30 Days, 30 Stories: A Writing Challenge

This one started with a prompt as well.

Prompt: He opened the briefcase and handed me the money.

He opened the briefcase, handed me the money, and walked to the other side of the hotel room. It was like the money exuded some foulness and he didn't want to be contaminated with it. Too late, kid, is what I thought to myself. I counted it as quick as I could. It was all there, fifty grand.

"Okay, so we're on," I said.

"Absolutely."

"It's gonna look like a robbery, a car-jacking. That okay with you?"

'Yes. That's fine."

The kid's voice was a little shaky, but considering the circumstances, I'd be suspicious if he wasn't a little nervous. He was tall and skinny and wore a dark suit. Had a Young Republican look about him, like he'd gone to some Ivy League school, which he had. I did a deep background check on him.

"I'm gonna get rid of everything I take off him. His wallet, watch, stuff like that. It'll never turn up."

"Fine."

"I'll be expecting the second payment to be where we agreed. In the park, under the rock."

"It will be there."

The kid was beginning to twitch so I figured I'd wrap things up. But I wanted to remind him to keep his mouth shut, like we'd already discussed. "Good. This is a business arrangement, a contract. And if we both stick to what's agreed to in the contract, everything will turn out fine."

"I'm aware." The kid wiped sweat from his upper lip.

"Don't contact me again. Destroy the phone you used to call me. Burn the SIM card."

"Yes, of course."

"Today."

"Yes. Today. I'll do that right away."

"Put the ball cap back on."

I handed him the Red Sox cap he'd left on the table. The ball cap made him look even younger than his real age, which was twenty-two.

He looked me straight in the eyes and nodded, as if to say "good-bye" and "we have a deal", both at the same time. I nodded back. 

He walked to the door, but before he opened it, he turned to face me. "Thank you. Thank you for doing this. You don't have to worry about me. I really want this to happen."

The kid walked out and closed the door behind him.

Sitting there, I thought about how determined he was about the whole thing, he even thanked me. He really wanted the guy dead. But then again, I really hated my old man, too.