Collins took a sip of his drink, trying to remain calm. “What?”
“Bit of a coincidence, don’t you think? You show up out of nowhere and claim she’s dead, yet no one around here seems to know about it.”
“What, ya think I did it? Are ya serious?”
Harris shrugged. “Like I said, bit of a coincidence.”
“No,” said Collins, shaking his head. “It’s a bit stupid. Why would I kill Mama, then come to a place like this and brag about it, ya dumb bastard?”
Harris rushed around the table and placed the gun to his temple.
“You really ought to watch your mouth, Ray. If word comes back that she is dead, you’d best believe you’ll be joining her.”
“Ah, jeez… ya got to be kidding me.” He took another sip of his drink and sighed. “Seriously, ya try to make a bit of money. Ya polite and respectful. And where does it get ya, eh? A gun to ya head and a glass of shite whiskey.”
He finished what remained of his drink in one gulp. He slowly placed the empty glass on the table, holding it in place with his right hand for a moment. Then, without warning, he reached over with his left hand and grabbed the barrel of the gun. He leaned back in his chair and yanked it across his chest, pulling Harris off-balance.
Instinctively, Harris relinquished his grip of the gun to try and steady himself. As he did, Collins jammed the butt into his face, sending him sprawling the opposite way. He was clutching his nose as he hit the ground.
Collins jumped to his feet, holding the gun low and ready. He fought against the natural urge to start aiming the gun at people. He wasn’t being threatened by anyone else; they were simply watching. He knew from experience that the best way to defuse a potentially hostile crowd was to make them believe he didn’t consider them hostile.
“All right, enough,” said Collins. He spoke loud enough to be heard by everyone. “I’m just here for a drink and a job, okay? I don’t know how much of all that any of ya heard, but Mama is dead. Someone took her out. It wasn’t me. I knew the old lady from back in the day. I had a lot of respect for Mama… and her pastries. Now I’m gonna go get myself another drink. Does anyone have a problem with that? If ya do, speak now, or forever hold ya peace.”
He scanned the crowd. He heard a few mutterings and saw a couple of people shifting restlessly on the spot, but no one moved or spoke.
“All right, then.” He looked down at Harris and held out his hand. “Apologies for hitting ya in the face with ya gun. I just take issue with folks pointing weapons at me for no reason.”
Harris reluctantly reached up and accepted the help. Collins hoisted him to his feet, then flipped the gun around in his hand, presenting Harris with the butt.
“Are we good?” he asked.
Harris stared for a moment, then slowly took his gun back and nodded. “Yeah, we’re good.”
“Glad to hear it. Now, in hindsight, I reckon I’ll probably skip the job interview and just enjoy another drink. Ya welcome to join me, but I won’t take offense if ya don’t.”
Harris took his seat at the table as the crowd dispersed back to their own evenings. He didn’t reply. He simply looked away.
Collins shrugged. “Fair enough.”
He made his way over to the bar and signaled to the bartender, who came over straight away holding a bottle of Jack Daniels and an empty glass. He set the glass down in front of Collins and poured a generous measure.
“You make quite an impression, son,” he said admirably. “This one’s on me.”
Collins smiled. “Ah, ya too kind, Chief.”
He toasted the barman, took a sip, and leaned casually on the bar, forcing the flow of adrenaline to subside. He felt angry with himself. He was sure he had played everything right. But he pushed his luck by mentioning Mama.
He looked at his glass and decided to finish the drink, then head back to the hotel. Julie would be pissed if she found out there had been any trouble. He figured it best to just turn in for the night and get some rest before the flight back to Santa Clarita tomorrow.
As he took another sip, someone stepped up to the bar beside him. A woman. Collins glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.
A beautiful woman.
He gulped his drink and turned to face her. She was already looking at him, smiling. Her red lips formed a seductive grin. She was not much shorter than he was and had a slim figure. She was toned from head to toe, with hints of muscle definition beneath her outfit.
Collins ran an approving eye over her. The leather skirt rested halfway up her shapely thighs. A thin, black T-shirt clung to her torso beneath an open jacket.
“You were pretty impressive back there,” she said smoothly.
Collins shrugged. “Just doing what I had to. I gotta say, ya looking pretty impressive yaself right now. I’m Ray.”
The woman smiled. “Hi, Ray. Fancy buying me a drink and sitting with me a while? I have a table at the back where we can have some privacy.”
He thought for a moment. He was just about to leave…
“How can I say no to an offer like that?” he said. “What are ya drinking?”
“Vodka. Neat.”
“A real drink! Nice.”
She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Don’t keep me waiting, Ray.”
Then she turned and walked away to her table. Collins watched her go, admiring the view. When he looked back at the bar, the bartender was standing before him, smiling, holding two drinks: a neat vodka with ice and two fingers of Jack Daniels. He placed them on the bar.
Collins frowned. “How did ya… oh, wait. Is she… ya know… is she working here?”
He knew from experience that it wasn’t uncommon for hookers to frequent such places, given what most of the clientele did for a living.
The bartender shook his head. “Not to my knowledge, son. But she comes in here every now and then. That’s her drink.”
