Players Play

I walked over to where Cooley Dan was sitting and sat down, un-invited.. He looked at me like I was crazy. Then a broad smile creased his face.

"I know you....Robert Foxworth...the lothario lawyer...hahahahahahahahahahaha." he laughed.

"Okay, so now that we can skip the introductions....let me lay it out for you....cease and desist or I'll drop a lawsuit on you that will have me owning that pinky ring and that fancy suit you're wearing." I said, stunned at his utter arrogance.

"HA...now that's funny counselor...considering you don't have a stitch of proof and the words of a drunk ex-CIA operative and a three time loser who breaks into houses and cars aint gonna fly against a solid citizen like myself who has no arrest record whatsoever...not even a juvenile beef." he said.

"But you and I know that you hired those two knuckleheads to spy on me...I want to know why and I want to know who paid you." I said, trying another tactic.

"Yeah...All kinds of people want to know all kinds of things...Sometimes they find out and sometimes they never do Attorney Foxworth...you know that." He sneered.

I was getting ready to ring his neck, but somebody else beat me to it...A tall lean dark skinned man in an expensive suit grabbed him in the collar and slammed him against the wall.

"Hey wait a minute....while I don't care if you beat his brains out..I was talking to him, can you give me a minute ,then he's all yours " I said.

The man turned around and snarled...

"Beat it...I don't give a damn what your business with him is...He owes me fifty large."


"Jake...Jake....I-I-I- I will have your money Friday..I swear....I got a big payday coming...I swear..Jake please.." said the suddenly rattled player... Cooley Dan wasn't so cool now! I walked
over to the bar where Gus was loading his shotgun...Gus didn't like trouble of this type in his place of business.

'Whoa Gus..Hold up a minute...who is that guy?" I said.

"Jake Butler...he's a juice man...a Loan shark....kind of independent, but he's got a few soldiers and goons who work for him..real nasty peice of business.." said Gus.

Just then a hand was put on Gus's shoulders and a voice of a man I knew quite well spoke-

"Gus...put that shotty away...I can handle this..." said Fathead Newton.

"Fathead??? What are you doin here?" I asked.

"I came to have a drink....just like everybody else." He said as he walked over to Jake Butler.

"Well, Well, Well...what's the matter Jake, couldn't find anybody to play with tonight?" said Fathead.

"Stay out of this...this is none of your business fat ass." snapped Jake.

"I drink here...My friends come here to chill out...there for...it is my business." said Fathead.

"Why don't you lose some weight and let me worry about what is and what aint your business ya
fat tub of lard?" snapped Jake Butler, who was just as tough and well connected as Fathead.

"How much he into you for?" said Fathead..

"50 large" said Jake.

"Roscoe" snapped Fathead.

A tall ,well built dark skinned man in a very neat Italian designer suit and dark aviator shades walked up to Fathead's side.

"Go to the car, get 5o k out of that breifcase and pay Mr. Butler here."

Roscoe did as he was told and then Fathead said to Jake.

"His marker is paid now, so take your money and get out of here and I'd better not see you in here again Jake."

"I'll come in here if I feel like it ,you fat peice of crap...you don't tell me what to do." said Jake Butler as he counted his money and walked out the door.

Fathead then looked at Roscoe and quietly said.

"Kill him and bring my money back to me by morning.....send a message to him, you know what
I mean?" said Fathead.

"Got it boss, I'll holler at you when it's done." said Roscoe as he left Josie's.

"Now Cooley Dan...your debt is paid...Lucky for you...I'll have my money back, so you don't owe
me...but Mr. Foxworth here represented me in a very tough divorce case...so if he wants to know something from you...it would do you good to tell him....get my drift?" said Fathead.

Cooley Dan looked at me and said-

"Her name is Cindy Waters, she's a high powered attorney......She paid me to find people to photograph you and your women and mail em photos of you...She figured that this would turn them all against each other and you...but from what I seen ,I guess they like your pipe so much that they don't care..." He said.


"That's all I needed to know...thanks Fathead." I said.

"Don't mention it kid...and now....I'm going back across the bar and have me a drink...don't look so glum Cooley Dan...you're out of debt and off the hook...watch yourself." said Fathead as he got
up and walked back to where he was sitting.

I laughed..thinking about Cindy and her stupid little plot...Now I had to decide whether to see her tomorrow or not...I just smiled as I got in my car and drove off.

The next morning..I was watching the news and I heard-

Police discovered the bullet riddled body of Jacob "jake" Butler, a reputed loan shark and drug
trafficer in a gutter early this morning...He had been shot eleven times and had a huge rat sticking out of his mouth....in his hand was a weight watcher's manual....Police feel as though this was a mob hit and a message to someone..."

I turned the television off....I smiled surprisingly enough...I didn't really approve of men like Fathead Newton....but I really don't think I would miss Jake Butler....I laughed again...by now,I
imagine..Roscoe was giving Fathead his money back.

(Conclusion Next)