Chapter 6: The Blind Date

The uncle and Knox were riding back to the city after attending a series of underworld crime meetings and closing business deals- which was more of a game of blackmail from the raids they collected in safety deposit boxes the result was mergers and the uncle getting a share in some of the companies. It was both fun and easy, a real estate mogul and a high-profile employee of the world-acclaimed Boyd Security and Safety Consultants was a team anyone could rarely beat.

"You were brilliant back there!"

"That's how we take care of business"

"I'll talk to my accountant on your cut, I've been meaning to ask. What do you do with all this money anyway?"

"Waiting for investment opportunities”

"You don't wait, you go look for them. I'm not retiring any time soon and this cash flow isn't guaranteed"

The mood in the car changed, out of the blue he had introduced a topic Knox had been dying to talk to him about but on the wrong note. He started by declaring he wasn't retiring. Amongst all his boys, Knox was the obvious successor. He was confident about it being the brains of their operation while the uncle being the tactical genius and the muscle, he could use his underworld connections to get anything from the black market or even out of the country through the border or compromise anyone in the police force either by money or blackmail. Knox had this idea planted deep in his brain that their relationship was fifty-fifty. That he was being groomed to be the next boss and God had he worked so hard to be acknowledged and earn what was rightfully his.

"You can't do this all your life"

"Yes, I know but am not building it for anyone. If you want this you either take it-which is not an option or build it. And you're a smart boy I was thinking you'd be using this money to build something"

"I'm building something," he said staring outside his face was becoming red with anger all of a sudden, he turned languid.

"What is it?"

"I can't share the details at the moment. Drop me here!"

The driver pulled over at Boyd security offices, a beautiful skyscraper standing tall at the heart of the city.

"We don't hide anything from each other"

"It's complicated stuff..."

"Then simplify it!"

"My security innovations, technological stuff...I'm working on starting my own company someday"

"That's good. See you later in the evening boy" he shook his hand before Knox exited the Rolls Royce and shut the door behind him.

Knox was pissed, he walked briskly to the entrance waving his badge to the security at the door instead of swiping it. He was pissed by the conversation in the car. He jumped out of the elevator on the executive floor- the seventh floor and rushed into his spacious office and shut the door ranting in anger and kicking everything in his path. After all that he had done for his mentor the dream of ever becoming the boss of their crime family, he built with his blood sweat and tears was swept right under his feet. The man had taken him through school and in return he had helped him triple his wealth.

"Son of a bitch!" He smashed a water glass on the thick glass floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city, his secretary rushed in.

"Everything okay sir? I heard some noise"

"It's nothing. Clear my schedule" he started packing up his stuff, “I’m off for the day"

"Okay sir"

"And clean that up"

The feeling brain was at work, he was angry and definitely not thinking straight. Knox took the elevator straight to the basement where his work car was parked. An Audi R8. It was just one in a dozen of other ludicrously expensive cars. They were making a lot of money, from government contracts to private companies. Knox was an executive, the youngest at a tender age of twenty-nine earning a six-figure salary and helping change the direction industry. Which makes you wonder why on earth was he involved in crime like it was a part-time hobby? Vengeance. Fueled by anger, Knox drove across the city with no particular destination in mind, the conscious mind. But the unconscious mind had other plans, it wanted to push his mentor’s buttons. What did he have to lose anyway? There was no reward for his loyalty and falling in line. He found himself right in front of the FCNB and there came the urge to pop in and see her leave alone hear her voice as he was tempted the other day. She was a call away but so were the police hovering around like a bunch of hyenas on a carcass. The bank was closed and marked a crime scene with the yellow tape.

"Here goes nothing" he got out of the car and marched to the bank as through he couldn’t see the tape.

"Sir, stop right there the bank is closed" an officer blocked his way.

"I'm looking for a friend of mine. He works here"

"All the staff have been sent home for the day, they will resume work tomorrow. Why don't you call them?"

"I wanted to surprise him. Thank you, officer. I'll be on my way"

When he got back to the safety of his car he experienced a flash of panic, a bolt of fear struck his brain right to his spine.

"Shit!"

