Chapter 6

Nothing had gone quite right this morning. April had been pretty embarrassed when she had to call the security guard to let her in the building. Despite the fact that the guy had seen her walk in and out of the building for over a year and a half, he acted like he did not believe she was who she claimed to be! The building security system was some kind of DNA reading machine and the guard believed it even if he would not believe his own eyes. April was now quite positive that she knew better since the thing refused to recognize her.

Fortunately, the culprit turned out to be a lipstick smear on her finger that had prevented the little pad from reading her as completely as it needed too. After that, the guard let her in.

By the time April made it to the second floor and was at her desk, she had finally had enough time to wonder if she really wanted to be here. She had been working at Parker Bircham Sykes for almost eighteen months now. She had been drawing advances, on her non existent commissions, for nearly the entire time.

April had yet to close on a single property and, every day, she wondered how much longer this could go on before they would want her to pay that money back. Every day, when April opened her inner office email, she was holding her breath and fully expecting to see a notice of collection from payroll. After she turned on her computer she did the same thing this morning as well. She let her breath out when nothing requiring her to dip into her over drawn back account was there.

There was an email of particular interest though. It had been forwarded to her box from the external server. That made April excited because it meant that it was not some boring memo. It could very well be a customer! April was practically bouncing in her seat when she saw that it was. She quickly scribbled down some information, onto a sticky note, and then composed her reply. Before she hit the send button, April saw her boss walking on the floor, just past some cubicles.

April practically tripped over herself, with no help from her heels, as she ran to him, “Mister Bircham! Mister Bircham!”

The guy was lean, silver headed, and always polite, “yes Miss May. Is there something you need?”

“I’ve got a customer wanting to see a property today and,” April ran on and on. She knew she did it. She could just not help herself when she was nervous. That was usually any time she talked to another human being. That also usually went double for those in authority. She ended her rattling with, “so you can see I really need this one. You know? Like, really, really, need this one.”

The man pulled out his phone and checked the time. Then Bircham asked her, “have you done your reports yet?”

“I’m not finished, you see…” A minute later April concluded with, “that’s why I left them open.” Then another thought hit her, “oh yeah and I can’t get into database because…”

Bircham held up his hands, “I’ll take your word for it Miss May. Go make a sale.”

She tried to thank the man but, he walked off in a hurry. That left April rushing back to her cubicle and collecting her purse and jacket. She stopped by the bathroom, made sure she fixed the lipstick smudge, and then rushed for her car. Her phone rang as she was pulling out of the parking lot. April was quite gleeful when she answered it, “oh Greg. You are never going to believe this! That Smith couple sent me an email! I think they want that little brick ranch!”

Greg’s voice came out over the car speaker, “that’s good news honey. You on your way there now?”

“I sure am,” April was still quivering with anticipation. Her mother had not wanted her too get into this line of work. She had wanted to follow in the footsteps of the family business but, April could not bring herself to do it. The only problem, so far, was that April was beginning to think that her mother had been right all along. April’s lack luster performance in real estate, up till now, was seemingly proving her mother correct. Things were about to change though. April could feel it. She was sure today was going to be the one that changed her entire life!

When she reached the house in question, she was in a very good mood. April had made a point to play the self confidence recordings, by Jim Dove, that always made her feel better. Even when she had to pick up the for sale sign, and put it back up right, April did not feel bad. Today, she realized, it would be coming down permanently! Her elation was so great that she did not let the busted door bother her one little bit.

Once inside April pulled out her phone as she looked at the door. She mumbled to herself as she waited for someone to pick up, “at least it can be fixed.” When a voice came on the other line she said, “hello, police? Yeah I need to report a vandalism. Could you guys send somebody out to make a report.” After a few more questions April clarified, “no I’m not the property owner I’m…”

When April looked up she saw the man and woman standing in the living room. Her jaw dropped and then she finished her sentence, “I’m the woman with the guns pointed at me!”

The man rushed up behind April and slapped the phone out of her hand. He also pushed the door shut just before shoving his pistol at the base of April’s skull. He told her, “get on your knee’s bitch! Now!”

April did as instructed but was not very coordinated. She found it hard to do anything when she was shaking so hard. She began to ramble, “don’t kill me. I don’t have anything. You didn’t kill the Smith’s did you? I mean, I hope not because they want to buy this house and, well, you see I…”

The woman with the shotgun rolled her eyes, “will you shut up already!”

“Yes,” April replied as she finally made it to her knees, “you see when I get nervous I have this condition and, well, I tend to…”
Now it was the man’s turn to yell, “enough!” He bent over and showed her the gun, in his hand, up close, “you see this? I can cure your condition.” Then he looked up at the woman, “China, go get the car.”

“Fuck you Barry,” the woman replied, “it’s your turn. I’m not leaving you in here with her alone.”

Now Barry acted somewhat defensive, “she’s a mark, already! We’re going to do her, just like all the rest.”

April gulped and then squeaked, “does do me involve violence or is it a sex thing cause you see I…”

Barry slapped his hand over April’s mouth and then looked to China, “did you bring the duct tape? I don’t think I can take this for very long.”

China stepped up and was a bit more relaxed with her weapon now. She looked down at April and smiled, “I don’t think you’re going to have to worry about this one too long. Now you go get the car.”

Barry seemed pissed when he went to the door. He mumbled the single word, “bitch.”
April replied, “sorry?”

At the same time China replied, “ass hole.” Then China nudged April with her shotgun and said, “don’t worry about it lady. This will all be over soon enough.”

April shivered a lot, “you’re not going to kill me are you?”

The answer never came. Barry came running back in the door and seemed to be panicking, “it’s the cops! Where the hell did they come from?”

China’s eyes quickly looked at the phone that was still laying on the floor. She put it together, “oh shit. She called Emergency Services!”
Barry was already running for the back door and moving as fast as he could. China’s eyes kept drifting back and forth between her retreating partner and the girl that was still on her knees. April just watched the turmoil and, when it vanished, April was kind of wishing it had not. China had made up her mind. She raised one end of the shotgun to her shoulder and put the business in on April’s head.
April was shouting over and over, “please don’t kill me. Please don’t kill me!”

“Sorry babe,” China told her. “That’s just how it works sometimes.”