57. Dinner
DINNER
We walked down the back alley to the kitchen entrance.
Cole wordlessly opened the door to the kitchen, extending a hand to Summer, who wouldn’t touch him.
I slapped him on the shoulder, giving him a sympathetic pat.
We wove through the kitchen as the chefs scrambled to prepare everything.
Karter was picking at the steak cooking on the grill when Dustin shoved him forward.
Cole picked up a spiral potato cutter, eyeing it curiously before pocketing it as we walked through the kitchen chaos.
We emerged from the kitchen into a lavish waiting room; there were staff running about, but none of them focused on us. They seemed to have been paid off or just so desensitized to someone walking through as they prepared the place for guests.
Dustin walked ahead of us, clearing the way toward the large dining hall.
We were technically early for dinner, as the main event didn’t start until later. Of course, that was the plan all along: early enough to do our business, late enough not to tip the senator off.
Cole’s hand wrapped around a security guard’s mouth as he dragged the man against him and quietly snapped his neck. The man fell in a crumpled heap. I stepped over and continued walking.
The large dining room was meant for some of the senator’s financial backers. Something about an annual gathering or whatever. Truthfully, I didn’t give two shits about it so long as we did what we came here for.
The door opened with a slight creak, and Summer’s steps clicked against the floor as she walked to the middle of the table, taking her seat.
The dining room held about a dozen chairs, all empty except for the Senator’s chair and now Summer’s chair.
He looked up from his wineglass, a small, polite smile crossing his face.
“Thank you for the invitation Senator, it seems we are a little early. I hope you don’t mind.” She said in an almost cheerful voice.
“Of course not, what a lovely surprise.” He raised the glass to his lips, taking a small sip.
We filed in behind her, each taking a seat around the table, but far enough to isolate the Senator’s chair.
“I must hand it to you, you are a hard individual to track down.” Dustin rumbled, and I watched every slight twitch of his face.
“Well I do get awfully busy this time of year with plans for re-election,” he said smoothly.
“We are only twenty-three days into the new year and that’s your excuse?” Karter asked, eyeing the salad dish in front of him.
“Well you know what they say,” he took another sip of his wine.
“Are you hungry I can have them bring the meal a little early? We wouldn’t want to anyone to starve.” The Senator said in a cheerful voice.
Cole’s steak knife landed in the wood of the table; he shoved the chair backward, and within a moment his gun was at the senator’s head.
“Enough games,” he growled.
The Senator placed the napkin in his lap, face perfectly straight.
“I think we will have the food sent a little early, Claire.” He chimed, and a brunette with a clipboard filled with a dozen different options came out.
“Yes senator?” She chimed, bouncing nervously on her feet when her eyes registered the gun.
“Please bring out six meals, and the entertainment may join us when it’s ready.” He told her as she wrote everything down. Turning to leave quickly, he spoke again, “Oh and more wine.”
“Yes senator.” She squeaked.
“What is she twelve?” I asked, noticing the lack of makeup and the young features.
“Thirty-two, with an extensive background in the medical field,” Karter chimed in, taking a sip of his wine. “Mental health if I remember correctly.”
“Wow so that brain of yours is useful for something other than sex.” Dustin spat toward him. A slight smile played at my lips; of course, he was still bitter toward Karter after learning that he had left me to die.
Karter shrugged. Summer wasn’t paying attention to them bickering, though; no, she was in her own world, watching the glass full of water shine against the lights.