The Mistake

Chapter 2 Part 1

"There is a- a gentleman to see you, Mister Jaeger. He won't state his business." Walter stared at the intercom and felt his mouth go dry. "Mister Jaeger?"

His voice cracked and rattled as he instructed his secretary to send the man in and he watched transfixed as the door opened and filled with the enormous figure of Toto. He moved toward Walter's desk like a slow and deadly landslide.

"My employer, Mister Bonducci, sent me to have a chat." The voice rumbled out like a prairie storm and Walter feared his bladder would loosen. "He would like to have his money. He doesn't want to wait another week"

      Walter fought to regain his composure and tried a bleak smile as he suggested Toto might like to sit while they discussed the matter. The huge man looked about and selected the sofa, filling it like a chair.

"Would you like something to drink?" Walter waved a weak hand. This could not be the same man he spoke to on the phone asking for an extension.

"Tea would be nice."

"Tea. Of course." He buzzed his secretary and ordered a pot of tea for his guest. "Won't be a moment," he smiled weakly.

"Nice place," Toto offered conversationally, gazing about the room.

"Uh yes, it's uh- it's very pleasant... listen, Mister ah..."

"Toto. Just call me Toto." The wide face beamed pleasantly. "My mom's favourite film was The Wizard of Oz."

"Toto, of course, the uh- little dog," Walter observed incongruously. "About the debt to Mister Bonducci, we had the money, the payoff was all set up. I told you all this. When I- we, my partner and I, asked for that extension it was well- it was a ballpark amount of time. We have made good progress since and I can guarantee you, Mister Bonducci will get his money uhm, shortly."

   The office door opened and Walter's secretary hurried to the table in front of the sofa, setting down the rattling tray and shakily pouring a cup of tea before fleeing. Toto added some cream and sugar with an almost dainty precision and lifted the cup to his lips.

"Mmm, Oolong I believe. Very nice." The cup looked like a thimble in the cantaloupe-sized fist and he set it down carefully, dabbing his lips with a mini napkin and fixing his gaze on Walter. "He knows he will get his money, Mister Jaeger. The thing is, he wants it now."

Walter gasped a short laugh. "B-b-but my partner is out getting it right now—right now," he lied. We expect we will... Mister Toto?" Walter shrank into his chair as Toto rose from the sofa like an emerging volcano.

"I didn't know about that, sir. I will make a call and get back to you." Toto turned and tugged out the office leaving Walter sweating and trembling in his wake.

*****

Christopher watched the phone display as the bell rang. He didn't recognize the number and wasn't sure he wanted to answer, rather he would let the machine take it.

"Christopher Wallace? I'd hoped to speak to you personally. This the person you shared a table wi—"

"HELLO!" He grabbed the phone quickly and yelled his greeting.

"Ouch! Mister Wallace?"

"Sorry. Sorry, I uh- I just- you went back then, to the coffee shop?"

"Yes. Listen... I'm guessing you looked in the bag already, I can explain but not on the phone. Can I come over?"

"No! I mean no, not here. Uhm, is there some other place we can talk? I've already had a strange call today about this- this problem, and I don't want to hang around my apartment." Nora felt a tinge of panic and was now in doubt about taking this any further. "Someplace public is fine," Christopher added. "I'm not trying to pull anything here. Actually, I'd just like my socks back." He tried a light-hearted chuckle.