Ezekiel Jones And the Silver Coin
Chapter Seven
After she met up with the thief that she hired to find Mrs. Kitty Allgood's emerald necklace and an emerald ring currently in the possession of a wealthy, prominent citizen, whose father was the former mayor of Dublin years before, Miss. Eileen Teagan, Regina Hennessy had her chauffeur drive her through the city until they reached a rundown apartment building. She had her driver stop and let her out, then she walked inside and down the first floor hallway, then finally knocked when she came to the door belonging to the apartment of the person she had come to see.
The resident of the apartment finally opened the door after Regina persisted in knocking, surprised to find the woman he thought he had once been in love with some time ago until Regina had betrayed him for money. It didn't take long for them both to realize they were better off apart.
The woman spoke up first saying curtly, "The years haven't exactly been too kind, have they, Carlyle?"
He turned his back to her as he motioned for her to follow him inside, then responded in frustration, "I never expected I'd see you again, Regina. After all, you've gotten your millions and I'm nothing, but a thief and contract killer, who's been out of work ever since I got sent to prison for that robbery you hired me for years ago. I would have thought you would have lost my address by now."
"And I would have thought you would have moved after you got out," she answered nervously. "Look, we both know that I didn't come here for pleasantries. I need you to do a job for me."
"Do you really think I would help you with something after you let me take the fall for the job you hired me for the last time?" the man asked coolly as he faced her once again and took a seat in the recliner, not bothering to offer her a seat on the only other piece of furniture besides the small table inside the flat; his bed. "If that's what you've really come here for, you can just walk right back out the door. I learned my lesson."
Regina sat down on the end of his bed despite him telling her to leave, then looked at him as she replied gently, "I know that what I did to you was wrong and for what it's worth, I am sorry. Thieves have a code of honor and I forgot that. Believe me, I wouldn't have come to you if I thought I had any other choice, but I don't. I need you to steal a few pieces of jewelry from the first thief I hired and then I need you to kill him. He's young, but he's good; frighteningly so."
Carlyle looked at him in confusion as he asked, "So, you're betraying him too and you think that I would actually agree to help you? Get the hell out of here!"
"You don't understand, I can't do that," she responded in anger. "This guy is dangerous. I have it on good authority that he's going to become out of control before too long and that he'll either let me take the fall for his crimes, or worse, kill me too. If I knew anyone else… I don't. I can pay you whatever price you want, so long as I get the jewelry and Davin McRaney dies."
"Davin McRaney, that's the thief you hired?" the man asked in surprise. "Why… Are you crazy? McRaney is well known in our world, not by face, but certainly by reputation. He may be the best of us, but he's a sociopath. If you do double cross him, he will most definitely kill you."
The woman nodded as she said, "Which is why I need you to kill him first, before he can come and kill me. I wasn't planning on betraying Davin. I don't want to kill him. I was going to pay him the price he asked for in exchange for the jewelry, but it turns out that I can't find anybody like I thought."
He scoffed and then stated, "I'm confused. What are you talking about?"
"He wants me to use my resources to track down some kid from his past," Regina answered in frustration. "I did everything I could, but this kid is a ghost. It's as if he never even existed. I have another week, but I don't know what more I can do. I've run out of sources. He'll kill me, Carlyle. I am begging you to help me, please."
"I'll do it, but only because I can't live in this dump any longer and I'm tired of having nothing to show for my skills," Carlyle finally replied after taking a few minutes to think about what this woman was asking him to do. "But know that I'm not doing this for you, not in the least. I wouldn't care if you died. I want four million dollars, one million for the heist and three million for killing Davin McRaney. You know how dangerous he is. If I'm going to risk my life going after him, I want enough money to make it worth it."
She glared at him as she responded coldly, "Fine, four million dollars it is. Do you want that in writing, or will my word be enough for you?"
The man shook his head and answered, "A signed contract from you means absolutely nothing."
"I don't understand," Regina said nervously. "What does that mean? I know that you don't intend to do the job without some form of reassurance?"
"That's right, I don't," he replied smugly. "But I have something better in mind. I'll have the jewelry in my possession. If you want whatever these pieces are from me, you will pay me every penny. Otherwise, I'll become a ghost just like that kid you failed to find. You know that I can, if I really want to."