Short Story 2
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| Powder Monkey March 2010 |
| Secrets by Tony Rivari |
“What’s going on over at the hotel?” Kelly sat down beside his friends. He, Stan and
Colin were regulars at the cafe’s outdoor tables. The waiters always had their favorite
beverages waiting for them at noon.
“Had a shooting last night over there.” Stan remarked as he looked at the menu,
something he always did even though he had it memorized. “Some foreigner got wacked
assassin style. Had a big briefing on it this morning when we came on duty. Chief said to
expect lots of outsiders on this one.”
“That explains all the business suits.” Colin looked over the bunch of men standing
outside the hotel. “Didn’t see that many ties when I was presenting my case before the
Supreme Court.”
“Time to be nice. Looks like one of the stiffs is coming over. Now ya’ll be nice. Not
his fault his mommy still dresses him.” Ken and Colin nodded in agreement.
“Gentlemen, I’ve got some questions I’d like you to answer. First, who was here
last night and what did you see?”
“Hey, where’d you learn your manners, some liberal university?” Colin and Kelly
started laughing.
“I don’t have time for your foolishness. Tell me what you know about the incident
last night.”
“The incident last night.” Colin rubbed his chin as he thought. “Ah, yes. What an
incident. She was nice. The type - ”
“That’s not what I meant.” The agent snapped his remark as he flipped open his
wallet revealing a badge with big bold CIA letters on it.
“Am I suppose to be impress by that tin badge?” Kelly started to laugh. “I didn’t
think the CIA had badges.”
“Listen you.” The agent pushed his coat back so his side arm was showing.
“If that’s suppose to impress me, forget it.” Stan pulled his own badge out, waved it
and moved so his gun was visible. “Might be a local yocal, but this is a real police badge,
one that’s always good for a cup of coffee.” He and his friends had a good chuckle over
the last remark.
“Look. I want some answers and I - ” The agent seemed surprised when he was
interrupted.
“What you want doesn’t matter.” Colin reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out
his business card. As he handed it to the agent he remarked. “These are now my clients.
Now either show me a warrant, arrest them or get your rude self out of here. This ain’t
DC. We don’t give brownie buttons for rudeness.” Colin then pulled out his phone. “I’m
calling my office to let them know what’s happening. Just incase you’re dumb enough to
try to pull us in without cause.”
Angrily the agent flipped the card at Colin as he left.
“What a sweet jerk. I never heard of those agents exposing themselves like that.
Something’s not right. I’m going to check on that.” A minute later, a wide eyed Stan put
his cell phone away. He made no effort to tell the others anything.
“Let me guess, you got told to shut your mouth and leave rudeness alone.” Colin
put some sugar in his coffee. “Think creepy could use this?” He held up several small
packages.
“Naa. Not enough there for that jerk. Each of you give me a letter.” Kelly had placed
a pad of paper on the table and had his pen ready.
“Why?” Colin asked what Stan also wanted to know.
“Just humor me.”
Slowly the trio called out letters which Kelly wrote down. When the page was half
covered he put the pad down on the chair beside him.
“Why are you smiling like a fool?” Stan asked when he noticed Kelly flashing a big
Cheshire Cat smile when ever the agent looked their way.
“Just humor me and do the same.”
“What the hell you up to?” Colin tried to put on the smile.
“Follow me to my car and I’ll tell ya’ll.” Kelly rose, waved to the agent and walked
away. After given each other the ‘Is he nuts’ look, his friends followed him. At the car
Stan was the first to speak.
“Now what the hell was that all about?”
“Did ya’ll see the agent go over to our table after we left?”
Stan and Colin shook their heads they hadn’t.
“Hey where’s your pad?” Stan asked.
“Right where I want it. Do-do picked it up. He should be scratching his head right
about now.” Kelly stretched his neck around the car trying to see the agent.
“Why?” It was Stan’s turn to ask.
“All those letters are written down in cryptogram fashion. My bet is ding dong’s
going to spent a lot of time trying to decode a message that can’t be decoded.” Kelly
chuckled as he spoke.
For a moment the other two stood and thought over what Kelly has said.
“That’s why you wanted all those letters?” Colin asked.
“Is that against the law?” Stan looked puzzled. “He probably is CIA.”
“I didn’t give him the pad. He picked it up on his own. Come on over to my place.
