The Winston Bank Job (closed)

[wideeyedone]

Jane Kirby was terrified. Her heart was racing. But no one in the ticket line at the train depot could tell that. She looked like a college coed with out a worry in the world. No one would guess that she had $40,000 in stolen cash in her pink suitcase, and no one would suspect that she had lockpicks and a gun in her makeup bag.

Jane Kirby had grown up with her father, Skip Kirby. Skip got his nickname because he always manage to skip town before getting caught by the law or his competitors and he had taught his daughter well. She had been using her big brown eyes and crocodile tears to distract men for her father since she was a little girl-- pretending to be lost, or begging a cop to please let her daddy go for speeding because they needed to get home to mama and the baby.

In time she graduated to long cons, forgery, breaking and entering and even safe cracking. Her father trusted her more than any of his other associates. And last night Jane had learned why. Her father had been double crossed. His wheel man had killed him before the take could be split, so Jane ran. She had all of the money in her suitcase.

Soon, she had a one way ticket to Los Angeles in a private sleeping car. She kept on her baby blue cat eyed sunglasses that matched her dress perfectly. Her "new look" dress with the cinched in waist and circle skirt, played up her curvy figure. Her dark hair was bobbed at the shoulder and flipped under. She looked like a cover girl. She looked sweet and innocent and she was counting on that to help keep her safe until she arrived in Los Angeles.

Once in her sleeping compartment, she used a knife to cut a slit in the mattress. She hid the money and made sure the bed was made up neatly. She didn't trust whomever had hired her father, wouldn't come after the money, for all she knew they might have put a hit on him. She curled up on the bed and closed her eyes for a few minutes. She hadn't even stopped to shed a tear for her father. She couldn't, not just yet. She needed to wait until she was safe.

 

[KINKYCanada]

James King was sitting behind his large wooden desk, his office in a tall office building overlooking midtown Manhattan. He had just got off the phone with one of his capo's. He was ready to smash skulls. The crime boss had his fingers in many pies. Prostitution, protection rackets, and theft, he had a great crew too. But none were better than Skip Kirby that man had a gift. He was never late, never got pinched and knew how to case a joint. He had against common practice worked with his Daughter though James knew nothing about her other than her name.

Jane. Jane and her old man had worked some astounding heists in their time. Nothing too big always around the twenty G's then one of his men a two-bit driver named Henry Getty told him of a bank in upstate New York, soft security easy in and out with a gifted safecracker. James put him in touch with Skip, The take was 40 large and the split was ten for Skip, ten for Henry and twenty for James.

All went well till Henry shot Skip and tried to take the money and run. Then it seems that young Jane got the better of Henry somehow and is now on the run.

"Henry, you know why you are here?" James asked the middle ages getaway driver four hours after he got the call telling him it had all gone to shit.

"Boss that asshole was going to run! Hell, he even kept the money with his whore daughter. What's that tell you about him?" Henry said. He knew if his story didn't stick he was fucked. James looked at him, sizing him up it seems.

"He didn't trust you! Not that I can blame him. His brains are all over the back of the van. He was unarmed, and he had never double-crossed me before. His daughter did what anyone would have done. She ran. I don't blame her for that but I do blame you for the fact that she ran, and that she is holding onto all my money! Yes, Henry, I blame you for it all! Boys take him out to the east river and have him take a swim." James sat back down his pressed the buzzer next to his large ashtray. "Mary get me, Cole. Thank you, my dear." He turned away as his men muscled the driver out.

Cole was sitting in a small dive bar in Queens with a woman he had spent the night with, she was tired and looked like she needed a shower and three days sleep. She was quietly smoking while looking out the window as the cars passed. Frank was playing on the radio as half a dozen men sat around drinking the day away. Cole liked it here because he could think, it was quiet and no one dared bother him here. Not that he had a lot to think about, he had been taking it easy, the cops were cracking down on all the hustlers and mobsters as of late and with the new rush of heroin flooding New York, it was a bad time to be caught out in the street without back up. Cole was known yet few knew what he looked like, it was all rep with him and he lived up to it all, he stood at 6' even a hundred and eighty pounds, of muscle, an amateur boxer and ex-military man he knew how to take care of himself with his fists, a knife or a gun.

Cole 'Mad Dog' Bryant was a hit man. He was the best at it too. He had a knack for out thinking his quarry and dispatching them quietly yet violently hence the name 'Mad Dog' He had worked for the King family for little over five years and carried out about a hundred hits. and triple that in shakedowns.

