On-the-spot #5

I'm eating a breadstick when the conversation starts in the booth behind me. Anna is late, and I'm stuck here without a book, so I lean back in my seat to evesdrop unashamedly.
"This is never going to work, you know." This voice is male, baritone, and forceful; although he is speaking quietly, the sound carries easily.
"It will if I use this." The woman's voice, set in the alto range, low and sweet, is accompanied by a rustling and the sound of something being set down on the tabletop. I hear the man lean forward, perhaps to get a closer look.
"That is impressive," says a third voice, of indeterminate sex. That's odd, I think. I could have sworn there were only two people there...
"So this will definetly do it?" asks the man; the woman must have nodded, as I hear a noise of satisfaction from the man. There's a slight scraping sound as he picks up the object, a low hum, and schlip noise.
Startled, I turn around to look, but the table behind me is empty.

I decide to wait for Anna outside next time.

Five minutes of conversation

I look at my watch for what seemed liked the 20th time. "If Jd doesn't get here soon I'm walking out" I think to myself. Trying to act as innocuous as possible to not draw attention to my single status at the table I try pretend interest in the menu as I listen to the conversation swirling around me. "You can't keep it you realize that," a males voice came from somewhere behind me. "

"Shhh keep your voice down do want someone to hear us?" the girls nervous whisper almost sounded louder to my ears then the man's did.
"Nobody in here gives a damn about what we're talking about. What are you going to do with it."
"I don't know I thought about maybe going uptown and leaving it in dumpster then no one can trace it back to us."
I strain my ears as my heart starts to beat faster trying to not miss anything they are saying as my mind whirls about subjects they could be talking about.
"You can't do that. The damn thing will die if you throw her in a dumpster get your head together and think. It's your fault we're in this mess."
"I know, I know," the girl starts to cry. "I need your help Paul I just don't know what to do with her."
"Well, first we have to think about putting her somewhere she at least has a good chance of being found" he declared in a no nonsense voice that brooked no argument
"No. No
And there goes the bell for me.

A five-minute conversation...

I cannot believe what I'm hearing. The people in the booth behind me must be absolutely out of their minds. This is a restaurant, with open booths and such. The people behind me are talking about a bank heist? What a couple of idiots.


"I told you we should have taken the orange hatch-back," the man growls. "That thing gets better speed than any car we've used in the past. Why did you have to use this piece of crap?"

The lady responds with a recoil, answering defensively, "How was I supposed to know that red car was broken?"

"Maybe by looking at the 'Broken' sign on the hood?"

The next line nearly causes me to fall off the end of the bench.

"How was I supposed to know about that? I wasn't paying any attention!"

"Some defense you're going to have in court, Susan," the man rumbled. "We have to get out of this dump before any suspicions arise. I think we probably should take care of some business, though."

Oh, no! They don't mean...

"That man over there? You honestly think he's stupid enough to say anything?"

"You were stupid enough to take out the red Pinto, Sue!"

"Hey!"

I realized I had to get out of there before I lost more than my breath from laughing. These folks wanted me out of the way.

There was a phone nearby. Maybe if I go and call...

"Hey! You!"

I gulp my stomach back down my throat. Turning around I see, thankfully, the couple talking to another man. Up out of my chair I fly -- quietly, though -- and head out of the restaurant as fast as I can.

Hey, how are you guys making it to the end of your scenes???? Probably poor planning on my part. I did want you to know that of course the listener thought they were talking about dumping an infant when in fact it turns out they are trying to rid themselves of some innocuous (I hadn't quite decided what yet) that the girl had shoplifted earlier. The instructions did say 5 minutes and I assumed it was supposed to be totally off the top of your head. (That's probably what I get for assuming).

My filet mignon came along with the rise in sound from the couple behind me.

"I'm not going to see him," came from an older woman, voice raspy from to much smoking or too much hard liquor.

"Then you can talk to him over the phone, he's willing to do that," a younger voice, pleading.

"Why, so he can remind me of my flaws, why he left, why they took you?"

"No, he's dying, he wants you to--forgive him--"

"You haven't have you?" a clink of rings on a glass. A gulp and a cogh.

"I knew what happened, I was old enough to remember. I never forgot."

"So he dies alone, without my blessing, so what?"

"He still has something you want, something you've denied yourself for decades. I'm not fit yet, it needs to be you."

"What do I get out of it, a mention in his last testament? Old viper. Should have been killed ages ago. I need to powder something..." Sliding cloth and a grunt faded as the older woman left.

A click as a cell tel opens, tones beep--12 numbers? "I've got her interested, just a little more and she's yours."

A snap as the cell closes abruptly, "Then I'll be rid of you both," a triumpant whisper gloats.