That Money

Crime Fiction By Seamus O’ Leary

The hood was ripped off Darrel’s head and he found himself strapped to a metal folding chair in a basement somewhere. He was next to a long haired guy who was strapped down also.

In front of him stood two men, a well built guy who held a pistol and a giant of a man who kind of stood by the side. The man with the pistol wore a dress suit, like a businessman, and the big guy wore a track suit.

The pistol packing man spoke.

“Do you guys know who I am?”

Darrell had no clue, but the guy next to him nodded his head.

“Roper” He said.

“That’s right. I’m Mr. Roper.” The gunman said.

“If I’ve done anything wrong Mr. Roper, I’m sorry. We can fix this.” Darrell said.

“You just shut the fuck up and listen.” Roper said.

Darrell closed his mouth

“So, you know who I am?” Roper said.

The guy tied to the chair nodded and looked at him.

“Well, did you know that the woman whose apartment you broke in to and raped was my daughter?” Roper said.

“Oh God! I’m sorry Mr. Roper, I did not know.” The man said. He began to cry.

“It doesn’t matter you sack of shit, you should not be raping anyone’s daughter.” Roper said.

He stepped forward raised the .45 and fired. The sound in the basement was deafening. The bullet penetrated the man’s genitals and went through the metal chair and ricocheted off the concrete floor. Roper and the giant guy ducked.

Darrel freaked out as the man next to him screamed in pain, jerking and flailing around in the metal chair. Roper stepped forward and kicked the weeping man in the chest knocking him to the floor with a clang.

“Please Mr. Roper! Please!” Darrell cried.

“Shut up, I told you.” Roper said, pointing the gun at Darrell.

Roper let the man on the floor scream and writhe. He laughed and looked at the giant man.

“I’ll bet that shit hurts.” Roper said.

The Giant nodded.

Roper looked at Darrell.

“Ok, your name is Darrell Jackson, and you are my daughter’s landlord.” Roper said.

“Yes” Darrell said.

“My daughter has lived in your building for years. She has been a good tenant. She pays her bills. She stays clean. She causes no trouble. Yet, for some fucking reason you want to rent the apartments around her to thieves, drug dealers, and sex offenders like this piece of shit.” Roper said.

“I..I..I Didn’t know…”Darrell said.

“What do you mean you didn’t know? A sex offender has to announce himself. Don’t you do background checks?” Roper said.

“Yes, I knew about him, but not any of the others.” Darrell said.

“Bullshit. I checked. You don’t give a fuck who you rent to. Good people live in those buildings you own, surrounded by the human garbage and wolves you force them to live next to.” Roper said.

“I’ll fix it!” Darrell said.

“You’ll fix my daughter?” Roper asked.

Darrell didn’t speak. He instinctively knew better. The man writhing on the floor started to scream.

“Shut the fuck up.” Roper said.

He walked over and shot the man in the head, silencing him instantly, but the ring of the blast filled everyone’s ears.

“God that’s loud.” Roper said laughing.

The giant laughed too.

“Mr. Roper, I’m sorry.” Darrell pleaded.

“Yeah, now you’re sorry, because you’re in trouble. But, if I was just some regular guy, you’d be sitting at home not giving two shits about the trouble you let happen.” Roper said.

Darrell was silent.

“This is Jimmy Brown.” Roper said.

He motioned to the giant man. Darrell nodded.

“He’s a friend of mine from prison; he does work for me sometimes.” Roper said.

Darrell nodded.

“Jimmy is also known as ‘Bubba Delish’ in certain circles, and he really likes soft old rich guys.” Roper said.

Jimmy walked toward Darrell untying his track suit pants. He let them fell to the floor, and stepped out of them.

“No Mr. Roper. I’m sorry. It was about money, that’s all.” Darrell pleaded.

His eyes grew big as Jimmy dropped his boxers.

Roper smiled.

“It was just about money?” Roper said. “Well ol Jimmy likes money too. Dontcha Jimmy?”

“Oh yeah, I’m gonna get that money.” Jimmy said. Roper laughed while Darrell fought to escape, wiggling in his chair.