The phone rung and a burly barman answered. "Cole!" He shouted holding up the black receiver. Cole swallowed the last of his bourbon and got up. He dropped a ten on the table. "That's for the waitress, not you." He said pointing to the woman whose eyes shot up and looked at the bill.

"Ya!" He said in a thick Queens accent. "Ya right away." He handed the phone back to the barman and looked over at the table, the woman was gone so was his ten. "Bitch." He mumbled.

He arrived in Manhattan an hour later and made his way to the office, he was waved in by Francine the secretary.

"Boss!" He said curtly.

"Cole my boy. Smoke?" James said holding up a pack of Red Apples.

"No thanks trying to quit!" Cole said putting his hand up. He had taken his last smoke almost a month ago. James shrugged and took his seat.

"I need a person removed! This one is a little different though. You've heard of Skip Kirby?"

"Heard the name ya, never met the man though!" Cole answered.

"Well, he pulled a heist with Henry Getty and well it went south. Henry killed Skip and then Skips daughter went underground. She's holding onto 40 large that ain't hers. I want it back and I want her taken out." Cole raised his eyebrows. He had killed women before, hell if he saw Pam again he would probably kill her for taking the ten earlier, but he didn't like it, and from what he had just been told she did what anyone would have in her place.

"Why not just get the money?" Cole asked. James knew Cole had a liking for the women. But this was different.

"Because she ran. Had she come to me I would have given her share to her and thanked her. But she ran! This sets a bad precedent. I can't have people thinking that they can get away with this. The bank job was two days ago, she's had time to turn up and she hasn't, their place is empty and there are signs that she packed in a hurry. That can only mean one thing. I am a man who can't afford his command to be threatened, no we need to take care of this and it has to be bloody. I have nothing other than her name to go on. Jane Kirby, she is over eighteen, but that is all I know. There is all the money she's carrying plus another twenty if you get it done in the next week. I need it done before word spreads." James said in a flurry. Cole got up and walked out.

He first went to the bus depot he had people that worked the ticket booths. He had not much to go on, but they would know if a single white female bought a ticket and where they were headed.

Then when that turned up nothing he headed to the train station. He knew she wasn't in her own car because it was still at their house. No bus or train would be the mode of transport for her. He was in luck there was a woman who paid cash for a ticket to LA, not five hours earlier. The train was gone but he could head it off in Philly if he sped.

KC

 

[wideeyedone]

Jane had managed a few minutes of sleep. She woke up when the train stopped to pick up passengers in Philly. She was starving and stir crazy, so she removed her rumpled dress and began to freshen up for the dining car. She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked at the red stripe traveling from her collar bone to between her breasts. Henry Getty had been planning on taking more than the money. He had left finger marks on her arms and his knee had left a purple circle on her thigh. His knife had left the crimson stripe down her chest. Her father had returned and stopped Getty but Getty had shot him and Jane ran.

Jane closed her eyes and she could see her father’s blood splattered on the dooe panel of the van. She thought the tears might come but they didn’t. She found her little black dress in her bag. She rolled on her black nylons and slid on her black t strap heels. She touched up her eyeliner and her mascara and she headed to the dining car.

All eyes were on the twenty year old beauty as she stood near the hostess waiting to be seated.

 

[KINKYCanada]

Cole had opted to go alone, he knew James wouldn't like it and order that his people meet him at the train station in Philly. Cole was driving like a man possessed, Weaving his 1958, red caddie in and out of the weekend drivers, he knew he would make up all the lost time on the interstate. He had ahead from a payphone a friend and told him to have the train delayed should he not get there in time and had that same man pre-order a ticket for boarding waiting for him.

Cole didn't like the mission but knew James had a point, it was a cut-throat world they lived in and any weakness would bring more trouble then one life was worth. Cole also wasn't exactly the most caring of people, and James would have let her go had she come forward, He had been lying about letting her keep the cash, that deal was with Skip, not his unknown daughter. Even with all that he still didn't like the idea of killing a woman who was carrying money that James wouldn't miss.

At the station four men who worked for James had been waiting for the train, they had no intention of letting "Mad Dog" Do this one without them. A hit like this would propel them into Capo status they were sure.

Cole pulled into 30th street station with minutes to spare. the train was pulling in as he walked up to the ticket booth and retrieved his ticket. He put the cash down and spotted the men and sighed though it wasn't surprised.

"Boys!" He said curtly walking up to them. They looked like mobsters from the fucking 1920's they stuck out like sore thumbs. Their mark would see them coming and bolt, seeing all they knew was that she was young and female they were not in an advantageous position and needed to be discrete.

"Mad-Dog."

