The Note Carrier

“I triple dog double dare you.” A cold voice whispered in the darkness. After all these years Lizzy still submitted to whatever Jen asked of her. “It’s simple, all you have to do is sneak into that building over there, and put this on Malcolm’s desk.” She pointed to the largest skyscraper in the city as she produced a pink letter bathed in a flowery stink.

“Right now?” Lizzy stared at her oldest friend in amazement.

“Why not?” Jen said. She looked down at her dainty watch. “You still have five hours before the sun comes. I don’t see the problem.”

They were hiding by the bathrooms in Starry Nights Park. Lizzy leaned back against the cement wall they were hidden by tall Evergreen bushes. Earlier on the phone Jen told her to meet her at 76th Street and to wear something dark and sinister. Lizzy thought they were going to the new club. She was wearing a short black mini skirt, and a tight black halter top that had large shiny rhinestones sewn on the collar. She had on five inch red heels and fishnet stockings. Jen had other ideas and showed up a dark pink camo sweat suit and black combat boots.

“How am I supposed to get in? Who is this Malcolm guy anyway?” Jen usually told her about each man she had the slightest interest in.

“He’s—” she put her hand on her chest and let out a sigh. “—the one.” Jen wiggled her eyebrows up and down. “Hey, time’s a tickin’.”

Lizzy puffed out her checks and hung her head; this was not how she wanted to spend her Saturday night. Still a dare was a dare. Jen grabbed her arm and shoved her through the bushes. Lizzy being in five in heels got herself entangled with the bushes. Ripping sounds came from her newly acquired fishnets. Lizzy groaned as she landed face first in the dirt.

“You know fishnets are out of date, right?” Jen emerged from the bushes gracefully. 

“Come on you’ve got work to do.” She stood and tapped her foot waiting for Lizzy to collect herself.

“Hey!” A male voice shouted in the darkness. A cold beam showered them with light. 

“What are you two doing out here?” The same voice barked.

“It’s okay,” Jen called out. “My friend was sick and I knew there was a bathroom somewhere over here.” The man came closer but a clopping sound accompanied him making Lizzy’s mouth go dry. He was dressed in a dark blue uniform and sitting on top of a dark chestnut horse.

“Hmmm—why does she have leaves and sticks in her hair?” he asked.

“Well, she didn’t make it to the bathroom in time.” Jen let out her most sticky, flirty giggle. “Don’t worry I’ll get her home safe.” Jen patted Lizzy’s hair mushing the leaves further in.

“At least let me escort you to a cab.” He scanned the area around them, “I’m not supposed to give people rides but I’ll make an acceptation this once. Let’s get her up here.”

“Oh—she hates horses. Nasty incident our freshman year but I’ll take the ride. I love horses.” She batted her eyes at the man who was now nodding like an idiot. Jen held out her hand as the officer lifted her up.

“Stay way behind us it will be much safer." Jen winked at Lizzy who gritted her teeth but followed instructions.

Walking behind the horse was a terrible idea. Lizzy fell over twice, breaking off a heel when she stepped in a hole. She slipped and landed in the big present the horse left. She was going to kill Jen.

Officer Rick hailed them a cab, no one stood by Lizzy. Officer Rick got a goodnight kiss and Jen’s phone number. Lizzy hoped her night was done.

The cab driver insisted on putting newspaper down before Lizzy got in the car. He handed her his own personal trash can. It contained left over Chinese food, several half-smoked cigars and a rotten banana peel. Lizzy almost puked and thought the trash smelled worse than she did.

“Where to?” He let Jen sit in front.

“To the corner of Korbin and Warshaw.” Lizzy let out a soft groan, Jen hadn’t forgotten. The man raised his eyebrows and let his eyes flicker over Lizzy. “My car is parked in a garage there.” Again, Jen battered her eyelashes and the cab driver was taken in.

“You wanna take the newspaper with you?” He asked kindly.

“Oh, that’s so sweet of you, thanks.” Jen gushed as she grabbed the offered newspaper. She turned and winked at Lizzy.

Soon they were standing in front of the most prominent building in Cedar Lakes. Stockholm Enterprises. Most of the lights were off, but three security guards were sitting at a desk in the lobby.

