Secret Affection

Chapter 6

Four hours. Two hundred and forty minutes. Fourteen thousand and four hundred seconds. That is how long I have been sitting in front of the Austin household. After Roy, Grace, and I left the café Grace told me she had to go home to speak with Aaron. I wasn't about to fight her on the subject, so the second I drove her home and she was through her front door, I grabbed my rifle from my trunk and took a vantage point.

I know the contract didn't need to be completed for three more weeks, but after what occurred the night prior and the pain he continued to cause my best friend, he needed to be put down. Once the clock struck 9:00 I was starting to lose hope in Aaron walking out of his humble abode. As soon as I was about to pack up and head home, the front door opens.

Jackpot.

I adjust my sights, looking through my scope to see Aaron Austin stumbling his way down his pathway towards the sidewalk. I scoff, looking at the man yards away from me, but before I can pull he trigger, I freeze.

Is that... blood?

My blood runs cold as I see the blood thrown haphazardly on his faded yellow shirt.

Grace!

I'm about to stand up and rush into the house across the way, but again, I freeze.

I can't run in there. It's not only trespassing, but how would I explain that I knew to come running to the rescue?

As I'm having an inner dilemma with myself, Aaron Austin is almost out of my sights.

Just shoot the bast-rd. I might not be able to save Grace now, but I would in the long run.

I quickly line up my shot, leveling my sight right into the back of his skull. Before he can turn the corner at the end of the road, I squeeze my trigger. The faint noise is projected from my rifle before the bullet goes straight through the back of Aaron's head. He falls face first into the pavement as I continue to examine the surrounding area.

Well f-ck, it never goes easy does it?

An elderly woman makes her way towards his body, looking around for the person who put the man in that state. She starts screaming for help, but before I can run to hide myself, I slip my phone out of my pocket. I dial a number that would probably put me in a lot of hot water.

"911, what is your emergency?"

"I have a man shot at the corner of Maple and Lewis. There's no heartbeat and I believe someone else is hurt at the address of 2436 Maple."

"Okay, ma'am there's an ambulance on the way."

Before she can tell me to stay on the line until they arrive, I hang up. I quickly disassemble my rifle and make my way back to the car as an ambulance pulls up behind the newly deceased body.

Get the f-ck out of here, I need an alibi.

I'm about to call Roy, but as I'm about to push call, I stop and end up just locking my phone. I start my car and speed away from the crime scene and towards my house.

I need an alibi, but the second Roy and I get asked where we were, I'll be alone at the time. I can't ask him to cover for me, then he'll ask why. What, do I just say, 'oh, sorry to never tell you this, but I'm a trained sniper and I'm being paid to off as-holes all through New York'?

Instead, I call another number who could easily cover my tracks.

"Carter."

"James, I need a favor."