Page 18 of Mann Hunt
Declan stepped into the reception room and saw one of Calgary’s toughest enforcers seated in the waiting room with a small cup of espresso and a plate of Gwen’s pastries. As instructed, Charlie retrieved the box from the office freezer.
“Sir,” Declan said, with a confused smile. “I see that my assistant has made you comfortable.”
“You were right. These are great,” the enforcer said, waving the pastry around.
“Oh, if you like, you can pick up more from the shop downstairs when you’re done here,” Charlie said, helpfully.
“My wife’ll love ’em. She’ll kill me for bringin’ ’em into the house, but they won’t last a second once she tries one.”
Declan got things back on track. “I believe this is what you came for,” he said, handing him the machine. “This is the laptop containing only the files you’re interested in with Mr Attwal’s other client files removed.”
“Good. Now, give me the finger,” the enforcer replied.
Declan indicated Charlie should hand the box over to the man, who opened it to check the contents.
“This is only the ear. Where’s the finger?”
Declan smiled. “Oh, you just have to shake it around. It likes to hide.”
The enforcer shook the box, and the finger bounced out from underneath the ear and onto the floor. Charlie gasped so loud that it startled the other two men.
The enforcer picked the finger up. “Wouldn’t want that falling into the wrong hands, now would we?” he said. “Wrong hands. Get it? Finger… Hand?”
Charlie grimaced.
“So,” Declan continued, “my man here said that you had some information for me.”
“Yeah. You can pick up the body at Abel’s Wrecking Yard. You know the place?” he said, all the while tossing the finger into the air and catching it.
“I know the place,” Declan replied.
“It’ll be in the trunk of a red 1970 Dodge Challenger, midway back in the lot.”
“Will it still be alive?” Declan calmly enquired.
“Depends on how long you keep me here talking.”
“We’d better go, then. Dead bodies don’t pay their bills,” Declan said.
The man left, but before closing the door, he said, “Thanks for the tip on the pastries. I’m gonna pick up a box.”
The door closed and Charlie sat down before his knees gave way. “That man was playing with a human finger! He was just tossing it like he was flipping a coin.”
“He was just trying to scare you,” Declan said.
“He succeeded!” Charlie’s voice was reaching a near-hysterical pitch.
Declan knelt down, took him by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “Charlie, you’re all right. He wasn’t going to hurt you. I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. Do you understand? This is part of what I do here. Whatwedo here.” He felt Charlie’s breathing start to slow down. “You’re gonna be okay now.”
Charlie nodded his head.
“Good. Now, we have a very important job ahead of us. We have to save a man’s life.”
“Okay,” Charlie said weakly.
“You wouldn’t happen to have a car downstairs?”
“Yes.”