“Here—” Jen shoved the letter at her. “Take it, make sure it gets on his desk. Keep it safe it’s really important.”

“Can’t we do this in the da—” Jen had already sprinted off leaving Lizzy chewing on her bottom lip debating on what to do.

She took a deep breath, walked up to the main door and tugged on it. It rattled loudly. All three men looked up in disbelief. One shook his head and mouthed, “closed”.

Lizzy nodded her head, of course it was closed it was close to one in the morning. She walked away thinking about different ways of getting into the building. As she rounded the building she spotted the underground parking garage.

She grinned and hobbled several feet before taking off her good heel and what was left of her ruined one. She threw them in the trash and watched her favorite shoes disappear. She looked up from the depressing sight and surveyed the scene before her. One way in and one way out with a single security guard manning the booth.

The wall to her left was a little over six feet high. She could gain access to the garage from that point, after all she did high jump in high school. How hard could it be? Piece of cake. Lizzy snuck over and ducked behind some bushes. She would need a running start, she shoved the letter down the front of her halter scrambled from the bushes, took a skip and running pace towards the wall as she attempted to jump the large cement barrier. The wall was thicker than she had anticipated.

Lizzy whimpered as she looked around her. The good news, she was up the wall. The bad news, she couldn’t get down. She sniffled and wiped her nose on the wall tears leaked while black streaks painted her face. She was completely straddling and bear-hugging the cement.

Lizzy tried to move but found herself frozen. The realization hit her, she couldn’t get down on her own. One side dropped twenty feet and the other side she couldn’t maneuver to dump herself off the side. Lizzy gathered enough courage to let go one side of the wall to reach into her shirt and pull out her cell phone. She moved a little and the phone slipped out and shattered twenty feet down.

“Dammit!” she whispered as she banged her head against the wall.

“Excuse me, ma’am?” a voice asked. Lizzy squeaked, yelped, and let out a loud fart. She almost lost her grip on the wall. “What are you doing?”

Lizzy could only imagine what she looked like, her skirt was around her waist, she was covered in dirt and manure without shoes. All she wanted to do was disappear but, she couldn’t keep her mouth from running.

“Can’t you tell, I’m practicing tight rope walking, and I laid down to take a nap!”

“What?” He stepped closer, staring up at her.

“I’m stuck you stupid moron!” she yelled.

“I’ll say—” the man muttered. He was the security guard from the booth. He turned away to talk on his cell phone.

“Wait! Don’t go! Help me down!” Lizzy screeched.

Twenty minutes later, with many more scrapes and bruises, she was off the wall—in hand cuffs and sitting on newspaper for the second time. She watched the blue lights strobe off the glass buildings. This night couldn’t get any worse.

“Time to go sweet heart.” A uniform got into the driver’s seat.

“Where are we going?” As if she didn’t know.

“To the most amazing resort Cedar Lakes has to offer. How much have you had to drink tonight?”

“I haven’t had anything to drink.”

“Really?” There was laughter in the voice, “We just pulled you off a wall.”

A half hour later, three breathalyzers and a blood draw proved that she hadn’t been drinking, yet she was still sitting in jail cell. Jen had promised to be there soon.

Lizzy was sharing the cell with three other women, they kept their distance with their noses plugged. She didn’t think the smell was that bad.

A young lady walked over and sat next to her. She was dressed in a hot pink spandex dress that was detailed every bump, cellulite, and mole she had on her body. She was wearing large gold hoops, her hair was sticking up a mile high, and she had on enough blue eye shadow she could have painted the cell wall. Lizzy couldn’t say too much considering how she was dressed.

“You look like hell. What happened?” she asked in a thick accent.

“A long night.” Lizzy just wanted to go home and take a shower.

“Ahhh—did they arrest you cuz you smell so bad?” She snorted at her own joke.

“I got stuck on a wall.” The cell was silent.

“Why were you on a wall?” The lady asked and Lizzy told her story. When she was done, she was the only one that had dry eyes. The others were howling with laughter, even the female cop.

“Evans!” an officer barked. “Your ride is here.”

