The Other SIde of the Fence

Chapter Eight


“Oh Stanley baby, I wuv you.”
“No I wuv you.”
“No I wuv you. You know no one has stood up for me like the way that you stood up for me today,” said Nicole.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah…You’re my hero! My big strong manly man.”
“Well that’s just the beginning baby. I’d walk through fire for you. I’d slay a dragon for you.”
“Oh baby.” said Nicole as she snuggled in closer to Stan on the leather chair and kissed him passionately.
“Oh this explains it.” said Ralph, pressing his gun into Stan’s temple.
Both Nicole and Stan screamed at the sudden realization that a stranger was standing right next to them and then they screamed again when they saw the gun Ralph was holding against Stan’s head.
“Now why you want to be doggin’ around when you got a fine woman sitting at home. What is wrong with you?”
“Who?” said Stan, still discombobulated by the sudden change in scenery.
“Vivian! Say it with me. Vi..vi..an. Your girlfriend. A feisty girl. A real firecracker. I like that. And you throw it away on a…a…” said Ralph, looking with distaste at the woman sitting on Stan’s lap.
“Hey!” said Nicole, offended, “Stan are you going to let him talk to me like that?”
“Nicole…he has a gun pointed at my head.”
“Yeah but you said…”
“Nicole! Not now!”
“Stanley if you don’t…”
“Oh shut up!” said Ralph, hitting Nicole with the butt of his gun, knocking her out cold.
“All that whining…I can’t take it anymore.” said Ralph, dragging Nicole’s unconscious body off of the leather chair and throwing her underneath the desk.
“Now stand up!” said Ralph, pointing the gun at the terrified Stan who quickly complied.
“And do your pants up! What is wrong with you? You need to have your head examined. Having a fine woman at home.”
“Is that what this is about? Did Vivian send you? Because I didn’t mean to hurt her. I was going to tell her. Honest.”
“Shut up!”
Clamping his mouth shut, Stan threw his arms up to protect his head from the blow he expected any second.
“Go to the window.”
“What?” Stan whimpered from behind his hands.
“Just do it!”
Without another word, Stan hurried to the window.
“You see the Palomino out there? Red?”
Stan nodded mutely.
“You see the guy sitting in the passenger side?”
Another weak nod as tears started to stream down his face.
“That is going to be the last face you ever see if you don’t do what’s right. And that guy…he’s not just a killer. No he really enjoys his work. You want to know what his speciality is? Burying people alive.”
A sob escaped from Stan’s lips as he couldn’t control himself any longer.
“What is it? What do you want? Money? There’s money in the safe. Not a lot! But some.”
“C’mon Stan. Cut the crap! You know why I’m here.”
“No! No I don’t! Really I don’t!”
“The diamonds Stanley. The pearls. Testorelli does not like being robbed.”
“Robbed? Well how in hell would I end up with them?”
“Oh, “ said Ralph, looking very disappointed, “It’s going to be like that, is it?”
“Like what? Listen man you got the wrong guy.”
Before he could finish, Ralph slammed the gun into the side of Stan’s head.
“Stop! Please stop!”
Another blow to the head.
“I’m an accountant! I didn’t steal anything!”
Bam!!
“Okay I did take some money from old lady Billings but she’s ninety eight years old. She doesn’t need the money.”
“This is going to be a long night.” said Ralph wearily as he rolled up his shirt sleeves.
Stan started to weep some more.