The Grave Switcheroo (3 page)

“Nice place you have here! …. I must say I am impressed”

“Thank you” Cynthia said as they sat down on sofas “May late husband did well as a real estate investor … we are quite comfortable actually”

“Good for you” He said smilingly. She could see a look of greed coming in his eyes, as if a hungry wolf had found a perfect prey

“I can see you miss him a lot” He said, fixing his gaze over her face “I can tell from my experience at least…that once you are married and get used to a married life, it is difficult to be without your partner… if you know what I mean”

“Yes, you are so right” Cynthia nodded “I totally miss him … and I have not been with anyone else for what it seems like a long time”

He leaned over “And  I have also not been with any women since my wife died three years ago …and although I am a writer and keep myself busy with my writing, I do feel very lonely at times.  I know I can be a good companion to any women and take care of a girl friend if I have one … but somehow I have not gotten involved with anyone”

Cynthia leaned back in her chair, her eyes watching his face “Are you telling me you've been with no other woman since your wife died?”

His expression remained cool but he shifted a little in his chair, “Why, yes ….I have not been with anyone. In fact you are the first  women I am seeing … after a very long time”

“Really?” Cynthia asked, now a hard expression coming on her face “Then tell me, how well do you know Laura Macbeth?”

He almost jerked in his seat, his face changing a shade “What? Who is Laura Macbeth? What are you talking about?”

At that moment the side door opened and Laura walked in. “I am the Laura Macbeth she is talking about! ... are you saying you don't know me?”.

He jumped up from his seat, his face turning red, “What! …, what is this?” He took one step towards Laura then swung around and looked at Cynthia who was still sitting

“Who are you? What is going on here?”

“Let me tell you who she is” Laura said  “She's my friend and she has brought you here to tell you that what you have been doing with me and maybe with many other women ...is downright wrong  and cheating”

“What the hell!”  he got red in the face "Is this Jerry Springer show or what? I don't have to listen to any of this shit from any of you bitches !”

He turned around fast and moved towards the hallway, as if wanting to leave the house.  But before he could reach the hallway the door to a side room opened and Sophia's husband came out. Then another door opened and Sophia and Marsha also walked in

Garry, seeing the passage blocked, stopped abruptly. He suddenly had a nervous look on his face

“Hello Garry” Sophia's husband Dan smiled ”meet some more of Laura’s friends”

Garry just stood there, his mouth gaping

“I suggest you sit down .. we need to have a talk” Dan spoke in a low, cold voice.

“Who the hell are you? I am not staying here !  I am not talking to any of you jerks …get out of my way !”  Garry tried to sound aggressive, moving  and trying to go around Dan

Sudenly the door to the side room opened again and two men ruhsed out.  One, a black man, about 6 foot nine, was built like a gorilla. The other was a stocky man of medium height,  who looked like he was from Sicily or Italy. "Meet Mike and Vinnie"  Dan said looking at Garry, a funny smile on his face

The black man, called Mike,  moved quickly for his size, his right hand grabbing the front of Garry's shirt and he picking him up like a doll and slamming him against a wall, his other hand closing on Garry's throat

“When my boss says he wants to talk to you …you fuckin' listen to him !  You hear me?” He growled

Garry’s face turned ashen as he looked down at them, held up against the wall, his feet and hands dangling in the air.

Sophia's husband turned around and looked at the women

“You ladies can go to the other room …you  don't have to see all this … let the men talk to this jerk “

“No” Laura said “I want to talk to him first ” 

“Let me down, let me down, please … oh God!” Garry pleaded …all his bravado seemed to have left him

Mike looked over at Dan, who nodded “Ok, Mike, let him down” 

The big black man let Garry slide down,  then pushed him, throwing him into a chair. “Sit down and listen up”

Garry looked up at the group of people surrounding him, narrowing in a semi circle around him

“Look … I don’t know what you all want from me .. I am just a writer”

“You are not just a writer …” Laura stepped forward, “You are a man who swindles women for money” She said angrily

“How much money has he taken from you Laura?” Dan asked, his voice still low, but showing anger

“Well, he kept on asking me for money and in the last few months he took over five thousand dollars from me” Laura said

“Ok, ok ..so I took some money …but it was something you gave me as gifts …” Garry said hurriedly as he tried to get up again

Dan pushed him back in the chair, shoving his thick thumb in Garry’s chest   

“Sit down!” Dan said

“And what about me? “ Cynthia spoke up “Didn’t you just tell me you had not been with any women since your wife died? You were trying to get me in the same trap…as you did to Laura … .is that what you do mister writer? … You prey on lonely women … you go to cemeteries to find lonely women ... make friends with them and then take their money ? That’s what you did to Laura and you were trying to do to me?” She said looking into his eyes. “How many women have you made fools like this?”

“Look, I don’t know what you all think you are doing … you have to let me go right now” Garry tried to show anger as looked around them “I can go to police, you know, if you harass me”

“He won’t listen up like this … guys … take him to another room and tell him who is he dealing with “ Dan nodded to his men. 
 

Mike pulled Garry again by the front to his shirt and pulled him out of the chair.
Dan spoke up again “In case you don’t know, I’m Dan Gagliano … heard this name before?

Garry’s face turned white. “Mr. Gagliano!  Please, please… sir, yes of course I have heard your name … please listen to me !”  He started crying as Mike dragged him across the lounge towards the side room

Dan motioned the women to stay back and followed his men and Garry to the other room.  The women could hear a thud and sounds of few kicks and heard Garry cry in pain

They heard Dan saying “Garry, we want you to know that you messed up with the wrong woman this time. I don't know how long you have been doing this ...but this time you screwed up.  Laura is not a lonely woman, she has friends’

Hearing all this, Laura who now looked pale and uncomfortable, murmured “ Oh I hope they don’t kill him or something”

“Don’t worry Laura … nothing like that will happen” Sophia put her arm around Laura “Come, let’s all sit down”

The ladies sat down in the lounge. They saw Dan close the door behind him and could hear muffled sounds of slaps and hits

After some time, Dan opened the door and they saw Mike and Vinnie drag Garry out of the room, taking him out of house.

Dan came to where the ladies were sitting

“It’s all settled well, you can trust me” He said smiling “He swore on his mother grave he will never do anything like that, ever … which I am not sure about… but we made him agree that he will pay back all five thousand dollars that he took from you” Dan said, looking at Laura

“But Dan, how will he pay? He has no job’ Laura sounded sad and resigned 

“Oh, that was, easy” Dan smiled “I told him he is now assigned to my men Mike and Vinnie .. who will give him different jobs to do as they like … who cares ...waiting at tables or washing dishes … and then out of his earnings every month he will pay us some money …until all of his debt is paid off  … and then we will let him go “ 

“Really? He will be working and paying up his debts? You made him agree to that?”  Cynthia said, a surprise showing on her face

“Yes” Dan said “Come to think of it … it has turned out to be quite a win win …. Laura will get her money back and Garry, who has perhaps never worked an honest day job in his life, will learn how to work, earn money and payback his debts. Who knows.. it may be a blessing in disguise for him !” 

"Oh, darling … thank you for doing this! This is great!” Sophia looked lovingly at her husband. “Come sit with us … I am sure Cynthia will treat us with some good coffee now”

“Sure, absolutely” Cynthia got up. “Laura, are you happy now?” They all looked at Laura

“I am still in a daze … wow! …what a twist for him !” Laura said shaking her head

“No, not a twist … lets call it The Grave
Switcheroo
”  Sophia said

They  all burst out laughing