said his employer was filthy rich. Maybe—
TWO, MILLION, DOLLARS?
The number was so staggeringly immense, when I
tried to visualize it, all the zeroes kept ricocheting
painfully back and forth through my brain like the metal
spheres in an arcade pinball machine. I was rooted to
the sidewalk, unable to resume walking, but deathly
afraid to turn back around. Instinctively, I sensed that
if I"turned around to listen to any more of this mad
ness, I'd be sunk for sure.
Just walk away Mike. Get out of here, I warned myself,
but I couldn't do it. I just couldn't. How could I justify
leaving behind that kind of money? Think of every
thing I could buy. The places I could visit and the things
I could do with a stash like that—right arm or no right
arm. Think about Arlene. Man, that twenty-five grand
insurance policy was nothing compared to this. If I
played my cards right, maybe I could get back together
with her, actually be a part of her life again.
Easy fella. Don't get carried away. It'll never happen.
Still, it could happen. Couldn't it? What's that old
saying? Damned if I do and damned if I don't. That
pretty much summed up how I felt.
Eventually I did turn to face the limo again. If I was,
going to be damned,.I may as well be rich, right? Drake
was trying his best not to let his Cheshire-cat grin out
of the bag, but tactfulness obviously wasn't one of his
strong traits. He knew he had me right where he wanted,
playing the fool, thinking about the money.
"You heard me right, Mihz. Two million for your right
arm. If you'll just listen for a second, it's nowhere near as
sinister as it sounds. Nathan Marshall isn't some B-movie
mad scientist performing, as you so colorfully put it^ sick
twisted little experiments. He's a highly respected physi
cian for God's sake, a renowned medical researcher and
neurosurgeon. What did you think he was going to do,
chop off your arm with an axe while I held you down?"
As if from a great distance, I heard myself say, "I'm
not sure—" but my brain felt detached from my mouth,
drifting elsewhere in a vision of me lying comfortably
in a lush green meadow, relaxing on a bed of two mil
lion one--dollar-bill blades of grass.
It felt strange, really weird, and so unlike me to day
dream like this. Drake was speaking to me again.
"What?" I asked.
"I said, come on back into the limo and let me explain
exactly how this deal would work. Come have another
drink, listen to xhefull story* then make your decision.
At the very least, we can give you a lift back home."
I didn't need a lift back home. What I needed was to
run far away from here as fast as my legs could carry
me, ibut damned if my feet didn't take a couple steps
back toward the open car door
Don't da it, Mike, my practical side silently scolded.
Don't he a fool. Take the money you've already pocketed and
bead for the bills. Go out and live it up with Blue J like you'd
planned, and forget all about this crazy offer. He's talking
about cutting off.your arm, your motherfucking arm, man!
Wake up and get out of here\
But hey, Fox, think about all that money, the greedy
part of my conscience shot back. Think ofeverything you
could have with that kind of dough, not the least of which is
your daughter maybe loving you again. The possibilities,
Fox> just think of the possibilities!
And I was.
There was no use denying it. No matter how hard I
tried, and no matter how fueked up this whole scenario
was, I couldn't stop thinking about how much money
was at stake.
Visions of sprawling houses, cobalt blue pools, tennis
courts, luxury cars, vacations in Europe, and beautiful
long-legged women all flashed before my eyes. Before I
could stop myself, I was climbing into the backseat of
the limo for a second time and accepting another glass>
of single malt scotch;
Drake tapped on the divider and the driver had us on
our way again. "Good man," he applauded me.
"Now let me explain this properly,