They traded intermittent eye contact while she finished the rest of her meal. Whenever she glanced up, he would be wearing a curious smirk with a trace of a smile. When she got up to leave, he waved her over.<\/p>\n
He gestured as if tipping a hat. \u201cCurious running into you here, luv.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cInnit.\u201d Anna looked down, flicking at the pockets of her new pants. \u201cLong time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFate and circumstance\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow are they then?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. Carroll laughed, patting his leg as he remembered. \u201cThey\u2019re resting peacefully now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anna sank into the seat opposite him, captivated by the pattern in the table. \u201cSoz.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPay it no mind, they had a good life. I meant it is fortuitous we have crossed paths. I could use your talents again if you\u2019re available.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anna sat on her hands to hide the trembling. \u201cMight be\u2026 This isn\u2019t for Mister Cooper is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Carroll chuckled. \u201cNo, lass. That ol\u2019 turf accountant\u2019s got his own men now; he doesn\u2019t contract through blokes like me anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. Carroll was the sort of fellow who put people with needs in touch with people with skills. The last time she had worked for him, she made a touch over ten grand. At the time, she considered it just shy of fair, now it felt like a king\u2019s ransom. He held her ticket out of Coventry, if only she could hold it together. The risk of the CSB lurked like a shadow at the back of the room, breathing cold vapor down her spine. She leaned forward, leaving her hands under her knees, her voice lowering.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the earner then?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA client of mine is in need of a guardian. The usual sort of chap I work with these days is not nimble enough for this one. He wants to get to the top of some dreadfully tall place and tap a local.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo just watch his back?\u201d I can do this<\/i>. \u201cWhat\u2019s the pay?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFourteen five.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kinnell!<\/i> The yell stayed in her mind. She hoped the shock did not leak through her eyes. \u201cThat\u2019ll do.\u201d<\/p>\n
He reached forward and propped her chin up. \u201cRough times, lass? You used to quibble the change.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBit of a transitional period, I\u2019m in. I\u2019m fine.\u201d She forced a smile, ignoring the twitching.<\/p>\n
\u201cStill no mini?\u201d<\/p>\n
She shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight then. Meet our man at the corner of Neal and Long Acre tomorrow at eleven pm. I\u2019ll meet you here with a stick when the thing\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho\u2019m I lookin for?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCalls \u2018imself Mr. Orange. Ya can’t miss him.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
They traded intermittent eye contact while she finished the rest of her meal. Whenever she glanced up, he would be wearing a curious smirk with a trace of a smile. When she got up to leave, he waved her over. … Continue reading