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FORTY-TWO

BOB MILLER

Three soft knocks rap against the wooden door of my hotel room. I press mute on the TV remote, swing my legs out of bed, and plant my feet on the floor. Lining my eye up with the peephole, I steal a quick glance before unlocking the door and pulling it open. The man I’ve been expecting stands there, shoulders held high and hands clasped in front of him.

“Come in,” I say, stepping aside to let him enter.

He surveys the room, and I’m not sure if he’s just assessing the amenities of the hotel or checking to make sure we’re truly alone.

I close the door and double-lock it before checking my watch. He’s exactly on time, not a second late, a true professional.

“Thanks for meeting me here, Alejandro.”

He sits in the sofa chair set in the corner, crossing his ankle over his knee. “Nice digs.”

I can’t tell if he’s being sarcastic or not, but then again, I’m used to a life much more comfortable than his.

“It’s just a place to rest my head tonight.”

“Why are you staying in a hotel anyway?” Alejandro asks. “Don’t you have multiple homes?”

“Because I’ll need an alibi for what you”—I point my index finger at him—“are about to do.”

Confusion fills his face as he cranes his neck toward me and twists his lips. “What is it that you think I’m going to do?”

I grab the TV remote and crank the volume up before taking a seat on the edge of the bed, only a few feet from Alejandro. “You need to take her out,” I say in a quiet voice, just barely audible over the loud commercial playing on the television. I can never be too careful, and I already know I’m on Hudson’s radar.

Alejandro’s eyes dart, taking in every square inch of my face, searching for a sign that what I’m saying is a joke. “Are you serious?”

“Very.”

“I thought you said I was just watching her.”

“I did. But things have changed, and now I need some of your... other... services.”

Alejandro slowly shakes his head as he rises from the chair and walks toward the door. I think he’s about to leave, but he pauses in front of the full-length mirror and studies the man before him. After a few seconds, he turns to me. I stand and stare back.

“Is that really what you want?” His face is stoic, and I can’t tell what he’s thinking. Either he hides his emotions well, or he doesn’t have any.

“It’s not what I want. It’s just what needs to be done.”

“And you’re sure?”

“Yes. You don’t know what Sarah’s capable of, so I need it done fast,” I say.

“How fast?”

“Tonight.”

He tapers his eyes. “And you’ve thought this through?”

“Yeah, I have. Now, what’s with all the fucking questions?” I scoff. “Maybe you’re not the right guy for the job. You already spent too much time around her, and she has a way of drawing people in. She’s probably already ensnared you.” I cross my arms over my chest and forcefully exhale through my nose.

“You’re asking me to take someone’s life, so yeah, I’m gonna have some questions, Bob. If you’re not sure, and I go through with this, that’s a problem. Because if, all of a sudden, you grow a conscience, then my life’s on the line.” Alejandro lifts his chin, squaring up with me. “And I don’t like my life anywhere near the line. So you will answer my questions, or you’ll do it your fucking self, which we both know you’re not capable of.”

He never raises his voice when he speaks, but he doesn’t need to to strike a sense of fear in me. I remind myself of who he is and what he’s done. He’s not the type of man I can push around. I put my hands in front of me, palms facing him, signaling that I mean no disrespect. “Fine,” I say. “What other questions do you have?”

Alejandro opens his mouth but closes it, clenching his jaw and staring at me intensely as though there’s a rage building inside of him. Guys like him don’t like to be disrespected, even though they live a disrespectful life. Maybe he wants to tell me to go fuck myself, tell me he’s out and that I’m on my own, or maybe he wants to punch me square in the face, retribution for questioning him. But he doesn’t do any of that.

Instead, he says, “I’ll need half up front.”

“No,” I say adamantly. “Not after what happened last time. You’ll get all of it once the job is done.”

His eyes become slits, and his mouth moves side to side. I can see him thinking back to the events that occurred well over a decade ago, how things turned out versus how they were supposed to—all because he was too late.

“I never asked for that money back either,” I remind him, “even though you didn’t hold up your end of the deal.”

His face relaxes, and he simply nods in agreement. “How do you want it done?”

“I don’t care. You’re the expert. When I take my car to the mechanic, I don’t tell him how to fix it. Just figure it out and do it quickly.”

Alejandro stuffs his hands into his front pockets, squinting at me. “I thought you said you had other stuff in the works, things in place that would get you what you wanted without having to take it this far.”

“I do. But Sarah being alive isn’t a prerequisite for any of them. In fact, they actually work better if she’s dead. Then I don’t have to worry about her weaseling out of it, or what she’ll do to me.”

“You’re scared of her, aren’t you?” he says with a laugh.

“I’d be an idiot to say I wasn’t.” I close the space between us, walking toward him with a raised chin. I stop when we’re standing face-to-face and lightly slap a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Don’t underestimate her, Alejandro. Because I guarantee if you do...” I narrow my eyes. “It’ll be the last thing you ever do.”

The smirk on his face fades, and he clears his throat.

I remove my hand from his shoulder and step back, putting distance between us again. “Text me with confirmation once it’s done.”

“And when can I expect the money?”

“As soon as I have confirmation.” I reach into my pocket, retrieving a folded slip of paper that I hand to him. “The money will be wired to this account.”

“Won’t that leave a trail?” he says, taking it from me.

“Not one that any person could track in a lifetime. It’s all very complicated, but it’ll be there... waiting for you.”

“My rate is much higher than it was fourteen years ago.” He slips the piece of paper into the front pocket of his jeans. “Inflation and whatnot,” he adds.

“How much more?”

“Double.”

“Perfect, because I’d question your capabilities if your price hadn’t gone up. The last thing I want is a bargain hit man. Now, no mistakes this time.”

Alejandro nods and leaves my hotel room without another word. There’s not much left to do now, except hope that Sarah is one step behind me for once.