Читать книгу The Seventeen - Joel Arcanjo - Страница 19

Chapter 10

One’s day had been equally as eventful but a lot less pleasurable. But things were looking up. He had cleaned up the mess. Literally and figuratively. The pink haired manicurist was in very bad shape. In fact he wasn’t in any kind of shape at all. He was in ten pieces in a car traveling out of Manhattan right now. The driver was taking him far away then dumping him somewhere in the Hudson never to be found.

One had done the killing this time. Two movements, that was all it had taken. A push through the door and a snap of the neck from left to right. Easy for a pro like One. Breaking the neck was One’s preferred move. It was quick and there was very rarely any mess, which meant less evidence. Always a good thing. Not that it mattered. One’s guy inside was pretty high up in the New York Police Department. He could have the evidence buried pretty easy. One had been very careful. One was disguised. One couldn’t risk someone recognizing One in the street.

The disguise was genius even for One.

****

It was ten to eight. Bella was bathed and dressed in a beautiful dress that Lex must have left for her in the closet. How he had managed to get it in there was beyond her. But she appreciated it. She sat, ready and waiting. Then she realized that she looked way too eager. She needed to make it seem like he had caught her off guard. She practiced opening the bathroom door casually. Each time saying “Oh hey Lex, I wasn’t expecting you so soon” or variations of that.

Then there was a knock at the door. She sprung into action. Just before opening the door she fluffed up her hair and smoothed down her dress. Time to shine.

She opened to door a positively glorious sight. Lex was there, but behind a gigantic bouquet of flowers. The smell hit her even before the colors.

“Wow. These are incredible.” She took them gratefully. Behind them was an equally lovely sight. Lex was shaved, his hair was brushed back and he was smiling at her with the special kind of smile he saved just for her. For tonight at least they were right back in those halls at university. Except Lex was in a three thousand dollar suit, she was in a multi-million dollar apartment and they were going to a Michelin Star restaurant not the local cafe. Times had changed.

“Shall we?” he asked, throwing out an arm.

She walked over and grabbed it. She pulled it tight to her and together they made their way down to dinner.

****

Elsewhere, One was out of the disguise and in an armchair with an old scotch in hand. Relaxing by the fire. Exactly the end the day deserved. The cat jumped on the arm. One let her climb on and nestle in. Cats did not trust as easily as dogs. Very smart animals. They knew that someone they once trusted could turn on them in an instant. Trust was earned, it wasn’t a right. That was the way One felt. The Seventeen were loyal but One could never fully trust them. One knew there were at least five of them that were itching to claim the leadership. But no-one would dare go head to head with One. One had been known to destroy a person’s reputation in a single day. A lifetime to build and less than twenty-four hours to destroy. All in a day’s work. One wasn’t all bad though. Those loyal to One were richly rewarded. But the line between loyal and disloyal was hazy. Those that helped with this plan, the master plan, would be generously rewarded. One was feeling good. Feeling generous. So One wouldn’t call his inside guy with the information about the pink haired shop owner until morning. Lex Archer could have one more night of freedom.

Spend it wisely my friend.