It was getting dark when her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and saw it was Pansy. “Hey, Pansy.”
Denson’s voice sounded panicky as he said, “Ariel, you have to come quick!”
Ariel stopped walking, “Put Pansy on the phone.”
Denson hesitated, then said, “I can’t.”
“Put her on.”
“I can’t.” His breath shuddered and Ariel heard it.
She said, “What is wrong. Tell me and I’ll come.”
“Don’t call the police. Please.”
“I am far to the north of you, in Sunrise. The police can get there faster.”
Denson said, “They jumped us, men I know. They want money, and they will kill us if we call the police. They knocked Pansy out, and she hasn’t come to.”
“My god, Denson, I have no money! Are you insane?”
He sounded like he was crying, “I…they are men I have done business with, and I haven’t paid them back for a loan.”
“Is this drugs? Drug money?”
“Yes, I borrowed money and bought some drugs to sell.”
Ariel walked toward the Mall exit doors, “Did you sell them?”
“Yes.”
“So you had the money to pay them.”
“Yes, but I didn’t.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to roll the money over, buy even more and then sell that. I would be rich then.”
Ariel pushed open the doors and walked fast toward the area where her car was parked. She was so mad… “Do you have the money now?”
“Yes, but I buried it. They won’t let me go get it, and Pansy is looking bad, Ariel, really bad. I need your help.”
Ariel said, “Tell me where it is buried, and text me where I need to take it.”
Denson told her where it was buried, then hesitated a few seconds and told her he would text the address, and for her to hurry and bring the money. He sounded like he was reading from a script.
“All right. Tell them to treat Pansy, because I am coming with the money. If they don’t, I will hide the money and they will never see it.”
“But if you don’t bring it, they–.”
Ariel was hot. “I don’t care what they will do to you. I care about Pansy. Tell them, and tell them I am coming.” She hung up her phone and trotted to her little Ford.
Denson took Pansy’s phone from his ear and looked at the two men guarding him. “She’s coming with the money. To the address you gave me.”
One of the men pulled his phone and called. Ringo answered, “Yes.”
The man said, “She’s coming, with Denson’s money.”