The Seventeen. Joel Arcanjo

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СКАЧАТЬ No-one answered. More knocks. Nothing. She decided to give it one last go. Nothing. So she turned to leave and began her descent. The sudden voice behind her nearly caused her to fall head first down the steps. She swiveled at pace and jumped into her karate stance. She had never studied karate but the voice behind her didn’t know that.

      “Woah. Calm down bitch,” said a short man with a neckerchief and bright pink hair.

      She straightened up. “Sorry about that. Are you Sammie?” she asked politely.

      He tilted his head and looked down his nose at her. “Who’s asking?”

      “My name is Isabella Clements. I’m Lex Archer’s lawyer. Can we speak inside?”

      That seemed to loosen him up. “Oh Lex. One of my best clients.” He leaned forward and whispered, “Tips like you wouldn’t believe.”

      She saw this as an opportunity. “Yeah, I would believe it, the guy invested in my company just for coming over here.”

      He looked her up and down. Decided she was OK and beckoned her inside.

      When they were inside she felt better. For some reason she had felt like someone had been watching them. Nonsense, she thought, just my imagination. They turned into the room on the right that was lit. Sammie pulled up two chairs for them. When both were seated, Bella began to explain.

      “Lex has been accused of murder.”

      This drew a small but over the top gasp from Sammie who slapped both of his hands over his mouth.

      She continued. “We believe he was set up and we need your help to prove it.”

      He gestured at himself. “Me? What can I do?”

      “The murder he is accused of committing took place at around seven o’clock yesterday but—”

      “Well it couldn’t have been Lex then, he was here for over an hour. Between about six thirty and seven thirty. I can prove it.”

      He sprang up and shot into the dark room. Seconds later he returned with a small pink leather diary. “I keep all of my appointments in here. The stars mean that the client showed up. See, there’s a star next to his appointment yesterday,” he said proudly.

      “Perfect, can I take that to the station?”

      He looked down at his book. He was obviously reluctant to give it up. “Sure,” he said finally. He handed it over but Bella was sure she felt a little resistance when she grabbed for it.

      “Also, would you be willing to testify that Lex was here at the times you said?”

      “Absolutely. He is one of my best, I can’t have him getting sent to prison can I?” he said with a cheeky grin.

      Bella responded with a grin of her own and headed out. As she walked down the steps and paced the sidewalk in search of a taxi, she couldn’t help feeling that she was still being watched.

       Chapter 8

      She wasn’t crazy at all. She was being watched. One was sitting at a cafe across the street. One had received a call from a source inside the police station. Lex Archer had an alibi. The source told One where the girl was heading and One had come to check it out. At first One was baffled. One had access to all of Archer’s official meetings through Zero. What they hadn’t counted on was that the self-loving asshole would book an unlisted appointment with a manicurist. That sent their plans into turmoil. What to do? One had seen the girl leave the pink palace with a notebook. It was sure to contain proof that Archer had been there at the time the girl was killed. One sat in the cafe ordering coffee after coffee thinking.

      What to do.

      ****

      Bella got out of the cab, thanked the driver and paid her fare. She had the proof to clear Lex in this little pink diary. She marched into the headquarters with her head held high. She walked straight up to the ginger giant and tapped him on his oversized shoulder. She proceeded to explain the situation. Showed him the appointment and told him what the star meant. He reluctantly believed her but insisted on speaking to Sammie. She read out the number which was written in the first page of his diary. The man mountain dialed. He got through and Sammie confirmed the story. He took the cell off his ear and looked extremely disappointed.

      He looked over to one of his men and said, “Let him go.”

      Bella allowed herself a slight smile but no more. Emotion was a sign of weakness in a lawyer. She waited, leaning against a wall for Lex to come out of the holding area.

      Lex strode out of there confident and certain of his innocence. He walked up to her and caught her off guard with a big hug.

      “Thank you so much for that. I guess he was OK then?”

      “Yeah, he was fine. Fond of you by the way. He says he is happy to testify that you were there when you said you were. You’re off the hook.”

      “Once again, thank you so much. It means a lot to me.” He paused. “So when can you move in to Tech Tower?” he asked.

      “Good question. When can I move in?” she fired back.

      “Right now if you want.”

      “Today?”

      “Of course today. I could have it done before eleven tonight if you want?”

      “Really?”

      “Really. I know people,” he said with a childlike glint in his eye.

      “Of course you do,” she beamed back.

      “Come with me back to the Tower and I’ll get people to your place,” he said whipping out his cell, “Any instructions for them?”

      “Yeah, be careful of the plates. How are they going to get in?”

      “Easy. Your landlord will let them in.”

      She had no more questions, so she just nodded and kept quiet while he called his people.

      ****

      One was out of the cafe now. The decision had been made. There was no going back now. This was the only way that made sense. The master plan could not be derailed. It was inevitable. One shimmied through the nose-to-butt cars and headed for the pink shop. One took the stairs slowly. It needed to be slow for it to be believable. Inside it was dark, apart from one room just off to the right. One knocked politely. One. Two. Three knocks. Then the sound of hurried footsteps on vinyl flooring. A small man peered out. Not more than 5’4. His hair was bright pink. He opened the door just enough.

      “I’m sorry we’re closed. You can book an appointment tomorrow,” he said rudely.

      He began to close the door but One caught it easily. “I’m not here for an appointment. I’m here for you.”

       Chapter 9

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