Chapter 18.
A heavy stampede of feet approached. Ted was thrown into the room like a rag doll, by Ochi. Ochi refolded his arms like they were two giant mechanical limbs, locking back into resting position.
“What the fuck is going on?” the Toot Fairy demanded. “I got this fucking asshole over here trying to call an ambulance. That’s a really good plan you fucking moron. We’ve got two kilos of cocaine sitting next door and this guy wants to call in the white coats and party lights. She’s dead. Just another dead fucking mule. They’re a dime a dozen. Meat. She’s just meat now.”
I looked up at him, still cradling Betty’s head in my arms and rocking her gently.
“She’s dead. She was my friend. She wasn’t a mule. I made her do this,” I said.
“So where’s the coke?” he asked.
I hadn’t thought about the cocaine.
“I dunno, maybe it’s in the bathroom,” I said.
Doolittle checked the bathroom. Skynard invaded Betty’s hand bag and emptied its contents onto the floor. There was no sign of the cocaine – not even a single rubber pellet. Doolittle clambered under the bed using his cell phone as a flashlight. He looked in and under the closet. The Toot Fairy stomped his boot heels impatiently.
“Are you cocksuckers fucking with me? I’ve got to get three kilos to my client by tomorrow morning.”
He held up three fingers on his left hand.
“Not one, not two, but three kilos. I don’t like looking like an asshole. Do I look like the kind of guy, who likes to look like an asshole?”
“No,” I blubbered.
“Ok, so where is it?” he demanded once again.
“Boss, maybe the bitch didn’t shit it out. Maybe it’s still inside her,” Skynard said, enjoying his moment of cognitive reasoning.
“I bet this mule is stuffed fuller than a Puerto Rican piñata,” he hissed.
“Maybe you’re right, Skynard. Only one way to find out,” The Toot Fairy said. Doolittle go get your bag of tools, you’re needed in surgery.”
A look of horror flashed across Doolittle’s face.
“Paging Dr. Doolittle, paging Dr. Doolittle,” snickered Skynard.
“Shut the fuck up asshole,” The Toot Fairy said.
I gathered as much as I could of Betty and clutched her tight to my chest.
“Get away from her you fucking animals. No one is going to touch her,” I said. Doolittle stood staring at Betty. “No fucking way am I cutting her open. I’m a vet, man. You know, horses and dogs and the occasional parrot. I’ve never had to deal with a person before.”
“You’ve just been promoted,” The Toot Fairy said.
Skynard cackled. “Least you don’t need to worry about knockin’ her out Doc.”
Doolittle said emphatically, “No fucking way am I doin’ that, Sonny. I did not sign up for this shit. My end of the bargain was to organize these three guys for my friend Lenny and cut the cast off, of this guy down there,” he said pointing at Ted’s buckled body. “That’s it. No disrespect to you, but I do not work for you Sonny.”
The Toot Fairy stomped towards Doolittle. His jaw muscles clenched with rage.
“No disrespect? No dis-fucking-respect? You’re too much of a pussy to cut this bitch open when I ask you and you say, no. It’s time to pull out the jam rag and man up.”
“No one is touching her,” I said.
“Shut the fuck up dip-shit,” Lynard snarled. “If the boss wants her chopped out then she gets chopped out. Them’s the rules of the jungle, fuck head.”
The Toot Fairy said, “Go get the bag of tools Skynard and grab a few shower curtains from some of the rooms.”
Skynard scurried out of the room, excited to please his master. Ochi stood motionless. His eyes transfixed on Betty’s bare feet.
The Toot Fairy pointed to me. “Ok friend, I think visiting hours are over, so get the fuck off the bed or you’re gonna be joining your friend here.”
I didn’t budge. I pulled the covers tight up around Betty in a pathetic attempt to shield her. Ted laid on the floor dazed, muttering like a mental patient.
“Cunts, you’re fucking cunts, you have no right.”
The Toot Fairy stomped towards him and kicked him in the stomach.
“You call me a cunt you fucking useless piece of shit. You’re lucky if I let you live you fucking deadbeat. She’s dead asshole, so what difference does it make whether she gets buried in one piece or a couple of pieces?”
Ted groaned from his foetal position, “Cunts. Animals.”
Skynard returned, dragging three plastic 1970’s floral patterned shower curtains. He rummaged through Doolittle’s bag. He threw an electric saw on the bed.
“Too messy.”
He pulled out a large stainless steel shears.
“Could be useful,” he said wearing a reptilian grin.
He pulled out a large hunting knife.
“This is the ticket,” he said.
“I’m begging you don’t do this. Please don’t do this,” I pleaded.
The Toot Fairy said callously, “Bathroom, no carpet, less cleaning. Lay the shower curtains on the floor and put the mule on top, face up.”
Ochi approached Betty. He grabbed her by her feet and started to drag her off the bed. I picked up the phone and struck him across the head as hard as I could. His eyes widened. A small trickle of blood ran down from his forehead. He rubbed the blood between his thumb and index finger and examined it, like he’d never seen his own blood before. I tried hitting him again. He grabbed my wrist and lifted my entire body off the bed dangling me over Betty’s corpse. His grip was like a vice. I thought my arm was going to be ripped out from my shoulder joint. I struggled. He tossed me across the room, like I was a stuffed toy from a baby’s cot. Skynard enthusiastically snapped on a pair of surgical gloves. He pulled on the Hilton Hotel shower hat over his wiry head.
“This is gonna get messy. Don’t want to be getting blood in my do,” he said.
“There’s two way’s we can do this, hero,” The Toot Fairy said, pointing his phone in my face.
“You don’t want to know the hard way.”
Doolittle advised, “Stay down or he’ll kill you friend.”
“Ochi tuck these fellows in next door ok. Amateur hour is over We have man work to do in here.”
Ochi approached. I made an attempt to tackle him. The last thing I remember, was a boulder sized fist, eclipse the fly spattered fluorescent light on the ceiling.