Beneath The Orange Sunset ✔️

23

~23~

Antoine got into his car and slammed the door shut. He wriggled his right fingers which were aching for some face to punch.
He was having a bad day. All he needed now was to take it out on Maxime. Then return home, take a shower and spend time with his lady.

His phone rang out. He answered it without looking at the caller.

"What?" He barked.

There was a pause.
"Antoine, I'm leaving. Been waiting for you all day."

"Olga?" His voice softened. He could hear car horns and noises in the background. "Why are you leaving today?"

Olga kept quiet.

"We didn't even discuss about it."

"You left early, after ignoring me. How was I supposed to tell you?"

"Can you stay and leave tomorrow?" Antoine suggested calmly.

Olga sighed on the other end. "I've got work. I will call you when I get to London," Olga paused then she added. "I think you should go see your brother."

That finally got Antoine's attention. His formerly styled hair laid loose at some ends, most of which was sticking to his sweaty forehead.

"Why?" He exhaled hot air. His voice was not calm anymore.

"I think there is something happening with Maxime."

"Really?"

"Yes. Something really bad. He said something about a camera in his room, and he is really sick. You need to go see him," Olga said, her voice wavering in emotion.

Antoine laughed out, sarcastically.

"Are you not going to do something?"

"It seems you have been seeing Maxime a lot lately. Why don't you do something?" Antoine fumed.

"He's your brother, don't you feel sorry for him?"

"No. I don't," Antoine cut in. "Not until you tell me what the hell is going on with the two of you." Antoine punched the wheels of his car in annoyance.

"Antoine? What are you talking about?"

"What? Am I wrong? Tell me about it, huh."

"You know what? I'm not doing this with you right now, I will be late for my flight."

There was a beep and the call got disconnected.

"Olga? Olga!"

Antoine squinted his eyes in disbelief. Olga hung up the call on him. He bit his inner cheeks in thoughts.

Maybe Maxime deserved to die after all.

~~~~~~~

Antoine ran furious, agitated and exhausted from the long drive to Hôspital Saint-Louis. The hospital where Emile had most of the doctors working for her. Especially when it concerned her blind son.

Antoine knew they wouldn't have gone far. Last time his brother had a nose bleed, he was brought to Saint Louis hospital. He was sure Samuel will bring him here. He pushed the glass doors wide open, prowling down the hallway looking for his victim. There was no time to think about this.

Maxime Lacroix is dead meat.

He passed the waiting room which was scarcely crowded with patients and visitors. The scent of get-well-soon flowers hung thick in the air. He heard some side greetings from some of the medics who recognized him, but he was not there to see them.