Contrary to what I'd told Margaret, there was no major project that took up all my time. There was just a boring task of securing the right venue for a client who planned to host an annual company dinner for its employees. They wanted something with a dance floor. Their budget wasmeasly. To find space that matched their criteria located in a safe area was challenging. And mind-numbing.
After endless hours of collecting information, I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and went back to my desk. Break was always the same—reading news and watching reels of puppies. Nothing lifts you better than a cute video of a puppy.
I was still looking for that courage I'd thought of earlier when my fingers moved across the screen and pulled up the app with Lena's contact info. They trembled as I stared at the call button.
Taking a deep breath, I pressed it.
"Hello?" a tired voice came through after a few rings and a click, her voice cautious.
"Hi, Lena." I tried to keep my tone casual, but my nerves were palpable. "This is Kimmy. Brynn's friend from the other night."
A long pause. Then, "Ah. Sure. What's up?"
"I hope you don't mind she shared your info with me."
"That's fine."
"I, um, wanted to ask you about something you mentioned. About this...Bureau?"
Another long pause. "Shoot."
"You said it's possible to hire a professional."
"It's expensive."
"It's not a problem for me."
"Well, I don't have all the details myself. I just heard about it from someone. But I might be able to pass your name along, if you're really serious about this."
My heart raced. "I am. Serious about this."
Lena let out a sigh. It was barely audible but I heard it anyway. "Listen, babe, you need to understand—these people, they don't mess around. They operate outside the boundaries and are pretty serious about keeping their business off everyone's radar. This isn't some service you can order online."
"I understand."
"Alright, I'll try to make a connection."
"How long do you think it'll take you to get their contact information?"
"They'll reach out to you," Lena explained. Her voice was just above a whisper. "That's how it works. You don't go to them. They find you."
A rush of cold went through my limbs. "How?"
"No idea. Maybe they're listening to us right now."
My pulse ran wild at the thought. I shook it off. Nonsense.
"Anyway," Lena added quickly. "I'll do my best. I gotta go."
She ended the call before I had a chance to thank her.
Several days passed with nothing happening.
I was on my second lap around the park where I usually jogged. This was a safe, family friendly neighborhood, and chances that something would happen were close to zero. The dusk settling in the darkening sky was like a fresh bruise and most people had already left, which I liked a lot.
My breaths came out in tight bursts as I followed the familiar path that curved past the old playground and then the small pond. I wore running shoes and an ancient sweatshirt, hood pulled tight against the approaching cold. My trusty pepper spray was in the front pocket.
I ran because it made me feel less like a ghost.