That was nuts. Going back to a crime scene when he was on top of the list of most wanted criminals was not confidence, it was crazy and reckless as the uncle would have put it. He smiled like a Cheshire cat and drove off laughing hysterically. His thinking brain was active again and he knew he needed to get out of there as fast as possible before Stewart got a whiff of his presence in the vicinity.

*****

At seven as agreed with the cryptic Mr. Blue on the mail Maya was seated in a local pub enjoying a glass of wine. She had chosen a very strategic table, a Blindspot to anyone looking with an extra keen eye. Two minutes past seven she started getting cold feet. Perhaps he was there but couldn't spot her? She turned to look around and when she turned back he was seated right in front of her.

"Jesus!"

"Hi kid"

"I don't like the batman shit"

"You and I have watched different Batman movies. The one I know disappears he doesn't appear like Drax"

"Straight to business I have a blind date to attend"

"I'm glad you're settling in the society it's good. I just wanted to see how you're doing. Clearly you're well except..."

"Stewart" she squirmed, "he is not going to be a problem I got him off my back today"

"Okay. But if you need any help with him don't be afraid to reach out. What about the leads we were working on"

"Give me time to connect the dots"

"How long? We don't have time a lot of parties are interested in the outcome"

"Next week I'll reach out with something solid. There's possibility of a way in. Just buy me time"

"I will. Be safe we can have you put under protective custody if you don't feel safe"

"I'm very good at taking care of myself" Maya was the first one to leave through the front door while Mr. Blue left from whatever hole he crawled in from.

It was twenty minutes past seven on the clock. Being a habitual timekeeper, she didn't intend to show up late for dinner at Mark's. She drove her Toyota Allion to the nearest store and grabbed a gift basket with and a bottle of wine before heading home. The traffic was light as the city blossomed back into life, Neon signs flashed and flickered bathing the surroundings into hues of blue, yellow, pink, violet. The tall skyscrapers glittered like a sea of stars, their glass walls casting soft glows that reflected off the streets. A call came in, with a small circle she already knew who it could be.

"Mum. I'm driving"

"I expected something like good evening. You're still coming over the weekend?"

"Yes"

"With a guest"

"No"

"That was a stretch. You’re not getting any younger"

"I know. Bye mum I'll call you before going to bed you don't want me ramming into a truck. There will be no grandchildren for you. Isn't that what you want?"

"I love you hunnie. It gets lonely here, stop bye sometimes. Drive safe"

The pressure from her mum on starting a family was getting intense and on the other side she had a career to build with an end goal in mind and a messed life to put together back on track. A family wasn't fitting in anywhere even though she knew she was the only heir to her father, the only chance to continuation of his bloodline. Maya drove through the quiet neighborhood. The street lights and trees were casting long shadows on the deserted park with empty benches, there was light in all the houses except hers. She dropped in for a quick change of clothes before carrying her gifts to Mark’s house, stood by the door to compose herself before knocking gently.

"There she is, right on time!" Marks wife-Tina was happy to see her, "Come in, we will talk about that dress later you look stunning tonight...I should shut up"

"Thank you" she handed over the gift basket and the bottle of wine.

"Hello neighbor. Mark was already seated in the dining I was getting cold feet"

"Not anymore" she smiled broadly taking a seat.

"My brother will be joining us soon he went upstairs"

"And the kids?"

"They went to her sister. We needed a break. Let nobody talk you into having those little bastards"

"Mark, those are our kids. Nick! Get down here dinner is ready and Maya has arrived"

As though he was waiting for the signal, her blind date rushed downstairs. When their eyes met they both froze for a couple of seconds. Maya looked a bit scared and Nick was wearing surprise like makeup. It definitely wasn’t the first time the two were meeting. Nick chose to break the deadlock when their hosts realized how weird it was getting.

"Hi, you must be Maya I've heard a lot about you" he kissed her arm.

"All good I guess"

"Yes. They told me you're beautiful but they underestimated"

"Let's eat you'll have enough time to woo the sexy lady"

They held hands and Mark prayed for the food. Nick and Maya were seating opposite each other and the whole night she kept avoiding eye contact with him. He had bad news written all over him and a threat to exposing a well-kept secret.