This Winter is Brutal

"Come in," Rex said. "Get out of the cold. This winter is brutal."

"Thank you." Claudine swept in the small apartment Rex shared with Tiffany and Rex quickly shut the door behind her.

"Some weather," he said. "This has been the worst winter I can remember having in a long time--"

"I didn't come here to discuss the weather," Claudine snapped. "I've never been one for small talk. I want you to do something for me."

Rex crossed his arms and waited. If Claudine didn't want small talk, then he wouldn't talk at all.

"Well? Are you willing to help me?" Claudine demanded after a few silent seconds.

"Help you do what?"

"I need for you to get rid of someone. My...an old...a former, oh, damn. It's my sort of husband. You need to get him out of my life."

Rex stared at Claudine, taking in the fresh highlights in her mousy brown hair, the fancy looking winter coat she was wearing and her brand new boots. The woman standing in front of him was a far cry from the dumpy quasi-hippie who had moved into the Schuyler's house months before. Obviously Claudine had gotten a taste of the good life and liked how it went down. Rex got that since he felt exactly the same way. Still, that didn't mean he had to help the broad. Why should he? "Why should I? What's in it for me?"

"I can pay you a thousand dollars."

"Let's clear up a few things first such as why did you come to me with this offer and what exactly do you want me to do? Rough the guy up or push him in front of a train?"

"Either would work," Claudine said thoughtfully.

"What made you think of coming to me?"

Claudine blushed slightly. "Well, you have a reputation for being a little rough around the edges. Plus you always seem to need money. I put the two together and came up with..."

"A plan that could get me a nice, long stretch in jail. No, thanks."

"What am I supposed to do if you won't help me?" Claudine demanded. "Steve could really screw up my relationship with Brad and the rest of the Schuylers."

"Why don't you just tell Brad about your former boyfriend. He's nuts about you. He won't care."

Heading for the door, Claudine shook her head. "You simply don't understand how rich people think, Rex. That's why you'll always be lower class." She slammed the apartment door on her way out.

Rex had to laugh. Maybe he should take Claudine up on her offer and then figure out a way to get rid of Claudine and her ex-boyfriend in one fell swoop. He might not understand how rich people thought but he had a newsflash for Claudine: she didn't either since what she wanted to do to this joker named Steve sounded like exactly what her future mother-in-law wanted to do to her.

"Life," Rex said, "is definitely strange."