a huffing sound and a terrible impression of being disappointed.

"The Expos haven't had a team in close to 20 years, Nathan. Buy me another drink. You were probably 5 when they moved to Washington."

"Not only do I suck at baseball but my Wikipedia skills are bad too. This was going to be my segue into telling you I'm from Canada."

"And a shot for being Canadian," Laci said with a smile this time.

"Told you. Only the ones that want me to." He sat both down in front of her. She was definitely feeling the drinks now and she couldn't stop thinking about Abby. Why was Lawrence so interested? Abby should date someone like Nathan. Nathan with the cute smile and nice tattoos. He could take her skiing and they could go do whatever it is 20 somethings do now. She heard a female voice at the end of the bar. Looking up she saw Nathan talking to a girl in the same uniform as him, his replacement she assumed. She reached for her debit card when he came over.

"Mind if I tab you out," he asked as he sat a check down.

"It's fine. What is a baseball fanatic like you going to do getting off work so early on a Friday?" she asked. He ran her check and sat the credit card slips down in front of her. She noticed his number was written at the top of the customer copy.

"Not sure, maybe I'll wait for someone to call me and teach me more about baseball," he said with a smile and a wink. Laci couldn't help but smile back at him. He moved from the bar and she heard him tell the new girl that he was going to the liquor room to restock. He left around the corner.

Rachel looked at Abby's picture one more time and thought of Lawrence with her. It wasn't fair. She was so young. Did he want that again? To feel like they did when he was her professor in college. To go back in time. She remembered the restaurant. She was so young - Abby's age. What was that guy's name? They used to fool around in the back when they could get away from the floor. She remembered letting him touch her tits one time when Lawrence was out front; it was about the third time he'd come in. She went to the back to get a bucket of ice and her coworker, Elliot. That's it. Elliot. He was back there too. She flipped her shirt up for him and let him touch her. They played around all the time like that. They almost got caught so many times. She smiled at the memory.

"Ma'am, would you mind sitting this behind the bar, I need to run out and make a phone call." Laci handed her tablet to the new bartender, grabbed her phone and walked to the hallway but instead of turning right towards the door, she went left down the hall, past the kitchen entrance. She was definitely feeling the drinks but that wasn't the reason she found herself walking down the hall and she knew it. Looking down the next right turn she saw a catering cart holding open a door. She looked around the to make sure no one saw her as she approached the propped open door.