That day, Ashley went to her friend Ted's club. The friend she had in common with Randal. Or so she thought. However, she'd been wrong all these years. So she'd come not just to have a drink, but to talk about him.
She went there just after work, wearing her electric blue blouse, tight black pants and thick-soled suede shoes.
She took a discreet table and soon Ted joined her for a drink.
He was as charming as ever, dressed as usual in the latest fashion.
He sat down opposite her.
"Order whatever you like. Tonight, it's on the house."
"Thank you, darling. And James?"
"Still at work. He went straight home."
Ashley nodded, then began fiddling with her purse string.
Her friend, who knew her very well, smiled slightly.
"You have a particular subject you'd like to discuss, don't you? Among other things."
Ashley smoothed her hair and nodded.
"I suppose that's obvious."
"This time, yes."
"Then it's true that you haven't seen him in almost as long as I have."
"If you mean Randal, yes, I do. Oh, he still frequented the club three, four months after you split up. And you two were very good at avoiding each other, which amused me greatly. Last time, he took a woman with him."
"This Stacy?" cut in, Ashley, intrigued.
"No, another one. I don't remember the name but the face, yes, because she was very beautiful, as much as you. And I also remember that Randal was very attached to her as you are to Shawn."
"I see. And then?"
"After that, nothing, that's what I just told you. He never came back. I thought he moved away, got married and...I don't know. He never came back."
A short silence followed these words, then Ted sighed.
"I don't know what happened, but it's all in the past. I hope he'll come round tonight just as he promised, but I'm not sure about this person who seems to have become a completely different person."
Ashley, too, had come precisely to meet him, or at least hoped to, for as their mutual friend had so aptly remarked, he was no longer the man they had known.
A waiter brought Ashley her drink, which she sipped, her head completely elsewhere.
"And how's the wedding planning going?" inquired Ted, more to change the subject than out of curiosity.
This time, Ashley smiled happily.
"It's going perfectly well. It's even great, but the bill is...great too."
"What a boon for you then to marry a rich man. You must take advantage of it!"
The two young men exchanged knowing glances.
"The brother is even more so, but alas, Emma has already set her sights on him."
"Emma is only a mistress to this man. She'll be no more. We all know that already, and our friend ^more than anyone, so, you have every chance with him."
"I'm aware of my qualities, especially on the outside, but...even if I had the chance, I'd never do that. I'd never do that to Emma."
Ted sighed.
"Ah, your principles will lose you, darling."
"Not to mention that this almighty Rick, in addition to being my darling's half-brother, is also one of you-know-who's close friends."
"Me too, I'm a mutual friend."
"But you're as close to me as you are to him, while Rick...you know."
"Oh yes. But..." he continued, frowning, puzzled, "why are you so curious about Randal. You left him so long ago and for the reasons we both knew, so...And now you're with another, wonderful man you're marrying in a few weeks, so..."
"So nothing. Just curious how he's doing now."
Ted regarded his friend with strong irony.
"Ah, women..."
"It's only nostalgia."
"And speaking of nostalgia, I'm happy to pass through this place that holds such fond memories for me." came a sardonic voice that startled both young people. They turned at once to the newcomer, who was the object of their conversation.
He looked splendid in his black shirt, which revealed a firm chest, and icy brown pants, which showed off the fine but powerful muscles of his limbs. A gold Rolex sparkled on his wrist. His thin, almost gaunt face was animated by his deep, sparkling gray eyes, focused on his former relations.
Ashley still wasn't coming back. The last time he'd seen him, he'd seemed so simple, a simple engineer who made a good living and was content with what he had. And now he seemed so rich and cynical.
"May I sit down?"
"Of course!" exclaimed the proprietor, pulling himself together first and moving to sit next to the young woman, who was still struggling to pull herself together.
"Thank you. Ah, I remember the good old days. But first, I'll order a drink."
"Make yourself at home, Randal. As with Ashley, on the house."
"Thanks, Ted."
He placed his order and studied the two young men in front of him.
"So, where shall we start?"
"With you, of course. You're the one we haven't seen in a while."
"Uh, are you sure it's been five years?" he wanted to make sure.
"Eight years to be exact, Randie."
"If you say so."
