I felt Anna press up against me and in a concerned whisper she asked, "What's wrong?"
I scanned the opposite street. There! I saw the man I had seen for just a brief second, when I had been out on the street.
My eyes drifted to the right and I found the man that I had hoped not to and then further on I found another one. Three men or perhaps more, appearing as if they were but calmly people watching. The bitter truth set in. The cartels had found me or at least knew about where to look. How much did they know?
I pulled a burner cell out of my coat pocket and called a number by memory.
"This is security how may we help you?"
"Hi this is Tyre Benning in apartment 705 I need to speak with Todd Brown."
"One moment please."
There was a brief pause before Todd came on the line, "Good afternoon Mister Benning. What can I do for you?"
"Have you noticed any odd occurrences on my floor today? Any strangers?"
"Not that I'm aware of, Sir. We did have the halls painted about midmorning, but you received word of that last week. The painters will be back tomorrow to finish the trim work."
"I need you to do me a favor Todd."
"Anything for you Mister Benning! You know that."
"I need you to take those two keys I gave you an open apartment 703 and 705. Open 703 first. Now this is very important Todd! Do not step into the room, but instead look down at the doorjamb about knee-high just below the lock. There will be a light there. I want you to tell me whether it's red or green."
There was a slight pause, "I'm on my way Mister Benning."
"Just leave the phone on Todd."
I could hear the jumbling of his movement and sometimes his breathing. I heard the jumbling of keys and then the sound of a door opening.
"The light is green Mister Benning."
"Okay try the other door."
I heard the noise of the key slide into the lock. An automated voice sounded out in Spanish and I cringed inwardly at the words.
"Go back to hell death angel!"
I didn't even have time to yell to tell Todd to run. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. I watched every window on the seventh floor explode outward as balls of flame erupted through them. They must have mixed some explosive compound like thermoplasm in with the paint.
Following the initial flash of flame, eruptions sounded out and the bistro shook hard, and several glasses behind the bar fell and shattered on the floor. Bombs left in paint cans no doubt.