The novel ‘A Woman between Two Men’, with an Albanian-American Theme, is authored by Carrie Hooper and Skifter Këllici
Kreshnik was about to stand up and lash out at James who crouched like a wet chicken on the sofa. “Oh, James, you drunk, how could you tie me up with that disgusting man!” he wanted to shout. But he reconsidered when he remembered Max’s order on the night he had told him the terrible truth. He could not blame James for he, too, was one of Max’s victims.
“I guess Max Cooper called you,” James said in order to change the subject.
“Apparently, he’s sending me to some city with that deadly poison just when Mary urged me to get away from that stuff. You’ve seen that the police are conducting raids.”
“Yes. I haven’t told you this, but I’ve been watching the news, too, with much fear and trepidation. May God help us escape from the man who has tied a noose around your neck and will not let you go.”
Kreshnik sighed and looked at his watch. It took a little more than an hour to get to Max Cooper’s office. Still, he did not want to stay at home. He decided to go out for a coffee.
Kreshnik explained to Max that he had fallen and hit his head. Max told him he was grateful he hadn’t sustained a more serious injury. Then he said, “I told you you would make two or three more drug runs to pay off James’ debt. Then you will be free to do as you wish.”
With these words, he rose from the table, approached Kreshnik, and said in a sugary-sweet voice, which to Kreshnik sounded spiteful, “This is the first one, a special one. You will return with a bag of money.”
Kreshnik knit his brow.
“I’m sorry, Boss, but I don’t believe you,” he said. “Do you remember the promise Constantine made to his mother concerning his sister, Doruntina, that even though she was married and lived far away from Albania, he would bring her home. You told me you really liked that story.”
Max smiled.
“Yes,” he said. “I’m still impressed that although Constantine died, he rose from the grave, and his gravestone became a horse he rode over the mountains. He picked up Doruntina, took her home, and told her to see her mother. Meanwhile, he returned to his grave. When Doruntina’s mother found out that Constantine had brought her home, she was terrified and told her that wasn’t possible since he had been dead for years. Doruntina and her mother burst with happiness. Isn’t that so?”
“Yes. You see, even though he was dead, Constantine kept his word.”
“You also told me an Albanian proverb, Nik. `May your teeth fall where you planted your feet.` It’s the same with our work.”
Max chuckled.
“Please, give the job to someone else,” said Kreshnik, annoyed with Max’s ramblings.
Max expected his suggestion.
“This assignment is complicated and dangerous. When you ran into trouble before, your cleverness and courage saved us. So please do this run. Then we’ll see. At midnight, you will leave for Santa Monica in a motorcycle just like when you went to Long Beach. I repeat, a bag of money awaits you.”
“Thank you again for the money, but please don’t make me go tonight.”
“He’s asking me to set him free,” Max said to himself. He felt the time had come to attack.
“It looks like your heart’s desire is saving her money for you if she hasn’t paid you already for your services. After all, you are a man.”
Max fixed his gaze on Kreshnik and was silent. His comments about Mary surprised and offended him. His face turned pale.
“That’s not all,” he continued. “She stuck her nose in our business and distracted you. She calls your money ill-gotten gain. That’s the truth, isn’t it? Don’t say no. I know everything.”
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Kreshnik’s mind.
“Dolores! She concocted this plan.”
Max sensed his attack was bringing Kreshnik to his knees.
“I didn’t want to bring it up because it’s your business,” he said, “but when I tell you plainly this is one of two or three more jobs, and you say, `I don’t care about the money,` I have no choice but to suspect that a woman named Mary Davenport is the cause of your stubbornness. Why, she’s engaged to a scientist!”
“She has nothing to do with it!” shouted Kreshnik in response to Max’s disdainful remarks about Mary.
“You and she had a midnight rendezvous at a cafe,” Max continued. “Then she took you home. There you kissed. Then you took her into your arms and carried her inside. Only you two know what happened next. She probably treated that cut on your forehead when you were in the hospital. She even came to your house this morning.”
Suppositions flashed through Kreshnik’s mind while Max interrogated him like a prisoner. He vaguely remembered having seen a stocky man in a leather jacket when he and Mary went to the cafe. He had also seen him in that cafe when he had talked to Petrit before he turned himself in to the police.
He had seen a similar man at the police station. He had also seen the stocky man in front of his house when he and Mary were there together. Who else but Dolores would have asked him to follow Kreshnik?
Max paced the room a little. Then he sat next to Kreshnik, lit a cigarette, and offered him the pack.
“I know you quit smoking, but light one for me.”
Kreshnik did so.
“How about a glass of whisky?”
Max stood up.
“I gave that up, too.”
“You did the right thing,” said Max, “considering our line of work.”
