Chapter 2. The Offer

Jace's POV

I stared at the business card Harold left on the table, contemplating what to do, minutes after he had walked out of the bar.

I had two options. to pretend like I never met this man and try to continue with my life, knowing that he was not going to give me out to the authorities, at least since he understood my situation.

The next option was to pick up the card and decide on what to do later, probably when things got rougher.

“Jay?”

I heard my boss call suddenly. He had come in from the back.

I grabbed the card and put it in my apron.

“I'll be right there, sir!” I responded.

“Some folks from downtown will be coming in their numbers later today. They're peeps I knew from way back.”

He said as I approached with the half-drunk glass of wine and the bottle.

“That's good news. That means a lot of sales this evening,” I said, forcing a wary smile on my face.

He took one look at the items on the tray and looked away, busying himself by rearranging the glasses beneath the counter.

“Just get ready. They're impatient. But they come with good money, and they'd buy more wines than you've sold the entire day,” he said.

I nodded. Aww

“I look forward to having them,” I said. However, this was not entirely true since I was constantly worried that someone might look at me close enough and know that I was the wanted criminal. It was a miracle that I'd still not been found out. I was hanging on by a thread, and I didn't know how long that would last.

“They could tip you, too. It depends on how nicely you attend to them. I had a fine lad working here one time; he got good tips from the customers because he was comely and had a good smile.”

I nodded. Perhaps, he didn't understand that I had too much to worry about that which made me forget to smile every damn time.

My shift was supposed to end in the next four hours, which would be by 11 p.m., and maybe if I were lucky enough, the men would come in half drunk and pay me very little attention.

He stopped rearranging the paper cups and towels and looked at me. My heart skipped a beat, and I held my breath.

This was the first time we had a conversation this long.

“You know, Jace. I really need you to take your search for an apartment seriously,” he said.

Good lord. When did the struggled end?

“I will…but could I please stay a while longer?”

I asked, my eyes pleading.

He threw his hands up and shook his head, seeming to struggle with the decision himself. I waited for him to say something else.

“I wish I could keep you longer than you've stayed here. But you need to understand that this is my business place and not a home. I was hoping you'd get your pay and get some place to stay,” he said.

I nodded. He was right. But then, my wage was too meagre to afford a proper apartment.

And who would rent out a house to a wanted criminal? What if I got handed over to the authorities?

This was a safe place for as long as I'd been there, and it was sad I could not be kept anymore.

“Okay, how long do I have?”

I asked.

“Before the next month comes is just fine, Jay. I can't manage longer than that, my boy,” he said.

With that, he tapped my shoulder lightly and walked off.

The customers started to troop into the bar, and I knew there was going to be no time to think about the depressing news I'd just received from my boss.

I had a short time to sort myself out and get out of the bar.

Later, when my shift ended and I locked the bar, my muscles felt weary, and my eyelids begged to be shut. As usual, my boss had gotten all the money from the sales made before leaving, and I had to tidy up the place before going to sleep.

I got to my bunk and took off my apron. The business card fell out, and I picked it up to have a proper look this time.

Harold had been right. He was the secretary to a family he was working for.

I got on my bed and lay down on it. The hardness of the bed reminded me of the constant discomfort I had to face. I had made the bed from rags and old clothes I could find once I arrived in Iowa, and Greg had agreed to hire me and let me stay in the bar.

I took a long look at the card.

What would I do? What other options did I have except to take the job Harold had offered?

“I'd have a roof over my head and food on my plate. I'll be protected from public scrutiny, and I can once again have a life of normalcy. Even if it doesn't last forever.”

I mulled over this thought for a while, and then something hit me.

Harold had promised that in the future, I'd be able to get evidence that I had murdered my therapist in self-defense.

I took a deep breath. My body still ached from exhaustion, but the uncertainty of my future hung over my head, and I needed to decide before I closed my eyes to sleep.

Without any more hesitation, I pulled out my phone and dialed the number on the card.

It rang for a while, and then Harold's voice came through the speaker. I was silent for a moment until he spoke first.

“I assume this is Jace?”

How did he know? Had he been expecting my call?

“Yes. Good evening, Mr. Harold. I…I apologize if I've woken you up from sleep,” I said, hoping he wasn't the type to get nasty once woken up as unceremoniously as I had just done.

“It's not a problem. I was expecting your call, lad,” he said.

I took a deep breath, sleep leaving my eyes.

Across the faintly lit room, I saw a spider amble past, and I sat up, agitated.

“Uh…sir, I was calling to say that..”

“It's something about the job. I know. I was expecting your call.”

“Yes. I'm willing to take the job now.”

The spider disappeared from sight, and I exhaled before resting back down again.

“Good!” Harold exclaimed excitedly.

Now I was mildly worried again.

Was this a good decision I was making, or was I simply letting my desperation get the better of me?

Damn. I was out of options.

“I'll send someone to come and pick you up tomorrow. All you have to do is get ready. You don't need anything but your phone. Everything else you need will be provided,” he said.

There was a soothing calm in his voice now, something like an assurance that I'd made the right decision by taking up the offer.

And this was going to pay way better than what I was getting from waiting tables.

Tomorrow, I'll make another turn in my life.