“Wait.” The short lady grabbed her arm and shook it like she was pumping candy out of Lizzy. “I’m Natalie. When I get out, I’m gonna find you. We’ll have lots of adventures.” She grinned showing three gold teeth.

“Awww—isn’t that sweet, making new friends in jail.” Jen’s cold voice rang throughout the hall. Lizzy sighed of course Jen was going to be angry.

Usually Jen was all chatter, this wasn’t natural for her to be so silent. Lizzy waited for Jen to explode as she fiddled with the warning ticket for indecent exposure.

“I can’t believe you!” Jen cried out once they were on the freeway headed towards Lizzy’s apartment. Lizzy stared at Jen with wide eyes,

“Excuse me?”

“How dare you get caught and then call me to come bail you out of jail! I can’t believe you could do this to me!”

“Do this to you? This was your idea. You and you’re stupid letter! Where were you—you were supposed to have my back?”

Jen changed the subject, “Did you at least get the letter up to Malcolm’s desk?” Lizzy shook her head no. “Hmph—well, you’re going to have to come up with a better plan next time. Why didn’t you tap into their security system?”

“What makes you think I can do that? And what do you mean a better plan next time?” She shifted. For the third time that night she was sitting on newspaper, but now it was sticking to her butt and legs and making ripping noises as she moved.

“You’re into that computer stuff—I mean look at your business.”

Lizzy gaped at her, “I own an internet café.”

“Yeah—computer stuff, security.”

“It’s an internet café. I make coffee, cakes, muffins. I have computers and couches. No where does it say Lizzy Evan’s security café. This isn’t one of your TV shows.” Jen was silent for a moment.

“Well, I thought better of you.” She sniffed. “At least give me back my letter, until you can come up with a better plan. Plus, I’m going to have to rewrite it and spray it with perfume. You stink.” Lizzy was happy to give the damn letter back. She reached down the front of her shirt and gasped, then began searching frantically.

“What, you finally figured out you have small boobs?” Jen snickered.

“It’s gone.” Lizzy whispered. Jen slammed on the breaks.

“What?!” She screamed.

“My cell phone, wallet, and the letter gone. They must have fell out when the firemen got me off the wall.”

“Well, you’re going to have to break in and get them back.” Jen was breathing heavily. 

“You’ll do it tomorrow night this time wear something more practical.”

“No.”

“Excuse me? It’s your fault you lost the letter and you were stupid enough to get caught.” Jen sniffed, bobbed her head, “So yes, you are going to get your things back and deliver the letter.”

“No, I have to do payroll, and I also have to be at the café at three in the morning.” Lizzy took a deep breath, “We’ll do it Tuesday night, let things calm down.”

“Damn right you will.” Jen muttered and stopped outside of Lizzy’s apartment. “I’ll pick you up at ten pm, Tuesday night.” Lizzy rolled her eyes. All she wanted to do was wash off the memories of the night.

*********

Malcolm stopped by the security office Monday morning. Clancy had reported that a “funny incident” happened Saturday night. Malcolm didn’t like funny incidents. Usually they weren’t “funny” and caused a lot of paperwork. He was shocked when he walked into the room and it was full of his men. They were all laughing too loud to notice his arrival. Malcolm cleared his throat. The room grew silent.

“Oh—Mr. Stockholm, good morning.” Ned, the director of security stood up. Ned wasn’t the only one trying to keep a straight face.

“What’s going on?” he demanded.

“We had a minor problem this weekend.” Malcolm waited for him to continue. “Um—just watch this.” Ned tried to hide his snicker. Malcolm sighed and looked at his watch.

Malcolm stared at the monitor. He watched a woman try the front doors. Then limp around the side of the building, she threw away her shoes and attempted to jump over the garage wall. He smiled when he saw her stuck and struggle for ten minutes. He chuckled as seven firemen, two police officers pried her off the wall. Malcolm looked up at the ceiling, trying to keep it together.

“You have listen to the audio.” They replayed the video, this time with sound.

When startled the woman, squeaked, yelped, and farted. Malcolm couldn’t hold it in any longer, his laughter joined the rest of them.

“Was she drunk?”

“Nope.”

