Falling for the Ace Assassin

In The Clear?

Ace had followed Connie up to her bedroom quietly. He wasn’t interested in getting any action, he was only here to return her wallet and warn her to keep her mouth shut but somehow he found her shenanigans amusing and just a little adorable. He decided to play along on a whim. He looked down at the cup of water and noticed a small white pill still actively dissolving. He wanted to laugh but held it in. She could have at least made sure it was completely dissolved before trying this trick.

It didn’t matter. Normal sleeping pills did not affect him. It lost its use the day he was kidnapped and tortured. When he was freed, he returned to society an insomniac among other things.

Taking a gulp he set the cup down and laid on the bed waiting to see what she would do next. Pretending to fall asleep, he heard her come out of the bathroom and walk over to check on him. He smelled the floral scent of her hair as she leaned over his face. If she tried anything funny, he would kill her. Instead, she tiptoed off to the desk in her room and started to write something. His once-tensed muscles relaxed as he waited. She placed something on the bedside nightstand and then ran into the bathroom again.

He heard her peeing and decided to see what she wrote. She was so naive it was cute. It was a good thing he wasn’t a psychopath or he would love to toy with her. With a smirk, he replaced the letter with her bawdy wallet. Tucking the letter into his pocket he got up to leave. It was fun while it lasted.

***

Connie stood stock still for a second before she dropped to her knees, half expecting him to be standing behind the door. She watched enough movies to know that killers normally aimed at the neck or torso. If she was low to the ground she had the highest chance of survival and if she was going to die anyway she may as well take a chunk out of his leg.

Connie popped her head out like a gopher out of a hole. Nothing.

There wasn’t much to hide behind other than the bed so she scurried out on her hands and knees to peek over the edge. Still nothing.

Bang!

Connie jumped at the sound of her front door closing. She hurried to the bedroom window to pull the dusty old curtains apart and peered into the darkness. She watched with bated breath as Ace walked out to the car parked on the street. He turned towards the window and she quickly snapped her head back in ruffling the blinds wildly and releasing all the trapped dust.

Connie was left in a sneezing fit. Her eyes watered as she tried to blink away the snow of debris. Dagnabit! She needed to check if he was really leaving or if he was going to come back.

“Ahchoo! f**k! Achoo! Gah!! Fuh-choo!!!”

Connie stumbled back into the bathroom to flush out her eyes and wash her face. When she came back to the window, the car was gone.

She plastered her face to the window and strained as she looked up and down the street. Nothing. Absolutely f*****g nothing!

Careful not to stir the dust-ridden curtain she shrunk back between the curtains and hurried down the stairs to lock the door. She thought better of it and added a stool as a tripping hazard.

Smiling at her handy work, she ran back up the stairs to look out the window again. She went back to her bed relieved when she saw her wallet sticking out like a sore thumb on her nightstand.

Her eyes widened. Maybe this Ace guy wasn’t such a bad guy after all. Maybe he was like one of those secret heroes from comic books? Then she thought of the scene two nights ago and shuddered.

Nope! Not her business! Masked crusader or psychopath, it is none of her damn business. She jumped into bed and fell asleep immediately, a first since the bloody encounter.

***

The morning sun rose with blazing purpose piercing through Connie’s eyelids like a spear. Connie groaned before her eyes snapped open.

She was alive.

She started laughing, a low chuckle at first before it became a high-pitched squeal. She was alive! Scrambling out of bed, she washed her face and smoothed out her clothing. She didn’t bother changing again last night so she was presentable to some degree. She called for an Uber to take her to the restaurant so she could pick up her car. Tomorrow was another workday and she couldn’t afford to call in sick. Grabbing her wallet she rushed back downstairs and nudged the stool aside. She wanted to wait outside; she wanted to inhale the crisp morning air and appreciate the fact that she was still alive.

Her eyes drew to slits as she sat on her porch waiting for her pickup. Being so close to death made her realize there was so much she needed to do. Old debts to collect…she called her mother.

***

When Monday arrived, Connie got in early and noticed Lora was already in the office. Connie turned on her laptop and expected to be inundated with catchup work but was pleasantly surprised to find her workflow had been cleared out. She looked around and saw Lora wink at her.

“How’s it going? Are you feeling any better?”

Connie scratched her ear in guilt, “Yeah, sorry about the sudden sick call, and thanks for clearing out my workload from Friday.”

Lora chuckled, “It’s to be expected. You were thrown into this mosh pit, limbs akimbo. I’m not surprised you got sick from the exhaustion but you’ll get used to it.

Connie smiled, sat down, and got to work. After a while, everyone started showing up one by one. Darren came in looking ragged. Connie glanced up and then quickly put her head back down. Survival 101: When the boss looks tired, don’t make eye contact.

Jessica leaned back and put a hand to cover her mouth as she whispered over her shoulder. “Psst… why does the boss look tired so early in the morning?”

Obviously, Jessica never got a copy of the survival guide.

“Don’t ask, keep working,” Connie whispered.

Darren shot a tired look at Connie, “Did you say something?”

Connie froze, “No sir!”

“Hmm.” He went into his office and sat down at his desk.

Jessica turned around with a sheepish smile, “Sorry ‘bout that…”

Connie rolled her eyes, “It’s okay. I just got unlucky.”

Lora chuckled, “He must have gotten an earful from the boss.”

“Why?”

Lora glanced at Darren’s office as she whispered, “Apparently the Ace Assassin is back and he killed someone near the restaurant we were at last week. The boss heard Darren had left us all alone at the restaurant and gave him an earful. I overheard him roaring from the office…”

Connie tensed up and felt a sudden chill on the back of her neck. Would Ace think it was her who reported the body?