Troubleshooter

Chapter 46 - A Night Like This

PAUL WATCHED the cab drive away and went into his house, unlocking the front door. The small lobby was dark, and the light switched on automatically.

"Isa, what are you doing here?" Paul said, startled.

Isabelle McAllister sat on the bottom step of the staircase leading upward. She got up and dusted off her behind. "Hi, Paul. One of your neighbors was so kind to let me in from the cold. Dad told me that you had been in serious trouble today. Are you all right?"

Paul just nodded, annoyed that the general was meddling in other people's affairs. He walked the four floors up silently, careful not to disturb the other residents. Isabelle had taken off her shoes and followed on stockings. He opened his apartment door, deactivated the alarm, and they were greeted by warmth.

"You are wasting money by overheating your flat, you know?" Isabelle said, looking around.

"The timer activates the heating at six, so that it is warm by the time I am home from work. And you know how I hate a cold apartment," Paul replied.

"You moved the furniture," Isabelle noticed and took off her coat, dropping it on one of the chairs. "And the chairs are new."

"I moved a lot, and I remember that you took the old ones," Paul replied. "Isa, what are you doing here? I had a bad day at the office that exceeded the sum of all bad hair days you have ever had in your life. I really don't have the nerve for small talk or for deep emotional relationship discussions."

"Good old Paul." Isabelle sat down on Paul's favorite spot, overlooking the street. "I was worried about you after Dad told me about the shootings. Are you fine?"

Paul leaned against his dinner table, crossing his arms as he looked at his former girlfriend. "As I've told everyone so far, I feel fine. As fine as fine can be after a day like today."

"Would you like me to stay?" Isabelle said, throwing Paul off completely.

"Isa, what is this supposed to be? Some sort of charity fuck?" Paul didn't want it to sound harsh, but it did. Isabelle flinched but did not take the bait; she remained calm. He had always loved her patience and sensibility; even when he was out of line.

"No, just an offer of friendship and comfort," Isabelle managed to say with as much poise as possible, but her lower lip started to tremble.

Paul shook his head. "Sorry for biting off your head like that. Like I said, I had a really bad day. I think it is better if you leave now. I broke off our relationship, and today's events did not change my feelings."

"But why, Paul? Why can't you just accept that I care for you? For heaven's sake, you killed, what, five people today. Let me just hold you. Give you warmth." She looked like the loneliest girl on the planet as she spoke.

"Isa. I am okay."

"How can you be? Five dead. By your hand."

"Yes, I killed five people today. Who had tried to kill me. Don't confuse Paul Trouble, the accountant, with Paul Trouble, the soldier. It was the soldier who killed them. Someone that you do not know. And hopefully you will never know."

"Is that the reason we split up? You were afraid that I would see the soldier, the killer one day? Or the spy, or whatever you did for Dad in the past."

"Maybe. Isa, those five dead gangsters were not my first killings. There have been many before. Maybe too many." He put his hand on her shoulder.

Isabelle looked up at him and saw the man she still loved. She had no idea why. All she knew was that she did. But she could feel again the invisible wall that was around Paul. It was part of him, the mysterious part, but maybe it was a wall she really shouldn't look behind.

"It would be better for you to leave now. " Paul held out her coat. "Want me to call you a cab?"

"Not necessary. There are so many taxis running by at this hour, I'll find one in a minute." Isabelle got up, slipped into her coat, and buttoned it. She didn't look angry anymore. Just sad.

"Isa, I am sorry if I hurt you all over again. But all I want to do is to sleep and forget about this day."

"Sure, whatever you say, Paul." With that, Isabelle went to the door and left, her shoes still in hand. Her steps could not be heard as she walked back down. Paul watched her from the window, giving a brief wave of his hand. She looked upwards and saw him but did not return the gesture. Isabelle stood for a minute until she had flagged down a cab. And then she was gone.

Bugger!

Paul prepared a warm glass of milk and sat down to watch the night from his bay window. He could see his neighbor typing on her laptop, the only other human being awake. He wondered if her imagination could have come up with a crazy story like today's string of events. "Good friend killed, myself run over by a car, almost killed, killed five guys, messed up my team, recovered one hundred million dollars, discovered a defense tech spy ring, offered sex by an old flame, and managed to alienate her. Again! All in a day's work," Paul said to his empty apartment. He toasted with the empty glass into the nights. "To absent friends, Brady! Take care of yourself."

Then he went to bed.

And slept like a baby.