Sidekicks and Criminals

Chapter Nineteen: National City in Peril

The restaurant was packed. Sophia didn't like it. And yet, it wasn't the place that set her teeth on edge, the amount of people that were there per se, it was the fact that she had no idea who they were. All in all the place looked as though it were a normal restaurant, families spending time together, enjoying that they were finally able to have a break, but Sophia didn't see it like that. She saw opportunity, a place where Fletcher could have all manner of goons hiding, ready to shift the power balance into their hands should they need it. Those kinds of underhand tactics were not beyond Fletcher. Not by a long shot.

It was for that reason that she had forced Robbo and Mitch to wait elsewhere, despite her wanting Robbo to see a sale. She had relented in letting him wait nearby, but not in coming in with her. Mitch was still in their hotel room, computer opened in front of him, camera feed of the place playing before him.

'That's a good thing,' he'd assured her before she had left the hotel. 'If I can hack it they're not in control of it.'

She'd made a dismissive sound. 'Or they want to trace it back to you,' she had countered, only vaguely aware of what that meant. Only barely allowing the worry to settle in the pit of her stomach at that thought.

She shook her head clear, smiled politely at the thug standing beside the table. Fletcher had yet to make an actual appearance, but his goons seemed more than happy to keep an eye on her. They had been shocked that the painting wasn't with her, but she wasn't willing to show her hand to them just yet. Not all of it at the very least.

'I see one beautiful thing,' came a voice from behind her, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand to attention. She stood up slowly, glancing back over her shoulder.

Fletcher wasn't an unattractive man, that she couldn't deny. But there was something slimy about the way he spoke, the way he acted, the way he moved that she hated. She was the best person for dealing with him, not just because she was used to making the sells but because he seemed to genuinely like her. It was a good business fact, but not one that she liked.

'But I don't see my painting,' he noted, moving to kiss her on the cheek before moving to do the same on the other, his hands hovering by her elbows.

She let out a soft laugh, pulling away from him slightly. 'You didn't think I was going to make this as easy as that did you, Mr. Dawn?'

'Please, Miss Laverna, Fletcher,' he said, tucking her chair in for her as she sat down.

'Thank you, Fletcher,' she said, smiling at him, watching as he settled himself opposite her. He undid the button of his blazer; one of his goons pushed his seat in for him silently.

'Now, what price is Mr. Laverna asking for again, Sophia?' asked Fletcher.

'Straight to business?' she asked curiously. 'I thought dinner was on the cards first.'

Fletcher chuckled, his grey-blue eyes shining merrily. 'I thought that was going to be our celebration for a fantastic deal,' he said softly, leaning back in his seat, trying to look as though he was in control of the whole thing, as if he was calm. But Sophia could see the tension in his shoulders, could see the swiftness of his eyes as they darted around the place, looking for what the Laverna gang might have had up their sleeves.

'Shall we start the bidding at...' Sophia started, but she caught sight of the screen behind the bar. It felt as though someone had sucked the air out of her. She flicked her attention to the barman, motioned for him to turn the sound up.

'Sophia?' asked Fletcher, but she had already shifted her chair away from the table, her attention glued to the screen.

Her professionalism usually won out in situations like this, but there was a knot of worry in her stomach. After everything else that had happened in recent months she felt as though she should be used to it. That she should have been able to keep her professional manner firmly in place. Then again, she was pretty certain that she had never been in a situation like this.