Once a Thief

Chapter 1 of my contribution to Infinite Possibilities "Once a Thief"

"Once a Thief"

by

DJ Shaw

Chapter 1

Ember Addams was having a decidedly bad day. Her car refused to start and she was running late for an appointment. When she'd pulled her cell phone out so that she could call her client and let him know the situation she found that it was dead. It seemed that she'd forgotten to put it on the charger. Again.

"Damn it!" Ember growled in disgust as she threw her cell on the passenger seat.

Grabbing her car keys, she pulled them out of the ignition, snatched up her discarded cell phone and went back into her house. She made her way into the kitchen and put the offending piece of technology on the charger. Reaching for the house phone she punched in some numbers and placed the receiver to her ear.

She listened to the other line ring, and then heard the click that preceded the "Hello?"

"Sebastian? It's Ember Addams. I'm calling to let you know that I'm running a little late. Having some car trouble. Are you already at The Thunder Tavern?"

There was an intake of breath before Sebastian answered, "Yea, I'm here, yes. I felt my phone vibrate so I stepped outside to answer. How late do you think you'll be? Should we reschedule?"

Ember smiled at how nervous he sounded, "I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Just sit at the table where we talked last week and you'll be fine. No one's going to bother you."

Sebastian agreed to do just that and hung up the phone. Ember glared at her cell phone, placed the house phone back on its cradle and headed into the garage. She made her way to the chrome that was shining in the corner. She grinned as she eyed the motorcycle that'd been sitting in the corner of her garage for six months. She'd bought it at a junk yard for a steal and brought it home to fix it up. Having spent so much time on it she'd been looking for an excuse to ride it. It seemed like that time had finally come.

Her grin got wider as she straddled the chrome and steel and started it. She clicked the garage door opener, waited for the door to open and then rode her motorcycle onto the street. She closed the garage door with the clicker, stuck it in her back pocket and revved the engine just to hear it purr. She gave a short laugh as she twisted the throttle and made the motorcycle jump into action.

She made good time getting to The Thunder Tavern and she had to admit, if only to herself, that she'd enjoyed the ride. She loved the feel of the wind in her hair and the sense of freedom that riding the bike had given her.

I'll have to ride this baby more often. Now to put on my business face and get this job, Ember thought as she palmed the bike keys and made her way into the bar.

She stopped at the bar on her way to the dimly lit corner booth where Sebastian was nervously waiting. She hid a smile as she slid the bottle of Jack Daniels onto the table and set the two shot glasses next to it. She'd known the first time they'd met that he wasn't like her usual clients but she had no idea how different he really was. She always met her potential clients at The Thunder Tavern; it was kind of her way of seeing who they were on the inside. Everyone liked to pretend to be tough but once put in a situation like the one Sebastian was in at the biker bar Ember could gauge just how tough they really were. Nine times out of ten the potential client acted the way Sebastian was to some degree or another. Only Sebastian seemed much more uncomfortable to be there. Whether it was the area of town, the bar, the company he was with or the job he was asking her to do Ember wasn't sure.

"Sorry I'm late. My car has been really temperamental lately. I trust that no one bothered you?" Ember said as she slid into the booth and poured shots for the two of them.

Sebastian accepted the offered shot glass, "No one came over here. I got a few looks on my way to this booth but nobody bothered me."

Ember nodded as she lifted her own glass, "See? I told you that you'd be fine. Did you gather the information I told you I needed?"

Sebastian choked on his drink as he slid a manila envelope across the table. Ember suppressed a grin as she picked up the envelope. She opened it and slid the papers out, looking them over.

"I tried to get you everything I thought you'd need. Is it enough?" Sebastian asked while he watched her go through the papers.

Ember quickly glanced at the paperwork then slid it back into the envelope, "I believe it is. I'll have to go over it in more detail, of course, just to be sure but it's definitely enough to give you an estimated price."

Sebastian handed her his shot glass for a refill, "Only estimated?"

Ember refilled both of their glasses, "Yes. I need to go over this information more closely. What I did a moment ago was give it a cursory glance so I can give you the estimated price. This way you have time to get the first half together and I can get a plan of action together. If the job turns out to be more than the estimate I give you then you can make up the difference after the job is done. If it turns out to be less, then I can make up the difference at our last meeting. Now, some clients like to know the details of how the job is going to be done and some prefer not to have that much knowledge. Which one are you, champ?"

Ember was pretty sure she already knew the answer but felt she should ask.

"I don't care how the job is done as long as it gets done," Sebastian answered.

She nodded and gave him a reassuring smile, "Ok, Sebastian, I'll spare you the details. Last question, the final piece you might say, before I give you the estimated price: What do you want as proof that I've disposed of your problem?"

Sebastian looked at her as if he'd never considered getting proof of that part of the job being done, "What do you mean? What kind of proof would I need?"

Ember gave a soft groan before answering, "Most clients asking for this type of job wants proof that the job has been done before paying the last half of the payment. That type of proof can be anything from a body part to a photo of the body itself. It can even be a piece of clothing or jewelry that the target holds dear. So, I'll ask again: What type of proof do you want at the end of this job?"

Sebastian had gone pale while Ember had been explaining and she couldn't help but think, Yep, he's definitely wet behind the ears. This must be very important to him to have come to someone like me.

She watched the color return to his face as he answered, "Douglas is very fond of his high school ring. He wears it all the time. Bring me that as proof."

Ember nodded, "Consider it done. Are you ready for the estimated price?"

She waited for Sebastian to nod before she continued, "With this information I don't think the disposal part of the job is going to be too difficult but the object you want me to acquire for you could prove to be much more so. For that reason alone your estimated quote is going to be one hundred grand. How long do you think it'll take you to come up with the first fifty grand?"

Sebastian looked like he was going to faint. Ember wasn't sure what she would do if he did but she could understand why he felt that way.

He cleared his throat before he spoke, "I can have the first half for you by the end of next week."

Ember nodded again, "Alright that sounds good. We can meet back here next Saturday. How about the same time as today?"

"Sounds great. If we're done I think I'll take my leave," Sebastian stated as he stood.

She smiled and heldher hand out, standing with him, "Until next week then." 

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