San Francisco, California
May 6
The ice cubes clinked as Roman Block drained the last of the bourbon from the glass. After receiving the confirmation that the work had been completed, he woke his laptop. The first half of the payment had been made upon engagement of services. Now that the eyewitness, Calliope Garland, had been eliminated, he completed the transaction. When the confirmation appeared on the screen, he nodded once and exited the site. One problem solved.
Now he just needed to get his hands on those account numbers. The phone with that photo was in her house, and, now that it would be unoccupied for the next several days, he’d formulate a plan to acquire it. He was so close, he could taste it. He just needed a little time; time his associates were reluctant to give him. He’d convince them at their meeting tomorrow. The Circle just wanted their money. Roman wanted the whole enchilada, the money Phipps Van Gent had skimmed from all of his clients. When he got his hands on the account numbers listed on that photograph on that crappy phone, he’d have access to billions. It was all within his grasp, a ripe peach hanging from a low branch just out of reach…
He was pulled from his thoughts by the soft chime of the doorbell. His regular dinner order from the bistro around the corner was earlier than usual. Excellent. Roman was starting to receive the VIP treatment he deserved. He chuckled, or maybe it was the fact that he had refused to tip the delivery boy the last time because he was late. He opened the door and turned his back to the kid as he retrieved his wallet from his discarded suit jacket.
He noticed neither the man at the door nor the weapon in his hand. With the quick thwack, thwack of two suppressed rounds, one between the shoulder blades, one to the back of the head, Roman Block was dead before he hit the floor.
With a gloved hand, the assassin pulled the door closed. He hadn’t even had to leave the stoop. He then confirmed the job was completed with his client and accepted payment for his second job that week.