A Little Black Book

.- ... ... . ... ... -- . -. -

He had every indicator of a perfect mark. His simple clothes bore designer labels, and the watch peeking out from under his sleeve displayed a notorious swiss logo. On his finger was one of the largest rings I’d ever seen. At first glance he was perfectly ordinary, but I'd learned to recognize wealth when I saw it. And just to annoy me, he walked around confidently, like nothing could possibly stand in his way. I was banking on that confidence as I moved off the wall and into the throng of people in the Concourse Terminal.

I walked straight toward him, staring slightly off to the side as I did. He didn't stray from his path, and we collided. My arms fell open and I dropped the battered books I was holding.

"I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, moving my now-free hands to my mouth in faux-surprise.

"Oh it's fine, I should have seen you coming." He bent down and gathered my books, holding them out to me. I gave him the most apologetic smile I could, and took my books back. I lifted the weight of my books out of his hands, and deftly slid the ring off his finger to vanish down into my sleeve.

"Thanks so much, and again, I'm so sorry." I moved to leave.

"Wait, before you go!" The man called out. "Let me at least get your name." He gave me what he must have thought was his most winning smile.

I hesitated. "I'm Violet." I gave him the first name that popped into my head.

"Nice to meet you Violet. I'm Henry." Now Henry hesitated. He looked at the books I was holding. "You like Jane Austen?" He asked.

Pride and Prejudice was visible. "I like Kiera Knightly." I answered honestly. "She just fits any time period. I figured I may as well try the book."

Henry pulled a scrap of paper and a pen from his pocket, and scribbled something down. "Call me when you finish it." He gave me the paper, with his number written in red. "I'd love to talk about it with you, over lunch and coffee maybe?"

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I accepted it. I looked at him through my lashes and grinned. "I'll be sure to do that."

Henry gave me one last golden-boy smile, and vanished into the crowd. I took a deep breath, and let it go. Sometimes it was a little too easy. A pang of regret shot through me. He had been nice, and maybe I would have enjoyed talking to him. I adjusted how I was carrying my books, and left the station to go to the pawn shop. This ring would absolutely cover my rent. Maybe even more. It would definitely augment what little my waitress job left me with. I let the thought of a month of security wash out the little remorse I felt.

-.. .. ... -.-. --- ...- . .-. -.--

My assessment had been accurate. Not only did that ring pay off my rent, but I was able to squeeze a small grocery run in as well. I threw myself on my threadbare quilt and unwrapped the one non-necessity I allowed. The dark chocolate was always worth what I had to do to get it. The stack of books I'd been carrying rested on my bedside table, each one slightly worn. Even if they were mostly relegated to props in my hands, I did try to read them when I could.

I moved to sit up, and grabbed the top book off the pile. As I did, something under it caught my eye.

In my pile of books was a little black notebook I had never seen before. It couldn't be mine. I could tell by the leather binding, and the craftsmanship that it was worth way more than I would spend on a notebook. I tried to think of when someone could have slipped it into my books.

There was only opportunity; Henry from the train station. He had handled all of my books when he picked them up. But why leave a notebook in here? Was it to make sure I called him? He had been fairly enthusiastic about meeting me for coffee.

I opened the notebook to see what was in it, and gauge how important it might be. The first page had a phone number and a short phrase, but as I flipped through the rest of the book, I realized it was completely blank. I turned back to the first page, and looked at the number. No repeat numbers, or toll-free numbers, and it wasn't an area code I recognized. Hesitantly, I grabbed my phone from my bedside table.

I ignored the knot of nerves in my stomach as I dialed the number. I held the phone up to my ear, barely breathing as it rang. On exactly the third ring, someone picked up.

"There's only two reasons to ride the midnight train." The person on the other end said. Their feminine voice was even, almost bored. I tried to think of something to say that wouldn't sound as unnerved as I was.

"Hello?" The person asked again. "Say something or I'll hang up." She sounded more than a little agitated.

I looked at the open notebook in my lap. It's a passcode. I realized. "Accident or intention." I said.

"Took you long enough. You'll find what you're looking for in the train station. Remember this. 384, 27-58-39." She hung up before I could respond.

I sat there for a moment, unsure what to do. 384, 27-58-39. I wrote the numbers down in the notebook before I could forget them, and tucked the notebook in my backpack.

.. -. .. - .. .- - .. --- -.

Against my better judgement, I decided to go to the train station just before 6am. If whatever I found there was too much for me, I would just leave the notebook there and bail. No harm, no foul.

