Chapter 34

Maria eyes searched hurriedly through the driveway, then through the garden, earnestly looking for a secured and enclosed space to take the call.

She finally saw a spot behind one of the cars packed before the driveway and hurried towards that direction.

On getting there, Maria Hall ducked behind the car to ensure no one sees her while she contemplated on whether or not to return the call. She knew by now the person on the other end would probably be really angry at her and tapping his feet impatiently.

Fidgeting, she clicked on the number and tried calling back.
Brrrr! Brrrrr!... She placed the phone on her ears waiting nervously for a response but got none.

She poked her head and peeked from behind the car, looking side to side trying to ensure that no one was watching as she tried dialing the number again.

Again it rang but there was still no words. Just pure dead silence. One time she thought someone had picked as she heard a click but after several "Hellos" she knew she had thought wrong.

Scared that there might be grave consequences for this singular act, Maria Hall stared at the phone waiting for it to beep. She raised her now shaking hands just above the number, wondering if she should try again or let it go. She had tried calling back five times, yet, there had been no response.

Maria Hall was more than convinced that the caller was really angry. She remembered how short tempered the caller is. She had recently just started receiving calls from him and knew better than to keep him waiting.

Keep him waiting! Those words stung Maria Hall as she recalled the embarrassment she had faced the one time she kept him waiting.

Maria Hall recounted how she had only been three minutes late to their scheduled meeting and he had raged on and on. He had threatened her and had even blackmailed her!

She had walked into the noise- free, secluded restaurant feeling good about herself. She was finely dressed and carried some sort of confidence as she strode down. Her eyes searching for a man, a woman? She didn't even know who. She had never been given a hint of the caller's gender. Each time the caller wished to speak to her, he did that through messages, voice mails or emails and these mails were always in codes and she was given the "liberty" of decoding it herself.

"Hey!" He had called out to her in deep baritone voice.

She had turned startled to meet a cold glare. One good look at him and she knew he was the one who had been ordering her around. She immediately rushed to him.
On getting there, he made no efforts to help with the seat nor offer her a seat. She stood there waiting while her legs ached. It was when she felt like he was never going to ask her to seat, she made for the seat.

When she was finally seated, he looked up from his watch and snapped. "How long did it take you to get dressed?!" He questioned with so much anger in his voice. One could almost taste it.

She had only used an hour to get dressed. She thought to herself.

When she noticed he was looking at her waiting for her response. "An hour", she replied her heads lowered in shame.

"So, what kept you?" He demanded.

Checking his watch, he continued. "I sent you an email as at 12pm asking that you be here at exactly 2 and what time did her majesty show up?" He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"I...um... I had to..." She stuttered. This man was clearly not who she had envisioned him to be.

"The distance from my place down here is..." She stopped as he raised his hands to silence her.

"Enough!" He snapped, his deep baritone voice resonating the entire building.

"Don't ever keep me waiting. Do you understand?!".

Maria Hall nodded in response.

Grinning sinisterly, he continued. "Remember, I have every of your dirty little secrets in my palms", he paused to point at his palms. "One word of it out to the general public and you'd be on your way back to jail... Again" He let those words sink in slowly as he watched Maria Hall's face get ugly.

"Yes sir", she had replied in fear. She realized all too soon that she had just called him "sir". She studied him and knew that she definitely was older than him. She looked at him and couldn't help but admire how he commanded respect and fear and why was this? Because he had money and affluence.

This thought was what kept pushing Maria Hall to continue with the deal. Also, the threats. Despite the insults she had been receiving since she started.

"Have you been able to reach her?" He asked gently.

"Yes! She wouldn't know what hit her" Maria Hall said smiling, a little bit relaxed.

He looked down at her, his expression speaking volumes. He certainly didn't like what she had said. Maria Hall could tell and decided to carefully pick her words.

"When would you be visiting?" He asked, now concerned.

"Soon" Maria Hall replied, now gaining her confidence.

"That is not the answer to my question!" He said, his eyes burning with raw anger.

"I didn't ask how soon, I asked when?" He added through clenched teeth.

Maria Hall shook in her seat, all the newly gained confidence evaporating into thin air. She sat in silence, eyes wide open. She wasn't expecting such an outburst. He was angry at first, then calm, later concerned, now he's angry again? She was never really sure she'd ever understand his mood swings.

"Sorry... I meant in two weeks time" she replied slowly, still trying to recover from the shock.

"That's good news" He said grinning.

Under hushed tones, he added. "The only good thing that has come out from this meeting and this lady". He sneered.

Maria Hall could hear him and felt like someone had just lifted her off the ground only to let her drop from mid air. Truly, that was how her life was right now. She was happy initially, now she's nothing but miserable and alone.

He stood up to leave.

Maria Hall watched him wondering the essence of the meeting. She had gotten so much information in the last few days and thought that was what the meeting was to be centered on. Information! But here, she had only been asked unnecessary questions. Questions that are not useful for the mission at hand. He could have as well just sent it as an email, rather than calling her out here just to show his authority and humiliate her. She was glad that nobody asides the two of them were in the restaurant.

Adjusting his chair, he quickly glanced at his watch then turned his gaze to Maria Hall. "If you want to seat here and enjoy the view, fine... I won't be held responsible for what becomes of your remains" He said without as little as a smile on his face and Maria Hall knew it was not a joke.
Immediately, she got up to leave.

He turned back one last time and sneered again. " When you get there, do not forget to..."

Brrrr! Brrrrr!... The call came in interrupting her chain of thoughts. At the sound of the ring tone, Maria Hall nearly dropped the phone she was holding. She had been so lost in thoughts she had forgotten she was waiting for a call.

She checked the caller. It was him!