Spreading for teacher(4)

"… and I'm telling you that you'll get your Goddamn money as soon as my next paycheck comes."

"Aww! Jack, baby," the smaller man, said, cleaning his fingernails with a wicked looking knife, "You see the fix I'm in. The boss simply doesn't care how you pay the money as long as you do come through with it. And you know something? I agree with him."

"That lousy horse should have come in in the third yesterday. That would have done just fine," hissed Jack.

Fawn wondered what was going on. It was obvious the smaller man was demanding money. She didn't exactly understand why.

"Yeah, Jack, and if pigs had wings they could fly. Listen hard, boy. You folks with the gambling bug are all alike. You're losers. And me and the boss, we don't like losers. I love to pay off when you win, right? And I really hate to lean on you when you lose. But I will. I want the bread you owe me by noon tomorrow."

"Hell, Ears, I can't make it by then."

Fawn had never seen her teacher so upset before. He appeared to be frightened of the other man.

"Noon? I can't do it. Make it Friday. I'll have the bread to you by Friday afternoon."

"Aw, Jack. You're such a good customer, I'll bend the rules a little. I'll ask the boss about it and get back to you. Dig?"

He jabbed the knife out and into the man's chest. For a heart-stopping instant, Fawn thought Ears had killed her teacher. The bookie only laughed and folded the knife as he pushed by.

Jack Harris had gone absolutely white with fear.

Fawn watched Ears strut down the hall of the school. As he left, a thought began to work into her head. She knew something about Jack Harris he certainly wouldn't want getting around.

She thought she knew exactly how to use that knowledge to the best effect.





CHAPTER TWO




Fawn nervously brushed back a strand of her auburn hair as she approached Jack Harris' apartment. She'd followed him home so many times it was as if she was coming home.

For all the times she had trailed him here, though, she'd never once been inside his apartment. There had never been any reason for her to go inside. Not until today.

Today she would have her fondest dreams come true.

Boldly, with more courage than she really felt, she knocked on the door. It took a few seconds for her teacher to answer. And when he opened the door, she knew he'd been drinking.

His hair was mussed and he'd discarded his tie. The light green shirt was open a couple buttons to display the thick mat of hair on his broad chest.

Fawn felt her body beginning to react just at the vaguest hints of what was in store for her – if she played her cards right.

"Yeah, what do you want?" he slurred.

"I want to have a couple words with you… Jack."

He didn't seem to realize she'd called him by his first name. Then he did a double take and said, "Huh? What is it you want, Miss Wilson?"

"Call me Fawn. And how about inviting me in? I don't think we should be talking about your gambling out in public like this." She motioned around indicating the long corridor with dozens of other apartments leading off it. At any moment, any of the other residents might happen along and overhear them.

Jack suddenly seemed to understand her words. "My gambling? Wh-what do you know about that?"

"Enough to make trouble for you with the principal, if I wanted to. Aren't you going to invite me in, now?" she asked coyly. Seeing his confusion made her even more sure of herself. In her dreams it hadn't been like this.

"Uh, sure. Come on in."

He seemed even more confused as she brushed close, her hand straying down to give a loving pat to his crotch.

She looked around the room and was impressed. She didn't know that school teachers were able to live so sumptuously. While it wasn't the richest place she'd ever been, it was high on the list. Somehow, she figured her true love would live like this – good.

"Look, uh, Fawn, how'd you find out?" he began.

She dropped down into a soft chair and deliberately hooked a slender leg over one arm. The man was given a fleeting look all the way up to her crotch. The way his pants began to tent told the teenager her tactics were working.

He wanted her, whether he admitted it or not.

"I overheard you and Ears talking at school. That's a funny name, Ears. How'd he get it?"

"Damn him! I told him he shouldn't go there but no, he can't wait for his friggin' money. Damn him to hell!"

Jack began pacing back and forth, then knocked back the bourbon in his glass. He choked, then managed to continue, "What do you want out of this, Fawn? You blackmailing me?"

Her heart almost stepped. She'd won!

"Oh, no, Jack, nothing like that. I… I just want to help you out of your jam. I thought you might need a little companionship in your time of need."