“Right. So, does she… ah… does she do this a lot?”
“Actually, you’re the first person she’s voluntarily spoken to. Last person that tried charming her was on the business end of a glass bottle. Most folks in here who know better tend to give her a wide berth. You’re a lucky boy.”
Collins picked up the drinks and raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Aye… sounds like it.”
He headed over to her table, which he realized was the one he noticed earlier. She must have been the one person not paying attention to his excitement before.
It was a small table against the back wall with just two chairs facing each other. He set her drink down in front of her and took a seat opposite. She smiled.
“Thank you,” she said.
“My pleasure,” he replied.
“I haven’t seen you around here before.”
“Ah, I used to come around a lot, back in the day. Been out of the game a long time.”
She nodded. “Is that how you knew Mama? From ‘back in the day?’”
He smiled. “Aye, she was a grand lady. Had a ton of respect for her.”
“Did you say you had heard someone had killed her?” She took a sip of her drink. “That’s crazy. I mean, it’s Mama, right?”
“Aye, she was a legend, all right. How did ya know her? Do ya… ya know… work around here too?”
She smiled coyly. “A girl’s gotta have some secrets, Ray.”
He felt her foot brush against his leg beneath the table. He smiled and sipped his drink.
“I look forward to getting to know some of them,” he said.
“Maybe you will. If you’re lucky.”
“Well, I reckon I’m about due some luck.”
She frowned. “How come?”
He waved the question away. “Ah, just had a rough few days is all.” He held up his glass. “Hence…”
“Oh, well, that won’t do at all. A handsome man like you should be relaxed and happy.” She leaned forward and traced her nails down his forearm. “Wanna get out of here?”
Collins smiled. “Like
ya wouldn’t believe, love. Let me just visit the gents’ and I’ll be right with ya.”
“Take your time, Ray. I’m not going anywhere. At least, not without you.”
“Goddamn…” he muttered as he got to his feet and headed for the restroom.
He pushed open the door and checked the stalls to make sure he was alone. It was cold and dark. The floor was stained, and the odor of piss hung in the air. He wrinkled his nose and grimaced as he reached for his phone. He called Julie, but it wouldn’t connect because there was no reception in there.
Cursing to himself, he quickly typed a message saying he was following up a lead and would catch up with her in the morning. He hit send, knowing it would go through once he was back within range of the cell service. He put the phone away, splashed some water on his face in a nearby sink, checked his reflection and his breath, then headed back outside.
“I’m ready when you are, love,” he said as he approached the table.
The woman got to her feet. Collins watched her toned legs as she picked up a small purse from the table and straightened her jacket. As she did, Collins caught sight of a tattoo on the side of her neck.
“Hey, I see ya got a bit of ink there,” he said approvingly.
She turned to face him and smiled. She shrugged the jacket off, then pulled at the neck of her T-shirt to reveal her bare shoulder and the tattoo in its entirety.
He leaned in to get a closer look in the low light. “Is that a butterfly? That’s real nice work. Looks new.”
“Thanks,” she said, shrugging her clothes back into place. “Had it about five years.”
“It looks great. Nothing sexier than a tattoo on a woman.”
He smiled cheekily. She grinned back and winked.
“Ready to see if I have any more?” she asked.
“Do Protestants hate Catholics? Lead the way, love.”
She took his hand and led him through the bar toward the door. A few of the men cast a disapproving glance at Collins, which he noticed and assumed was jealousy.
Understandable.
As they walked past the bar, Collins nodded to the bartender, who gave a gentle salute in return.
They headed outside and set off walking along 42nd Street, into the shadows of the bridge above. Collins held out his arm, offering it to his companion for her to link with her own. She accepted gracefully.
“So, where are we heading?” he asked.
“I’m staying in a hotel not far from here,” she replied. “That okay?”
“Suits me just fine, love.”
They walked together in a surprisingly comfortable silence until they reached 10th Avenue. As they crossed the street, Collins playfully squeezed her arm with his.
“Hey, I just realized, I don’t even know ya name,” he said. “I pride myself on my good manners. I’d hate to just call ya ‘baby’ all night.”
The woman laughed and brushed his arm with her hand flirtatiously. “You can call me whatever you want, handsome.”
Collins smiled. “I’d like to call ya by ya real name.”
She stopped and spun him to face her. She moved close and kissed him, resting her lips gently on his for a moment before pressing harder. He matched her advances, savoring every second that she was close enough for him to smell her perfume.
When they parted, she was smiling. “Call me Jay.”
“Pleasure to meet ya, Jay.” He stepped back and bowed gracefully, as if greeting royalty.
She laughed. “Oh, you’re a real charmer, aren’t you?”
He shrugged humbly. “I try my best.”
“Well, Prince Charming, you’re in for the night of your life.”
She winked and walked on ahead. Collins hung back a second, smiling as he watched the sway of her hips.
“The night of my life is right…” he muttered.
18
May 6, 2020
* * *
A thin strip of sunlight shone through the gap in the curtains, drawing a line that cut down the darkened wall by the bed.
