A CASE OF CONFUSION

He had been casing the house for almost two weeks, checking to see when they were home and if they had any security. From all he could gather, they didn’t, so he saved the date for all his plans. Self gratification and law breaking, something could look forward to.

Thursday definitely. They both work late until at least 10pm and they’ve got no reason to come home early. With them both gone by 7:30am I’ll definitely have enough time to do whatever I want. Get in, take all their shit, and get out, no muss no fuss. No kids, no dogs, no hangup. Absolute perfection.

He really put honest hard work and time into this, which considering the context spoke volumes to his character, or so you’d think. You’d think he was malicious, that he had a grudge for those with more than him, or that he had something against this particular upper middle class couple. But if that's a bet you’d make, you’d loose. Jax had no real motive, aside from boredom. He had gone to high school, graduated, and went to community college, had a place of his own and a job. But, all that aside his life was terribly mundane and not exactly what you’d call exciting. So he got a little inventive and decided killing time, and getting rich would be more fun.

Find a prospect, pop a squat and watch. Boom, two to four weeks killed depending on the difficulty of the environment. Break in, lift, sell. Another night, another score; simple as tying your shoes. I don’t have what I need for this yet though, and that could prove problematic.

Jax took out his phone and dialed for Leo.

“Hey man, you home? I’m gonna be stopping by real soon today.” He could hear Leo rustling around at his place.

“Yea, I’m home. When you coming through? Cause honestly right now I’m not really good for company.”

Was he lying? Why would he feel the need to do that, I know everything he does, he’s a goddamn crank dealer, pimp, with a pawn shop that doubles as a home. That's all common knowledge, so why the fuck is he jerking me around?

“I was planning to stop by soon. I’m maybe five blocks away, so about a half. I’m walking.” He could hear Leo on the other end exhale then suck his teeth.

“Yea I guess that’s all good.” With that he hung up.

Putting his phone back in his pocket Jax stood from his seat on the stoop that in the past few days had become his home, lit a cigarette and started walking. After strolling about five blocks he dipped into the first alley on his left, and started banging on the green caged door blocking his entry into Leo’s. After about 15 minutes a blonde girl wearing a grateful dead t shirt and heels opened the gate in front of the door. Jax followed her back up the stairs into Leo’s.

“Hey man, I guess you can see that I was a little busy before you called.” He was sitting on the couch in the back room the stairwell lead to, his feet up on a milk crate with nothing else but an ashtray sitting on top.

“Yea well, whatever. I just need my usual, I have a job coming up and I need to be prepared.”

Leo looked up at him, his mouth contorting into a smirk.

“Your stuff is all behind the counter upstairs on the shelves. Get your shit then you can pay me after the job, I know you’ll have the money then.”

“I’ve got the cash now, that’s not an issue.”

He was too busy with his blonde, resuming what was most likely keeping them busy for fifteen minutes while he waited outside. Leo gestured for Jax to leave, so he made his way upstairs.

He’s so damn rude, you’d think having a job that left him talking and dealing with people all day he’d be nicer, or at least more polite. There was a black duffle on the floor next to the shelves Leo told him about. His supplies were inside, drill, screwdriver, duct tape, and obviously the most important, the bag itself.

The days leading up to his plan were just as mundane as the rest of his life usually was. Squeezing himself into lecture halls, cramming for finals, and trying not to run himself into a wall, but when Thursday finally rolled around Leo’s whole life felt different. His sight was clearer, and he was unusually calm. With a clear schedule and all his tools in toe he stopped just long enough to buy a coffee and a new pack of cigarettes at the gas station a few blocks away.

It’s only 6:30am, so I have an hour to survey what’s going on in there before I run in there blind.

After sitting on a neighbor's stoop obscured by bushes for almost an hour, the perfect time had arrived.

The car rolled out the driveway on and down the street, leaving a pristine and empty house open for Jax to raid as he pleased. After waiting almost a half hour he made his move. Crossing the street and walking up to the back door, being careful to look like he knew what he was doing and as if he belonged there.

Aright, let's get this door off its hinges, get in, pocket whatever, and get out. Start with the kitchen and dining room, then up the stairs, down the hall, and follow suit all the way up, then a final sweep down and out the door.

Following the plan Jax moved through the kitchen and dining room, gathering up all the silver, then moving stealthily up the stairs, to the master bedroom, taking jewelry and anything else of value he could find. After looking through the rest of the house he got to the third floor, and noticed a difference of the carpet in the hall and under the final unopened door in the house.

The entire house is carpeted the same, accept this room. They probably got the best stuff in the house in this room here.

With that thought he slammed open the door to a pink wonderland. A little brunette girl sitting in the middle of a bed with butterfly comforters surrounding her, she just sat there and stared straight into Jax’s eyes. He stood there dumbfounded for a couple seconds, then whirled around again and pulled the door closed again.

What the hell, I didn’t know there were any children in this house at all. She looks at least six, she should be in school or something right? How well did she see me? Why is she in bed in a house alone at 7:00am?

He had been standing there in a whirlwind of thought and concern when he heard a tiny shuffling behind the door, then felt little fingers poking his ankle from under the door. He turned around, lowering himself to the floor and laying down so he could see under the crack of the door. There he found a pair of chestnut brown eyes staring back at him.

“What’re you doing in this house all alone little one?” Jax asked out of a genuine place of concern from the bottom of his heart. The little eyes just kept looking at him, unblinking, and focused.

“They always leave me home, I just stay in bed. I’m quite, so its okay, right?”

“No baby girl, it’s not okay. If you want to, you can come with me, I’ll open the door and we can go to my house, and you can play games and run around.” He just laid there, on the floor, waiting for her to respond, or to try and poke him from under the door again. She just laid there and looked back at him, and for the first time Jax truly hoped that someone would see the good in him and trust him, she needed someone to take care of her, and maybe, just maybe he thought he would be the one to do that for her.