By some miracle, he caught himself before the chair tipped over. It was an odd trait of his that when faced with adversity and potential danger, instead of becoming jittery and upset he felt a secure calm through him. His near spill had done more to upset his day than the letter he’d received, the expected visitors, or the poor quality of his Quiznos barbecue sandwich put together. The damn thing had been overdone on the outside and underdone on the inside. How had they even done that?

The restaurant was square and empty. The door had been unlocked, just as he’d been told. He sat with his back to the bar, the massive fish tank between him and the door. It meant the fish would see his guests before he would. But on the other hand his guests would see the fish before they saw him. It might be his liking for neon tetras, but he suspected the fish favored his side.

A shadow passed over the window, casting a brief darkness over the quiet bar. He felt the weight in his pocket, and watched.