Red

C H A P T E R T H I R T Y

“Where are you going?” I asked as I lay in a tired heap on the office floor, under his shirt.

“Need-to-know basis.” He replied coldly. “Get dressed and get the fuck out. We’re done here.”

“What? No big fight?” I asked. He grabbed his shirt from my body and slipped it over his shoulders, fastening the buttons one at a time.

"Please, when I kill you I want to feel the victory of my win. You’re exhausted, it would be far too easy right now. Get dressed.”

“Don’t under estimate me.” I spat out with venom, standing up and slipping my underwear back on. He ignored me, tying his tie and straightening it up in the reflective glass door of his drink-cabinet.

“You’re not welcome here anymore Red. If you show your face at my club again I’ll have my men shoot you on contact and I don’t want to do that because it’s not as fun as hunting you down and killing you myself.”

He lifted his wrist watch off the desk and glanced at the face before strapping it on and leaving me alone in the office. I felt numb and empty, it was strange. I know we agreed for that to be our last time but I didn’t expect him to take it so seriously.

Snap yourself out of it Gabriella. The mafia do not do emotion. They don’t do care. They don’t do love.

If he wants to seriously fight, then he will get a serious fight. I’ll show him who I really am. I’ll show him Gabriella Valentino.

I watched Ace talk to his decoys before they all left together but getting into different cars. Or rather multiple cars exactly the same as one another - and I mean the same. Same brand, same colour, same number plates, identical bumps and scratches.

I got into my car and kept my headlights switched to complete darkness. The decoys all headed in different directions and I struggled to recognise which one was Ace. I followed the fastest one of them all, knowing how fast Ace drives and just hoped for the best.

He drove three miles west and then swapped his car for a completely different car and drove two miles back on himself until he pulled up outside a small low-budget theatre house.

Was he going to see a pantomime?

I watched him talk to people on the door, he smiled and laughed and looked so normal. They handed him a booklet and pointed him on through.

I awkwardly dressed in the spare clothes that I kept in the car and armed myself with weapons. Then I climbed out and approached the theatre.

“Good evening miss,” the lady on the door greeted me with a smile. She had aged hands and longish, healthy fingernails, so she wasn’t a fighter. She handed me a booklet with her right hand and I looked down at it.

CINDERELLA’S CHRISTMAS BALL was titled on the front with two overly happy people on the cover. I looked up at the lady and she was watching me strangely.

“You can seat yourself anywhere miss, go right ahead.” She offered me another friendly smile and pointed with two fingers into the the theatre hall.

I was skeptical. It seemed suspicious and I didn’t know what was going here. I was alone, without backup and nobody knew where I was but it was also clear that the room was filled with civilians and I didn’t understand what business Ace would bring here.

My curiosity won and I entered the room taking a seat in the auditorium, in a dark corner at the back where I could see Ace but not be seen by him.

He took a seat next to a man, the man was dressed informally compared to Ace, wearing jeans and trainers. They spoke easily, exchanging a few words here and there but ultimately nothing seemed striking to me as shifty. They didn’t exchange drugs or money, they didn’t talk in hushed tones. They just chatted and looked at the programme together.

“Ladies, Gentlemen and other beautiful beings - on behalf of myself and the cast we’re delighted you have joined us here today for Cinderella’s Christmas Ball!

Just a few things to note before we start. This theatre is run off donations only so please find it in your hearts to dig deep this Christmas and fill our many donation boxes dotted around. As always keep your cell phones switched off during the performance and without further ado, let me introduce you to a girl named Cinderella...”

I shuffled lower into my seat, applauding with the rest of the crowd. I expected a bomb to go off as the curtain opened and the music piped up. I expected gunshots to sound as the smoke machine pushed out steam and glitter. I expected necks to snap as the performers sang, danced and made corny jokes.

But no, it was just a pantomime put on by some local drama club. In between each act a dance group came up on stage and did little dances in cute costumes. The ages ranged from like three to seventy three and Ace didn’t really show particular to attention to anyone specifically so it begged the question, what the fuck was he doing here?

Why did he refuse another round of sex to watch some man dressed in heavy makeup and a frock? Why did he rush off so quickly just to shout ‘he’s behind you’ when he could’ve been behind me?!

I sat, dumbfounded the whole first half of the show. When the curtains closed and the lights came on Ace stood up and I opened the programme, hiding my face as he walked past me.

Okay, maybe this was the real showtime.

I lost myself among the crowd and kept a secure distance from him. He went to pee, a quick in-and-out situation, unlike the ladies which had a lengthy line.

Then he stopped by the bar and grabbed two soda cans. After that he stood next to the donation box and fished into the inner pocket of his duffel coat.

I licked my lips, ready for him to pull out something incriminating but he literally just grabbed a wad of cash. A thick bundle of hundred dollar bills, and then another and then another. I wasn’t entirely sure how much he deposited into the secure deposit box but it was a lot. This was personal to him, okay, I was getting it now.

He had a personal attachment to this place, perhaps he acted here as a child or just had fond memories of coming here with his parents. He looked my way and I quickly turned to read the posters hanging on the wall. When I turned back to face him again he was hugging a lady then they had a friendly conversation until a man called everyone back into the theatre room for the second half.

I shuffled in, following behind the crowd and watched the girl fall in love with the guy and dance in a beautiful red sparkly dress with fur trimmings. When the cast came on the stage at the end to take a bow Ace cheered and waved and clapped, far too overly excited about a not-all-that-great performance.

Just before the lights came on Ace whispered to his buddy and then dipped out early. Discretely I stood up and followed him out. He got into another car and drove three miles out of town to an abandoned barn.

I waited outside for fifteen minutes, my breath sending white mist into the air from how cold it was outside.

Eventually he stepped out and got into a different car, I was torn between starting up my engine and following him or investigating the barn.

I followed him.

All the way back to the club in one journey.

I got out of my car and chased him down, grabbing his shoulder to stop him heading in. He turned around fast to face me and my heart sank.

“Fuck.” I cussed. “Decoy.”