"Cole to you four, only friends and lovers call me Mad-Dog and you are neither. You know she's going to fucking spot you a mile away!"

"What do we care, we are going to kill the bitch and that's all she wrote."
One said with a smile.

Cole raised his eyebrows. "You know what this mystery woman looks like?"

"Well no but how many young women can be on the train we just break a few eggs! haha" He replied laughing.

"Kill the wrong woman and King will skin you alive. Get caught, skinned alive, get seen! You get the picture. Stay here let me do what I do!"

"And let you get the glory! I don't think so." The tall man spat in anger.

"Get in my way and there will be five bodies on this train by Pheonix," Cole said and walked away. They didn't say another word, Cole was not a man to test, this they knew. They just followed him to the platform and boarded, Cole went to his cabin and left the men in the rear bar car. They had stupidly got only general seating tickets where they were allowed to only go into the last two cars which were a general seating and a bar car where you could get some food. If they were to stay on for the full four days that would prove a massive error on their part. Cole was sure that Jane would have got a cabin and would be in the more forward cars where they weren't allowed.

Now the game of finding Jane began, he counted no less than 12 women who could have fit the bill and there were a lot of women he had yet to see. This was going to be a long four days unless he got lucky.

KC


Car
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[wideeyedone]

Jane surveyed the dining car and tried to figure out where she would blend in best. There were two elderly ladies dining alone. There was also a table with two gentleman who liked like they might be doing business together.

She decided to go with the gentlemen. If someone was coming after her they might get chivalrous and tried to protect her. She applied her fresh lipstick and then sauntered to their table.

"Pardon me, I am travelling alone, and I was wondering if I could join you fellows for supper?" She put on an expert southern accent. The men stood and offered her a seat. "I am Madeline, but folks always call me Maddie." She offered sweetly. Soon, the more senior of the two ordered a bottle of champagne.

They ordered dinner and she tried to discretely watch the crowd. She knew that so far it had gone too easy and jobs were never too easy.

 

[KINKYCanada]

Cole had so far planned for every scenario, he even had the four mooks in the rear cars somewhat covered by the rules of the train with them being stuck back there, he was now free to do what he did best. His inside man had supplied him with a bag of clothes and in his cabin, he changed into a pair of tan slacks and a white button-down shirt. It was 1962 and this was a common fashion amongst the young single men of the age. He looked at himself in the mirror and thought she would be one gifted woman to pick him out of a crowd.

In the hall of the cabin car, he even managed to run across a woman who was traveling alone and had agreed to join him in the restaurant car. They walked in and Cole scanned the room. One woman fitting the bill was seated with two men. She seemed to know them well but that didn't mean anything right then, Cole couldn't move anyway so he just looked for a second and then took a seat with his back angled to the window. A habit one picks up when people are trying to kill you.

The young woman talked his ear off about life in the country and how the train ride to New York and back to California again was just what the Dr. had ordered. Cole was good a feigning interest in most things but the young, beautiful woman sitting with the two businessmen peaked his interest. He kept looking at her and then looking away if he thought she was looking him. God was she sexy. he thought. She looked to be only a few years younger and she exuded a beautiful strength.

 

[wideeyedone]

The more senior of the two gentleman poured her a glass of champagne. Jane took a few sips. She could feel eyes on her, but she couldn't tell if they were suspicious eyes or just appreciative ones. She scratched her collarbone, and she felt her dress adjust. She looked down and saw a hint of the scratch that Getty's knife had left on her. She quickly adjusted her dress back in place and took another sip of the champagne.

"What do you reccomend for dinner, Mr. Hobbs?" She leaned over and touched the man's hand. She wanted everyone to think that she was travelling with someone else instead of by herself. She hoped no one was after her, but she couldn't be sure.

 

[KINKYCanada]

Cole watched as different people came into the car for supper, so far the only one was the young woman sitting with the two men. If she was alone she was doing a damn fine job disguising it. The woman who was sitting with him had noticed and looked over at the woman taking all of Coles attention. She gave a little huff.

"A little young don't you think. Those two must be desperate. You'd think two men like that would pick a woman their age." This statement got Cole thinking. If she was the daughter of Skip than she would of course not want to look like she was alone, especially if she thought James might send people after her. Cole smiled and gave the woman all her attention from then on. He would be approaching This mystery woman soon enough he thought.

The pair had a lovely supper of salmon and veggies. Cole got a nice bottle for the table and the pair talked about her soon to be adventure. Cole told her that he was in sales and it was just another business trip not unlike so many others. He left the talk light and kept away from details, he learned it was the details that got you in trouble when lying about what you did for a living. Keep it simple and keep it real.

