Brian Kelly Irons

The city was bursting with energy. For the first time in as long as I can remember, there was a smile on my face. Nothing joyful, I mean I wasn’t celebrating anything. I was simply content. Content with my life and my place in the world, and content with the task set before me. Interesting, right?

I left Olivia hours ago, in bed with the bottle of wine near her head. Not exactly the best move I’ve ever made but I had things to do.

I noted to myself that the shoes she had purchased for me were remarkably comfortable. I laughed to myself, remembering the discussion in the shoe shop about my lack of taste or fashion. I didn’t want them. I told her as much. She bought them anyway, much to my dismay. Only now did I realize just how right she was. The irony was as thick as honey.

I turned left down 97th street. A food truck selling street tacos had just opened for business and I was not going to pass by without a sample. A man and his lovely daughter sat on a bench nearby; salsa dripping from their tacos. What a fabulous day. With my double order finished and a lemonade to wash it down, I continued west on 83rd. I knew where he was so wasn’t as if I were searching for him, however, timing was everything. It would be awkward if we arrive at the location simultaneously.

Arriving at the agreed upon destination, I took a seat in the back near the window facing the street. He entered and placed himself at the bar. The bartender, a curvy redhead with curls that demanded to be touched, poured him a drink and I waited. 2 drinks, 3, 4. It was time. The blood rushed through my veins like a bullet from a gun. I stepped behind him.

“Gary Ross?” He turned around quickly at the mention of his name.

“Do I know you?” He did not, of course, know me.

“No, but your wife asked me to give this to you.”

The curvy redhead screamed louder than I had anticipated once she saw the knife wound across his neck. To be honest, I hadn’t a clue what the man had done. The check had cleared, and I had a job to do.

I’m sure that you’re wondering at this moment if I had been worried about the red head. Not particularly. There are two things that most people respond to quite well: blood and money.