Dark Direction

Chapter 9:Simon's Findings

The robust smell of coffee filled the café as Amy was preparing for the morning rush. While 3 pots of coffee were brewing, Amy was grinding fresh coffee beans. She had already filled the glass cases with fresh pastries and crescents. She was beginning to feel the pressure as she was the only one on duty for the first couple of hours.

Proud of herself for making it through the morning rush on her own, she was able to keep things steady until another employee's shift started. While busy at the espresso machine Amy's concentration was broke by a phone call.

"This is Amy, can I help you?" she answered while wiping her hands off on a towel, wedging the phone between her shoulder and ear.

"Morning... how's my little psychic friend?" Simon says with a chuckle.

"Simon?" she asks turning away from the customers. "You're not supposed to be calling me here!" she quickly replies.

"I know but listen... about what you said the other day" he said as Amy turned around to look at the customers in line. "What if I told you your vision was right?"

"Simon, can you make this quick? It's kind of busy here." she said becoming anxious.

"Ok, I looked where you told me and I found white powdery substance in a bag!" Simon exclaimed.

"What?" she blurted out rather loudly almost dropping the phone. "You found drugs?!" She whispered into the phone cupping her hand around the receiver turning around and eyeballing the customers

"But that's not all..." Simon continued. "The bag has letters on it; would you happen to have that slip of paper with the letters still written on it?"

"Yes." Amy quickly responded. "Can you meet me at the deli across the street today at one?" she said while pasting a phony smile on her face at the customers.

"Ok." Says Simon "but what about the drugs? I don't wanna get caught for possession!" he said nervously.

"Flush the contents down the toilet but bring the baggie with you and with any luck the letters will match up. Simon I really have to go..." she said as she slowly hung up the phone.

*****

Amy was anxious; 1 o'clock couldn't come soon enough. She still couldn't believe it... drugs? She really didn't see that one coming! From what she remembers of her vision none of the boys looked like drug users, but how are the two connected? She shook the thought out of her head as she finished up a customer's order.

"I'm going to lunch." she called out to her boss. She took her apron off and put it under the counter where her purse was and grabbed that.

"Have a good lunch." she heard as she headed out the door. A gust of wind hit her face as she stepped outside. It was another beautiful day out and she was glad to be getting out even of it was just across the street. She came upon the cross walk, pushed the button and waited for the cross signal to light up indicating it was safe to cross.

When she got to the deli, Simon was already at a table waiting for her. She smiled and headed over to the table and sat down opposite him.

"Hey Amy." he greeted her with a smile. "Would you like to order something?" he asked with his hands folded together on the table.

"Um yeah, just a sweet tea, thanks." she said. He motioned the deli worker over with a wave of his hand. Simon waited for Amy's tea to arrive before he spoke to her about his findings.

"So... I guess this would be a good time for you to say 'I told you so.'" He said to Amy as he reached in his pocket for the baggie, and held it in his fist. "So I'm curious to know if either of these letters matched the ones you wrote down." he said as Amy was fishing through her purse for the folded paper.

"I just don't understand." Amy said shaking her head still looking for the paper. "I totally didn't see that one coming... drugs? Are you sure?" She asked as she produced the paper which was wedged between a couple of receipts. Nervously unfolding  it she asked Simon what letters were on the baggie. Holding it suspiciously in his hand in bold black were the letters "ZM" overlapping each other to create a signature logo.

"ZM." he said under his breath, looking around the deli nervously. Amy's jaw practically dropped to the floor and her eyes were wide with surprise.

"Um well..." Amy said swallowing hard. "Those are definitely two of the letters I saw in my vision and wrote down." She said looking up at Simon with her mouth still open.

"Well isn't this just wonderful... What the hell did you get me into? Seriously? Drugs and thugs... How the hell are the two connected and why me of all people?" he said looking around the deli again trying not to attract attention.

"Simon I don't know... I don't get it either all I know is what I saw."  she said as she put the paper down on the table and shrugged her shoulders.

"So what now?" Simon says with his arms crossed over his chest. "I've got to somehow track this bad ass criminal down, tell him he's destined to be in a band with 4 other lads who I don't even know and become their manager?!" he exclaimed unaware of the looks he was getting.

"Simon, lower your voice, you're creating a scene!" Amy said with clenched teeth. "Let's go outside." she said as they got up from the booth they were sitting in and quickly headed for the door. As she pushes the door open she is hit in the face with a gust of wind, Simon quickly on her heels.

The wind is whipping her ponytail around and strands of hair are blown across her eyes. She grabs the strands and tucks them behind her ear. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she exclaims as she leans up against the wall of the building. "You just need to calm down and think about this." she says looking him straight in the eyes.

"I don't know even know where to even begin looking!" Simon says waving her arms around. "You're the psychic!" he says pointing his finger at her. "You tell me, where shall I start looking... hmmm?" he says placing his hands on his hips.

Taking offense to that remark Amy turns her back to him, takes a deep breath and turns to face him again. "I don't see everything Simon! I just see bits and pieces. Just where exactly were you when your car was broken into?" she asks tucking strands of hair behind her ear again.

Simon looks down at his feet in deep thought. He makes eye contact with her. "I met up with a buddy of mine at a Chinese restaurant downtown." he remembers.

"Okay..." Amy says "now we're getting somewhere, we should start there." she says with a smile on her face.

Simon looks at her in amazement as he brushes both hands through his hair. "You've got to be out of your damn mind! Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to drive around aimlessly in a part of town that has drive- by shootings  while looking for a 'thug' I didn't even get a description of?!" he said pacing back and forth with one hand on his hip.

"Guess what?" he says to Amy pointing a finger in her face, "Your sweet ass is coming with me love! You started this whole 'manager of a boy band' mess!" Amy is in complete shock with her mouth agape. With a quick flick of his hand he starts walking away.

"Simon... Simon! Where are you going?" she calls after him.

"I'll call you later, I need some time to think!" he said as he crossed the street heading for his car.