Nick's jaw tensed.
He wasn't expecting this. The woman had already expressed to Nick, although in the heat of the moment, that she had already paid this week's protection money.
So why were they stopping at her door and ringing her doorbell?
He bit back the urge to throw open his own door and interrupt, knowing that waiting and listening would give him more info.
A faint creak followed — stopping with the clank of the chain lock.
"Morning, ma'am." The man spoke, in his usual confident and calm demeanour.
He wasn't doing much to conceal his voice, or quieten, so Nick heard everything clearly.
"I don't mean to bother you. You've paid up this week's fee. Don't worry."
Nick could already imagine the woman's panicked expression when she opened the door.
He'd already seen how she'd reacted when Nick, a completely unknown face rang her doorbell the previous day, so he could only imagine when the real deal appeared at her front door.
A paused followed.
