Paul too, didn't have thought that the man would take such a simple bait.
The man Paul and Simon are talking about was Liam's companion. Who meets with Liam in the bar three-four times a week.
Yesterday, when Paul received the info about Liam he acted quickly.
Went straight to Liam's rental house, although he'd already anticipated that going there wasn't going to get him anything. Because the cops and the person who've killed Liam in the alley probably have swept everything up. Which was connected to them, or their work.
He had thought that while reading, "I can't be sure of the contents I read."
But Paul went there anyway, and searched the room and sure enough, he couldn't find anything useful. Throughout all the time he acted in a very cautious manner like a thief.
Next he went to the bar where Liam usually went, not dropping his caution for a second. To push this more. He didn't leave anything related to him. Even using someone else's handkerchief for that, talking with a random man.
In the handkerchief what he wrote was a simple sentence.
"Just get along with me."
And he offered the beer to the man he had observed earlier, when he entered the bar.
The man sitting alone, staring at his empty glass.
The man was rather quick witted; he understood the matter quickly.
Paul then talked about the incident in Alley and told how he didn't find anything in Liam's house.
Liam's previous job, how long he has been here with a mixture of some fake info.
That man only gulped the beer and only answered with a nod or "yes."
After Paul finished his conversations. He left the bar and didn't take the taxi and walked all the way to his apartment.
He made a speculation that if… someone was really keeping an eye on him, then it's better to play all the way.
But still, doing all of that with great caution and even if he somehow managed to attract the man's attention. He didn't guess that the man would be this impatient or really was just dumb enough.
He doesn't know.
Paul answered Simon with a small summary. Only mentioning the main details about last night.
"That's..good.. but didn't I tell you before to not act alone." Simon's voice sounded as if he was a little dissatisfied.
Paul didn't reply back.
And Simon continued. "Ok, I'll tell you if I get anything useful information about this. But... from next time you'll take Sara with you, understand?"
Paul with the silent and faint voice replied. "yes…"
The call ended and Paul sighed inwardly. His gaze didn't move from the phone screen for a few seconds.
Seconds ticked by as he slowly stood up and walked toward the balcony behind the sofa.
He didn't know why, but his chest suddenly felt heavy. Everything around him had gone quiet.
He stood at the balcony, eyes drifting over the city. Darkness blanketed everything, but buildings, stores, and streetlights were trying to erase it.
But he knew…
They couldn't.
There's always darkness lurking beneath you. Your own shadow. That's why people stop at 99.99%. Because deep down, they know. There's no such thing as perfection. It's just a fantasy.
He sighed again trying to lighten his chest, his left hand slid into his pant's pocket and took out a packet.
A cigarette packet.
He took out one cigarette and placed it in his mouth, and put it back in pocket again. He light-up the cigarette from the lighter which he took out from his right pocket.
After taking a puff he heard someone's voice.
"It's you."
A female voice. Which was very clear and it sounded very close to him. Like someone shouting from the next balcony.
With another puff of cigarette, he looked to his right to the balcony, and sure enough, there she was looking at him with little surprise on her face.
He already knew who it could be.
The blond-haired girl Varsha, wearing a short light blue t-shirt and shorts.
Yes, she was Boss's daughter.
Paul glanced at her for a second or two and focused on his cigarette again and thought. "Why is she acting all surprised? Didn't she know that I was living here?"
Varsha asked him again, still a little confused. "You are Paul right? Same class as me?"
Paul without looking at her answered with. "Yes"
Varsha now confirmed her confusion that this person and the Paul from her class are the same, because she felt the same "I don't care" aura in him.
"Did you already know that I lived here?" Varsha asked again.
Paul again replied with simple and single. "Yes"
Varsha pondered some thoughts. The last time something similar happened. It was a woman named Sara. The woman was living next door to her in the last apartment she was living in, just like this time.
She discovered that the woman was spying on her, and it was her father who ordered that.
One thing is certain that her and her father's relationship isn't good.
Second, she doesn't like being watched by some unknown person. Quickly after knowing she changed places and told her brother to stop this and tell his old man.
Though her brother told her that it was for your own safety. She didn't listen.
Now she was having the same feeling as before, with a growing suspicion, she asked again. "Did my dad send you?"
Paul, still puffing his cigarette, answered. "No"
"Do you think I don't know? Whether you're lying or not. It's the same as last time. That the old man sent you here to spy on me like before. Last was some women and now you."
She declared with belief.
But what she heard next was something she didn't expect.
Paul gaze locked into her face. The voice was heavy and filled with irritation.
"Why should I give a fuck about you, and your that old man anyway."
Varsha felt a little startled with his reply. "Because you know, who's daughter am I, right? He.. he probably sent you—"
Paul cut her off half and said. "Then why don't you ask that old man of yours, did he send it to me or not? for whaat?... to spy on you?"
She flinched back. Paul continued.
"Are you fucking with me! Don't I have better work to do, then spy on you? I prefer dying would be a better choice then this shit. Just who do you think are huh? Are you some kind of princess or something. Who's enjoying her daddies money? While living alone?"
She stood frozen. The words she wanted to speak didn't leave her throat. Paul's gaze stayed to her for a second.
Then left the balcony throwing the unfinished cigarette.
It's time to cook something for dinner.
TOMORROW 12:05 PM
S.T ANTHONY SCHOOL
The following day Paul went to school like always attending his classes without any interest.
Throughout the ongoing classes, he noticed that his neighbour Varsha looked at him from time to time. He didn't know the reason why. No.
He actually has a clear idea. It was because of last night's conversation.
Well Paul doesn't actually want to yell at her, and he also doesn't know why did that either but, who cares.
He thought that her relationship with the boss wasn't good. He heard from Sara that they barely talked to each-other only on the phone.
Even if she bothered asking boss?
He wasn't going to tell her the truth, because he was the one who assigned this work to him. If, or maybe Varsha somehow manages to discover that her dad had sent him and tells this to boss?
He doesn't have any problem with it. Much less he would feel happy, that he doesn't have to come to this jail.
So Paul ignored her glances and acted like he always does in school. Observing the students or staring outside the window.
Right now, he was staring outside looking at the tree. Waiting for students to leave the class first.
As he waited, staring at the tree.
It felt like time had stopped. An endless abyss with no one around him, only him and the tree.
I was standing there… Looking at the tree. Everything stopped, even my thoughts. My limbs weren't responding. No wind, no light. Everything around me was pitch black with no ending.
"What you always looking outside?"
Then he heard someone's voice pulling him outside the dark abyss. His thoughts started running.
The voice was clear. He felt like it sounded right besides him.
He slightly turned his head to look for the owner's voice but what he saw….
He didn't want to see. It was Mia again, and she was standing right beside him. Paul felt a little awkward.
She literally stood too close to him.
Mia lowered her head placing one hand on the chair where Paul sat, and the other on his desk. The distance between them shrank more, and Paul turned his face towards the window .
Mia said again. "Lemme have a look too, what you looking outside the window and not paying attention to the teacher's lesson."
Paul felt more and more awkward, he thought, "Whatha hell is wrong with this chick? Can't she ask the same thing few meters away. And why the fuck, she always comes to me? Did she have a few screw losses or something?"
Paul didn't answer and was just looking outside the window.
The scene he was always looking at.
Mia also saw what Paul always stared outside the window.