Tonight Mary’s making her version of alphabet soup.”
Colin were regulars at the cafe’s outdoor tables. The waiters always had their favorite
beverages waiting for them at noon.
“Had a shooting last night over there.” Stan remarked as he looked at the menu,
something he always did even though he had it memorized. “Some foreigner got wacked
assassin style. Had a big briefing on it this morning when we came on duty. Chief said to
expect lots of outsiders on this one.”
“That explains all the business suits.” Colin looked over the bunch of men standing
outside the hotel. “Didn’t see that many ties when I was presenting my case before the
Supreme Court.”
“Time to be nice. Looks like one of the stiffs is coming over. Now ya’ll be nice. Not
his fault his mommy still dresses him.” Ken and Colin nodded in agreement.
“Gentlemen, I’ve got some questions I’d like you to answer. First, who was here
last night and what did you see?”
“Hey, where’d you learn your manners, some liberal university?” Colin and Kelly
started laughing.
“I don’t have time for your foolishness. Tell me what you know about the incident
last night.”
“The incident last night.” Colin rubbed his chin as he thought. “Ah, yes. What an
incident. She was nice. The type - ”
“That’s not what I meant.” The agent snapped his remark as he flipped open his
wallet revealing a badge with big bold CIA letters on it.
“Am I suppose to be impress by that tin badge?” Kelly started to laugh. “I didn’t
think the CIA had badges.”
“Listen you.” The agent pushed his coat back so his side arm was showing.
“If that’s suppose to impress me, forget it.” Stan pulled his own badge out, waved it
and moved so his gun was visible. “Might be a local yocal, but this is a real police badge,
one that’s always good for a cup of coffee.” He and his friends had a good chuckle over
the last remark.
“Look. I want some answers and I - ” The agent seemed surprised when he was
interrupted.
“What you want doesn’t matter.” Colin reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out
his business card. As he handed it to the agent he remarked. “These are now my clients.
Now either show me a warrant, arrest them or get your rude self out of here. This ain’t
DC. We don’t give brownie buttons for rudeness.” Colin then pulled out his phone. “I’m
calling my office to let them know what’s happening. Just incase you’re dumb enough to
try to pull us in without cause.”
Angrily the agent flipped the card at Colin as he left.
“What a sweet jerk. I never heard of those agents exposing themselves like that.
Something’s not right. I’m going to check on that.” A minute later, a wide eyed Stan put
his cell phone away. He made no effort to tell the others anything.
“Let me guess, you got told to shut your mouth and leave rudeness alone.” Colin
put some sugar in his coffee. “Think creepy could use this?” He held up several small
packages.
“Naa. Not enough there for that jerk. Each of you give me a letter.” Kelly had placed
a pad of paper on the table and had his pen ready.
“Why?” Colin asked what Stan also wanted to know.
“Just humor me.”
Slowly the trio called out letters which Kelly wrote down. When the page was half
covered he put the pad down on the chair beside him.
“Why are you smiling like a fool?” Stan asked when he noticed Kelly flashing a big
Cheshire Cat smile when ever the agent looked their way.
“Just humor me and do the same.”
“What the hell you up to?” Colin tried to put on the smile.
“Follow me to my car and I’ll tell ya’ll.” Kelly rose, waved to the agent and walked
away. After given each other the ‘Is he nuts’ look, his friends followed him. At the car
Stan was the first to speak.
“Now what the hell was that all about?”
“Did ya’ll see the agent go over to our table after we left?”
Stan and Colin shook their heads they hadn’t.
“Hey where’s your pad?” Stan asked.
“Right where I want it. Do-do picked it up. He should be scratching his head right
about now.” Kelly stretched his neck around the car trying to see the agent.
“Why?” It was Stan’s turn to ask.
“All those letters are written down in cryptogram fashion. My bet is ding dong’s
going to spent a lot of time trying to decode a message that can’t be decoded.” Kelly
chuckled as he spoke.
For a moment the other two stood and thought over what Kelly has said.
“That’s why you wanted all those letters?” Colin asked.
“Is that against the law?” Stan looked puzzled. “He probably is CIA.”
“I didn’t give him the pad. He picked it up on his own. Come on over to my place.
Tonight Mary’s making her version of alphabet soup.”