Chapter 4
2223 Words
"You look great stranger, super pregnant", Jake said to her when she brought him a cup of coffee, "And busy too", He added when he realized she was not paying any attention.
"Sorry am under a tight schedule today can I get you anything else?" Arya asked.
"You are always under pressure do you even have time for yourself? Do you rest?"
"If there is nothing else you need excuse me I have to go", She said walking away.
That evening Jake was a man stuck in the middle. He was risking joblessness. His employer was going broke and nuts at the same time yet the only thing he knew how to do was to serve beer, listen to drunkards complain about how smart they were while sober and seduce ladies. On the bright side he was meeting with Ben Richards’s butler. Perhaps he wanted some information on his boss in exchange for a job and some cash.
He enjoyed his coffee watching Arya work. She was an awesome and secretive girl. He didn't know much about her but he wanted to know. She was not letting him in. The only thing he know about her was her obsession with Scott Richards Jr. According to Jake, she was aiming for the stars instead of the moon that was willing to shine on her besides Scott was married already to a jewel no man in his right mind would have dumped for a pregnant waitress.
Out of sympathy Jake decide to give her some rest so he went to check on tedd in his office at the back.
"My guy!" Tedd said happily when Jake came in.
"What’s up dude?" Jake asked settling in a chair.
"Just doing some accounts you know what are you up to, heard your boss wants to sell the joint", Tedd said buried in his books.
"Yeah man am about to be jobless unless Richards comes in" Jake said looking around.
"You telling me Richards wants to buy Leviticus?" he asked looking at him.
"You didn't hear that from me, anyway I came to ask a favor men", Jake said leaning in closer.
Tedd closed his books and paid close attention. They were great friends, sometimes "hunting" partners and wingmen to each other. Doing favors for one another, usually Jake got Tedd a room once in a while where he could bring in girls before going home to his wife and Jake would pop in for free meals when he was down.
"Name it dude, if it's cash I got it" Tedd said flaunting a hundred dollar bills.
"No men it's not cash, am not broke. It's about your new girl"
"Good luck with that, she can't be reasoned with you aren’t smashing her if you do am paying you" Tedd said counting his money, “How much are you going to need although I know you won't"
Jake just looked at him and burst into laughter making a fool out of his best friend.
"I don't want your money I need her for", He checked his watch. Paul had agreed to meet him in an hour, he was already twenty minutes in, "Give me thirty minutes with her"
"If that's what you need" Tedd shrugged.1
"You know she won't agree to stop working unless you tell her”, Jake said.
"Okay follow me"
So that evening Jake followed Tedd. They found Arya still serving the clients like she was supposed to. Talking less and collecting cash, keeping a smile on her face. She was on her way to pick another order when Tedd stopped her, Jake was already seated in his earlier spot acting like he had nothing to do with what was going to happen next.
"You, stop!" Tedd bellowed.
Although she had a name tag it was useless to him. He never used her real name. She was either you or the one standing there, sometimes the new girl on his bad days the lazy one or the pregnant one. All of them Arya was responsive. Tedd treated her meekness as weakness.
"Sorry sir did I do something wrong?" She asked with a worried look.
"Not for now, I want you to go join my friend in table six for a drink until he says you can go back to work now go! Don't ask any questions and I better get a good feedback from him"
"Sir I..."
"Let's talk when it's done and nothing to do with an advance salary please", Tedd said turning his vast back on her.
He turned around and said” Remember to wear something nice"
She didn't have to look at table six. She knew it was Jake trying to look out for her but in the course of doing so he might have also signed her opportunity to sleep outside in the cold. Arya stood there lost in her own head, battling with her own mind for minute. She took a sigh of relief and returned the tray back to the counter. She went to the Locker room and changed to her home clothes. Then like a sacrificial lamb she walked to his table and stood there.
"Take a seat", Jake said getting her a seat.
"Thank you, are you trying to get me fired?" She asked.
"No, can I get you anything?" He asked.
"No, when you work with food the whole day you lose your appetite", She said looking reserved.
"If that's true then I shouldn't be drinking like I do", He said laughing.
Poor Jake, she was not feeling his jokes. Her mind was somewhere else.
"So am I getting your name, I mean your two names"
"No, is this why you got me off duty?"
"I just wanted to talk so let's talk"
"You don't even know me Jake, look I have a lot going on right now please just let me go back to work. Go tell your friend you are satisfied", she begged him.
Even Jake could see how genuine she was about her request. He was having second thoughts about getting her off work. Arya was in pre-contemplation. She had no idea that she needed rest more than anything else.
*****
After getting his master home that evening Paul was going to do some digging on club Leviticus. He had his inside man, Jake waiting for him at the nearby eatery. He was driving himself. It was his own car so as not to raise much attention. Paul was twenty minutes earlier. He found Jake seated with a girl on his table.
"Are you on a date, I can always come back sometime later" He said.