“Crazy?”

“No, but she did drop several things.” Ned held up a baggie, inside was a crinkled letter, shattered cell phone and a little orange and black wallet.

“What did the letter say?” he asked. No one responded. Ned just shoved the baggie at him.

“You should read it.” He handed him a pair of gloves. Malcolm put them on, his patience wearing thin.

“Good God,” he muttered when the smell hit him. He picked out the pink letter, unfolded it and began reading. He blinked several times. The letter was addressed to him.

                   “My dearest Malcolm…”

Malcolm’s face heated up as the letter went into explicit details of what she wanted to do to him and about the night he had spent avoiding her. He looked up at the lady in the video. He had never seen her before, but he remembered the night. The farewell made his stomach clench.

               “Love, your future wife.”

All the men were looking at their feet when he finished. It was obvious they knew the letters’ content. Malcolm cleared his throat.

“I will take care of this.”

“Yes, Sir.” Several voices followed him out into the hallway.

Malcolm went straight to his office and tried to forget about the woman on the security tape and the letter but he couldn’t concentrate. He grabbed the baggie and dumped the smelly contents onto his desk.

The woman had several business cards in her wallet, along with her driver’s license. She was the owner of The Crazy Neptune Café. Her phone number and email were listed along with her Facebook page and the hours of the shop. Based on the hours of the café it looked like this woman never slept, perhaps she was crazy.

Malcolm looked up her up Facebook. He had access to everything about her it was evident she didn’t believe in security. He browsed her photo albums, one labeled; “Jen and Lizzy, Spring Break 2013” caught his eye. He clicked on it, the first photo made him stop.

Two women were arm in arm holding large blue drinks. He recognized both. They couldn’t have been more opposite; one woman had light brown hair, deep brown eyes, pale with a small frame. The other was blond, bright blue eyes, wide smile, fake tan, and fake boobs. The one with brown hair was featured in the security video. The other was the one he had met at the club three weeks before. He shook his head, What a small world.

************

Lizzy stared at the double chocolate chip muffins she had just taken out of the oven. It was Tuesday morning, D-Day. She felt sick to her stomach. Last night she had drunk her sorrows with a bottle of fire whiskey.

“Miss Evans!” Lizzy cringed, it was the third time she told Chris to stop yelling. She gave him the stink eye. “Oh, yeah, um—there’s someone here to see you.” he whispered.

“Who?” she whispered back holding on to her pounding head.

“I don’t know.” Chris walked away. He was her manager. He ran the store so well she couldn’t fire him, even though she wanted to on several occasions. He kept her honest.

“Ha!” A voice echoed throughout the café. “I found you!” Lizzy couldn’t help smiling at the little lady in front of her. She hadn’t changed much since she had last seen her, still in clothes that were too tight with God awful blue eye shadow.

“Thought you could use a friend. I’m starved, got anything good to eat?” Natalie grinned up at her.

Lizzy smiled and put together a small spread, she looked over to the side of the shop where a man had been sitting for the past seven hours. She hated squatters, but at least every few hours he would buy a drink or pastry.

Natalie and Lizzy laughed over their bizarre introduction and what had happened. Lizzy told her what Jen had said.

“Wait, you’re going to break in again?” Natalie asked in disbelief.

“Not really. I told Jen I would, but I am going to write down the address and put it in the mail box. Then I am going to run around the block a couple of times so when she comes and picks me up it will look like I did as she asked.

“That’s like some Navy Seal shit!” Natalie wiped tears from her eyes. “I’m going to help you.”

“Excuse me,” Both women looked up, it was the strange man from the corner. “I couldn’t help but over hear you. You’re going to break into Stockholm Enterprises?”

“No. Why were you listening to our conversation?” Lizzy asked, she hated squatters.

“You a cop?” Natalie asked. The man shook his head. Natalie sniffed at him, then nodded at Lizzy. “He don’t smell like one, he’s okay.” The man took that as an invitation and joined them.

“Who are you?” Lizzy asked. Under the hat she liked the way he looked; dark hair, blue eyes, a sensual mouth and perfect white teeth. He had broad shoulders and it was apparent he wasn’t a stranger to the gym.