When the supper was done they stayed and talked, Cole didn't want to but he needed to keep an eye on this young one. If she left without the men he would find out who she was and dig deep, if she left with them he would keep her in mind but would keep looking elsewhere too.

KC

 

[wideeyedone]

Jane had a dilemma. If she left the dining car without these gentleman, people would know she was alone. However, the older guy was getting pretty boozy and if he walked her to her sleeping compartment, she knew she was in for a clumsy fumble and a sloppy pass.

She wished the younger fellow had more of a backbone. But she had a feeling that she was being watched. Her dad had always told her to trust her instincts. She found herself chewing her lip.

Mr. Hobbs yawned in an over exagerated way. "Miss Maddie, would you like me to walk you to your room?" His coworker excused himself, picking up the signal his boss was sending.

Jane smiled sweetly. "Would you like coffee and dessert?" He shook his head.

"I have already settled up the bill, darlin'"

Jane kept her smile and let him escort her to her cabin. She let him get a quick kiss, but she slipped out of his arms, and shut the door to her cabin and locked it.

She changed out of her dress and into her nightgown. She put her switchblade under her pillow, just in case.

 

[KINKYCanada]

Cole saw her get up, saw her walk out with the older of the two men. But they didn't look like a couple. As she walked by and out of the dining car Cole leaned to the aisle and watched her walk out. Even if she wasn't the one, she was certainly someone he would like to know better.

The woman he was sitting with noticed and didn't seem to like it. "I thought you were dining with me, sir?" She said in a haughty tone.

"I am, but we ain't married, are we? Also, I'm here on work and that one there might just be the one I'm looking for." He said. He had told the woman he was a PI looking for a woman who had run out on her husband. That the husband had paid him a handsome fee to bring her home.

"Hmmm well, I got on in New York. I think all of us did. I didn't see her when she boarded and she certainly doesn't look old enough to be married!" The woman said giving Cole her opinion. He thought that this was all useless information. He knew a lot of the passengers boarded in New York. That told him shit. As for her age, many women were marrying young in those days. He wanted to be rid of her, she wasn't any help and she was starting to get on his nerves. Cole got up and excused himself. If he was lucky he would see what cabin they entered. No luck though the first cabin car aisle was empty and the second where his cabin was, had a couple in it, she didn't fit at all. Cole gave it up and went to his cabin and sat down. He had a bottle of whiskey with him and he downed a couple fingers before taking out his gun and hitting the hay. He had talked to the porter to wake him early. He wanted to be up and about hopefully before everyone else.

Cole wished he had more to go on. His one big fear was killing the wrong person and that was possible given how little he knew of his target. The porter was about as much use as Pam his dinner date, he knew of a lot of young women on the train, a lot of them alone and all of them getting on in New York, He hoped that his luck would change tomorrow, as they entered the belt of America.

KC

 

[wideeyedone]

Jane was sound asleep when she heard the click of the lock on the door to her cabin. She knew the sound of a lockpick as surely as she knew the sound of her own voice. She silently slipped from the bed, but there was no where to go. She thought about using the switchblade under the pillow, but if she did that, she would show herself as someone who needed a knife and knew how to use it. She took a deep breath and got ready. As soon as the big goon stepped into her cabin, she started screaming. He almost jumped out of his skin, and it only took a few seconds before several porters came running in. People were hanging out of their doors up and down the corridor to see what happened.


Jane brought on the water works. She let one of the porters hold her tight and comfort her as they wrestled the intruder out of her room. Once he was in the corridor she could see him more clearly. He was a mobster, she was sure of it. He was a big guy with a jagged scar down his cheek. She wasn't sure who he worked for, but he was after her for sure.


"I was in my bed, almost asleep when he came in. I had locked my door." She offered breathlessly.


One of the conductors came in.

"Miss, we can call the police in the next town, or we can just put him off the train. It is up to you." The older man offered in a kind voice.


She looked up at him with her big brown eyes.

"I don't want to talk to the police. I just want to get to my folks in California."


He nodded.

"Boys, put him off the train. I don't think we need to even slow down for this low life."

 

[KINKYCanada]

The train was all a bother the next day. Cole had talked to several people who had filled him in on what happened or what they thought happened. All the stories seemed to follow the same line yet they were all very different. In one, the intruder was a man who snuck on and was following the young woman, that he was, in fact, her husband. Then there was the part where he had a rope and was going to rape the victim. Then he had a gun and was in the wrong cabin. So on and so on. What he couldn't get was which cabin was entered that was a detail no one seemed to know and the porters and conductor weren't talking as they felt the persons life may still be in danger. This bothered Cole. This gave that woman a cushion. The staff would be looking out for her.

