Eddie Loco aka Eddie Perez, got his name from his occasionally erratic behavior. A street tough, he was brutish but generally good natured. Manny and Eddie were childhood friends, watching each other’s backs since they were in primary school. Eddie was a hustler, never holding an honest job for long. Small time drug dealing, scams, and petty theft were his thing. He bounced at a couple local bars and sometimes people would hire him to collect debts.
Manny walked three blocks to Eddie’s current basement apartment. Eddie’s old lady was tired of his constant womanizing and moved out last month. They’d been using his place to drink and play cards in their spare time, of which they had a lot lately. Eddie didn’t approve of Manny’s drug use, but let him get off there anyway. “Better here than some filthy alley,” he thought.
Manny galloped down the broken concrete steps to Eddie’s front door. He usually barged in unannounced, but today the door was locked. “Hey Loco, what gives?” he barked. He heard the chains slide off and the deadbolt snap loudly. Eddie peaked out cautiously.
“Anyone out there Manny?” he said softly.
“Yeah, there’s a parade, what do you think?” Manny huffed.
Eddie slowly opened the door and said “Hey Manny, come on in and don’t freak out okay?”
The way he said it made Manny’s stomach sink. He walked in behind Eddie as his eyes adjusted to the dark. There was a soft moan that startled Manny. “What the fuck Loco?”
Blindfolded, hands tied behind him, a man around their age slumped tiredly on a chair in the middle of the room. He looked vaguely familiar. Manny looked at Eddie and raised his hands questioningly. Eddie pulled him over to the corner and whispered
“I picked him up for Fat Frank. He owes big time. Frank says his family has money. Whatever we get outta his family, we can keep after he pays off the debt.”
“Loco, this is kidnapping!” Manny whispered vehemently.
“No it’s not, we’re just gonna keep him a bit. His family is sending over a driver with the money. No cops, don’t worry,” Eddie said. Somehow it didn’t reassure Manny.
“So what do you need me for?” Manny said.
“Just watch him for an hour while I collect the money. When I text you, take him out the back and down the block before you take off the blindfold. Then get the hell out of there. Don’t let him see you.”
“I don’t know man, seems too easy,”
“It is too easy. I’m gonna give you half of what I get okay? We’re buddies and I know you need the money. Plus I can trust you.”
“Okay, but you sure everything’s gonna go smooth?”
“Yeah Manny, promise. C’mon dude, I need you to watch him okay?”
Manny reluctantly agreed. The drop wasn’t until sometime that evening, after nightfall. They spent the afternoon watching TV and playing video games. Manny got off to stay straight. The guy stayed quiet. They fed him and let him use the bathroom, the blindfold never coming off.
Shortly after 8 o’clock Eddie’s phone buzzed. “The drop’s gonna happen at 9. I’ve gotta get to the drop location before their driver.”
Eddie grabbed a backpack and a dark windbreaker. “I’ll text you when it’s okay to let him go, okay?” He raced out the door and up the stairs into the night.
Manny looked back at their captive. Drowsily, he mumbled his first words to Manny. “What’s going on? Are you gonna let me go or what?” Manny suddenly realized how he knew their victim.
