A few evenings later, one of the waitresses stopped by the bar as I was refilling some of the peanut bowls.

"Hey, Sasha," she greeted me quietly.

I smiled at her - we'd struck up an unlikely friendship during my short time there. The friendship was unlikely because we were complete opposites - she was loud and brash and from somewhere in the north of England, whereas I was quiet and reserved and from Essex. She was small and neat whereas I was tall and stocky and always seemed to take up more space than was necessary. Still, we were firm and fast friends - which helped to integrate me better into the mission and the restaurant itself.

"Hey, Daisy. How can I help you?" I asked as I smiled at her.

I'd noticed that she'd seemed quieter than usual that night - which was worrying in and of itself. Daisy was bubbliness personified and I'd never seen her so down in the short time that I'd known her.

"Ah. I doubt you can help with much," she said and offered me a smile.

It was a shaky attempt at best but I appreciated the effort. It didn't make me worry any less though.

She seemed to guess that I was still willing to listen because she smiled a little more genuinely and continued - "You remember that lady who was in here the other night? Roxy?" .

"Sure," I confirmed and frowned.

I had a sense that some bad news was about to be delivered.

"She was found dead this morning," Daisy said and her lips narrowed down into distressed lines.

"Oh? That's terrible," I said and the rill of sadness that coursed through me at the news was desperately real.

"I know. She was a friend of mine, actually," Daisy said and I frowned in further sympathy at her. I hadn't known that.

"I'm sorry," I told her and I found that I meant it.

I'd had friends killed in the line of duty and though Daisy's friendship with Roxy was different to the situations I'd been in, the feelings and sentiments were exactly the same.

"Thanks, Sasha," Daisy said quietly.

"What happened?" I asked her. "Do you know? Can you tell me?"

She gave me a wry smile then that was marred by his persistent sadness.

"Afraid you're prying there?" she asked.

I shrugged before I said - "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to."

"You're okay, Sash; you can ask. She was murdered. Dumped by the side of the River Rom," Daisy said before she sighed heavily. "No one saw who did it but I'm betting you anything you like it was that bloody Freddy. You saw how he was the other night. He's always like that."

I nodded; I had expected as much.

"Does Zak know?" I asked as I saw our boss entering the Brasserie.

I had a feeling that he ought to have known, considering it seemed as though he knew the pair in question quite well.

Daisy merely shook her head before she said - "Not from me he doesn't."

"D'you want me to break the news?" I asked.

Daisy gave me one of her beaming smiles then - one of her normal ones that brightened her face.

"No, love. You're a dear but I can tell him," she assured me and reached across the bar to grasp my hand. "Thanks, though, Sash."

I just nodded and watched her leave. I saw her pause by Zak and she must have delivered the news; I saw his jaw tighten and his normally clear blue eyes darken. I had the sense from his reaction that he'd already heard yet to his credit, he listened to Daisy and seemed to make all the right sympathetic noises. The Brasserie itself was packed that night so it was hard to tell what was actually exchanged between the pair from my vantage point.

Before long though, Daisy returned to her work and though her expression wobbled on occasion, she at least put up a good face for the customers. I merely gave her nods of concerned understanding whenever she passed the bar and though her eyes were slightly misted with tears, she gave me her usual grin in response.

I didn't see much of Zak that night and whenever I did, he was terse yet not to the point of actual rudeness. I didn't take offence. I just had the sense that something was brewing, by the tension that hung thick in the air and seemed to tighten the muscles in Zak's body.

Everyone seemed on edge that night as though more than one of us were aware of Zak's tumultuous mood. I was glad when finally the Brasserie closed for the night and I was able to clean down the bar ready for the next evening's shift.

I nodded my salutations to the rest of the workers as they passed me and I was just finishing the wiping down when Freddy himself entered the establishment. He looked more scared than he had on his prior visit and barely acknowledged my presence when he saw me.

"Is Zak in?" he asked as he looked anywhere but directly at me.

"In his office," I said tersely as I jerked my head in the right direction.

As if the conversation - brief though it had been - had summoned him, Zak appeared from the direction of his office.

"Sasha? Can you stick around for a few moments?" Zak said as he walked towards me. I merely shrugged and nodded without further word; I suspected that Zak didn't need a verbal confirmation. Zak smiled, slipped a wad of cash into the back pocket of my jeans on his way past me and winked at me.

"For the bother of staying on," he said. "And whatever happens tonight, you heard and saw nothing."

"For sure," I said and crossed my arms over my chest in an attempt at stoic casualness.

When Zak finally reached Freddy, he clamped a hand on the other man's shoulder and steered him in the direction of his office. I didn't see them again for quite some time - I merely heard them in a series of raised voices, and arguments filled with angry barks, accusations, and whines of self-pity. Then, the argument was shattered by a sharp retort - a gun blast. I startled suddenly even as the place fell completely silent.

I waited until Zak came through, his formerly pristine white shirt splattered with what looked like blood. He was wiping his hands on a towel - he'd obviously just washed those at least. I kept quiet, just watched him as he came over to me and leaned against the bar.

"And what did you see and hear tonight, Sasha?" Zak asked and raised an eyebrow at me sharply.

Other than that, his expression didn't change from one of stoic blankness.

I shrugged and said - "Absolutely nothing, Zak."

"Good boy. Let's keep it that way," Zak said and he wasn't joking.

I didn't ask about Freddy - it was obvious from who'd walked out of the office and who hadn't just which of the two men had been shot.

"D'you need anything else, Zak?" I asked quietly.

Zak gave me a calculating look before he shook his head wearily.

"Not tonight, mate," he said. "You've done enough. Thanks. You've helped out more than you could have known."

I just shrugged and at Zak's dismissive gesture, went to fetch my jacket and left the Brasserie. 

****

No one knew just where Freddy's body ended up but I could imagine. I'd seen enough gangster movies and hung around enough criminals myself to know not to ask.

I kept my silence - for which Zak himself seemed particularly grateful. The police even sniffed around the Brasserie yet thankfully no one but I knew what had happened to Freddy and not even I knew the whole story.

All I could do was confirm what everyone else had undoubtedly said, that he'd been there, had an altercation with his girlfriend - and now, he was missing, presumed dead.

As soon as the police left, Zak passed by me and once again, pushed a wad of cash into my back jeans pocket. He winked at me yet didn't say anything. He didn't need to, I know what that money was for - it was hush money designed to buy my continued silence.

I wasn't entirely sure that I appreciated the gesture but I knew that I'd keep the money for a while and donate it to a good cause as soon as I was able. Assuming the money was real, of course.

I had no trouble in ascertaining that it was. It still was tucked away, out of sight for the interim.