"You brought that girl here, introduced her to me with the sun in her eyes and then after that, nothing. Nothing at all. Almost a decade of silence. And it's obvious that would have continued if I hadn't met you at Rick's."
"You're exaggerating again. But you know as well as I do that when you're busy, there's hardly any time left to go and visit people."
"I'm not so sure, but anyway, moving on, what do you say we talk about these occupations, since it's clear you're earning more than a decent living now. I'd like to know a little more."
Randal remained silent for a moment, giving the young woman an intense, indecipherable stare that made her uncomfortable.
The latter bravely faced this strange gaze while continuing to sip her cocktail.
"Are you a couple now?" continued Ted, trying to divert his friend's attention from the young woman.
Randal still didn't answer.
"The very beautiful woman who accompanied you" to Rick' s, is she your new woman?"
"I seem to remember you asking me that question before, and me answering it."
"Not really, if your recollection is as accurate as you claim."
"I gave the right answer."
"The answer you wanted to give."
"It doesn't matter, but what intrigues me is what Ashley's doing here."
The latter flinches, clearly not expecting to be approached in this way.
"What are you doing here, Ashley?" he asked in a tone that made them both shiver.
"I'm here for a drink. Until the last time I checked, I'm still allowed one." she replied with a shrug and as light a tone as possible;
"That I know, but what I want to know is what you're doing here, at the same table as me."
Turning to Ted, he continued.
"I want to talk to you, of course, but in private. I don't want an intruder in our discussion, so could we switch places?"
He spoke calmly with blatant nonchalance, but his tone was so implacable that it frightened Ashley as much as it bristled.
"I'm not here for you, Randal."
"Really. Then leave us alone."
"I thought you were going away. And I'll have you know, I was the first to arrive."
"I see the little pisser hasn't changed at all."
Ashley couldn't believe what she'd just heard. Little pisser, the Randal of yesteryear, her Randal would never have dared speak to her like that, even just imagined it. Not even after their separation.
From his expression, Ted hadn't expected such an attack, such cruelty, either.
"Pisser!" she pointed out with disdain and sadness, "that's strong coming from someone who indulges in this kind of...whimsy, in public."
"What are you talking about?" inquired Ted. His friend didn't answer, and Randal didn't need her to since they both knew very well what she was talking about.
"That doesn't hit hard coming from a willing bystander, Ashley."
She lifted her chin defiantly.
"So you knew I was there!"
"Just like I knew you were a friend of Rick's...mistress. A good friend..."
The implication was perfectly clear.
"Looking is less...ugly than doing."
"Says the one who didn't tell her beloved fiancé she'd come to see my show. Ugly, you far surpass me."
Ashley gasped for a moment.
"How do you know I haven't...?"
"It's been five years, Ashley, but I haven't forgotten the kind of man you left me for. I'm sure he doesn't know anything. Dare to tell me otherwise."
"It's none of your business."
He squinted, his eyes indecipherable but his expression taunting.
"That's true. However, you're the one who's done it again..."
The young woman was flabbergasted by these last words. She felt as if she'd lost her breath for a moment. She was already opening her mouth to retort when a shot turned their heads.
What they saw was a nightmare.
Three heavily armed men, whose leader spoke up.
"Ladies and gentlemen, don't panic. This is a holdup. Don't panic, and above all, don't do anything stupid. If you obey, everything will go well, and you'll all be able to go home safely, otherwise..."
He didn't need to continue, everyone was shocked but understood what he was saying, or rather ordering.
"My friend here," and he pointed to one of his two men, "will pass from table to table with a large bag in which you will deposit your cell phones, wallets and purses, and your jewelry. Follow my orders," he repeated in a strong, seductive yet threatening voice, "and you'll have no trouble. We'll be quick."
Ashley shook with all her limbs and clung to Ted's equally trembling arm. They prepared the items they were going to put in the big bag.
"Ted," Randal called, turning to his friend.
The latter didn't hear him until the third call.
"Yes?"
"Do you have a service door?"
"What?" he was having trouble concentrating, which was totally understandable due to the circumstances.
"A back door? Do you have one?"
"Oh, a back door...yes, I have one, but it's closed."
And he wanted to turn reflexively to show his friend the way to the door.
"Don't move." he ordered in a voice so incisive and icy that he obeyed his friend.
"You can open it, can't you?
