Six months. It seems like a long time when I think about Alex in prison. It doesn't seem like much time at all when I think about the things I need to do.
I love my place. I love all of my places. They are perfect for a thief. Perfect for someone who likes to be alone. My place is big and it looks like there isn't much stuff. But that's for people who don't know how to look. There are holes and hiding places all over. I like the space. It's just not going to be a good space for Alex. I imagine she's going to want things like chairs and books and a bed that's big enough for her, me and Bunny. I don't even know if Alex wants a kitchen to cook in.
I call a realtor I've known before. She's nice and she doesn't ask questions and she never laughs when I tell her what I want. This time I tell her I want an apartment on top of a tall building. It has to be big and have lots of windows. She shows me a couple of places. The one I like the best has a big window that looks over the park. I think Alex will like that, especially after having no windows at all.
I pay the realtor in cash and ask her to call someone who can build the apartment the way I want it. She doesn't laugh when I tell her what I want. She says it's sweet. I know she thinks I'm crazy. I like it when people think I'm crazy. It means they underestimate me. It makes stealing from them simple.
That was the easy thing. Taking care of Alex' boss will be more difficult. She told me his name is Kubra. I think of him as a Cobra, a big snake with fangs dripping of heroin poison, just waiting to take another bite of Alex. I can't let him do that. I can't let him kill her. Or send her back to prison. First I need to find him, then I need a plan.
It only takes me two weeks to find The Cobra. He is still hanging out in the same clubs Alex told me about. He kind of looks like a snake I think. And he doesn't smell very good. Tonight I just take his wallet. I memorize his address, birthdate, everything. I take $10 to pay for my drink and a platinum American Express card. Then I just sit and watch and think.
There is a crowd of women around The Cobra. His clothes are expensive and he likes to flash his cash around, buying drinks and trying to impress people. I don't understand what the attraction is. He's short and bald and not very good looking. I'll have to ask Alex. He chooses one woman to go home with him when the bar closes. She's happy. The rest look disappointed. I finish my drink and leave. I wonder if his new woman will be smuggling his drugs soon.
The Cobra goes to different clubs every night. Now that I know where he lives, it's easy to follow him. Always the women around him. Always lots of alcohol. Most nights I watch. I don't want him to see me yet. Tonight, I will make contact. Tonight he will meet Alice.
On the first pass, I just take his phone. Most people don't protect their email or texts or anything on their phone. It's easy for me to forward his emails and contacts to my own phone for later. I drop the phone on the floor and kick it under the chair nearest him. I get his attention as I pick up the phone and hand it to him. "I think you dropped this" I tell him with a big smile.
The Cobra is always looking for new women, probably for sex but maybe for work too. I don't want the first but I really do want the second. I spin him a story about being kicked out of my apartment and really needing some money. I also tell him that I am a travel writer. I go all over the world. I want to be perfect. I could be a grifter! After only a couple of minutes of conversation though, I start looking for something to stab him with and I'm pretty sure if he tries to touch me, I'll have to break a finger or two. I push farther away from The Cobra. "I have to go. I have an early flight to Cairo in the morning" I tell him. He gives me his number and tells me to call him. I don't tell him I already know his number.
I really do have business in Cairo. I heard that the National Museum has a new security system. I need to go check it out for myself. Call it a hobby. I like to test new security. I usually find it not too much different from the old. I think I will take a small piece home with me, just to prove my point. Something that might look good in Alex' new place. Perhaps a little gold statue of Bastet.
Back in New York, it's time for me to start working The Cobra again. I want him to hire me. I have plans! Just as I predicted, he gave me the "I work for an international drug cartel" line. I pretend to be very impressed. I let him buy me drinks with his $100 bills. Most of them end up on the floor under the table. He asks me to come back in a week. He might have some work for me. I thank him and make myself give him a kiss on the cheek. Kissing a poisonous snake. It was as yucky as I expected. I need to remember to ask Alex how she could stand being near him. He smells.
I try to keep myself busy for the week. I have an idea what the job he's offering will be so I spend some time getting ready for that. For fun, I break into The Cobra's house. His security is a joke. Seriously, a tin can over the door would work about as well. I find his safe right away. Not a challenge to open either. I don't take anything. I just re-arrange it and leave it open. Then I move his furniture. Not far, just enough that it won't be quite right. That was so much fun that I went back and did it 3 more times! I picture the snake's head exploding every time he finds his safe open and stuff in the wrong place.
While I'm waiting, I take The Cobra's platinum card and go shopping. I need furniture for the new apartment. And cereal. I am out of cereal. At the store, I buy more cute little animal cards for Alex.
The Cobra shows up in the bar just like he said he would. He gives me a list of instructions and a small suitcase. I am supposed to fly to London, exchange my suitcase for another and return home. He's counting on me. I'm going to be his new girl. He's going to make me rich. I smile. I'm going to make him go away, forever.
Everyone is a criminal in the drug business. Everyone is paranoid. And ruthless. No one ever goes to the police. All disagreements are handled within the circle. All you have is your reputation, without that, you have nothing. The Cobra ruined Alex' reputation, I am going to destroy his.
My plane doesn't leave until early morning. I take the suitcase and instructions and head home for some sleep. First, I examine the suitcase. It's small enough that I am meant to carry it on. That means it's packed with something that won't set the X-rays off at the airport. I'm guessing money. Not a lot. Enough to test me but not enough to be a great loss if I run. Hopefully it's enough to get the attention of someone above The Cobra.
First thing I do is pick the lock on the suitcase. I would laugh at the lock but I had it open so fast, there wasn't time even for a snort. I remove most of the $100 bills and replace them with blank paper I had cut earlier. I wrap them all back up with a couple of hundreds on top and stacks of plain paper for the rest. It's an amateur job and I'm hoping it won't do much more than pass on first glance. Only long enough for me to trade for the new case and get back on the plane. And to put a cute baby monkey card in the mail.
Everything goes as planned. I make the trade and got safely back onto the plane. Once we are in the air, I dump the heroin into the toilet and replace it with a mix of powdered sugar and cocoa powder. I have added just a touch of vinegar so that it smells sweet and sour at the same time. It should pass a first inspection, again, long enough for me to get out of the line of fire. If all goes as planned, both sides will think they've been ripped off. The Cartel will get rid of The Cobra and then Alex can get out of prison without worrying about being killed. I can't wait to tell her! Only 4 weeks left!
I make the rounds of The Cobra's hangouts. For a couple of days, he was out, partying and flashing his money. Then he looked really sweaty and nervous for a couple days. After 6 days he stopped coming at all. I looked every night for the next week but The Cobra was gone. I went by his house and there were police there. I smiled. They won't find him. And they won't find any links to Alex or any of his other girls either. I took a few things from his safe. I did leave a list of all of the email and texts between The Cobra and his bosses in the US and overseas.
Three weeks. All that's left now is to think and plan. And worry that Alex won't remember me. Or still want me when she's out of prison. I sleep at night with my fingers crossed.