The Madam Of Suburbia Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - Dinner with Satan

For the first time in a month, I finally got a day off. It felt like that every fucking night someone needed to either get a friendly reminder upside their skull, or needed a permanent vacation. Needless to say I can use some damn relaxation. My hands are sore from delivering memos to people who forget where their loyalty and wallets lie. Also, I'm beyond tired of doing laundry every night I come home. It's not like I can take my shirts to be cleaned. I don't think saying I spilled merlot won't lead to cops knocking on my door. So, tonight, it's a turkey sandwich and Turkey night.

However, as I get a text, I realize that this city never fucking sleeps. I look at it and all it says is to be ready in an hour, and to wear a nice suit per Madam's request. I almost throw my phone against the wall at the mention of her name, but the fact she wants me in a suit has me totally confused. I hope this is not their subtle way of telling me that it will be what I'll be buried in. Then again, if she wanted me dead, I would have already been buried in the swamps along with some of my handy work. I look at the bottle of Turkey, and sigh in defeat that it will have to wait another night. The last fucking thing I want to do is show up shitfaced while dealing with her.

An hour later, Gus drops me off behind the most expensive restaurant in town next to the kitchen entrance. As I smoke a cigarette in the alleyway before heading in, I realize I've never been here because I keep hearing that the damn salads alone are fucking twenty dollars. I can get a large pizza and a pitcher of beer at my dive bar for that kind of cash. There's no way I'm going to spend that kind of cash on rabbit food. As I puff away to calm my nerves, I check my wallet only to discover I'm only carrying about fifty bucks. I pray that I'm not footing the bill tonight because I don't think I can even afford drinks.

I finish my cigarette, and knock on the door. A minute later, the door opens as a fucking giant of a man in an all-black suit stands in the entrance. His entire frame fills up the doorway to the point he probably will have to duck and turn sideways to get out if he needs to leave. He makes me feel I'm nothing more than a mere child as I stand there in front of him even though I'm 6'5". He stares at me with cold gray eyes almost concealed by his red hair. I wonder what medieval Scottish battleground Madam got this fucker from, but I damn well know he's been eating his fucking Wheaties. I also find myself questioning what tent maker made his suit. Either way, I'm not cracking any jokes around "Tiny" because one hit from his massive fist would be like getting a sledge hammer upside my head.

"Follow me," he says.

I follow him down the hallway wishing I could see where the fuck I'm going because his massive frame blocks me from seeing anything in front of me. A minute later, he turns to his side in front of a set of black, windowless double doors, and pulls one open.

"Madam is inside waiting," he says in a thick German accent.

I head inside only to walk into a dark room save one light over a table set up with one chair and dinnerware for one. I sit down and notice there's a glass of whiskey waiting for me.

"I hope you don't mind that I ordered you a drink," says Madam from the back of the room. "Plus, I don't want to drink alone."

"Not at all," I reply before taking a sip. I smile as it's a very nice single malt scotch that feels like velvet on my tongue, and leaves a nice smoky aftertaste. She might be demented, but I can appreciate her taste in liquor. I take another sip as Tiny brings me over a shrimp cocktail.

"Oh, by the way, Jimmy. I see you met our newest associate, Riese," Madam states. "Riese, this is Jimmy. He's becoming my favorite problem solver."

"Nice to meet you," Riese says. "I hope one day we can work together."

"One day," I reply as I think that I hope I'm never have to fight Riese. If I do, I'm bringing a damn bazooka because I'm imagining he eats 9mm slugs for breakfast.

"Riese, be a dear and check on dinner for us," orders Madam.

"Yes, Madam," he replies as he leaves the room.

"So, Jimmy. Enjoying Curva so far?" Madam asks.

"Besides the rain, so far, it's been good," I reply. I'm honestly confused. She is calling me her favorite, and is being nice. As I take another sip of scotch, I begin to wonder if I died and ending up in Hell. I'm still a little creeped out that the only light in the room is over my table as she sits in total darkness. I begin to wonder if she's even in the room with me. Right now, the best plan is to be sociable, and make the most of this dinner.

"Everything good in your apartment?"

"It's very nice, and there's always whiskey there, so it works for me."

"If there's any issues, let Blue know," she replies.

