Chapter 2
The empty glass rattled back on the table and Clint contemplated his options. The bar was filling up and the crowd getting rowdier as the night went on. Pizza definitely figured somewhere in his immediate future but it had been a tough week so maybe just one more beer...
"Hey Steve. How’s it going?"
Rosie slipped back into the booth carrying two glasses. She pushed one across to Clint and flashed him a bright smile.
"You again? I thought we’d made a deal..?"
"We did and I fucked off but I didn’t agree to keep fucking off so now I’m back. You should read the small print more carefully."
There was something appealing about her confidence and the way she swore so casually in that clipped voice. Clint pursed his lips, appraising her through half closed eyes. She was cute enough. Her bobbed hair - a mess of waves - framing her pretty face.
Eh. What the hell. It was Saturday night and what harm could it do?
Clint reached for the beer.
"There was no small print, Rosie. Are you a lawyer by any chance?".
"Nope. I work in a shop. What do you do?"
"I’m an assassin for a secret organisation."
"You are?" She wore an expression that was a mix of amused cynicism and fake enthusiasm. "Does it pay well?"
"Yeh it pays pretty well, how about the shop?"
"No they don’t pay well at all, Steve."
"Huh. Sucks. Did you win something?" He pointed his glass towards the small white satin rosette she was wearing that she hadn’t had on earlier. It had ‘winner’ printed in gold in the centre.
"My friend gave it to me. What do you really do for a living?"
"Told you. I’m an assassin."
"Come on!"
He shrugged, "Can’t hide the truth."
"Are you single? Or married?"
"Doesn’t pay to give all your secrets away at once."
My money’s on married. I reckon your old lady's out of town and you’re out on the pull."
"The pull? What is that? Is that a British thing?"
"it means looking for action."
That made him laugh. "Oh really? Wow. You think I’m that guy? I’d cheat on my fictional wife?"
"So you’re not married? "
"No I’m not married. "
"Okay. I’ll be right back. Don’t go away."
He frowned as she slipped away through the crowd again, aware he’d just been played and it had been pretty slick.
Someone had put some money in the jukebox and Somebody that I Used to Know blared out. He caught the sound of high pitched cheers at the far end of the bar and drank his beer. He noted that Rosie hadn’t touched hers.