Maxwell had not run around in the slums for years for nothing and he knew that if it was a planned job that was so smooth that even the agency could find no loophole; there could only be one source that got it done. Going to the store would be a waste of his time, he would certainly come up empty. Don never left traces.
If his assumption was right, that could only mean that Susan had stepped on a client's toe. A very wealthy client. Don didn't deal with any other type. His baby sister had bitten off more than she could chew but he would find out what could be done. It would cost. Oh, yes. It would but he had to try. If he got nowhere or if he happened to be wrong. Then he would simply leave the rest for his overpriced lawyer to deal with but first, he had to try.
As he dialled the confidential number, he thought briefly of who could have it in for Susan and the deceived wife came to mind but he dismissed it. If the woman was gullible enough to be cheated on for so many years without any inkling then he doubted she would have enough resources to get Don.
"Hello," he said when he realised that the person on the other end had picked up the call without saying anything.
"Yeah?" the voice replied.
"It is Max, I want to see you for something important and urgent," he said urgently. Don had no patience with niceties.
"If you are not dying, then it is not urgent. Are you dying, Max?" the voice replied calmly.
"No, I have no intention to anytime soon"
"Good, then it is not urgent. B.."
"Please, I need to see you," Max said urgently, almost biting his tongue on the words.
"Wow, look at that. Please? You must be desperate" pause "O'tooles bar. 9 pm" the phone was disconnected before Maxwell could reply.
Maxwell knew that it was a privilege for Don himself to come out to meet anybody but then they have history.
At 8: 00 pm, Maxwell was already at O'toole's bar, he figured he might get to relax a bit before Don arrived. He knew Don or his people could have been around scouting the area for any possible threat so he might as well be in full view while having a couple of drinks.
Just as the thoughts of how his day had gone ran through his mind and he was signalling to the waiter to get him another drink, she entered.
The most gorgeous woman with the most beautiful shade of chestnut hair he had ever seen.
"Damn" Maxwell muttered when he looked down at himself as he noticed an instant hard-on.
He was no randy young man who went about with a stiff whenever he set his eyes on a beautiful woman. It must be because he hadn't had a woman in a while. Nobody's fault but his. He had to rectify that as soon as possible if the alternative would be him embarrassing himself when he saw a hot lady. Damnit. Now he thought her hot?
"You have it bad, boy," he thought when he felt his trouser tighten at his crotch. "Where is Don?" he looked at his watch. 8:25 pm, damn. He looked up again to see the woman paused just inside the door of the bar, looked around with a slight uncertainty on her face like she was not sure she should be there then she seemed to make up her mind as she headed to the bar. A man sat on the stool she seemed to have headed for as she neared the bar. She spoke to the barman who pointed towards where Maxwell was seated. She nodded and headed toward him.
"What? There should be plenty of other vacant chairs around him apart from his own. There should.." he looked around and realised that there isn't. His table was the only one with vacant seats. He was the only one occupying one of the four little couches placed around the table.
Damn. He thought to himself again as she got closer.
She was even more beautiful up close.
The woman who was oblivious to his inner turmoil simply said "Hi" before she dropped her purse on the table and took the couch farthest from him as she looked at the waiter who brought her margarita.
"Thank you," she said with a smile before she sipped her drink and faced the podium where some sort of band was setting up.
"Shit, even her smile is a killer," Maxwell thought as he felt his trouser grow tighter at a very interesting junction. He was tempted to stand up to ease his throbbing member but he was sure that he would do more than embarrass himself if he attempted that so he merely reached for his glass only to realise that it was empty.
"Waiter, I need another beer"