Then, as if he were fortifying himself for what he was about to tell Kreshnik, he took a long drag on his cigarette, came even closer to him, as if to forgive him, then said, “You know we took a break during the winter. Not because we wanted to but out of necessity. The police are constantly on our tail. Thousands of dollars have slipped through our fingers. You’ve lost out, too. Let’s take advantage of the calm. Maybe it’s a trap. Will you leave at midnight tonight?”
Kreshnik did not respond immediately.
“Even though the cut on my head still bothers me, I will make this run. Then let me live my life and mind my own business. I won’t get involved with anyone.”
After he spoke, Kreshnik looked Max straight in the eye as if he were begging him for mercy.
“Do you think I’ll report you to the police?” he asked when Max did not respond. “I swear I won’t.”
Max wrinkled his forehead and took another puff of his cigarette. For a moment, he did not speak.
“We’ve talked about this, Nik,” Max threatened. “You can report me to the police, and they can throw me in prison. But don’t forget my friends, including your adoptive father, James, who are obligated to me, will get their revenge. They’ll go after you first. They’ll kill you. Then they’ll go after James and other relatives even if they’re in Albania.”
Max’s face looked beastly, and his eyes opened wide. Kreshnik shuddered.
“Mary Davenport, the beauty who drove you wild, will be next. I could get rid of her right now if I wanted to. That’s how we settle accounts. Whoever betrays us pays the price!”
Max was silent. For a moment, he seemed to mull something over. Then Kreshnik noticed how, like an actor, he smiled and made himself look like a nice old man.
“I’m sorry I said those things,” he said, licking his dirty lips. “But you are indebted to me. So finish this job. I give you my word of honor: this will be your last one.”
“`The last one`. Kreshnik said to himself. “How many times will he sing that song?”
“I’m sorry, too, Boss,” said Kreshnik. He, too, played Max’s role. “I lashed out at you, the man who is at my adoptive father, James’, side. Once again, I apologize.”
Kreshnik tried to look as sorrowful as possible.
“How do I get to Santa Monica?” he asked in order to end this heart-breaking conversation.
His confession and penitent tone stunned Max who supposed he was playing his role from a few minutes earlier. He realized Kreshnik was trying to distract him in order to gain time to carry out a plan that was taking shape in his mind.
Max rose from his chair, took a map off the table, sat next to Kreshnik again, and opened it on his lap.
Kreshnik descended the stairs and saw Dolores talking to someone in her office doorway. Actually, she pretended to talk to someone, and once in awhile, she glanced at Kreshnik. She looked lovely. She wore blue pants and a white jacket and had her hair pulled back. But her disgusting smile repulsed Kreshnik more than ever. Still, he tried to smile when she greeted him.
She looked at him begrudgingly, ran to Max’s office, and entered without knocking.
Max was talking on the phone with his back to the door, but turned around when he noticed someone had come in, unannounced. He flashed his threatening eyes, but when he saw it was Dolores, he calmed down and continued his conversation.
“So, Pedro, follow Nik closely. Then when the time is right, do as we discussed. Be careful, and don’t let anyone see you. As promised, your reward will be great.”
He hung up the phone, and a devilish smile played on his face.
“You decided the time had come?” asked Dolores, fluttering her eyelids with pleasure.
Max nodded.
“You were right,” he said. “That Mary put a spell on him. He refused to take this job, just as you had predicted. When I told him what Pedro had told you, and when I explained what would happen if he refused to accept this job, he seemed to change his mind. The poor man thought he could fool me. After I showed him on the map where he would take the drugs, I invited him to stay with me until it was time to leave. But he said he had somewhere else to go. I didn’t prolong the subject, but I was convinced he was lying. I’m sure if not tonight, then tomorrow morning, he will go to the police. Therefore, as you yourself heard, I gave Pedro the job.”
Dolores breathed a sigh of relief.
“At last we’ll be rid of him,” she said.
Then, she walked over to Max, wrapped her plump arms around him, and kissed him on the lips.
“We have to be prepared,” she continued. “Ralph Kallagan’s men haven’t suspected anything until now. But they work undercover. Therefore, to be safe, I’ll hide some of the packets of drugs which we would have given to Nik to take to Santa Monica in the car. San Diego is a hop, skip, and a jump from the Mexican border. I have enough money in the bank in Mexico for us to live like kings wherever we wish.”
Dolores embraced Max a second time.
“Why is she so angry with Kreshnik?” he asked himself. “What did he do to her? Or did Dolores seduce him and he wasn’t interested?”
“Do you really hate Nik because he spurned your advances that afternoon at the club in Del Mar Beach?” Max asked.
“No, I hate him now because of his obstinacy toward you. He wants to destroy us.”
On the surface, that was true. Still, Max recalled that in the few meetings when Kreshnik was present, Dolores had sneaked some cajoling looks at him. Had she loved that handsome young man and now, offended by his attitude toward her, did she tremble with excitement at the thought of him suffering that dreaded fate? Maybe. As soon as he could, Max would demand a reckoning. Although Dolores feigned warmth when she embraced and kissed him, Max realized she did not love him.
