FicWad

Gerard wanted me to wait in the car but of course I refused. Even though I was feeling sick to my stomach and a bit dizzy, I sucked it up. Held my head up high as we walked in. It was a sorry excuse for a bar. I mean the place looked like you could get hepatitis just by looking at it.

But this is where Slim said to go, so here we were. I spotted him as soon as we walked in. He was over at the bar with a few guys, chatting with the bartender, puffing on a cigar. He waved us over right away. Two of the guys seemed to disappear but the other two remained.

“Hello Mich.” He called me and I didn’t bother to correct him.

“Hi.” I said casually like an automatic reaction. Someone says hi, you say hi back.

“So you have a nice chat with the feds?” He sorta laughed and it took me a second to realize the cops in suits weren’t really cops, they were feds.

“Yeah they were nice.” I shrugged and he laughed once more.

“Can we get some privacy Cliff.” Slim nodded towards the bartender who nodded back. Slim motioned for us to sit so we did. I took off my coat and Gerard made a face. I guess he didn’t want to get comfortable cause he left his on and seem irritated that I did. I looked around the bar again and there was significantly less people in here now…

“You know Nicky didn’t want you involved in any of this.” I hear Slim say and I just stared at him.

“Oh.” I replied cause he seemed to be waiting for me to say something. He then went on and on about my dad. It was obvious he had a lot of respect for him. Some parts he was vague about. Like the robbery. Just said shit happened. Things didn’t play out like they were suppose to… But that my mom would write Nicky constantly when I was younger. Would send him pictures and crap. And then one day it just stopped. She never told him she was sick. When Nicky found out she had passed he assumed she had told me about him and everything that had happened and I didn’t want anything to do with him cause of who he was. I thought that was ridiculous but I guess it wasn’t that crazy of an idea. I was 12 when she died. And my papa didn’t like Nick for obvious reasons.

“So what when Katrina died, you all figured what? You were gonna write the money off- dead and buried with her?” Gerard asked and I felt myself frowning at him. Holy shit was he still on this. Still trying to find an angle where we could walk out with the key?

“Not gonna happen Gerard“ I whispered at him and Slim didn’t seem to hear me.

“Uh no, Nicky said to let it be.” He shrugged puffing on his cigar. “That uh when he got out hed come talk to Mich here and straighten it all out.” He added like he wasn’t worried about it and I really didn’t understand why. I mean you go through all the trouble of robbing a bank and then what? Don’t worry about the money?

“Oh.” I sighed and Slim must’ve noticed my confused expression cause he smiled a little.

“He suggested that we all just leave you be sweetheart. You understand?” He winked at me and I just looked at him funny. I really didn’t. So I shook my head no and he chuckled. “Well, lets just say that when Nicholas Walker ‘suggests’ something, you’d be best to heed his words.” He glanced at the guy behind the bar who nodded in agreement.

“yeah that’s something Joe learned it the hard way.” He sort of mumbled to himself and the name caught my attention.

“Joe? I asked him loudly and he didn’t answer me, so I turned my attention to Slim. “Joe Verdi?” I repeated the name. I didn’t know who he was. I only knew his name cause the cops told me so.

“Yeah ‘bout 10 years ago he thought it a good idea to chat up your mom.” Slim sorta smiled at the memory. “Ended up burning the house down, but you know this.” He swirled his glass of whiskey around and I shifted nervously.

“Joe died in a fire.” I said softly remembering what that chubby fed told me.

“Eye for an eye…” Slim lifted his glass now like he was toasting to the memory and I felt myself closing my eyes slightly at his words. But his next ones caused me to flick them open and widen them at him now… “knife for a knife.” He sorta smirked and I felt the blood draining from my face.

“Oh god.” I sighed softly as I looked over at Gerard… I don’t know if he knew what I was thinking… That day in the car with Slim. The comments about my hand, and the knife and how I might’ve left Slim with the impression Chris Hunter was responsible for my scar… “but Chris Hunter-” I try to say and Slim cuts me off. Slamming his glass down on the counter fiercely.

“Chris shouldn’t have been there he knew better.” He barked at me and I trembled slightly. He immediately changed his tone to a softer one. “Hey look don’t worry about it ok sweetheart.” He tries to reassure me but he doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know I don’t soothe that easily.

“And Eric- did you kill him too?” I aked timidly. Afraid to hear his answer.

“Sweetheart I didn’t kill anyone.” He chuckled but I was finding it hard to believe him….And I always believe everyone. And then it was like something clicked in his head. “When did you talk to Eric?’ He asked me and I wasn’t quite sure what to say. I couldn’t lie to him. So I kinda bullshitted him the best I could. Quickly explained what happened at Pauls house and how I was suppose to meet him at Point Pleasant but never did.

Slim didn’t say anything, but Cliff the bartender suddenly spoke up, scoffing a little.

“He asked you for money?” He says to me with out even looking up. He was pouring Slim some more whiskey now. “Stupid kid.” He seemed to mutter to himself now. “Hey Slim what did Nicky say about asking her for money?” He nodded and Slim sorta smiled.

“Ah that anyone was free to ask you for whatever money they thought they were entitled to. And that he’d love to watch em count it once he chopped off their thumbs.” He kinda laughed. Cliff did too. I didn’t.

“You cut off his thumbs?” I widened my eyes at Slim.

“Should I?” was Slims response and I looked over at Gerard in horror. He was no help though. He seemed to have the same look on his face that I did.

“Um no. He, um I… he just wanted to talk.” I quickly tried to smooth it over but Slim just shrugged.

“Look don’t worry about it ok.” he tells me once more and I felt like the room was spinning now. I just wanted to get out of there.

“Um you know what here I just wanted to give you the key and that’s it.” I reached in my pocket and pulled it out. I tried to force it in Slims hand but he wouldn’t take it.

“I don’t need a key.” He says plainly and he reached into his own pocket and pulled out what looked to be a duplicate of the one I was trying to force on him. “I got one.” He waved it at me before slipping it back in.

“Then what the fuck do you all want from me!” I cried out in desperation throwing my hands up in the air. This was just crazy now.

Slim went on to explain how security at the bank had changed in the 80s. Northwestern was an international private bank. Not a public one. Apparently there was a lot of ’questionable’ things stashed away there. They installed a computerized keypad in certain sections. In order to access the vault you needed to insert your key and enter your pass code. Then youd be able to get it to your box…

He said he always assumed it was my name. The pass code. Chris did too but it wasn’t…He was hoping my mom told me what it was, and if she didn’t… well, they got the money out of the bank once already -so…

“Its Bow bow.” Gerard seemed to be thinking out loud cause I don’t think he intentionally meant to say it out loud.

“No its 14 digits.” Slim shook his head a little. “Michelle Waller.” He held up his fingers to demonstrate 14.

“No its bow bow.” I sighed and Gerard seemed to roll his eyes at me.

“Its not.” His tone implied I was stupid. Like I couldn’t count bow bow is six digits and not fourteen.

“No Gerard that’s cause you don’t know his full name…its Bow-Bow… Bow-bow the great…”

I could see both Gerard and Slim counting in their heads. Slim kinda smiled at me and toasted his glass once more. And just like that. It was over.