Out of the blue

An excerpt of my 22nd book and thriller.

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

Out of the blue

An excerpt

Time oozed by slowly and despite his good looks, his talent and efficiency, his acceptance by the firm's members was slow and unsatisfying. He prepared his own meals at his apartment, ate alone watching TV; and even when he had lunch five times a week, he had to sit all alone next to the bar counter in the nearby restaurant.

Some five weeks after Thurston's death.

When he sat as usual all alone next to the counter of the bar at Sixty Five Street, a young woman entered and sat on the stool beside him.

'Hi won't you buy me a drink? She surprised him with a sweet smile. She was a good looking girl, a brunette with emerald green eyes.

He did notice her like everyone else of the present clients right after she crossed the bar's entrance, including the barman; and as Scot watched her pondering, it was the barman that hastened to ask her:

'What will you've miss?'

'A martini please,' she answered but kept watching Scot's eyes, as if he is a close acquaintance of hers.

As soon as the barman put the drink before her she thanked him, and turned to Scot:

'I'm hungry Greg let's move to one of the tables over there.'

If he had any doubts who she is just a friction of a second before, by turning to him using his ex agency nickname he knew right away who sent her.

'Okay,' Scot muttered and winked to the barman, for the sake of men solidarity; and they left the stools, glasses in hand and moved to one of the farthest tables.

A waiter rushed to their table right after they sat down, and she ordered for both of them. She knew what he likes to eat of course, and that's what she ordered. As soon as the waiter with their orders left, she raised her glass and said smiling:

'Here's for your health Greg and for a bright future.'

'My future,' he muttered with skepticism as he raised his glass to his lips.

She did not comment just raised her glass, and emptied it.

She's a limited task to inform me a certain message and that's all, I'd rather not embarrass her. Scot thought and decided to let her update him with the little, which she was instructed to tell him.

They sat a few more second in silence, and when she saw the waiter approaching with their first dish; she smiled again that alluring smile of hers, and asked Scot how he feels, for the waiter's sake.

As soon as the waiter left their table and they started to eat, she stopped munching and turned to Scot again:

'Listen Greg someone wants to see tomorrow night…'

'Is Morgan behind it? He could not refrain from barging in her last words.

'No Greg Morgan serves as one of the agency's head special aides.'

'So whom am I supposed to meet?'

'You'll see him tomorrow night, and if you don't like the idea do let me know right now.'

'Okay I'll see him, but where and when?'

'He'll expect you at Times Square Diner and Grill at eight thirty tomorrow night.'

At the end of the meal Scot paid and escorted her outside.

As they stood on the pavement waiting to the approaching cab, which he hailed for her, he asked her smiling:

'Will I see you again?'

'You know where you can see me.' She answered him with emphasized nonchalance, and as the cab stopped she opened its rear door and boarded it.

© Haim Kadman 2016 �" all rights reserved.