He had an idea of what might have happened and skipped breakfast he went to check his theory. He made his way to the back two cars and spotted the "Other" crew and saw they were a man short.

They looked tired and cranky. They were at the bar of the car and each had a glass of whiskey in their hands.

"Boys!" Cole said when he got to them. The car was pretty empty as it was a bar car and it was eight in the morning.

"Don't start Cole!" one said putting his hand up. Cole smiled at this. They had like he thought not put one moment of thought into what they were doing.

"You seem one short?"

"Larry thought he spotted her and went to take care of her. He from what we heard was caught and thrown from the train. Fuckers didn't even slow down. We didn't dare say a word though now the staff here are watching us a little closer, we don't dare enter the upper cars. Which sucks cause she ain't here that's for sure." The one Cole spotted to be in charge said. He wondered why Larry thought he knew who the mark was. Did he have information Cole didn't? Cole didn't dare let them think he didn't have a plan or let them know he was pretty much clueless thus far.

"Get off at the next stop, get larry and get back to New York, if you three get pinched James'll have all your asses for lunch!" Cole said warning them to stay away. Now that they were short one man and they saw how the train dealt with them Cole had a point. But the money was too good and they would let it go that easily.

Cole went back to his cabin and tried to think of a plan. He needed to find out who all the single ladies were and fast. He waited by the crossover between the lounge and the cabins. He knew he looked odd but was sure he could talk his way out of any odd stares. He stood and watched for all the women who were unattended.

KC

 

[wideeyedone]

Jane had to leave her cabin, as the housekeeping staff was straightening up. She was dressed in a simple black dress and her dark hair was pinned up in a low bun. She had on just a touch of makeup. She was trying not to stand out. She slipped into the lounge looking for her pair of businessman, but they weren't in the lounge. She hoped to find a table of women to join.

But then she spotted the handsome stranger in the passageway. She threw him one of her best smiles. He was very dashing and she hoped he was another travelling businessman. He looked too smooth to be a mobster.

She took a seat on one of the barstools, putting her legs on display. She hooked one of her high heels on the rung of the stool. She watched him to see his reaction.

 

[KINKYCanada]

Cole didn't have to wait too long to spot a single lady. She was the one from the other night he thought. Though she looked more mature more womanly. She was good looking the night before but this time his other brain seemed to clue in on her beauty.

She smiled and took a seat on a bar stool and almost presented her self. Something a woman on the lame doesn't do. He looked back up the corridor and decided to give up the perch. If she was there and Larry the idiot did have the right cabin she would be sitting tight.

He walked over to her. He was wearing navy slacks and a grey button-down shirt. He smiled and took a seat next to her. "You don't mind me joining you do you?" He asked sitting before she could answer. "Hi my name is Elmore, Elmore Leeson but everyone calls me E.L." He said putting out his hand to shake. He had not told anyone his name yet but wondered if this beauty had overheard or talked to the woman he was with at supper about why he was on the train. She didn't seem put out by him so he doubted it. The P.I. the story was a good cover but people were often standoffish with them. He would avoid talking about why he was there and having to make a story up as long as possible. Besides he still had days to get her. "I must say you are a very striking woman." He complemented to woman as he looked her over his eyes lingering on her toned legs for a spell.

KC

 

[wideeyedone]

Jane gave him her hand and her best smile.

"I'm Madeline Jones." She offered with a sweet smile, "But almost everyone except my father calls me Maddie."

She liked the look of him, he was well dressed and very smooth.

She ordered a gin and tonic, and twirled the stir stick as they talked.

 

[KINKYCanada]

Maddie seemed to be a modern woman, not some bored housewife, or confused woman trying to make her way in man's world with not the skill nor the nerve to do so. No Maddie had class and a strength about her. and Cole liked that. As they talked he started to forget that he was not on the train to socialize he was there to find and kill a young woman. Maddie though had drawn almost all of that out of him. She had him captivated. As a few drinks were downed Cole became a little more brazen, forward. He liked the cut of this woman and wanted to get to know her a lot better and a hell of a lot more intimately.

"What do you say we take this conversation back to my cabin Maddie?" He asked resting his hand on her thigh. By this point, the car was filling up with people including the woman he had dined with and the two men she had. All three gave them scandalized looks. Cole looked around every so often as people entered, he made mental notes on each of to the women who fit the targets age, after all, there was no certainty that she was in fact alone that had been a guess, though a good one he thought. There were three women in there now who fit the age though not anything else he knew of Jane.

KC