Riley's Last Job

Riley stumbled into the café, dripping from the rain. It was busy that night but no one seemed to notice his bulky form in the doorway. He left his hat on, the water dripping from the brim. He swayed, a little from the Gin, but he could also feel his heart racing. This was the most upsetting part. The anticipation.

He scanned the room looking for them. What was she wearing? A red dress? Yes, Lamar told him to look for a red dress and something else. What was it? Oh, yes- he remembered- the man would be wearing a flower in his jacket - a white one. A rose perhaps.

Riley was glad he didn't have that next drink- it would have made this more bearable, but he might not have been able to carry through with it- he was quite drunk as it was.

He scanned the people eating, drinking and smoking. The café carried a haze right above his head from the cigarette smoke. Two fans turned slowly above, successful in circulating the smoke to other parts of the café.

There, in the back. The woman had a red dress- but no, the man didn't have a jacket- he was in shirt sleeves- but he could have taken it off- it could be on the coat rack or under their coats at the adjoining table. But no, her dress really wasn't red- maroon maybe, or some color whose name he would have no idea about. He continued looking around the room- walking slowly, on unsure footing. Then he saw them.

She did have a red dress and there it was. The white flower- it was a rose- pinned to his jacket. They were in the very back- of course they were- huddled close over two steaming cups. He could see the lipstick marks on hers. He held one of her hands over the table and they were engrossed in some heavily involved conversation. Riley made his way toward them.

He thought about the man as he walked slowly to their table. Rodriguez- that's what Lamar had told him. The man was Spanish- or his parents were- it was hard to recall fuzzy details. He looked very elegant in his dinner jacket, hair smoothed back, thin mustache, a mole just above his upper lip. He was well tanned and seemed to smile even when he was talking in earnest.

She was thin, pale and heavily made up. Her lips matched her red dress. Blonde, high cheek bones, very correct posture. Riley could understand Lamar being attracted to her- wanting to maintain her- keep her from Rodriguez. He tried not to think about Rodriguez, what he was about to do to a man he'd never met before. His heart began jumping and he could feel it start leaking from his finger tips. He had to be careful not to touch anyone.

He approached their table and Rodriguez must have thought he was a waiter, because he waved him away without taking his eyes off of her. But she looked up at him and her smile faded as she took in his wet sizable form. Rodriguez must have seen her look because he looked up- still a little smile under his mustache.

Riley, without a word, grabbed the man by the throat and lifted him from the chair. It upset the table and the woman screamed as the cups crashed on the floor. The man tried to break Riley's grip- his eyes bulging and mouth open, but Riley was a strong man. It only took a few seconds. Riley knew that would be enough. Quickly, he let go and amid rising patrons, the woman screaming and people beginning to murmur loudly, he walked away quickly- out through the back of the café. He kicked open a locked door and into the rainy night. No one followed.

The next day, Riley sat in his car, the rain splattering against the windshield. He drank black coffee and watched the people start their day under the gray clouds. Finally, the sleek gray car pulled along side him and he could see Lamar's form in the back seat. Riley got out of his own worn vehicle and into the other newer back seat, next to Lamar.