Out For Blood 23

It was now 3.00am; Larry Kessler hadn’t even tried to go to sleep because he knew he couldn’t. His best friend and business partner had been missing now for the past eighteen-hours. The last call Larry had made to Greggs’ cell-phone hadn’t eased his anxiety any. He knew something was wrong and he couldn’t wait around and do nothing about it.

He took out his cell-phone and retrieved a number from its memory.
‘Hello?’ Questioned an extremely groggy voice on the other end.
‘Hi Bren, I’m calling to tell you not to go into the office in the morning.’
‘Larry…? Do you know what time it is?’ She said rhetorically.

‘Listen Bren, I’m driving out to Lynchburg.’
‘Still no word from Gregg then?’
Although Brenda couldn’t see him Larry shook his head. ‘Nada, zip. I called him about an hour ago, either he switched off on me or someone else has his cell. So I’m going out there.’
‘But Larry, you said you don’t know where there was.’
‘Yeah, that’s the other reason for my call.’

‘You woke me because you want me to print you off a map right?’
‘Do you mind?’
‘What? Do I mind printing off a map for you or the fact that you woke me to ask?’
‘Sorry Bren, but—.’
‘Yeah I know,’ she interrupted. ‘You think Gregg’s in trouble.’
‘Yes, I do. So if it’s okay with you I’ll be there in about… forty-minutes yeah?’
‘Yeah sure.’ She hung up.

Larry put his cell-phone down on the small table by the sofa and went upstairs into his bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror and realised he looked exhausted, his eyes were somnolent and his greying stubble was visible.

After he had washed and shaved he cupped his hands under the running tap and then pushed the ice cold water onto his face three times. Taking a towel from a rack beside the sink he rubbed himself dry and then took another look. ‘Much better.’ he thought, as he stroked his chin.

Larry went into his bedroom and took a pair of grey khakis and a white T-shirt from his closet and a dark green zip-up jacket with taupe trim, after dressing he went back downstairs. He put on his jacket, picked up his cell-phone and keys, lit a cigarette and left for Brendas’ place.

Brenda flopped back onto her soft white pillow and sighed heavily. She’d had no more than one hour of sleep; she thought Larry probably hadn’t had any. The day before had been too long, and the way this day had started it was probably going to be an even longer one.

She slid out from between the sheets and went for a quick shower. The bathroom was sandwiched between the two bedrooms of her apartment, and with the second bedroom being so small Brenda only used it for storage. Her living room was spacious, consisting of a white leather sofa and chairs that faced the television and surrounded a glass table.

Two large windows looked out over East Nine Mile road toward Richmond International Airport. Her kitchen was below one of these windows in one corner of the living room, with only a breakfast bar defining the border of the two rooms. On the breakfast bar facing into the living room was her computer.

Twenty minutes later the map to get Larry to Lynchburg was printed off and another map of the town itself, with Celia Brontroses’ house circled in red. Brenda was in the kitchen making coffee when the buzzer sounded for the main front door. She went to the intercom and pressed a button to release it. ‘Come up Larry, top floor number 36. I’ll leave the latch off.’ She said and returned to the kitchen area to finish their coffees.

Larry pushed open the front door and stood there as Brenda came across with the drinks. She was wearing a pair of black slip-on shoes, light blue jeans with a white button-down blouse, which Larry noticed was practically see-through. He thought she looked great, but didn’t say so. He followed her over to the breakfast bar where he rested his cup; Brenda passed him the maps which he glanced at after saying thanks.

‘Nice place.’ He said looking up.
‘Eighteen months Larry, and this is the first time you’ve been here.’ She said leaning back on the breakfast bar.

Larry hadn’t been there because he didn’t want to become involved with anyone, especially anyone he worked with, which is why Brendas’ invites for late night coffee had been turned down so many times. He can’t deny he finds Brenda attractive, any man would, but Larry likes his world the way it is, and that means only looking out for himself. Not counting Gregg Pierroni of course.

‘Well, perhaps you should invite me up here more often!’ He joked.
Brenda had to smile. ‘You’re irredeemable Larry Kessler, you really are.’
Larry took another mouthful of his coffee and then looked at his watch, it was 3.50am.
‘Well if I set off now, I should be there for six-thirty to seven o’clock.’ He said picking up the maps.

Brenda looked at him incredulously. ‘You think I got out of bed at 3am, and after only one hour of sleep just to print off some maps?’
He looked at her for a long second, ‘she’s even prettier when angered.’ He thought.

‘Okay, get your coat. But I’m doing all the driving.’
Brenda put on a grey knee-length Mac and tied it in the middle with the belt, before leaving she picked up a Thermos of coffee she had prepared for the journey. They then left her apartment and headed off in the direction of Lynchburg.