Page 4 of Soft Tissue Damage

I’m surprised to find I’m tempted by what he’s offering. Maybe I don’t want to be the man who fades into the background any longer. I laugh and shake my head. “You’re the devil, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told.”

Am I being a fool? At forty-one, aren’t I too old for this shit? I suppose if I’m going to have a mid-life crisis, at least this will be vastly more interesting than buying a sports car and getting intensely into smoked meats. There’s no angelsitting on my other shoulder telling me not to be reckless, or if there is, I’m done listening to them.

“All right. Give me their details.”

Mercer hands me a card with nothing written on it but a phone number, and I tuck it away in my pocket.

He leans forward and pats my cheeks. “Look at that. I’ve put a smile on your pretty face.”

I’m surprised to find I am smiling. “Shut the fuck up.”

I’m going to have to buy a silencer for one of my handguns. Black clothes with no distinguishing marks. More burner phones. There will be notes. Plans. Maybe I’ll come back to this diner and make my preparations so I can enjoy Elena’s sweet smiles and shining blue eyes.

I pull out my wallet and start dropping bills onto the check when I hear a voice behind me.

“Dad?”

I look around in surprise. My twenty-one-year-old son has walked up to our booth, and I don’t know who’s more surprised, me or him.

“Leon. What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to meet my girlfriend.” He points across the restaurant.

Right at Elena.

I feel an unpleasant, prickling sensation. Elena’s his girlfriend? I knew he was seeing someone, but he hasn’t brought her home yet.

Leon waves to Mercer. “Hey, Mr. Mercer.”

Mercer nods to him. “Leon. I haven’t seen you sinceyou were in high school. We’re done eating, but you can join us.”

He moves over and my son sits down. Elena comes to clear our plates, and her blue eyes widen in surprise when she sees Leon sitting with us.

“My friend and I came in by chance, but it seems you know my son,” I tell her, forcing a smile.

She laughs. “Me making a fool of myself like that in front of my boyfriend’s dad? I’m so embarrassed.”

My boyfriend’s dad. That puts me in my place. I suppose she was too young for me anyway.

“What are you embarrassed about?” Leon asks her.

She shakes her head, her cheeks turning red. “I’ll tell you later, Leon. Can I buy you gentlemen a piece of pie?”

Elena is such a polite young woman, and it’s adorable the way she blushes. I shake my head. “Thank you, but my friend and I are heading out soon. I hope Leon will introduce us properly sometime. You should come around for dinner.”

“I’d love that, thank you.” Elena clears our table, and then I watch her move around the restaurant as Leon and Mercer talk. A couple of rough-looking men have taken the booth behind me, and I listen to Elena take their order.

“He’ll have a cheeseburger, and I’ll have a lap dance.” The men snigger like they’ve just heard the funniest joke.

I feel my eyes narrow.

Elena’s friendly tone fades. “Sorry, we don’t do that here.”

“No cheeseburgers? Two lap dances then.” The men laugh even louder.

Across from me, Leon glances at the men and goes back to talking to Mercer.