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Kate sat in her usual place near the back of the parking lot of Fortunato’s, this time in a rented champagne colored Chevy Impala.
Despite the cool March evening, droplets of perspiration formed around her forehead, as she tried to calm her trembling hands. She stared across the street at the customers coming and leaving in a steady stream. She watched couples laughing, holding hands, some hugging each other. Envy burned in her throat. They had no idea how lucky they were.
As the parking lot thinned, Kate rubbed her face. It was eleven p.m., hours since she’d seen Sal enter the restaurant, and hours since she’d lost her nerve.
She turned on the headlights and buckled her belt, preparing to leave. The restaurant door opened as it had done several times throughout the night, but this time, it was him. Sal was leaving. Eddie stood in the doorway speaking to him for a moment before they parted ways.
Kate’s heart jumped. Sal seemed unsteady on his feet as he rounded the corner. She put the car in drive, pulling out of the lot and entering onto Payne.
She turned right, driving a block up before making a quick U-turn. She passed Fortunato’s and saw Sal up the street. He’d stopped for a second before walking to the driver’s side of his car. He seemed to be having trouble with the keys, at one point dropping them and stumbling around to pick them up.
Kate passed him slowly, not wanting to lose him. He didn’t seem to notice her as he flopped into his car. She turned into a driveway a block ahead and waited, her lights off.
At first, nothing happened, but after a couple of minutes, the headlights illuminated, and Sal drove off. Kate followed, staying far enough behind to avoid detection, though she wasn’t too concerned given his obvious state of intoxication.
Sal took a quick U-turn and Kate followed him, as he made his usual route to The Corner Bar, parking on the same side-street where she’d watched him many times before. She passed him and drove up a block, before turning around so her car faced Payne.
The street lighting was minimal, and Kate was grateful to be shrouded in the shadows. She watched from inside her car, as he stumbled out and headed the half-block down the dark street toward the front door of the pub, pulling it open and walking inside.
She sat in the quiet darkness of her vehicle. Her pounding heart could not be controlled and sent waves of anxious electricity throughout her body. This was the moment. Could she do it? Could she walk into that bar?
Kate grabbed her bag, feeling around for the gun. It was there, at the bottom, under her long, red wallet. Satisfied, she opened the car door and stepped out, pulling Marco’s black knit cap over her ears, her long hair bound and tucked beneath the collar of her black leather jacket.
She sucked in a cold gulp of oxygen hoping it would fuel her sanity and calm her. It helped a little, but her nerves still felt like rattling bones. She was ready, though. The emptiness that had replaced her heart told her so. She’d waited long enough.
She closed the car door and walked across the street toward the bar’s entrance. Muffled music grew louder as she approached. Someone opened the door, and it grew even louder, causing her to pause. Her heart raced, but she swallowed the lump of fear in her throat and pressed forward.
She pulled open the rundown wooden door and stepped into the dirty little bar filled with dirty-looking men.
