Something in the Wind

It was a quiet and thoughtful Richie Roberts that entered his house that evening after the visit from Joey Sardana. He called out for Toni and received no answer he’d forgotten she had a meeting in Coffs regarding the clinic. He went through the kitchen and pulled a beer from the fridge and wandered into his den. Checking his email from a few friends he still kept in touch with in New Jersey for any mention of a contract. Nothing was mentioned…he sat back in his chair and thought about it for awhile.

Joey had evidently moved up in the ranks Richie wasn’t sure this was good or bad news. He also thought it a bit odd that he drove from Sydney to The Glen to tell him there was still a contract out on him. Why not call or email? Something was definitely in the wind. Richie unlocked his desk drawer and took out a little box where he kept a gun and bullets. He loaded the gun and then after holding it for a moment he put it back in the box and locked the drawer. He rubbed his face and got up turning on the TV there was nothing to hold his attention his mind was too full.

What had it been eight years? Who could it be Lucas’ people or one of the Italians? Richie was pacing back and forth from the kitchen to the front door. He stopped at the back door and looked out through the glass…Italians it had to be. Which family…who did he send up? His mind was turning over pages when he heard the front door open, he dropped the beer bottle he held spilling beer all over the tiled floor. He cursed himself and began mopping up the mess with one of Toni’s tea towels.

“Richie what in the world are you doing down on your knees?” Toni wanted to know dropping a folder and her purse on the table.

“I uh dropped a beer,” he answered

“Did it break? Oh honey, get up from there... you’re making a bigger mess…my good tea towel!”

“Sorry,” he said, dropping it in the sink.

Toni went to the utility room and came back with a sponge mop, “Just go sit down love I’ll clean it up.”

“Uh…yeah.” Richie sat down at the kitchen table watching Toni mop up the spilt beer. When she’d finished she came over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“What’s up with you?” Toni’s radar was blinking.

“Ah... just careless, Toni…nothing.”

Toni took his face in her hands and looked him in the eye, “bullshit…what is it Richie?”

“How did your meeting go?” he tried.

“It was a meeting…what’s going on with you and don’t tell me nothing.” He wouldn’t meet her eyes for very long which told her something was definitely wrong.

“What was that?” he jumped

Toni frowned, “It’s the front door. I didn’t latch it tight.” She got up and went and shut the door.

“Lock it Toni.”

“O-kay,” she said slowly and turned back to the kitchen and him, “somebody after you?” she asked quietly.

Richie got up and went into his den.

“You might as well tell me Richie…save me the trouble of worming it out of you because you know I will eventually.”

Richie turned and smiled at her, “Yeah, I know you.”

“I know you too…very well and I know when something has you all tied up in knots.”

“Okay, come here and sit down.”

“Is it that bad Richie…I need to sit to hear it?” Toni was wide eyed.

“Um... it could be or not, I don’t really know right now. You remember Joey Sardana? Well he came to see me today…just out of the blue…no call or nothing…Toni, he says the contract on my life is still a go…I don’t think he would have come all the way out here unless it was serious…he knows something.”

“Oh my God Richie…what are you going to do?”

“I dunno…I just dunno,” he shrugged.

“Go see the sheriff…go see John and tell him Richie.”

“Tell him what? There’s not much he can do unless somebody makes a move.”

“Oh for crying out loud Richie I thought we left all that crap in New Jersey…why is somebody still wanting to hurt you…I can’t stand it.” Toni got up from his desk chair.

“Um... Joey said he’d look out for me.”

“Do you trust him Richie…for all you know it might be him that’s got the contract?”

“I don’t know…I just…I don’t know. I’m not going to crawl under my desk Toni; nothing is going to change for me.”

“Except that we’re locking doors now…yeah right nothing is going to change. Why don’t you find out who it is…you know some people?

“I already have asked the question Toni…we gotta wait now.” He thought again about the gun locked in his desk drawer. It wasn’t going to do him any good in there. “If it’s on the street somebody will know…they’ll contact me and then we’ll see what’s what.”

“Let’s go somewhere…just get on a plane and go somewhere…we could go back to Perth and spend a little time or maybe to...”

“We aren’t going anywhere,” he interrupted. “I ain’t gonna run, Toni.”

Toni started crying, “I love you Richie… tell me everything is going to be all right…nothing is going to happen to you.”

“Hey…stop it now…I love you too…this may be nothing at all…just forget it.” He held her in his arms.

“Oh yeah…forget it…not likely.” She said into his chest.