Sam sat up, his back ramrod straight, on the edge of the sofa. He had not just heard what he thought he had heard, had he? Where had James gotten his name? What did he know about him? With questions whirling around his head, he watched as James waited to be put through to his room.
Sam looked at the ringing phone as if it were a coiled snake ready to strike. Should he answer it? He took a deep breath, gathering his wits about him, and decided he would wait and see if James left a message. Depending on what the message was, Sam would decide what his next move should be. Sam turned his attention back to his laptop and watched as James prepared to leave a message. Sam would have no need to retrieve it, as he was hearing it live.
With a smug look on his face, James stood up and paced the room, as he waited for the rings to stop on his end of the line. He listened to the beep, then began his message, “Hello, Mr. Barnhart. This is Jared James, and I am calling to invite you to the opening of a new club in town that I have an interest in. Although I’m sure you’ve heard of me,” he said as he preened in front of a mirror hanging in the room, “you may be wondering why I am calling you, since we have not met. My staff was instructed to compile a random list of visitors in town this weekend, from which a lucky few were chosen to attend this event. Your name came up in the random drawing,” he explained. “You would, of course, be my guest at the opening which is tomorrow night at eight p.m. The name of the club is the “Snake Pit” and is located in the “Top of the World Casino.” Dress will be black tie. Your name will be on the guest list at the door, so all you have to do is check in and ask to be directed to my private table. I know this is sort of last minute,” he apologized, “but hey, this is Las Vegas, with a winner every minute, right? I hope you will be my guest for a “memorable” evening, Mr. Barnhart. See you then.”
James hung up on his end, a smile a mile wide covering his face. “Damn I’m good,” he told Benny. “See how it’s done? That’s the way to get ahead in this world. Think fast on your feet and make sure you always have the upper hand.” James puffed out his chest and strutted around the room. He stroked his ego as he went on and on to Benny about how he was the best, and how no one could put anything over on him. When he finally finished bragging, he instructed Benny to go and add Sam’s name to the guest list and to make sure Sam was seated at his table.
Benny left the room to play errand boy, glad to get out of there for a while. More hot air was just let out in that room than a hot air balloon could hold, and he had forgotten his hip waders for the crap that went with it. Benny did as he was told, then decided to take a few minutes for himself to just relax and breathe. There were a few times in the last couple of days that he had just not felt like himself. He couldn’t explain it, but something felt off inside. He decided to take a walk around the outside of the casino to clear his head and to get a little exercise. After wandering aimlessly for a time, Benny found himself standing at the front entrance, once again. Instead of going inside, he turned and looked up at the casino across the street. His eyes seemed to find and hold on a window partway up its tower. Was there a figure standing at the window? Benny could not tell but that window seemed to hold a fascination for him. He stared at it for a long time, before mentally shaking himself, turning away and entering the Casino at his back, returning to the blowhard he worked for.
Two steps into the bright and pulsating casino floor, Benny stopped short. An idea had just entered his head and, without knowing how he knew it, he knew his boss was to be the next target of the assassin, Sam Barnhart. What to do? He was developing a strong dislike for the gasbag who had hired him, but if he sat on this information the easy money he was making now would dry up and he would have to go looking for another gig. Benny figured he did not have a choice, so he headed to the elevator and made his way to the penthouse suite. Just before he entered he considered one more time what he should do. He felt as if the two sides of him were warring and he was being torn in two. His head ached and he was slightly nauseous. In the end he again decided to let James in on his hunch. Pulling down his jacket and squaring his shoulders, Benny walked in and headed straight to where James stood.
Looking out over the strip stretching before him, James stood with his arms crossed over his chest, rocking slightly back and forth as he thought about what to do with his day. He felt good about having invited Barnhart to the opening tomorrow night. But what should he do after he got him to his table? What should he say? How should he act? How could he make this situation work to his advantage? Hmmmm.
James became aware of someone else in the room. Turning his back on the vista, he faced Benny, and with irritation in his voice he asked, “What do you want? Did you take care of the arrangements I asked you to take care of?”
Benny shuffled his feet and cleared his throat before answering. “Yes sir. Everything is as you wanted.”
“Good,” James said. He started to turn his back on Benny in dismissal, but before he got all the way around Benny stopped him with a raised hand. “I have something to tell you, Mr. James,” he said. James waited with impatience etched on his face. “It’s about Barnhart,” he said.
With that one statement he had James full attention. “Well?” James barked as Benny hesitated. “Give it to me.”
Benny looked James straight in the eye and almost decided to say nothing. James really was a jerk. Was the world any better off with James in it? Probably not. Once again Benny felt torn in two as he fought with himself. Then, his mouth opened and without really wanting to, the information began to spill out. “It’s about Barnhart’s next target.”
Again he hesitated, and James annoyance with him grew. “Are we playing twenty questions, Benny, or are you going to tell me what you think you know? I don’t pay you to make me wait,” he said arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently.
“It’s you,” Benny finally said. “His next target is going to be you.”
“Bullshit,” James screamed. “That’s just bullshit!” He was waving his arms in the air, pacing the room angrily now. “How do you know this? Have you found some kind of information on that computer of yours that would make you think that? And if not there, who is your information coming from?” Questions flew at Benny and each one was fired like a dart making Benny wince as James got into his face and stood nose to nose with him.
“It’s you,” Benny said again not backing away from his angry employer, his voice getting stronger with his conviction. “I don’t know how, I just know it. You have to trust me, let me do my job. Isn’t that what you pay me for, protection? You’re next,” he said with conviction staring into James’ disbelieving eyes.
James stood there listening to Benny and his eyes began to bulge with anger. “Do you have any proof?” he demanded.
“No,” Benny shook his head, “but I know.”
“You know,” James sneered, “you know. Did this information come to you in a dream or did some fortune teller give it to you when she read your palm?” James mocked the bodyguard.
Benny squirmed uncomfortably but stood his ground. “As I said, you have to trust me. I’m telling you the truth.”
“Get out!” James bellowed his face turning almost purple with rage. “You dumb asshole, get out of my sight,” he waved his arms angrily dismissing Benny from the room.
Benny turned and made his way to the door. As he rested his hand on the doorknob he turned one last time to look at James. James was staring at him, unwilling to consider that what he had been told was true. Benny tried one last time to get it through James’ fat head. “Believe me, trust me. If you don’t, you’re a dead man.” Then, shrugging his shoulders, he gave James a look of sympathy as he said, “Knowing Barnhart’s reputation, you’re probably a dead man any way. You just don’t know it yet.”
With that, Benny walked out the door, hearing it shut behind him with a ominous click.