"Yes," he nodded, not understanding the question. Nor did Ashley, greatly intrigued that his ex seemed so calm, almost indifferent to what was going on.
"It's perfect, then. Besides, there's no one next to me to block the way."
It wasn't long before Ashley realized what he was implying.
It was their turn. The criminal arrived at their table and opened wide the bag already heavy with their loot.
"Come on, hop."
Ashley and Ted were already about to deposit their belongings when suddenly, like a snake on the hunt, Randal leapt up and grabbed the criminal by the neck, stabbing him right in the throat.
Death was instantaneous, then he used the corpse as a shield, grabbed his victim's weapon and fired at the criminals, who saw everything but had no time to recover. He shot one of them in the head, which gave the chief enough time to pull himself together and move in time to avoid another fatal shot, while also starting to fire.
"All down!" commanded Randal in a loud but imperious voice that made everyone obey.
He fired at the leader, hitting him in the shoulder. The latter fired while hurrying towards the entrance, which he managed to pass.
"Shit, he's gone. That's rare."
Rare...Ashley pointed out, in other words, he was used to doing this, shooting people even though they were criminals, killing them.
He dropped the body on the ground as if he were throwing away a garbage bag. Carefully extracting the knife from the throat so as not to be splattered by the spurting blood, he cleaned it off the criminal's jumpsuit before turning to Ted, forcing him to stand up.
"Pull yourself together, old man, these things happen."
"Is he dead?"
"Please don't ask any stupid questions. Everything's back to normal now, so it's perfect."
"Perfect, is it?" he asked, still stunned.
"Pull yourself together I said, and take me to the back door."
"But the police..."
"I don't want to have anything to do with them. My friends will take care of that. Well, you take me and quick."
Ted finally pulled himself together enough to do as he said. He took him to the back where he led him out through the wrought-iron door there.
"But what do you want me to tell the police." insisted Ted again as his friend stepped out into the dimly lit alley.
Randal shrugged.
"Whatever you want."
"You do not wish me to remain silent!"
"No, I don't. I told you, my friends will take care of everything. Good-bye, old chap, see you around!"
But what none of them foresaw was Ashley's actions. She had followed them and was now going out into the night after her ex, who turned to her, eyes wide.
"What the...?"
"Ashley?"
Both men spoke at once.
She turned to Ted.
"I'll stop by and check on you. I'm glad we came through without a scratch, Ted. Good night!"
And after a final, rather artificial smile, and without waiting for an answer either, she set off in pursuit of Randal, managing to catch up with him and trying not to lose sight of him again through these mazes of alleyways, each more insalubrious and poorly lit than the last.
Finally, they came to a main road where they could catch a cab.
Randal turned to Ashley and stopped him dead in his tracks.
"Okay, now tell me, what's your reason for following me?"
Ashley decided first to play coy.
"Who says I'm following you? Maybe it's actually you who's doing it."
He squinted dangerously. Ashley knew she had to be extremely cautious, especially in the mood he was in, because she'd seen with her own eyes what he was capable of doing. Able to take a man's life in cold blood without an ounce of hesitation, even if that man was the ultimate scumbag.
"Very well," he finally said, "if you affirm that you don't follow me then..."
She didn't let him finish.
"Oh, stop it, you know very well I was following you."
"Now you admit it?"
"Yes, because you know very well I'm a pisser."
"And that's even truer now than it was a few minutes ago."
"And where are you going now?"
"I don't think that's any of your business."
"It is, since you coldly killed someone in front of me."
"It wasn't for you," he confirmed, ironically.
"I'm not stupid enough to believe otherwise. But since you did what you did, whatever the reason traumatizing me, then you owe me reparation."
"And what do you have in mind?"
This time it was she who was ardently ironic.
"I don't think I need to draw you a picture."
Randal remained silent for a long time, staring into the face of his ex, who bravely faced the test.
"You can always go home to Shawn."
"Let's leave Shawn out of this, shall we?"
"But he's your fiancé, isn't he? The fiancé you're marrying in a few weeks."
She silenced her conscience and shook her head, falsely confident.
"Shawn hasn't done anything to upset me today."
He nodded eloquently.
"Then it's good timing since I'm just about to head to a place to...relieve myself. If you still want to come."
"That's what I've been asking you all along.
"Well, let's go then. Let's spend this crazy night together."