“Hello Connor.” Eduardo gave what he hoped was his most friendly smile.
Connor didn’t return the smile but waved him in the direction of the living room. “Sit,” he instructed, beckoning to a couple of old and very worn sofas with especially frayed armrests.
Eduardo did as instructed, careful to keep his arms in the open and clearly visible to Connor. “The Chief asked me to come,” Eduardo said, knowing he was stating the obvious. “I was in London anyway and happy to return a favour. I have a new passport for you.” Eduardo reached slowly inside his inside jacket pocket and withdrew a brown envelope which he placed on the sofa. Eduardo had met Connor a few times and though they weren’t, by any stretch of the imagination, friends, Eduardo was comfortable his relationship with the Chief, would ensure Connor would never suspect his real motives.
Connor tucked the gun in the back of the waistband of his trousers. He seemed to relax a little. “About bloody time… Want a drink?” he asked.
Eduardo had smelt the whisky on Connor’s breath as soon as he entered the house. “Thanks,” he said, accepting the offer. “By the way, the Chief says well done. You’ve earned a long holiday.”
Connor moved to the adjoining kitchen and reached up to a cabinet for a glass. Eduardo could see a half empty bottle of whisky and a glass on the kitchen work surface. He poured two large measures into the tumblers. As he returned to the lounge Eduardo got up from the sofa and extended his left hand to take one of the glasses. At the same time his right hand came forward revealing the gun he had taken from the strap around his ankle. “Take a seat,” Eduardo ordered.
Connor showed a hint of surprise then quickly took control of his emotions. Eduardo was sure he was assessing whether to take immediate action or do as he was instructed.
Eduardo backed a pace further away without having taken the whisky. “Take a seat,” he repeated, waving his gun in the direction of the sofa. He waited for Connor to be seated before speaking again. “We need to have a chat but first please put down the glass, take out your weapon holding the barrel between two fingers and place it on the floor in front of you. Then just slide it carefully towards me with your foot.” Eduardo tried to make it seem like an everyday request. He hadn’t needed Sam’s warning to understand that Connor was a very dangerous man. He knew Connor’s role in the organization. Despite being the one holding the gun, Eduardo was under no illusions that his own life was now in great danger. Any slip on his part that allowed Connor to gain control could only have an unpleasant end.
Connor did as instructed, having first placed the wine glass in his left hand on the floor. Eduardo picked up the weapon without ever taking his eyes from Connor and stood holding both guns pointed in Connor’s direction.
Connor raised the glass in his right hand to his lips and took a large gulp of the whisky. “This was yours,” he then said, recovering the second glass from the floor and offering it towards Eduardo.
“I don’t think so,” Eduardo replied with a wry smile. “You’re welcome to it.” He had no intention of getting so close to Connor, despite the strong attraction of the whisky. He took his mobile from his pocket and when it was answered said simply, “I am ready.” He turned back to an inquisitive looking Connor. “I am a very good shot so please don’t make any move that I might interpret as threatening while I welcome an old friend of yours.”
Connor gave a small shrug of his shoulders but his face showed no emotion. Eduardo walked carefully backwards towards the front door, never taking his eyes from Connor. He opened the door a few inches and then stepped aside to allow Sam to enter the house. As she did so Eduardo studied Connor’s face and spotted the brief look of surprise once again quickly replaced by a passive expression.
“You fucking bastard,” Sam quickly spat out as she moved to the centre of the room. “Not feeling so fucking cocky now are you.” It wasn’t really a question, more a statement of fact.
“Nice to see you too,” Connor replied flatly. He took another large drink of whisky.
Eduardo wanted to get the job done and be away as quickly as possible. He picked up a cushion from the sofa. “Sure you still want to do this,” he asked Sam.
She made a point of looking at Connor as she answered in the affirmative, “looking forward to it.”
“Use this then to muffle the noise,” Eduardo urged Sam. He moved towards her and handed her both the gun he had taken from Connor and the cushion.
“She’s never going to shoot me,” Connor stated confidently.
“I wouldn’t bet on it,” Eduardo replied. “Not after what you did to her.”
Sam took a couple of paces closer to Connor.
“She loved it,” Connor sneered.
Eduardo could see sweat breaking out on Connor’s forehead.
“Not as much as I’m going to love this,” Sam said, raising the gun and placing the cushion in front of the barrel.
Eduardo knew what Connor was going to do before he even moved. “That’s close enough,” he warned. In the same instant that Sam ignored him and kept moving even closer, Connor raised the full whisky glass as if to take another drink but instead threw it at Sam, who by now was only a couple of feet away. Eduardo watched Sam shy away from the glass and its contents as Connor launched himself from the chair.
Eduardo wasn’t certain but he thought
