Morning all. Ready to jump into a morning prompt? I am mostly because my brain needs to settle before I jump into a day of editing. So timers set and off we go.
I suspect that box is going to come back to haunt him.
Thursday, January 2nd: His eyes narrowed with suspicion.
His eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Where have you been?” He asked. It sounded more like an accusation than a question and I fought not to sigh, especially after this afternoon.
“I was stopped and questioned because of that box you left,” I told him.
“What did you tell them?” he asked. His voice was dark.
“Exactly what you told me to tell them,” I replied. I tried to contain my annoyance. I hated being questioned, especially for someone else’s stupidity. “I told them it was from the former tenant and that he was picking it up this afternoon.” I looked back to the car. “I brought it with me.”
“You brought it with you?” he asked surprised, his suspicion fading.
“It isn’t going back with me,” I said. Now it was my turn to go dark. “I told them someone was picking it up. It needs to be gone.”
He sighed and nodded. I suspected that he would forget and leave witho0ut it. He was accustomed to other people cleaning up after him. I wasn’t taking the box with me though, I had warned him. If he left without it, I would leave it here. I had already made certain that none of my fingerprints were on any thing. I handled nothing inside the box and knew he had. If anyone’s prints were no things it would be his.
It would be his mess to deal with. While he might assume I hadn’t touched anything, he might not realize I made certain to distance myself from everything else. There was nothing connecting me to him any more. This was the last meeting and as per usual, no one was witness to it. I looked around as he began to speak, laying out what he wanted done. He had plans. Surprisingly, they seemed to involve me.
“I didn’t agree to that,” I reminded him.
I saw the look of annoyance flash across his face. He had a plan and things would go according to it. That was how he worked. I could see him realize he needed me and stifle his own annoyance.
“Just think about it,” he said. His voice was calmer than before. Less threatening but not quite cajoling. He wasn’t cut out for that. If he needed someone to sweet talk me, he would send someone else. Someone else to explain why I ought to help him out one last time. Again.
I nodded, not wanting to irritate him. “I’ll think about it,” I told him. “What was my role again?”
He flashed a smile, confident he would get his way. He outlined his plan again, pointing out where I was useful to him. I nodded and looked lost in thought.
“I’ll just leave you to consider it,” He said. “Let me know tonight.”
Again I nodded. I knew he expected me at the dinner. He turned and left. I thought about mentioning the box but he was moving fast. He got into his truck and drove off leaving deep imprints in the dirt. I parked up on the asphalt. It was a walk but left no tire tread imprints. I also stuck to the gravel pathway. I looked down. My feet remained firmly on the gravel. I would leave no mark. I walked back to my car. I covered my hands and lifted the box out of the back. I set it down in the shadow of the tree. I then got into my car. All of my necessary items were in my trunk. I told the authorities I was leaving and even gave them my new address in case they needed to contact me. I just hadn’t told anyone else.
Ten til Midnight 