Chapter 20: Persuade Him

Hugh Spade thought today was a good day because right after he got up this morning, his damned ex-girlfriend Melanie had called, saying she now had a hundred bucks and wanted to exchange it for a few photos, hoping he would bring the photos to her place in Warwick City after work.

So, after Sinclair Elementary let out, Hugh Spade drove home early, even though it was far less than the five hundred he'd demanded. But with the hundred plus his weekly salary of a hundred and forty US dollars, he could at least assure himself that this week, he would become human again, rather than the wretch too poor to pay for commercial insurance, contemplating selling blood to maintain his dignity.

He opened the fridge, took out a beer and chugged it, then reached into the back and pulled out a folder, dumping out all the photos inside.

These were his precious collection, all wonderful snaps of Melanie half-heartedly or drunkenly taken during their relationship.

Hugh Spade sipped his beer, scrutinized for a few minutes, selected what he considered the three ugliest photos from the couple dozen, stuffed them in his pocket, and put the rest back in the fridge.

Having gotten the photos, he walked out of the apartment with his beer, opened the door to his family car, started the engine, and drove toward Warwick City.

Standing at the door of the apartment where he had once formed fond memories, Hugh Spade rang the bell. When Melanie opened the door, he spread his arms and said with a fake smile, "Dear Melanie, I don't know why, but my mood always lifts whenever I see you."

"Here's a hundred bucks, give me the photos," Melanie said, not letting him step inside the apartment, standing at the door with a cold expression.

Hugh Spade chuckled softly, "You should invite me in for a cup of coffee and some desserts, like that time in Boston. Just like that, give me..."

"The photos, then get lost," Melanie interrupted his pleasantries, holding out a hundred bucks between her fingers, her voice filled with loathing.

Hugh Spade licked his lips, slowly losing his smile, "I need to remind you of our respective statuses when we were together, B*tch."

With that, he grabbed Melanie's wrist, the one flashing the cash at him, then with a yank, he dragged her into the apartment and slammed the door shut!

"You want to hit me again? Like last time?" Melanie inhaled deeply, her eyes glued to Hugh Spade, she spoke.

Hugh Spade slowly released Melanie's wrist, smiling again, "No, dear, of course not. A fair trade, you pay the photography fee, and I give you the photos, I..."

He looked around the room, then focused on the coffee table in the living room. At that moment, capsules and pills were scattered on the transparent glass coffee table, with several bags of drugs packed in partition bags next to it.

Those drugs immediately caught his attention. He walked over to the coffee table, while Melanie rushed forward to block him, saying, "This stuff isn't mine, I'm just helping sort it out!"

"Get lost, B*tch, don't force me to leave a mark on your face like last time," Hugh Spade said, brandishing his fist to scare Melanie away. He picked up the partitioned bags filled with drugs, examining them, and exclaimed in surprise, "Adderall and Lunesta, these are hard to come by in pharmacies these days, good stuff."

"I told you, it's not mine, it's my tenant's, I'm just helping him parcel it up to make some extra money," Melanie suddenly stepped forward, attempting to snatch back the drugs Hugh Spade had picked up, explaining as she did.

Hugh Spade threw a punch and hit Melanie in the face, sending her flipping over onto the sofa.

"Need me to use my fists again to remind you what pain feels like?" Hugh Spade glared down at Melanie, his gaze fierce, as he spoke.

Melanie covered the side of her face that had been hit, looking at Hugh Spade with horror and a crying voice, "Hugh, that's not mine, if you want me to make money, then don't sabotage my job, Please…"

"Baby, oh, seeing you cry just breaks my heart." Hugh Spade made an exaggerated gesture of deep distress, mocking Melanie, "So, your tenant is a drug dealer? Gang member? If you don't make it clear to me, I can't guarantee what will happen next. Maybe your pretty pictures will end up in schools everywhere, and you can just wait to spend your life packaging drugs for dealers!"

"No..." Melanie collapsed on the sofa, crying her heart out.

In Melanie's fragmented story, Hugh Spade learned everything. To make ends meet, she had rented out the small bedroom to a student from Lincoln High School. But it turned out the student wasn't there to study; he was doing his little drug business. Every evening, boys and girls from high school would come by to buy drugs before heading out to various teen parties. Melanie had tried to stop it several times, but to no avail. Short on money, she was finally swayed by the student, and started the work of helping him package drugs to sell to the students who came for pickup, earning some extra cash.

"That guy is with a gang, the Italian Mafia! If you take those drugs, he will come after you!" Melanie suddenly summoned the courage to shout as she saw Hugh Spade looking at the drugs with greedy eyes.

Hugh Spade laughed, "You know what, if that guy was really as you say, a gang member, you would have told me right away, not when you see me about to take the stash, trying to scare me off."

As he spoke, Hugh Spade picked up the drugs from the coffee table and pocketed them all, "I'll discount these to fifty bucks, I'll take it as you paying me one hundred and fifty bucks for today."

Then he bent down to pick up the few bills that had fallen on the floor during his attack on Melanie, stood up, and walked towards the door, "You still need to pay me three hundred and fifty bucks before next week arrives. You should thank me, for not charging you interest."

"What am I going to do if you take that stash, Hugh! Hugh!" Melanie struggled to get up from the sofa and hurried after Hugh Spade.

Hugh Spade turned around with a graceful bearing, looking Melanie over, "You're so pretty, why not sleep with that little guy, maybe he won't just not blame you for losing the pills, he might even pay you a night's worth."

"You bastard!" Like a provoked she-beast, Melanie swung her fists at Hugh Spade.

Hugh Spade lifted his leg and kicked hard into Melanie's abdomen, sending her stumbling back two steps, clutching her stomach in agony as she knelt on the ground!

"Ungrateful bitch," Hugh spat on the ground and took out three photos from his pocket, tossing them onto Melanie like trash, "Take your time enjoying these; your tits are quite enchanting."

Reaching the door and pulling it open, Hugh Spade seemed to remember something. He turned back to Melanie, who was on her knees picking up the photos, and said,

"Next time you call me to collect the money, make sure you prepare some coffee and desserts for me. See you next time, baby."

The door closed with a bang, and Melanie got up from the ground, wiping away the not-yet-dried tears from her face. She walked to the window and watched the parking lot until she was certain Hugh Spade had driven away, and then she picked up the phone and dialed a number:

"He's left, and he took the drugs."

On the other end of the phone, Tommy Hawk's voice was calm, "What follows is none of your concern."

"What exactly are you planning to do, Tommy, at least let me know that you won't turn to crime," Melanie said somewhat nervously.

"I'm currently finding a buyer for Mr. Hugh Spade, persuading him to embark on the path of crime," Tommy Hawk said, then hung up the phone.