Almost Made It by Bollixer (i wanna iguana read aloud .TXT) 📕

several hundred dollars lighter and hairless from the eyebrows down. She has allowed the girl at the salon to talk her into a full waxing. The girl said that was the style now and that it drove men wild. She had been reluctant but when the girl offered to do it for just an additional twenty she went for it. She had gotten her nails done, feet too, and hoped she didn't ruin them at work. She stripped down to change for work and admired herself in the mirror before jumping in the shower. She had to admit she could see why the bare look would drive men crazy, just the effect she was after.

"So here's the deal bobby, I got some goons after me for some money I lost betting on the ponies. These are mean dudes. But I got a plan to get you what you need and what I need. I got the keys to the shop and can leave the door open so you can just skate in grab some rocks and skate out."
"If it's so easy why don't you do it?"
"Because the old man is suspicious, I been lifting merchandise for a while and he watches me like a hawk. I have to be somewhere I am seen by people so I have an alibi at the time of the robbery."
"I quit this shit years ago, I can't get involved with this type of thing again."
"OK, no problem I was just offering you a chance to get a few grand to treat your girl right."

Ed checks and double checks with the evidence room officer, the same one that was there last night when he checked in the evidence.
"That's the right phone Ed. No doubt about it."
"Jeeze I can't believe this," says Ed shaking his head as he walks away.
He decides to give the phone a rest and work on the laptop. The news is no better here as he finds more files that substantiate his worst fears. He goes to his appointment with the grief councilor in a daze, too numb to even try to listen to what she has to say.

Bobby finally decides to do the job for Frankie, but reluctantly.
"So all you have to do is show up a half hour after we close, slip in, grab the goods and slip out. There will be more than enough to cover my debt and to make a few grand for you. We'll meet up later and go sell the stuff, I got a buyer all lined up. It should go off without a hitch."
"I sure hope so, I want to marry this girl and don't need no legal hassles to screw it up."

Joan gets out of the shower and dresses for work. She is very careful not to chip a nail or screw up her hair too much, although her hair looks very natural it cost her $75 to get it that way. Soon it will be time to go check in and she heads out, thinking of her soon-to-be-lover and tomorrow night.

Ed decides that the only way to prove this is all some macabre mistake to it check his partner's laptop. He looks through the hard disk but finds nothing. He is about to give up when he runs across a folder named, "XOXO" in a sub-directory. His worst fears are confirmed, he can't believe it although the proof is before his eyes. He knows he has to report this to the chief but just sits staring off into space for a very long time.

Joan arrives at work and is greeted by her co-workers with the same exuberance as always. Her presence brightens the day of the others, mostly men in their forties and fifties. They all think the world of her not just because of her looks but because she is kind and caring to them all.


Chapter 4

Bobby goes back to his apartment to wait till it's time to do the job. He tries to get some sleep but that don't happen. He is concerned, nothing can go wrong. This woman is the best thing that's happened to him in a very long time and he can't bear the thought of screwing it up.
Finally it's time to go. He gets his backpack to carry the loot in and as a last thought he grabs a revolver out of his nightstand and shoves it into his pocket. He goes outside and catches the bus across town and gets off a block from the shop. He still has bit to wait so he enters a convenience store on the corner and gets a bottle of water.

Ed finally snaps out of his state of shock and heads to the chief's office. He taps on the door and the chief waves him in through the glass.
"What's up Ed, did the session with the councilor go OK?"
"Yeah I guess, I was a bit preoccupied at the time. So was not at my best."
"Why what's the matter?"
"You won't believe this, Chief."

Joan get's ready to go out in the field with her partner, Ed. They have been a team for 3 years and are close. Their shift starts at 4:00 but they are in the car and on patrol by quarter to. The first few hours are uneventful with only a minor fender bender to deal with. It is not until 8:43 that they get a call about a silent alarm being tripped. They respond and pull up in front of a jewelery store in the better part of town.

Bobby looks around before he enters the store. Seeing no-one in sight he enters. The door is unlocked like Frankie said. He goes over to the cases and starts to open them and removing the merchandise within. He is nearly done, having picked only the most valuable items, when he sees a police car pull up in front. He panics, drops the loot he had put in the bag he got with his water and heads for the back door.

"You just cover the side and I'll go in the front," says Ed.
"OK but be careful Ed, I don't want to lose you."

Bobby hits the side door and the alarm goes off. He crouches down by the dumpster in the ally and draws his gun. 'This can't be happening, I can't screw this up' he thinks as he sees a figure moving in the shadows.
Then Joan shouts, "Drop the gun, hands in the air, I'm not gonna warn you twice."
Bobby stands up watching all his plans of love and happiness crumbling in his mind and fires his gun. Joan fires in the same instant and they both drop to the ground.
As she lay there bleeding to death all her plans for a life with Bobby run through her head and the last though she has is the memory of Bobby telling her he loves her just yesterday and she telling him the same thing. She never realizes she has just killed the man she loved as her partner says from very, very far away, "God Damn it, don't you quit on me now."

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Publication Date: 03-14-2012

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