Collins rolled over onto his back. His arm flew out to the side as he stretched and shuffled for comfort. He had slept like the dead after an intense evening with the woman from the bar. Consciousness began tugging him up from the depths of respite. Even though his eyes remained closed, his mind was waking, desperately seeking information it knew would be relevant.
What was her name again?
As he fought against the effects of too much whiskey, another piece of information highlighted itself in his subconscious. He had flung his arm to the side, yet he hadn’t heard any of the protests one might expect to hear from someone who had just been hit in the face.
He groaned and stretched again, then slowly opened his eyes. He squinted almost immediately against the influx of light.
Collins rolled onto his side and stared at an empty bed. The pillow had a slight indentation in it, suggesting it hadn’t been laid on for a while. He frowned and rubbed his eyes.
“Christ, how long have I been asleep?” he muttered.
“It’s after nine,” replied a female voice. Assertive. Awake.
Confused, Collins rolled over onto his back again, then propped himself up on his arms. He glanced around the room. It wasn’t the nicest hotel he had ever stayed in. Paint was cracked along the walls. There was no TV. It was a lifeless box with a double bed in it.
The bathroom was small. The door stood open in the left corner of the room. No light. It was just a toilet and a shower stall.
He couldn’t remember exactly where the hotel was in relation to the bar he had left with…
“Jay!” he said, snapping his fingers as he remembered his companion’s name.
“Yes?” said the woman’s voice.
Collins looked to his right. There was a single armchair in the opposite corner, beside a small table. Sitting in it, relaxed and casual, was Jay. She was dressed. She looked different than he remembered. He saw fitted camo pants on her legs and heeled combat boots on her feet. Eyeliner formed dark circles around her eyes.
He also saw the gun she was holding in her hand. It was pointed directly at him.
He took a deep breath and held it as he remembered he was naked beneath the sheets.
He breathed out. “Mornin’, love.”
Jay smiled. It wasn’t polite or courteous. It didn’t stretch wide enough to affect her cheeks.
“Morning, Ray,” she replied coldly.
Collins nodded to the gun. “I wasn’t that bad last night, was I?”
She shrugged. “I got mine. You ticked a box, I guess.”
“Huh. Not the worst review I’ve ever had, but I guess the booze’ll do that to ya.”
“God, you talk a lot…”
He shuffled upright in the bed and sat back against the headboard. His arms rested outside the covers, trapping them around him.
“Listen, lady, I don’t know what I said or did to piss ya off, but if ya looking for an apology, this ain’t the way to go about it.” He shrugged. “The sad truth is, ya not the first woman to pull a gun on me, and ya probably won’t be the last. Can we just… start over? Maybe let me get dressed?”
Jay got to her feet and moved to the foot of the bed. She stood casually, hips cocked to the side, one hand resting on them. The gun didn’t waver for a second.
“I’ll be honest… I’m disappointed,” she said. “I had high expectations for you. I figured you would satisfy me. That you would connect with me on some level of mutual appreciation. But you’re just like everyone else. You play at being tough, but really, you have no spine. No substance. You’re pathetic.”
Collins watched her speak, noting the confidence and the professional way she handled the gun.
“Such a shame it has to end like this,” she continued. “But no matter. You’re going to die today, Ray. However, before you do, I’m going to need you to answer a few questions.”
Collins frowned. “I mean… no. Obviously.”
“Excuse m
e?”
“Lady, ya just said I’m gonna die, right? So, why should I answer any questions? It’s not gonna make any difference to my day. There’s no incentive. Honestly, ya not much good at this, are ya?”
Jay smiled patiently. Almost sympathetically. “Aww. You’re really stupid, aren’t you?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Huh?”
“Let me spell it out for you, asshole. You answer my questions, you die quickly. Painlessly. Honorably. You don’t, then… you don’t. Understand?”
He nodded. “Ah, ya mean torture, right?”
“I do. And given you’re naked, there are lots of things I could do that would hurt immeasurably.”
Collins instinctively moved his hands together across his lap. “I’m sure that won’t be necessary. Let’s all try and be civilized, eh?”
She nodded. “Glad we’re on the same page. Now tell me, why is GlobaTech in Brooklyn?”
The question caught him off-guard, and he stumbled to find a response.
“Uh, w-what do ya mean? Who said I’m—”
She held her hand up. “Ray, please. Don’t insult my intelligence. I really, really want to shoot you, and I’m finding it difficult to stop myself long enough to ask you what I need to ask you. So, please… tell me.”
Collins looked at her. At the intensity in her eyes. He hadn’t noticed it before, but the dark orbs burned with violent intent. He believed she would kill him. He didn’t have a lot of time to process that, but he knew he had to do whatever he could to stall her, or at least minimize his suffering.
He sighed with resignation. “I came here looking for Mama.”
“Why?”
“I needed her help.”
“How do you know her?”
“I genuinely knew her from back in the day. Before I was one of the good guys. All that ‘looking for work’ bollocks last night was just for show. I knew she was dead because I found the body. She was slumped at her desk in a room above the bakery with a—”
“Hole in her head. Yes, yes, I know that part. I’m the one who put it there.”
“Are ya shittin’ me?” He felt genuinely saddened and uncontrollably enraged at the same time. “Why?”
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