Chapter 5 - The Escalation
Desperate men do stupid things, and Gregory was running out of time.
On Friday night, I pulled my sedan into the underground parking garage of my apartment building. The space was poorly lit, the concrete pillars casting long, dark shadows across the rows of parked vehicles.
As I stepped out of my car and reached into the back seat for my briefcase, heavy footsteps echoed from behind a support column.
Two men stepped into the dim light. One was tall and broad-shouldered, wearing a leather jacket. The other was Gregory, holding a thick manila envelope and a pen.
"Clara," Gregory said, his voice echoing in the hollow garage. "We need to finish this tonight."
I didn't run. I didn't reach for my phone. I simply closed my car door with a firm click and stood my ground.
"You brought a bodyguard, Gregory?" I asked, looking at the large man beside him. "Is this supposed to scare me?"
"This is Joey," Gregory sneered, his confidence returning now that he had muscle behind him. "Joey works for the people I owe money to. And Joey isn't as patient as I am."
The large man stepped forward, flexing his knuckles. "Look, lady. Your husband owes two hundred grand. You sign the deed transfer for this condo over to him tonight so he can sell it, or I make sure you spend the next six months in a hospital bed eating through a straw."
"Joey," I said softly, adjusting the strap of my shoulder bag. "Gregory didn't tell you how he got that bruise on his arm, did he?"
Joey snorted. "He said he tripped over a chair."
"He lied," I said.
In a fraction of a second, Joey lunged forward, reaching out with a massive hand to grab my throat.
I didn't retreat. I stepped inside his reach, driving the hard heel of my palm directly into his nose. Blood sprayed instantly as Joey groaned, stumbling backward. Before he could recover, I snapped a sharp sidekick into his left knee joint.
A sickening CRACK echoed through the concrete garage. Joey screamed, collapsing onto the oil-stained floor, clutching his shattered kneecap.
Gregory backed up so fast he hit the side of a concrete pillar, his jaw hanging open in utter disbelief.
I turned slowly to face my husband, stepping over Joey's groaning form.
"You brought a debt collector to my home to threaten my life, Gregory?" I asked, stepping closer with every word.
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"Stay away from me!" Gregory whimpered, dropping the envelope and pen, his back pinned against the pillar. "I'll call the cops!"
"Please do," I whispered, pulling my phone out and showing him the glowing screen. "Because the parking garage security cameras just recorded the entire attempted extortion and aggravated assault. And unlike Joey... you don't have an alibi."
