“What’s that?” Anna
had been glancing at the envelope I had tossed onto the table since I had
returned. When she wasn’t looking at it,
she was watching me. “Oh, I almost
forgot! You’re Joe!” I glared at my closet. Buttoning up my shirt, I turned for the
bathroom. “I think it fits. You’re Joe Somebody. The mysterious man who never reveals who he
is.”
“My name isn’t Joe.” It was also by far the worst name she could have thought of.
“Alright, then what about Happy?”
“Happy?” I eyed her warily.
“Yeah. It’s funny because it’s the exact opposite of your demeanor.” Glaring, I tucked in my shirt. “See. Mr. Happy.”
“No.” I was debating on giving her a nickname, something just as ironic, mouse. Loud as an elephant, never quiet as a mouse.
“What about Walter the Waiter?” I turned back to the closet. Sighing, Anna watched as I grabbed a black tie. “Ok, then what about…” Please give up on this. “John?” It was too much to ask. “It’s common enough. You could be a John Smith or a John Doe.”
“You’re not giving up on this, are you?” She smiled wide. I will take that as a no. Going to the bathroom and grabbing a brush, I smoothed out my hair. From the corner of my eye, I noticed her stand. Running my fingers through my hair, I managed to get it to stay back.
“Is that how you like to style your hair?” She really wanted to talk about my hair style? “I think you look better when you don’t style it for work.” Straightening, I went to leave my bathroom when I noticed her standing in the doorway, staring. My eyes narrowed on her. Instead of backing away, Anna reached up.
Bringing her hand too close, I reached up and grabbed her wrist. “You’re too close.” Ignoring my warning, Anna brought up her left hand to place it on my right temple.
“Your hair really is blacker than night.” My brow furrowed as the hold I had on her left wrist tightened further. “And your eyes.” What was she doing? Feeling her fingers on my cheek, she smiled. “They’re not black, but a dark blue.” After studying me for a few seconds, her hand cupped my cheek. “You’re a killer, but you don’t look like one.” There was no defined look for a killer. Anyone could kill. We all have the capacity for murder. A child can just as easily kill their friend as an adult. “Why did you become Ghost?”
Grabbing her other wrist, I pushed her back into the wall. Her hands trapped in mine above her head. Anna’s surprised wide eyes met my glare. Don’t get close to anyone. Keeping her trapped between the wall and I, I could feel myself wanting to snarl. “Don’t ever touch me again.” When I let her go, Anna tried to make herself small by sliding onto the bed and staying against the wall. Grabbing the envelope, I put it on the top shelf in my closet. Not the best hiding place, but it will have to do for now. I’ll review its contents when she falls asleep. As I left and closed the door, my fist clenched. No one gets close to me. Not now, not ever.
“My name isn’t Joe.” It was also by far the worst name she could have thought of.
“Alright, then what about Happy?”
“Happy?” I eyed her warily.
“Yeah. It’s funny because it’s the exact opposite of your demeanor.” Glaring, I tucked in my shirt. “See. Mr. Happy.”
“No.” I was debating on giving her a nickname, something just as ironic, mouse. Loud as an elephant, never quiet as a mouse.
“What about Walter the Waiter?” I turned back to the closet. Sighing, Anna watched as I grabbed a black tie. “Ok, then what about…” Please give up on this. “John?” It was too much to ask. “It’s common enough. You could be a John Smith or a John Doe.”
“You’re not giving up on this, are you?” She smiled wide. I will take that as a no. Going to the bathroom and grabbing a brush, I smoothed out my hair. From the corner of my eye, I noticed her stand. Running my fingers through my hair, I managed to get it to stay back.
“Is that how you like to style your hair?” She really wanted to talk about my hair style? “I think you look better when you don’t style it for work.” Straightening, I went to leave my bathroom when I noticed her standing in the doorway, staring. My eyes narrowed on her. Instead of backing away, Anna reached up.
Bringing her hand too close, I reached up and grabbed her wrist. “You’re too close.” Ignoring my warning, Anna brought up her left hand to place it on my right temple.
“Your hair really is blacker than night.” My brow furrowed as the hold I had on her left wrist tightened further. “And your eyes.” What was she doing? Feeling her fingers on my cheek, she smiled. “They’re not black, but a dark blue.” After studying me for a few seconds, her hand cupped my cheek. “You’re a killer, but you don’t look like one.” There was no defined look for a killer. Anyone could kill. We all have the capacity for murder. A child can just as easily kill their friend as an adult. “Why did you become Ghost?”
Grabbing her other wrist, I pushed her back into the wall. Her hands trapped in mine above her head. Anna’s surprised wide eyes met my glare. Don’t get close to anyone. Keeping her trapped between the wall and I, I could feel myself wanting to snarl. “Don’t ever touch me again.” When I let her go, Anna tried to make herself small by sliding onto the bed and staying against the wall. Grabbing the envelope, I put it on the top shelf in my closet. Not the best hiding place, but it will have to do for now. I’ll review its contents when she falls asleep. As I left and closed the door, my fist clenched. No one gets close to me. Not now, not ever.
