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“You just want me to make sure my house is in order.”
“Like I said, no disrespect intended my friend. We all have to take care of things sometimes,” he finishes his drink. “Damn! I’ll have some of the best sake for you when you come by my place. Right now, I have some other business to get to.”
“I’ll check on the contract and let you know as soon as I find out about it. Thanks for coming by,” I walk him to the door and shake his hand. I wait a few minutes to make sure the elevator descends, then I throw the half-full bottle into the fireplace, smashing it to pieces. The fire burns bigger and brighter, threatening to singe the walls as I curse out loud in Russian. “Ebat! Pizdets!”
I take a few breaths to calm down and pull my cell out to call Artyom. The fire has settled back into its place, but the apartment smells like toast and booze now.
“Da?”
“Artyom,” did one of our people buy Marika Yumiko’s contract?”
“Funny you mention that. I’m with Miss Yumiko right now.”
“What?” I ask as I look around for something else to smash in the fireplace.
“I am returning her clothes and speaking to her as you said,” he replies.
Picturing Artyom in her apartment isn’t helping my mood at all.
“We are in Siren Studio public parking lot,” he says. That helps calm me a little.
“Hold on a second. She wants speak to you,” Artyom says.
“Hello, Blondie, it’s Mari. Thanks for having my stuff returned,” I close my eyes and let out a breath when I hear her sweet voice.
“Hello, Mari. You can call me Josef, and I’m sorry for my friend Brenda’s behavior. She’s a real pain sometimes.”
“Yes, she is. Look, Artyom here has tried to set up a meeting between you and me a few times now. I’m ready to meet you, and I have a small favor to ask involving your friends from the Southside. The guys with the Liberty Bell on their backs.”
“The bell is not really on the Southside, you know?” I ask.
“I know! That’s what I told them,” she exclaims, agreeing with a laugh. My mood has changed from one extreme to the other just by listening to her talk and laugh.
“Alright, Mari. Let’s meet. It’s not a good idea for me to go to the Siren Studio complex right now. How about we meet at my house in two hours?” I suggest. “Artyom will give you the address.”
“It’s a date. I mean a meeting! I’ll see you in two hours, Josef. Here’s Artyom back.”
“Boss? This may not be good area to talk of other subject. I give you information about it next we speak, da?” Artyom says. So, he doesn’t know about the contract being sold.
“Alright. Just remember to tell me about it soon,” I instruct him.
“Da, Boss. Of course.”
***
There are a few reasons I didn’t have Mari meet me at my apartment. We were both in the city, but my apartment smelled like smoke and booze. I did too, so I took another quick shower and put on shorts and a T-shirt before heading here. It’s also much less likely that someone will see her coming to this place.
Three light knocks on the door make me smile. I know it’s Mari. Alec, Mikhail, and even Brenda’s knocks are hard and intrusive.
“Welcome, Mari. Come in. Sit down. Would you like a drink? Coffee? Vodka, maybe?” I ask, hoping my nervousness is not showing as the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen just walked into my house.
“Hello. Thank you, Josef. Maybe just a glass of water?”
“Coming right up,” I go to the cupboard and grab two glasses, then pour us some ice water from the spout on the fridge.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
