Page 158 of Checkmate
Sitting in the back of a cab, he made his way back to the office, grateful he wasn’t the one driving today. He had just left another meeting with the London Group and plans were well underway for the latest TV project. If Alex had to hear how great Marcus was one more time, he’d dump the London Group as clients before they could fire him.
A fucking ghost show.
As if that was an original idea. Anyone who grew up in the city knew these stories. Hell, even Alex, who hated that kind of shit, had heard tales during wild teenage Halloween nights. It wasn’t as though Marcus had done something original. All he’d done was take someone else’s stories and narrate them in a spooky voice.
Any idiot could do the same thing.
Any idiot did.
He sighed again and glanced at the driver.
“How strict is your no smoking policy?” He asked, already pulling out his wallet.
“Up to two hundred if you’re caught, pal.”
“Okay, and how much do you want to let me do it?”
The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror. “How about I just pull over and keep the meter running? It might be cheaper that way.”
“In this traffic? Christ, if we pull over, no one is going to let us out again.” Alex sighed a third time, leaning back in his seat. Fuck it. “You know what, pull over. I’ll walk the rest of the way, thanks.”
“You got it,” the driver said with a curt nod. Alex glanced out of the window, pressing his head against the cool pane. Today was not the day to be cooped up in a cab. His lip curled as he unwillingly remembered flashes of the meeting he’d just left, pushing it out of his mind.
He just needed some fresh air, and a cigarette, and all would be right with the world.
Thanking the driver as he finally pulled up, and giving him a generous tip, Alex stepped out onto the street, immediately lighting a smoke. He took three quick puffs, one after the other, his shoulders relaxing as the nicotine rushed through his system. Glancing down the street, he judged the quickest way back to the office and began his walk.
Yeah, this was what he needed.
The noise of the city drowned out everything else.
Walking purposefully, smoking his cigarette, and the light spray of rain against his face, all worked together to rid him of the uncomfortable morning he’d endured. With every step closer to the office, he felt himself relax more and more until he finally felt like a functioning person again.
That was until he rounded the corner and saw the flyer taped to the lamppost.
Phantom Footsteps is proud to reintroduce Anna Bellview.
With a snarl that caused a few heads to turn in his direction, he tore the flyer from the post and scrunched it into a tight ball.
Why? Why did this have to be here?
He glanced down the street and flyer after flyer flapping in the wind.
“I’m very much looking forward to you working for us, Alex.”
He clenched his hands into fists, snapping his teeth shut as his neck stiffened.
“Erica and I can’t wait to show you around our new place. Though just FYI, our bedroom is off-limits.”
He took a deep breath. And then another. He exhaled through clenched teeth, his legs refusing to move as he stared down the street at the line of flyers.
“Oh, I’ve never been happier than I am now. Thank you for checking in.”
Memory after memory assaulted his mind until the anger was so palpable that people started giving him a wide berth on the pavement. Forcing himself to move, he made a beeline for the nearest pub. He needed something stronger than nicotine. Something more soothing than the rain.
“Double whiskey,” he said as he reached the bar, slapping down a twenty. “And keep ’em coming.”
“Rough one?” The barman asked, reaching for a glass.