The morning rush to work had yet to begin and there were only a few people in the train station when I arrived. If anything that made me even more apprehensive. The lack of crowds left me nowhere to hide.

I opened the book to where I'd written the code. It wasn't a phone number, and none of the numbers lined up to any of the train lines. I glanced around, and spotted the wall of lockers.

384. That could be a locker. I realized. I checked for a locker 384, and found one. The lock was a cam lock, requiring 3 double digit numbers. Glancing back down at the paper in my hand, I rotated the dial.

27-58-39

I held my breath as I spun the dial to 39. I heard the lock mechanism click and my heart practically stopped.

We don't even know what's in there. I chastised myself. You could be in way over your head.

I swung the door open before I could give myself another moment to overthink. If opening the door nearly stopped my heart, what was inside stole my breath. Inside locker number 384 were stacks of cash.

More money than I'd ever seen in my whole life. I positioned my body between the locker, and anyone who could be behind me. A quick count revealed 20 stacks of hundred dollar bills. There had to be at least $20,000 in total.

My mind raced as I shoved the money into my backpack. As I picked up the last stack, my stomach plummeted to the floor. Behind the money was the ring I'd picked off Henry earlier today. I reached back into the locker to grab it.

My finger had barely brushed it when I heard the cocking of a gun.

"You're under arrest, hands where we can see them."

--- .--. .--. --- .-. - ..- -. .. - -.--

"I’m not speaking to you without a lawyer."

I had been brought to an interrogation room, where I was stubbornly refusing to answer any of the questions the officer had been asking me. It had taken an hour, but they finally gave up, and left me to my own devices to call an attorney.

I looked at the door, and started planning my way out. I realized I hadn't heard a lock flip when the officer had last left, and got up to try the handle, but before I could, the door flew open again. Standing in the doorway was-

"Henry?" I blurted out. Henry, or someone identical to him, stood in the doorway flanked by two of the ‘city's finest.’

"The very same." He gave me that same winning smile he'd flashed at the train station. "And I have to say, I'm a little wounded you didn't call." He turned to the officers. "I have it from here gentleman."

The officers nodded, and Henry entered the room alone.

"What’re you doing here?" I demanded.

"Well, you did steal my ring." He pointed out. He held up an evidence bag with the stupid thing in it. I glared at him.

"Why are you here?" I repeated.

Henry sat down at the table in the middle of the room. He nodded to the chair I had been occupying. I sat down and crossed my arms. Henry leaned forward and asked a voice that was barely more than a whisper.

"How would you like to steal something better than a ring?"

My eyes widened in surprise. "What the hell?" I hissed.

"Today, my ring, was all a test." He pulled the ring off his finger, and twisted the gemstone set in it. Much to my surprise it twisted off completely. "It has a tracker in it, so that I'll always be able to find it." He continued.

"So you knew I had it?" I asked.

"I certainly hoped you did." He answered. My bewilderment must have been evident, because he quickly kept going. "Essentially I work with an organization that specializes in the...acquisition and transportation of certain high value items. We're always looking for new talent, and when you stole my ring, I figured you might be worth the risk."

"How did you know I'd do that?" I had always figured myself to be somewhat inconspicuous. Apparently I would have to re-evaluate my strategy.

"You were off to the side, watching the people around you like a hawk, waiting for the right moment to swoop in. I know what a thief looks like." Henry gave me a pointed look, and I felt my face flush with embarrassment.

I sulked for a moment. "What do I get if I join you?"

"Security." Henry responded. "We look out for our own. But most importantly, you'll never go without again. No more landlords, or overdue bills. You'll have everything you've ever wanted, in addition to a life of excitement."

"And all I have to do is steal?" I asked sarcastically.

"Acquisition and relocation." Henry insisted. His good-natured tone belied the gravity of what he was asking me. "What do you say? Should I leave you to these officers, or will you be leaving here with me?" He asked.

It wasn't much of a choice. "Where do I sign?"

Henry's face split into a victorious smile. He stood, and knocked on the metal of the door behind him. An officer opened the door, and poked his head inside.

"Everything okay?" He asked.

"This is my cousin." Henry lied. He rose and grabbed my arm. "There's been some misunderstanding, but my ring is back, and I don't plan on pressing charges." He quickly pulled us through the door and into the main part of the precinct.

Together, we sped through the building until we were back out onto the street. Henry directed me to the most elegant town car I'd ever seen.

He opened the door and gestured inside. "After you, my lady."

I slid into the luxurious backseat, ready to start anew.

..-. .. -.