Flash Fiction: Noir Story

Chapter 26

I woke up the next morning sore in place I had forgotten I had and most of them not from the fights I'd been in the previous nights. I rolled out of bed and gingerly moved into the bathroom, cranking the heat on the shower and started taking off my bandages. The steam begin to fill up the bathroom and the mirror fogged over as I slid in, the warm water stinging the fresh bruises and cuts. The sweat and dried blood flecked off as I gently cleaned each wound and began to work over the more tender areas.

There was still one piece of the puzzle that didn't fit. What Johnny Sixx wanted with this Elsa Lomack. He had to have some kind of angle on her inheritance, or think there was some way this would benefit him. This guy was smart and getting mixed up with someone like the Lomack family meant he had an angle. If he shows up with her before the statute of limitations faded on the will. Lomack is worth a fortune and Sixx must figure he has got some way of getting in on that. The only thing i can't figure out is why he hasn't made a move on it yet. There is still one piece missing. One piece I was going to have to find out the old fashioned way. Tonight.

I walked into the bed room, Annie framed in the doorway to the living room, her hair pulled back and clad in a robe. Her tattoos poked out from beneath the sleeves of her robe as she sipped a cup of coffee. So beautiful and fierce, it was these quiet moments I treasured, when she let her guard down. She left me a cup on the dresser and I tossed it back, tasting the spike of whiskey she had laced in it. I tossed a couple more pills with the last of the coffee and got dressed. Annie had gotten a clean suit for me yesterday and I slipped it on. Gray pants with a black shirt and gray jacket. I slung the dark tie on and slipped my shoulder holster on, wincing as I pulled the jacket over them both.

I walked over to Annie and took her in my arms. I could smell her shampoo in her hair as I held her close, her face nuzzled in my chest. We stood there a long time, the intense fury and adrenalin from last night washed away,leaving us with the realization of just what we had done last night. Of just how close we had come. Annie shivered slightly and I hugged her a little tighter. She knew the score from last night. I still had one more door to knock on. A door she couldn't follow me to. One more door tonight and this job was going to end, one way or another.

End of Line.
Gerrad!