“I’m, M.M.”

“As in the rapper or the candy?” Natalie asked.

“Neither. However I can help you. I am a delivery man for Stockholm Industries. I know how to get in without getting caught.” Natalie nodded her head, she was sold.

“I don’t think so.” Lizzy said. She was going to stick to her original plan.

“I promise it will be a piece of cake.” He smiled and gazed into her eyes. Lizzy was caught.

“Fine, you two meet me downtown near Korbin Street at eleven tonight.” They both agreed. She shook her head; this was going to be more disastrous then Saturday night.

Jen picked her up and chattered the whole drive into town about Officer Rick, and about their upcoming date.

“What about Malcolm?”

“Oh—don’t worry about that. Malcolm will be my first husband and then I will make Rick my second.” After that she began talking to Lizzy about what she was thinking about wearing on the date. Lizzy could have cared less. Jen stopped the car near Korbin Street.

“Don’t screw this up!” she hissed. “At least you’re better dressed this time.”

“Ya, think?” Lizzy snapped, “Pick me up in front of the building in a half hour, don’t be late.” She slammed the door shut on Jen’s reply. Lizzy walked away, looking for M.M and Natalie.

“Hey! Navy Seal over here!” Natalie hollered in a whisper. M.M and Natalie were hiding behind some rose bushes both dressed in black with sunglasses and hats. Natalie went as far as painting her face with black streaks. Lizzy sighed last time she started the night out in the bushes. This wasn’t going to be pretty.

“Let’s go.” She hissed.

M.M led them through an alley, they found a secure door leading to the parking garage. M.M typed in a code which opened the first one. They duck walked to the elevator where he typed in the numbers to open them. He hadn’t been lying when he said he knew the codes. Lizzy’s idea of sticking the letter in the post office box flew out the window as M.M lead them into the elevator and pressed the button for 90th floor.

After a few minutes listening to Elton John’s Candle in the Wind Natalie asked, “Who’s the letter to?”

“A Malcolm.”

“You mean thee Malcolm Stockholm?” Natalie asked, her mouth dropped open.

“I don’t know, it just says Malcolm. How many can there be in this building? We need to find out.”

“Just one.” M.M. answered.

“Oh.” Lizzy’s anger was growing; she was going to slaughter Jen. “Let’s get this over with, so I have time to commit a murder before I go to jail.” ‘Time of My Life’ played on the way up, Natalie hummed out of tune, while M.M grinned. Lizzy clenched her teeth and concentrated on breathing and the task before her. The elevator rung for the 90th floor.

“Make it quick!” M.M told her, then shoved her out the doors.

Lizzy sprinted across the marble floors. It was too slippery for she slipped and slid into the wall making it shake.

“Oh—that had to hurt.” Natalie giggled. M.M joined her.

Lizzy was beyond angry. She picked herself up and sprinted up to the large wooden door. She didn’t slow because she didn’t think it would be locked. To her dismay, it was and her face stopped her momentum. Warm fluid exploded out of her nose. Crying out in frustration she dropped to all fours and shoved the letter under the door it got stuck half way through.

“Screw it.” She muttered and got up to ran back to the others.

“What’s on your face? Is that blood—” Natalie passed out, half in the elevator, the other half on the floor. They tugged on her arms and legs. The doors silently closed, ensuring every part of Natalie was in. Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’ floated around their ears.

“They’ve gotta change these songs,” Lizzy stopped short. “Why are there alarms going off?”

M.M shrugged, “I don’t know, but I have a plan.” He handed his scarf to Lizzy for her nose. Natalie started to wake up.

“Wh—what happened?” She mumbled.

“We’re about to be chased, so I need to you run as fast as you can. You ready?” M.M asked.

“Chased?!” both girls yelled.

“Yep, we’re going to run out the front doors.” The elevator stopped the hideous music as the swoosh open and invited them into the lobby. “Ready?” He asked.

He grabbed them by the hands and pulled them through the lobby. Lizzy didn’t have time to see if the guards were following them. Natalie wheezed while Lizzy stumbled over her feet. M.M pulled them through the front doors, never slowing down. Sirens screamed in the distance.

