*****************************
Nine Hours Earlier:
“Were there any doubts?-” Laurel paused for a few seconds and licked her lips smirking. “How would you like to make Twenty Five Thousand dollars?”
Tony straightened his posture and looked at his boss. “I’m listening.”
“I need you to help Lil Holler gain more followers.” Laurel stated signaling the 6’1 man to close the office door so they could talk privately.
Tony closed the door behind him and he gave his boss a nod listening carefully to her words. “Followers as in bullets or stabbing?”
“Bullets. But I need you to make sure he doesn’t die. So try to aim for his arm. Right arm, he’s a lefty so this won’t affect his ability to write.”
Tony wasn’t like most men in San New he was tall, dark and handsome and while he was born in the United Kingdom; he had many secrets that prevented him from returning home. Secrets that would end his life if they ever got out, those same secrets that made Laurel
hire him right on the spot.
“If I didn’t know any better Quinn, I’d say you’re hiring me as your assassin rather than your assistant.”
Laurel flashed him a smirk and flipped back her hair. “It was your assassination skills that brought you here. It was also your poor lapse of judgment that made you assume I was an easy target. Now, I’m just...promoting you temporarily to do what you do best. Except this time, you’re not killing anyone. You’re just helping a dear client with his unfortunate situation. “
Tony gave the beautiful yet mysterious woman a smirk and he straightened his tie. “Sounds reasonable.”
“Great! I’ll wire you the rest of the money when the job is done.
Laurel snapped out of her daydream and she glanced back over at the television screen as the blonde reporter continued speaking.
“Lucas has been receiving an outpour of support from his fans, other celebrities as well as local leaders.”
Laurel turned off the television screen and looked down at her phone. She tapped a few buttons and smiled as the screen read, “Transfer Completed”.
“You’re welcome.” She placed the phone in the right pocket of her sweatpants and got up from the sofa. She made her way back to her kitchen and grabbed the glass of red wine and took another sip smiling to herself. Her right hand gripped the glass of wine as her left hand grabbed a quarter out of her purse.
Laurel spun on her heels and walked out of her kitchen turning off the lights. She made her way down the long hallway of her three bedroom apartment coming to a halt at a white door. She reached out her left hand and opened it.
The room was dark but the light from the hallway crept in revealing a baby’s crib, a blue banner hanging on the wall with the name ‘Elijah Zachary Quinn’ and a few stuffed animals. Her bare feet made no noise as she walked further into the bedroom, turning her attention to a chestnut dresser. On the dresser were a few diapers, a picture of an eight month old baby smiling and looking happy and a container that had no more than Twenty Three dollars of quarters inside of it.
Laurel dropped the quarter inside of the container and she quietly walked over to the crib. Inside of the crib was a stuffed furry bear that had a small t-shirt that read, ‘Mommy’s Little Angel’. She used her left hand again to press the bear’s stomach and it spoke.
“Hey Eli, it’s mommy! I just wanted to sing to you before you fell asleep. Are you ready? Okay here it goes, ‘Hush little baby don’t you cry, Mommy’s gonna bake you an Apple Pie. And once that Apple Pie’s all gone! Mommy’s gonna bake you another one.’ Shhh my little Angel. Go to sleep and know Mommy will always love you.”
Laurel’s hazel eyes watered as she heard the voice recording she made for Elijah for his first Christmas. She wanted him to know that when he slept in his crib at night, she was always going to be there with him, even if she was only two doors down. She missed her baby, she missed holding him. She missed his laugh, his cry…..the way he would speak to her as if he was actually saying real English words.
She took a deep breath and left the room closing the door behind her. Sleep was the only thing on her mind right now. The only thing she wanted to do, what she needed in order to stay sane.
She continued walking down the hall entering her spacious bedroom. She placed the glass of wine on her night stand and sat on the edge of her king sized bed when her cellphone began to ring.
Any normal person would check their caller ID to see who was calling them, but she knew it had to be business rather than anyone of great importance. She swiped the answer button and placed the phone on her right ear.
“This is Laurel Quinn!”
“Hello Miss Quinn. This is Meryl Hopkins.”
“Meryl Hopkins? As in Six Oscars-Three Tonys-and five Emmys- Meryl Hopkins?” Laurel’s tone wasn’t filled with shock and praise but rather of curiosity. She grew up watching her and singing her music. This was Hollywood’s royalty!
“You are correct. I am calling because I am in need of your services. My husband of five years has decided to divorce me. In doing so he has threatened to reveal all of my personal secrets to any media outlet that would pay him the highest amount of money.”
“Sounds like a keeper.” Laurel responded with sarcasm drenched in every word. She never knew the actress was married as she always kept her life private, so initially this shocked her more than anything else. “Did you two sign a pre-nup and did your lawyer make him sign a confidentiality clause? “
“No and No. I know what you must be thinking Miss Quinn. But I am very old fashioned and I believe love is love. Love isn’t about who gets money or when a marriage ends. Or if it ends. I was a fool I know, but I really loved him.”
Laurel rubbed her forehead trying not to sound too frustrated or irritated. “Okay. How about you swing by my office tomorrow and we can discuss this further.”
“That sounds delightful!” Meryl stated her tone was pleasant and kind. Very reminiscent to an elderly neighbor who would bake you chocolate chip cookies on the weekend. “But there’s something you should know Miss Quinn-“
“Please call me Laurel.”
“Okay, Laurel. Well my husband and I met on the set of a movie I did called ‘Matters of The Art’. We laid eyes on another and that was love. He and I have been together ever since.”
“Sounds romantic truly. But what does this have to do with the situation?”
“Oh yes...well, my husband is...how do I say this without sounding-okay, well if the identity alone of my husband becomes public...my image is tarnished forever.”
Laurel lowered her eyebrows at the statement. “Why? Who is he? Is he already married?”
“No...You see Laurel…my husband….just turned twenty two yesterday.”
Without a word Laurel knew she wasn’t going to be welcoming sleep into her life, anytime soon.
[End]