A Crooked Waitress

Chapter 19

Eric stopped the Mustang in front of a nightclub called Black knight, left Natalie in the vehicle, and went inside. For hours, he had Crisscrossed the city and asked fences about anyone who showed up with a substantial amount of jewelry to sell. But his options were limited; he could only ask those he trusted. And trust was a lot to expect from a fence. By inquiring about it, he was advertising his involvement in the robbery.

He sat at the bar. It was ten minutes after five in the afternoon, and the place was almost empty.

"What can I get you?" The bartender, a curvy woman in her forties, asked.

"A beer and show me where Marcus is." He sized her up.

She poured him a tall glass of beer and pointed at a table where a silver-headed man sat.

"That's him over there."

He picked up his drink, left a twenty-dollar bill on the counter, and walked to the table. "Hello, Marcus."

"Hello." The man leaned back in his seat and his eyebrows went up.

Eric hadn't seen him in a few years. But he knew if Marcus wasn't sick or dead, he would be here. Drinking at this club at this hour was his routine. He sat down.

"How have you been? I haven't seen you in two-three years," Marcus said.

"Has it been that long?"

"Yes, young man. That long, and you know it. You work with others now."

"Not really. I've been out of a job for a while. You're always my first choice."

"Good grief! He talks like we're in love or something!" Marcus said, laughing." Stop lying and say what you want."

"I'm looking for someone who'd want to sell a rather large amount of exquisite jewelry."

"So it was you," Marcus said.

Eric drank some of his beer.

"You robbed the Sea of Light, and then what? You got jacked?" The old Fence's eyes twinkled, and a large grin landed on his face.

"Sharp as always, aren't you?"

"So what did you do? Teamed up with the wrong partner, and he double-crossed you?"

"No, she didn't screw me over because she's still hanging around. Are you mocking me?" Eric said.

"Pretty much, yeah. People don't just find out about your job and take the load off your hands. Someone's been chirping."

"I know that."

The waitress came over to clean the table.

"Another round?" She asked.

"Yes, dear," Marcus said.

Eric nursed his drink and watched her walk away. Out in the street, a car backfired and sounded like a gunshot. His head jerked toward the door.

"Jumpy much?" Marcus said.

***

The man, with a Tom Cat mask, fired and exploded the Toyota's windshield. The woman had turned her back and was putting the jewels in her car. She didn't react to the gunshot and was surprised when turned and saw what had happened.

***

In the diner, the deaf waitress read his lips and took his order. Then he explained his plan to Natalie. And when he was talking, the waitress sat behind the counter and faced him.