“Where’s your friend?” As if those were the magic words, Jen pulled alongside the curb. M.M opened the back door and shoved both girls through before getting in himself. He made all three of them duck down. Jen stepped on the gas, tearing through the night.

“Lizzy! You have a lot to explain!” Jen demanded from the front seat. “Who the hell are these people? I will not harbor criminals. Why is your nose bleeding? Don’t you dare get a drop in my car.”

“Blood?” Natalie passed out again. They drove in silence for a few minutes.

“Did you fail, again?”

“No.”

“It’s on his desk?” Lizzy rolled her eyes.

“Close enough.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, I can’t pick the lock of Malcolm Stockholm’s office, the CEO—ring a bell?” Lizzy spat out.

“Hmmm…” Jen smiled. “Husband number one, coming up.” She was pleased with herself.

An hour later they were holed up in Denny’s. Natalie was happily sucking down a double chocolate shake. Lizzy had washed the blood off her face. M.M was still wearing his sunglasses and hat.

Another one bites the dust. Lizzy thought to herself angry that she still did what Jen asked.

After introducing her friends, Jen wasn’t impressed. She rolled her eyes at Natalie. She gave M.M a once over and moved on. She talked about Rick and Malcolm. Natalie pretended to puke into her fries. Half way through she stopped and turned towards M.M.

“Why don’t you take off those stupid sunglasses and hat? Join the living.” she sneered.

He did as she bid. Jen’s face turned red then it drained of all color. Lizzy looked from Jen to M.M, and it dawned on her. She felt like an idiot, she had been played.

“Malcolm?” Jen whispered.

Lizzy grabbed her Sprite and dumped it on Malcolm’s head, then took her water and threw it in Jen’s face. She walked out of the building feeling humiliated by being played by two people. She could still hear Natalie wailing with laughter.

A week later Lizzy looked at her watch and yawned it was three in the morning she was ready to start her work day. As she opened the back door to the kitchen she realized the light was on. She was going to kill Chris, he had a bad habit of leaving the light on. Lizzy dumped her stuff on the counter then stopped. Sitting on the edge of the counter was a note with a chocolate kiss on it.

          Look in the café.

Lizzy grabbed the bat she kept behind the counter and turned on the lights to the café.

“Surprise!” voices yelled at her.

“Lizzy it’s Natalie and Malcolm. Don’t hurt us!” Lizzy realized she had the bat raised high in the air running towards them to attack.

“See this is the proper way to break into someone’s place. No alarms.” he grinned.

“I missed you!” Natalie squeezed the air out of Lizzy.

“Where’s Jen?” she asked, still angry.

“We dumped her like a bad habit.”

“Oh—so she’s around here somewhere?” They shrugged and nodded their heads. Lizzy made them coffee. They picked up as if nothing happened.

“You have to see the security tapes.” Malcolm stated. “Priceless.”

They sat around drinking coffee and watching the videos. Laughing at themselves. Apparently, security had been in on the whole scheme.

A soft knock came from the front window. Jen was standing with a sad look on her face, pawing at the window. Officer Rick came up behind her and gave them a happy wave. Jen held up two fingers—a peace sign. She shrugged her shoulders, the usual Jen apology. Lizzy rolled her eyes. She nodded but would no longer cower to the woman.

Jen gave Lizzy a hug and Lizzy whispered, 

“Never again.”

Lizzy left them to their own devices she had work to get done. Lizzy stopped and looked at the crowd she was leaving; Jen was trying to make amends with her new friends. Officer Rick couldn’t stop starring at Jen with a goofy look on his face. Natalie was lecturing Jen, still dressed in clothes too tight. Malcolm sat back in his chair and watched the interactions. He caught Lizzy’s eye, she gave him a little shrug as if to say ‘welcome to my life’. He winked and gave her a wolfish grin. Lizzy shook her head and laughed.

Back in the kitchen Lizzy put on her apron. She frowned when she noticed something bulky in the front pocket. She reached in and pulled out a pink rose. Attached to the rose was a little hand written note. She unfolded it and read,

               Have dinner with me;

                          I triple dog double dare you.

                                                     Malcolm