I drummed my fingers on the table and glanced up at the old clock on the wall. It wasn’t like the Russian to be this late. I wasn’t sure whether or not I needed to be nervous. This would be only my sixth meeting with Vladimir, the Underboss of one of the branches of the Detroit Mob and although I’d always made my payments on time, I was still just another criminal paying tribute.

My palms began to sweat and I thought, not for the first time since these meetings had begun half a year ago, about sneaking out back door and leaving Detroit tonight. As always, I dismissed that idea as soon as it arrived. Sooner or later in every city, you gotta deal with the big boys.

Burglary was big business in this town and there was plenty of money to be made for those who knew what they were doing. I’m particularly good at what I do, but unfortunately for me, or so I'd thought at the time, the Detroit Mob wasn’t bad at what it did either, and it didn’t take long before I’d come to their attention. I’d come home from a job one night to a note on my door, an invitation (mandatory, of course) to a dinner at Del Rio’s restaurant in Black Bottom, one that I’d knocked over only a fortnight before. Coincidence? 'Not fucking likely', I'd thought to myself.

As it turned out, it wasn’t that bad. The lasagna was delicious and by the end we/he agreed that I kick up 25% every month and they left me alone, for the most part. I could live with that. Especially since I had been expecting not to be alive for very longer anyway before I got there. 

I continued to sit, wait and periodically let my imagination show me another variation of my untimely and particularly gruesome death when the door opened and in walked the Russian. As before he sat down with his back to the wall across from me, remaining silent as the barman arrived with a whiskey for him.

“Thank You, Joe” he said with only a mild accent, as the barman nodded and left us. Been here a while then. He looked over at me, studying me as he sipped his single malt. I had to will myself not to fidget as the silence drew on. 'This is new’, I thought to myself. That back door didn’t seem like such a bad idea anymore.

“One of Maria’s congressmen had his house broken into two nights ago. All of his wife’s jewellery was taken, as well as many other things of importance to Maria.”

Fuck. The back door might as well be on the moon now. The jewels in the bag at my feet were feeling uncomfortably close, however. “That’s……unlucky” I said, feebly.

“Indeed.” Was that a grin? Is he grinning? “The security guards heard nothing and the guard dog had been sedated. Quite a professional job, wouldn’t you say John?”

Well, shite. 32. I’m going to die at 32. Jesus died at 32….it doesn’t really

 make me feel any better though. I wonder will it be quick or will he draw it out?

 Respond you idiot! “Eh…yeah. Sounds like the guy knew what he was doing alright.”

“Insta says it looked like the same guy who knocked over Del Rio’s last month.” he said, taking a long sip of his drink, savouring it, and, no doubt, the situation he’d just put me in.

“Anyway John, that’s not really what I’m here to talk about. We have a job that requires someone with your particular skill set. Maria would like you to come to her estate, tomorrow night, where she will go through the particulars with you in person.”

“Yeah…sure, I’ll be there” I responded blankly, my mind racing. What the fuck is going on here?

He laughed,staring at me with a gleam in his eye before looking across at the exit like a fucking mind reader. “Of course you will Johnny Boy, where else would you be? Be there at 9pm”. He stood up from the table, donning his expensive overcoat and hat and made to leave. I stared ahead as he past me.

“Oh yes, I nearly forgot” He bent down to pick up the bag... stopped... and looked at me. This time he was definitely grinning. The bastard. “Perhaps you can just give it to Maria directly tomorrow night, eh?”

“See you tomorrow John” he said as he patted me on the shoulder and walked away.

I sat there, waiting what seemed like a decade until my heart had slowed down before getting up and heading off to make my second trip to a certain congressman house.

(To be continued)