girlfriend or children?”
“I believe he’s single. I’m not certain whether he has a girlfriend, and I doubt if he has children.”
“That doesn’t matter. It’s easy enough to find out about his kids.”
“If he has kids, then I don’t want them touched.” Webb didn’t know how, but he could feel the heat of Monk’s gaze behind the dark lenses.
“I don’t know what you’ve heard about me, Mr. Irvine, but I don’t kill children. If Jason has children, then it would make him more visible. After all, children have to go to school. I will eliminate your Mr. Cole using my own methods. You’ve been told that my fee is half down and the other half when the job is completed. Once I pick up my final payment, you will never see me again.”
The sweep hand on Webb’s gold timepiece made a full revolution before he asked, “What if you don’t complete the job?”
Bloodless thin lips parted in a feral grin. “I’ve never started something I didn’t finish. But if I don’t, barring divine intervention, then you’ll be out a half million dollars.” Reaching into the pocket of his jacket, Monk took out a cell phone, placing it on the love seat cushion. “This phone will be our only contact until the job is done. I’ll call to give you updates. If you don’t pick up, then I’ll call again because I don’t believe in leaving voice mails or texting.”
“If I miss the call, then I’ll just call you back,” Webb said.
Monk shook his head. “You won’t be able to call me because I’ve blocked all outgoing calls. Once we conclude our business arrangement, the phone will be deactivated. You’re in security, so I know you’re familiar with burn phones.” Monk flicked his wrist, glancing at his watch. “I don’t want to be rude but I must leave. My taxi is waiting and the meter is running.”
Webb stood and walked over to his desk. He picked up a large expandable pleated envelope, handing it to Monk. Earlier that afternoon he’d opened the safe and counted out five hundred thousand dollars in hundreds and fifties. He normally wouldn’t have had more than ten thousand dollars in the safe, but that was before Basil passed away.
When Basil’s houseboy had called to say he’d discovered the lifeless body of his boss sitting in a chair in his home office, Webb had rushed to the Beverly Hills’ mansion and emptied the safe. He didn’t own a counting machine, so it’d taken him almost three days to tally more than six million dollars in cash. Basil had drawn up a will, leaving Webb everything: house, cars, jewelry, money in several personal bank accounts and Slow Wyne Records. He now was the head of two companies. Slow Wyne and a security company selling high-tech surveillance equipment.
Webb had contacted his former cellmate to ask if he knew someone to help him with a personal problem. Ian Scott had spoken to his father, a shadowy man with ties to organized crime. Mr. Scott had quoted a figure and Webb had agreed. He would’ve paid any amount of money in order to bring down Serenity Records.
Monk gave him a warm smile for the first time. “Thank you. There’s no need for your mother to see me out. I know the way.”
“How did you—”
“How do I know that your housekeeper is your mother?” Monk asked, reading Webb’s mind.
He nodded numbly. “Yes.”
“Do you actually believe I’d meet with you in person if I didn’t check you out, Mr. Irvine? I know everything about you, and I do mean everything. You have a good evening.”
Webb waited a full five minutes and then returned to the refrigerator for a split of champagne. The pop of the cork echoed softly in the meticulously furnished home office. He’d spared no expense when it came to decorating his home. For Webb the house, personal tailor and on-call driver were surrogates for what he reviled most. He hated the opposite sex. It was because of a girl’s lie and his denial that her brother had disfigured his face. It was Basil
“I believe he’s single. I’m not certain whether he has a girlfriend, and I doubt if he has children.”
“That doesn’t matter. It’s easy enough to find out about his kids.”
“If he has kids, then I don’t want them touched.” Webb didn’t know how, but he could feel the heat of Monk’s gaze behind the dark lenses.
“I don’t know what you’ve heard about me, Mr. Irvine, but I don’t kill children. If Jason has children, then it would make him more visible. After all, children have to go to school. I will eliminate your Mr. Cole using my own methods. You’ve been told that my fee is half down and the other half when the job is completed. Once I pick up my final payment, you will never see me again.”
The sweep hand on Webb’s gold timepiece made a full revolution before he asked, “What if you don’t complete the job?”
Bloodless thin lips parted in a feral grin. “I’ve never started something I didn’t finish. But if I don’t, barring divine intervention, then you’ll be out a half million dollars.” Reaching into the pocket of his jacket, Monk took out a cell phone, placing it on the love seat cushion. “This phone will be our only contact until the job is done. I’ll call to give you updates. If you don’t pick up, then I’ll call again because I don’t believe in leaving voice mails or texting.”
“If I miss the call, then I’ll just call you back,” Webb said.
Monk shook his head. “You won’t be able to call me because I’ve blocked all outgoing calls. Once we conclude our business arrangement, the phone will be deactivated. You’re in security, so I know you’re familiar with burn phones.” Monk flicked his wrist, glancing at his watch. “I don’t want to be rude but I must leave. My taxi is waiting and the meter is running.”
Webb stood and walked over to his desk. He picked up a large expandable pleated envelope, handing it to Monk. Earlier that afternoon he’d opened the safe and counted out five hundred thousand dollars in hundreds and fifties. He normally wouldn’t have had more than ten thousand dollars in the safe, but that was before Basil passed away.
When Basil’s houseboy had called to say he’d discovered the lifeless body of his boss sitting in a chair in his home office, Webb had rushed to the Beverly Hills’ mansion and emptied the safe. He didn’t own a counting machine, so it’d taken him almost three days to tally more than six million dollars in cash. Basil had drawn up a will, leaving Webb everything: house, cars, jewelry, money in several personal bank accounts and Slow Wyne Records. He now was the head of two companies. Slow Wyne and a security company selling high-tech surveillance equipment.
Webb had contacted his former cellmate to ask if he knew someone to help him with a personal problem. Ian Scott had spoken to his father, a shadowy man with ties to organized crime. Mr. Scott had quoted a figure and Webb had agreed. He would’ve paid any amount of money in order to bring down Serenity Records.
Monk gave him a warm smile for the first time. “Thank you. There’s no need for your mother to see me out. I know the way.”
“How did you—”
“How do I know that your housekeeper is your mother?” Monk asked, reading Webb’s mind.
He nodded numbly. “Yes.”
“Do you actually believe I’d meet with you in person if I didn’t check you out, Mr. Irvine? I know everything about you, and I do mean everything. You have a good evening.”
Webb waited a full five minutes and then returned to the refrigerator for a split of champagne. The pop of the cork echoed softly in the meticulously furnished home office. He’d spared no expense when it came to decorating his home. For Webb the house, personal tailor and on-call driver were surrogates for what he reviled most. He hated the opposite sex. It was because of a girl’s lie and his denial that her brother had disfigured his face. It was Basil
Similar Books