With his mind in a whirl, Kreshnik left Max’s office. He did not know what to do. He did not realize the man who had followed him in the past was following him now at a distance. He did not know his name was Pedro.
Right then and there, he decided to do what he had discussed with James and Mary, the thing that had gnawed at his heart and soul: he decided to turn himself in. He headed for the police station where he had gone once before. He stopped near the station. Perhaps he would see the officer with whom he had spoken that night. But this time, he would not tell him he was sick and needed help. He would simply raise his hands so the officer could cuff him.
“But what about Mary?” an inner voice seemed to say. “What will become of her?”
Kreshnik imagined her stabbed to death with a knife, shot with a revolver, or blown up by a bomb. It was a different story with James. He was old, but he was also strong and could confront any bad guy.
Kreshnik turned around and drove in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, Pedro informed Max of Kreshnik’s every move.
“The fact he didn’t go to the police station means he doesn’t intend to turn himself in,” Dolores said to Max.
“I hope you’re right,” he said. “Otherwise, you know what Pedro will do when he sees him.”
First, Kreshnik would go to the hospital to warn Mary of their imminent danger. Then, he would turn himself in, and the police would initiate an operation to catch Max and his gang.
Kreshnik parked in the parking lot of the San Diego Medical Center and was shocked when he looked at his watch. It was only 10:30. Mary’s shift didn’t end until 11:00. Kreshnik could wait for her and they could leave together. He was frozen in place. What if he encountered the doctor who was supposed to have examined him? He would scold him for having disappeared from the hospital without a trace. Or what if Charlie came to get Mary, as he had the previous night, and saw the two of them together? That would be awful!
“Sir, may I help you?” said a voice behind Kreshnik.
He turned and saw a hospital security guard.
“You look sick, Sir.”
The guard was about to radio the trauma unit.
“I’m fine, thank you,” said Kreshnik, heading toward his car and leaving the security guard in shock.
In the meantime, Max and Pedro stayed connected via cell phone. Max was surprised when Pedro told him Kreshnik had stopped in front of the hospital.
“Did you forget that Mary Davenport works there?” Dolores taunted him, tickling his mustache.
“Yes, Dear,” he replied, mocking her.
“She will leave work as usual at eleven and expects to make love with him,” said Dolores. “It will be the last time.”
She laughed.
But after a few minutes, Pedro told Max that Kreshnik had left the hospital.
“Maybe he’s afraid he’ll run into that scientist, Mary’s fiancée,” said Max.
“That would be quite a scene!” said Dolores.
The two of them burst out laughing. (Continues)
Click here for Part-1, Part-2, Part-3, Part-4, Part-5, Part-6, Part-7, Part-8, Part-9, Part-10, Part-11, Part-12, Part-13, Part-14, Part-15, Part-16, Part-17, Part-18, Part-19, Part-20, Part-21, Part-22, Part-23, Part-24, Part-25, Part-26, Part-27, Part-28, Part-29, Part-30, Part-31, Part-32, Part-33, Part-34, Part-35, Part-36,
___________
About the Authors
Carrie Hooper was born and raised in Elmira, New York. She has been blind since birth. She received a B.A. in vocal performance from Mansfield University, Mansfield, Pennsylvania. She went on to receive an M.A. in German and an M.A. in vocal performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo. After completing her studies, she spent a year at the Royal University College of Music in Stockholm, Sweden as a Fulbright scholar. Carrie currently lives in Elmira, New York. She taught German, Italian, and Romanian at Elmira College. She has a passion for foreign languages and in addition to the languages mentioned above, she is also proficient in Swedish, Spanish, and Albanian. Music also plays an important role in Carrie’s life. She teaches voice and piano lessons, gives vocal concerts, plays the piano and organ at a church, and sings in a community chorus. Carrie not only loves music and languages, but also enjoys poetry. She has published three books: “Piktura në fjalë” (“Word Paintings”), a bilingual collection of poetry (Albanian-English), “My Life in My Words”, and “Away from Home.” She has also translated texts from Albanian and Romanian to English.
Skifter Këllici was born in Tirana, Albania and received a diploma in history and literature from the University of Tirana. He worked as a journalist, scholar, and sportscaster on radio and television. He is the author of several novels and nonfiction books, including the children’s books, “Memories of the Old Neighborhood” and “In the Footsteps” as well as the historical novels, “Assassination in Paris”, “The Murderer with the White Hands”, and “September Disaster.” He wrote the screenplay for “In the Footsteps” which won a special prize at the International Children’s Film Festival in Giffoni, Italy in 1979. He has lived in Boston, Massachusetts since 1999.
[The book ‘Disastrous September is being reproduced in episodes with the consent of the author]