I'm about to reply when Riese comes back into the room, and starts setting plates in front of me. The first plate is covered by a huge slice of rare prime rib, the second one has a monster lobster tail as well as a baked potato, and he finally sets down a basket of rolls. He sets down another scotch for me, and disappears back behind the door. I sit there wondering why all the special treatment today, but if I do fucking die, at least I'm being served a proper last meal.

"Ah, excellent. I see your dinner has been served. After we eat, I got some special entertainment planned," Madam says. "Bon appetit."

For the next thirty minutes, we actually manage to make small talk. I still think she's the fucking Devil, but tonight, she's showing that she's actual a human. I'm just glad it mostly focused on movies and music. I'm also beginning to think she's around my age based on the bands and genres we both like. However, movies we're Ying and Yang: she only prefers romantic comedies while I prefer horror. I almost chuckled as I pictured a woman crying over a movie while ripping someone's heart out with a butter knife. I swear they're spiking the scotch with something because this night has me more scared than the night of the human voodoo doll.

As I finish off a piece of the most amazing cheesecake, she states, "Now, the entertainment."

Another light comes on, and in the middle of the room is a man as well as woman wearing black hoods while chained to heavy metal chairs. I can see dried blood on their clothes as muffled screams escape from the hoods. They're in a large plastic pool, and plastic sheets cover the white walls and marble floors between me and the black screen hiding Madam once more in the very rear of the room.

"Riese, remove the hood of the man first," orders Madam.

Riese walks over, and lifts up the man's hood. My jaw drops as I see it's Donnie. His right eye is swollen shut, and blood slowly dribbles off his chin. As he tries to scream, I find myself swallowing back my expensive dinner as my mind says to fucking run, but my legs refuse to move like they're made out of concrete. I sit there trying to figure out what I'm about to witness, and what the fuck did Donnie do to end up in this situation.

"Tonight, we're going to watch Riese extermination some fucking rats," explains Madam. "Donnie is really Detective Stephen Monaldo, a fucking narcotics cop. The girl, which out of respect will remained hooded, is Stephen's partner."

I sit there dumbfounded as I find it out hard to believe Donnie is a fucking cop. He took care of disposing that deputy I executed. There's no way a legit cop would watch another cop be gunned down in cold blood. This has to be another one of Madam's fucking mind games. I'm more pissed at the fact the only fucker in this damn cartel I consider a friend is going to be murdered right in front of my own eyes. If I had a fucking gun, I would empty a clip into the fucking screen as well as another clip into Riese's skull. However, I feel powerless as I see tears rolling down Donnie's cheeks as Riese stands over him because if I move, I'm dead well.

"Riese, show Jimmy here your special skills," orders Madam.

I watch as Riese pulls out two small sledge hammers from under his coat, and places one each on both sides of Donnie's head. With one massive backswing, Riese slams the hammers into Donnie's skull with a sickening thud. I almost puke as I watch Donnie's left eye pop out of his skull and fly against the wall. With one more swing, Donnie's head turns into a mess of blood and bone as I hear a metallic ting as the hammers strike each other. Riese smiles as he takes one hammer and pounds it down onto Donnie's chest. I almost pass out as I have to wash down the sick taste of bile in my mouth with the scotch as I hear the sound of ribs breaking.

"Now, the girl," Madam says. "Be gentle with her though."

Riese smirks as he places one hand on her forehead and one of the back of her skull, and with one swift motion, cracks her neck. I feel nauseous as I watch Riese unchain the lifeless bodies, and pushes them to the floor. He looks at me grinning as he moves the chairs out of the way, and stacks Donnie and the woman on top of each other like they're nothing more than fucking firewood. He begins to whistle as he wraps them up in the plastic sheets like he's wrapping a Christmas gift. I almost begin to cry as I feel a warm sensation in my pants as I piss my Goddamn self at this horrific display.

With the bodies now wrapped, Madam laughs, "Well, that's one way to get rid of fucking vermin. Riese, be a dear, and show Jimmy the door so the boys can clean up the mess."

"With pleasure, Madam," Riese says before going back to his whistling.

I sit there as he strolls over to me, and gently moves the table out of the way. I'm too scared to move as he stands right in front of me, Donnie's blood still fresh on his hands.

"By the way, Jimmy. Nothing personal," cackles Madam.

I try to say something when Riese lifts up his left arm. The last thing I see is his fist slamming me on the top of my head.