Hours later, I was still trapped in the motions. Two fights had started between a few patrons
and Samuel had to physically throw two of them out. Again, I was left to cleaning their
mess. Shattered glasses, another broken
barstool, our boss needs to order more of both soon. We were running low on spares. On my way back up from the basement with two
extra stools, I heard a footstep. Reaching
the top of the stairs, I turned to look up the next stairway that lead to my
room upstairs. Instantly, I felt my
anger grow. Anna was staring down at me. Poking her head around the wall at the top
couldn’t hide her from my sight. Flicking
my finger at her, she got the hint. Back
to the room. No one needed to know she
was here. Disappearing around the
corner, I stood there for an extra moment.
I didn’t trust that she had obeyed.
Sighing, I hurried to place the stools at the bar. As I was walking up the stairs, I glared at
her. I hated her now. Anna didn’t return to the room but rather
took a seat at the top of the stairs.
“Go back, now. I’m not tolerating
your nonsense tonight.”
When her eyes looked to me, the sadness in them surprised me. “I just wanted to apologize for earlier.”
“You couldn’t wait until I got off work?” I had to grind out my next words. “Get back to the room now before I dispose of you.” That got her moving. This time, I locked my door. I was not risking my coworkers seeing her.
“You couldn’t wait until I got off work?” I had to grind out my next words. “Get back to the room now before I dispose of you.” That got her moving. This time, I locked my door. I was not risking my coworkers seeing her.
Back on the floor, I busied myself with cleaning the
tables. When a couple men walked in, I
recognized one as one of my new targets.
Mentally kicking myself, I knew that I should have reviewed the dossier
and assignment earlier. Anna has been
too much of a distraction. However, now
was not a good time for anything other than work. “Good evening. How might I serve you today?” The first man ordered a beer and the other a
rum and Coke. Nodding, I gave their
orders to Samuel who quickly made their drinks.
As I went through my motions, I kept my eye on them. Nothing but two men at a bar enjoying a few
drinks. Once the two girls walked in,
however, I realized that my target was a member of the McCarthy family. Prostitutes.
How I despised them. Samuel saw
them as well and we exchanged a look. Neither
of us would tolerate any lewd behavior in this establishment. Waving me over, the first man ordered drinks
for the ladies. Then one of the girls
wanted a salad and the other was being a bit more extravagant, well,
extravagant for this place, margarita bites.
Taking their orders to the chef, I watched him roll his eyes. I would guess that he would have wanted a
more challenging dish to prepare. Though
I didn’t know much about him, I did know that Rico was trained as a chef but
somehow landed in this dump of a city.
Placing their orders on the table, I overheard them speaking. “This looks wonderful.” I smiled at the ladies. At least they seemed appreciative.
My target whispered to the other. “No you moron!”
“They’re up for it.” He sighed. “Fine, we’ll do what he wanted and grab a few more before heading out.”
“Will this be all for you or should I bring another round of drinks?” I held up my pen and notepad. “The chef can make a wonderful cheesecake if you ladies would like.”
“Oh!” The blonde held her hands together and was smiling wide. “Let’s get some of that!” Her hand went to my target’s arm. “Can we Mark?”
Mark. That was his name. Amusing. Mark sighed. “Fine. Bring two.”
I nodded, writing it down. “Anything else? Another beer perhaps?”
“No shit I’d want another beer genius. I’m out! And be quick about it.”
“I’ll hurry.” I stopped by the bar, telling Samuel about the beer. Seeing his grin, I had a feeling that he saw how Mark was treating me. Not that it wasn’t uncommon. We just had a stereotype about those who brought whores into here. The chef had two slices of cheesecake already sitting in the cooler. Adding some berries and a mint leaf, he sent them out with me. “Here you go. Two cheesecakes for the ladies and a couple of beers for the men.” The girls were surprisingly nice. Even offered to give me some, which I politely refused. Instead, I went to clean the table that was just cleared.
Placing their orders on the table, I overheard them speaking. “This looks wonderful.” I smiled at the ladies. At least they seemed appreciative.
My target whispered to the other. “No you moron!”
“They’re up for it.” He sighed. “Fine, we’ll do what he wanted and grab a few more before heading out.”
“Will this be all for you or should I bring another round of drinks?” I held up my pen and notepad. “The chef can make a wonderful cheesecake if you ladies would like.”
“Oh!” The blonde held her hands together and was smiling wide. “Let’s get some of that!” Her hand went to my target’s arm. “Can we Mark?”
Mark. That was his name. Amusing. Mark sighed. “Fine. Bring two.”
I nodded, writing it down. “Anything else? Another beer perhaps?”
“No shit I’d want another beer genius. I’m out! And be quick about it.”
“I’ll hurry.” I stopped by the bar, telling Samuel about the beer. Seeing his grin, I had a feeling that he saw how Mark was treating me. Not that it wasn’t uncommon. We just had a stereotype about those who brought whores into here. The chef had two slices of cheesecake already sitting in the cooler. Adding some berries and a mint leaf, he sent them out with me. “Here you go. Two cheesecakes for the ladies and a couple of beers for the men.” The girls were surprisingly nice. Even offered to give me some, which I politely refused. Instead, I went to clean the table that was just cleared.
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