Chapter 130: A useless death

The line went abruptly dead, plunging Jimmy into a vacuum of weighted silence punctuated only by the faint ticking of the warped bedside clock. Scrubbing both hands over his scarred face, he peeped around at the cracked plaster and water-stained ceiling with red eyes. Just a few hours earlier, he’d relished the payout awaiting him once Elena Normandy was delivered to the anonymous client. Now, the prospect of that same payday seemed terribly insignificant in light of the forces he had foolishly provoked with his arrogance. With a bone-deep weariness settling over his shoulders like a shroud, Jimmy began to mechanically stuff his belongings into the battered duffel. Jon’s dire warning reverberated in his skull, quickening his movements. Every instinct screamed for him to flee while he still could. Less than five minutes after Jon’s frantic call, Jimmy was already zipping his duffel and shouldering the strap in a series of sharp, economical movements. His usual languid gait ha