Echo

convinced him of her excitement.
    After that, he got all the info he needed; including a mighty fine blow job, although the leaking blood disgusted him. Tiffany finally choked, heaving all over him. Punching her out kinda put a damper on their fun. She needed to be taught some manners. He thought a fine educated bitch like her would know better than to barf all over him. Ah, they’re all the same , he thought, shaking his big head in disappointment. Just cunts and stuck up bitches .
    Arriving back at his house, he just needed to flip a match where he dumped the kerosene and get out fast. Quickly pulling away, he drove to Route 80, knowing he would be in New York City in less than two hours. Thinking back to the information Baby Tiff easily blabbed to him, he wondered what appeared so special about Sarasota, Florida. He certainly didn’t relish a long lonely drive to Florida. He wondered how long he could stay on the road without falling asleep. He had to admit, making the long haul in the rickety old Volkswagen was not going to be pleasant. He wondered if he should buy something more befitting a man of his impending stature. He cackled, smacking his hand down on his knee. After he sold the gold in New York City, he should certainly be able to afford any set of wheels he wanted.
    He wondered how long it would take; probably a few days. He wondered if a little stopover in the city would put a dent in his plans, slowing him down. He never heard of Sarasota before. Must be another hick town like the one they were from in Sussex County. Shouldn’t be too hard to spot that motley crew of fuckers in a small hick town. It’s not like they were going to blend in with that freaky murderous pet of theirs.
    Feeling like a king, Armoni pulled up to the first hotel he could find after passing through the Lincoln Tunnel. He decided to make for 42nd street since it was the only one he ever heard of.
    Pulling his car under the flashy mezzanine of the Sheraton Hotel, an attendant shouted at him, telling him to move on, he couldn’t park there. What the fuck is he talking about? Glaring at him, Armoni motioned to the For Guests Only sign and walked past him into the lobby of the hotel. Barging up to the reservation desk, he slapped down a wad of money that represented all of his net worth and demanded a room.
    “May I have a credit card, please?” He didn’t like how the pretty front desk clerk with the fussy professional demeanor gave him the ole eyeball.
    “What, my cash ain’t good enough?” Armoni asked in surprise. Behaving like she smelt something rotten, she explained how he would have to leave payment in advance, in addition to a deposit for incidental room expenditures. Peeling off some large bills, he counted out the amount she requested. It would cover him for a week. Counting what was left, he was surprised to see the dent he just made in his stash. Oh well, he would be back in the chips, soon enough.
    Noticing the way the desk clerk stared at him, he kept his mouth shut and wondered if he should do some shopping for some new duds while he stayed here. Dropping his car keys on the desk, he ordered her to have his car looked after. Didn’t want it stolen his first night in New York City.
    Taking the room key the desk clerk gave him, he strolled over to the elevators, gawking at the well dressed and attractive crowd that all appeared to have very important destinations. Was he intimidated, he asked himself? Nah, just a bunch of stuck up pussy and sons a bitches . Fingering Kelly’s baby tucked away in his pants, he knew he was the intimidating one.
    Arriving at his room, he struggled with the room key until he figured out how it worked. Letting himself in, he heaved his bag with the gold on the huge bed, looking around the well-appointed room, impressed.
    Spotting an advertising directory, he curled up on the bed. Wrenching his boots off, the room filled with a foul foot stench, Armoni completely impervious. Marking the ads for gold dealers, he finally turned to the auto dealers like a house cat that just took down a wildebeest. He feasted. Eventually, he found his eyes drooping. Climbing under the covers, fully clothed, he drifted off to fuzzy dreams of Kelly and him, speeding down a country road of gold in a cherry red convertible, laughing their heads off, Tomas in the back seat. Lost in his dreams, he farted and slept the night away.

Chapter 22
    Departing from her plane, Abby felt disoriented. She followed