Legacies

4.

Before sifting through the pile of "While You Were Out…" message slips piled on her desk when she got back to the Center, Alicia checked her personal voice mail. She had one message.

"This is Benny. Call me." He left a number.

Her pulse quickened. The arsonist. She closed her office door and called the number immediately.

"Yeah?" said the same voice.

She heard traffic noises in the background. He was no doubt at a pay phone.

"Is this Benny? I'm returning your call."

"Yeah. This is about the Murray Hill place, right?"

"Right."

"Yeah. I can do that."

"Good. But I need more than that." Jack's comment about a fire leveling the whole block gnawed at her. "I don't want it to spread."

"No prob. You're dealing wit' a pro, here. The inside'll cook. It'll be done to a turn, crisped to ash before it shows outside. The water boys'll be there by then, and if they ain't, I'll call 'em myself. And that'll be it. A surgical strike. With no one the wiser."

"You're sure? Absolutely sure? And no one will get hurt?"

"Guaranteed. Piece a cake, honey. You'll be countin' your money in no time."

Benny obviously thought she was doing this for the insurance. Let him.

"Great," she said.

"But I wanna be countin' mine tonight. Like we agreed, half up front, half the morning after. In cash, know what I'm saying?"

"I know."

Benny's fee would just about clean her out. Was it worth it? Did she really want to do this?

Yes.

"Where do we meet?"