Chapter 55

What the hell are they doing now?

Avram saw the blue Camry coming up the street for the third time, slowly. At least, he thought it was them. It was dark out, and hard to see through the lowered mini-blinds on his office window.

Yesterday they mostly just sat there. Who the fuck are they? Not cops. Silvio’s men? Feds?

He got up casually from his chair, papers in hand, and slipped out the partially opened door to the corridor. He saw the security guard across the hall in the glass-enclosed business office looking at a newspaper, and nodded to him, smiling. He went down the hall, opened the men’s room door, and shut it without going in. He dashed into the service department and out a small door to the right rear of the building, propping it open with a bunched floor mat.

He darted across the narrow lot, ducking below the cars, to where he could see through the vinyl slats in the chain-link fence. The Camry was coming around.

Oh, fuck. Not now!

She was coming out of the gas station, locking the door behind her with her big, metallic purse over her shoulder. She hopped into the dark car waiting for her at the curb, and it pulled away. The blue Camry was right behind it.

Fuck. FUCK.

Avram quickly retraced his path back into the dealership, and slipped into the restroom. He flushed the toilet twice, then turned on the faucet in the sink. Shutting the door behind him, he went back to his office. The security guard was still reading the paper.

Avram sat at his desk, trying to think it through. Could they be Silvio’s guys? Boston cops, undercover?

He grabbed the Mont Blanc pen and turned it obsessively in his hand, while he glanced out the window through the partially open mini-blinds. He couldn’t see a damn thing; it was black beyond the window, nothing visible but headlights. He decided to leave, since he was done with his weekly task of adjusting the books.

He picked up his briefcase and left the office, switching off the lights and locking the door. He waved at the security guard.

“Good night, Ralph.”

“Good night, Mr. Solomon.”

Avram unlocked the Jaguar and tossed his briefcase onto the passenger seat. He was just about to get in when the blue Camry passed by…again.

They didn’t follow the drugs! They couldn’t have missed that pick-up.

He got into the car in time to see the Camry turn right at the red light, passing the old, darkened gas station again. He pulled up to the lights and watched the blue car slowly continue on. When the light turned green, he crossed the intersection and headed for his townhouse. He kept his eyes on his rear view mirror, but no one followed him.

They’re feds. It’s me they’re watching. Time for Plan B...

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