"No, he is not I was just leaving right Jake?" the girl asked getting up but she was not leaving like she said.
"Yeah, Paul make yourself comfortable give me a minute I will be back", He Said taking the girls hand.
"Okay be quick"
"You won't even notice am gone"
Paul ordered coffee. As he continued sipping he could see Jake arguing with his mystery girl on the windows reflection. He knew Jake had a wife with two children. The girl looked so young to him and pregnant too. He was guessing in her twenties and fresh from college looking for a part time job. Jake being a smart ass Paul's explanation was simple, he had promised her a job and now he couldn't deliver. After their short argument he saw the manager come in, the girl disappeared somewhere between the kitchen and the back door while Jake came in running.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, your fault for coming earlier than we agreed" he said.
"I like finding people unprepared that's how you know who they really are”, Paul said with a sick grin on his face.
"You got it all wrong, can we talk now?"
"Of course we can, here is how it works..."
"I tell you all I know and you will see what you can do? Yeah I know the drill Paul we have done this for a long time".
"Then get to it I don't have the whole evening"
"Okay, all I know is my boss is having some money problems with the banks and his partners but he is the biggest shareholder. The rumors in the papers are true though he said he will never sell it. He used the words over his dead body", Jake explained leaning backwards.
In his own judgment he had given Paul more than he could chew. Exclusive information that he could do with it whatever he wanted to get the club.
"Not helping Jake you are telling me my boss can't get that club I want you to tell me how he can acquire it as quickly as possible", Paul explained placing his hands on the table.
Jake looked confused. He looked like that guy who did an exam in twenty minutes told everyone how easy the test was then when the results came he failed terribly. His judgment was wrong.
"You are asking me about his weakness”, He said shaking his head with a smile.
"Exactly Jake I can work with that", Paul said smiling.
In their world, the world of the rich and effluent. Someone had to get their hands dirty for the money to keep flowing in, for the business empires to grow. And for the Richards family Paul was one of the people who got their hands dirty. The men with gloves, sunglasses and long black trench coats with scarfs around their necks, a cowboy hut always armed with a revolver or a knife and very skilled with an excellent special forces background and great close combat and torture skills. A few would have conspicuous cuts on their faces and rarely smiled.
"He has a daughter, spoilt rich brat hangs out at the club most of the time and in c***k houses, she has a boyfriend I don’t know If they are still together but the guy is a drug peddler", Jake said looking uninterested. He was looking out if anyone else was watching so that his head wouldn't have ended on a spike. After dealing with the rich people for a long time he knew one thing about all them. They were all the same, they always wanted more and they treated every poor person with perfidiousness.
"The peddler boyfriend how do I get him?"
"A guy named Tom or skales, palm Road Street forty three"
"Good, now you talking next time don't take me in circles you can do better than that", Paul said forcing a smile.
Again you might wonder why they were seated in an eatery next to the club. For obvious reasons. No one would have suspected them to sit there. It was simple psychological warfare that's why Richards sent Paul. And the table was close to the window under a CCTV camera. They were not hiding, they were not suspects.
"You might want to stretch your arms under the table", Paul said staring outside blankly.
Jake's hands met a pistol. He shrieked.
"Jesus fuckin Christ Paul!"
"That's if you cross me, let's hope it won't get to that the money is on your left", He said putting his gun back.
"I will never think of it, thanks man"
"Count it in your house".
"I won't, I trust you"
"Okay so let's talk about your girlfriend, why are you cheating on your wife Jake?” He asked.
"Am not cheating, she works here we were just hanging out... She really asks about BR’s son you know", Jake explained keeping his money safe.
"Who? Scott Richards Jr?"
"Yeah, does he have another one I don't know of?"
"No, take me to her"
Another job that was Paul's was taking care of any threats and someone asking a lot about his boss was a potential threat. Jake went to find Arya. He was told she left already, she was all tears when she did. That evening he lost a friend after realizing Tedd had refused to give her the salary advance she was begging for and fired her instead. He punched him in the face leaving him with a broken nose before they drove to her apartment.
"Get a cab I will take it from here", Paul said.
"She is harmless please maybe she is just obsessed with him", Jake tried to intervene.
"Don't worry I won't hurt her I will just ask some questions"
"Ask nicely, I trust you man I know you keep your word", Jake Said getting out of the car.
He ensured Jake was in a cab before he put a silencer on his gun and got out of his car. He crept in the dark until he heard someone sniffling in a corner at the entrance. It was a female voice.
"Arya?"
"Yes, who are you please go away", She said sobbing.
"Come out I won't hurt you", He promised keeping his gun away as it was not necessary.
Our village or just unsophisticated girl came to light. He grabbed her by the neck. He had lied about not hurting her. But was it her fault? She was just a victim of bad choices, we are all victims of our choices. He had a powder at the back of his handkerchief. lights went out for her.
- Writer
