Enforcer Read Online Free Page B

Connor needed a distraction and knew if he parked himself in front of the television, he’d spend the day thinking of how miserable his life had become, how badly he’d treated Randi, who was somehow in love with him, but he cared almost nothing for.
    “Your phone rang while you were gone,” Theresa called to him from the bathroom as he put the coffees on the counter.
    She poked her head out of the bathroom, hair wet from the shower.
    “I was hoping you wanted to hang out for a bit,” he said to her as he reached for his phone.
    She smiled. “I could do that.”
    He unlocked the screen and saw the missed call from C. Ojacarcu. A thin thread of anger burned within him for a moment at the interruption of his life. He’d have to think of an excuse as to why he couldn’t show up, but in the end, he’d show up. He always showed up when Ojacarcu beckoned. It was the price Connor had to pay for a simple life of hockey, girls, beer, no debt, and little responsibility.
    “Connor,” Mr. Ojacarcu said after answering Connor’s call. “I need you tonight. Be at my office by six.”
    “Yes sir,” Connor answered and ended the call. At least he’d have the whole afternoon to let Theresa keep his mind occupied.
     
    *****
     
    Costache Ojacarcu paced behind his desk. Connor and Petre sat on the other side, watching their boss. Connor had seen his boss this upset before, but not often. His right hand gave a twang of pain at his thought of what kind of talk he and Petre might have to have with someone after they left the office.
    “This fucking guy,” Ojacarcu said, “this fucking… worm. He is behind on his payments. I used to send David to collect from him, but David has let him get too far in the hole. From now on, you two will see him once per week and make sure he settles his debt quickly.”
    “Yes, sir,” Connor said. Petre nodded his head once.
    Ojacarcu sat down in his high-backed executive chair, steepling his fingers on the polished desk for a few moments.
    “Don’t kill him, of course,” their boss said. “Not this time anyway.”
    Connor wasn’t sure if the man was joking or planning. When Connor had agreed to work on the side for Costache Ojacarcu, he’d been adamant about not being part of anything that involved murder or any other capital crime. Connor appreciated the extra money, and his boss paid well for the work, but he wanted to keep playing hockey as long as his body would let him, even if he ended up two or three more leagues below the UPHL. He had no desire to spend any time in prison, nor did he want to end up back in Canada with a felony deportation.
    “This time,” their boss said, “warn him a little, and don’t let him weasel out of paying extra. The little shit has money. He’s making enough from cutting the hell out of what we give him. If he says he doesn’t have it, hit him a few more times.”
    “What if he doesn’t have any more money?” Connor asked.
    Ojacarcu looked at him without blinking, “Then I guess you will hit him until money starts coming out of him.”
     
    *****
     
    “The boss, he is funny sometimes,” Petre said as they drove west toward Caldwell. “‘Hit him until he turns into money.’”
    “Your terrible English is giving me a headache,” Connor said, adjusting a heating vent.
    “You know what I mean,” the Romanian said.
    “How was whats-her-name?” Connor asked.
    “The girl? Diana. She fucked for pleasure,” Petre said. Connor could see the huge smile on his face from the dashboard lights. “We should go out more often. You find the best girls.”
    “If I didn’t play hockey, I’d be hanging out with you instead, using you to pick up girls.”
    “You think I would attract girls for us?” Petre asked, turning the possibility over in his mind that he would be the one women fell over their own feet trying to say hello to.
    “Some really ugly, hairy, Romanian skags I’m sure,” Connor answered.
    Petre grunted Romanian curses at