Jake dialed the private number for Reynard. Reynard did not pick up. Jake hung up the phone, and went back to his breakfast, which consisted of eggs, hash browns, and bacon – a breakfast of champions.
It wasn’t until about 15 minutes. later, when the waitress filled his second cup of coffee, that his phone vibrated. He checked the number and picked it up. “I told you that I would call you if something interesting happened.”
Reynard said “Yes, you did say that/”
“Scott tells me that my predecessor is dead.”
“Possibly.”
“Now, Reynard, I know we haven’t been in business together very long. But I just want you to know that I don’t work very well under pressure. Especially when I know my life is in danger by my own employer. Do I have to worry about this? Because if I do we might as well part ways right now.”
“As long as you do what I ask you to do, there is no danger to you.”
“That sounds like a pretty big loophole to me. A really big loophole that you can drive a speeding train through.”
“There is no danger to you. I had to tie up the loose and.”
“So what exactly did he do?”
“He disappointed me by not doing what I told him to do.”
“So you kill the people who disappoint you?”
“He knew too much.”
“I think you have trust issues.”
Jake heard the rustle of papers in the background. “Mr. Bonaventure, you and I have an agreement. I pay you money, you find my artifacts. You work with the boy, and you claim my artifacts when you find them. All of them.”
“Sure. But I don’t kill any heroes.”
“Leave that to me.”
“Those who kill heroes are considered villains you know. Heroes go after people like you.”
Reynard laughed. “I sponsor too many ‘good things’ for the ‘heroes’ to bother themselves with going after me.”
Jake really did not like how this was going. Jake realized that his mercenary tactics had forced them to step over the line into villainy. “Anyway, enough with the testosterone pissing contest. I just want to make sure that our agreement still stands. Money equals artifacts.Period.”
“Money equals artifacts. The sooner you find them the sooner you don’t have to deal with ‘villains’ like me.” Reynard hung up the phone. Jake stared at his phone. “Shit,” he said.