Professional Courtesy

The following story was written for the "Short Shots: Official WDC Contest"  in November 2007.
Featured in the "Short Stories Newsletter (December 28, 2010)" 


         He gave a practiced swat at his new companion with his wide-brimmed Akubra. The agitated walker soon learned to ignore the lone fly and focus on the task. She's late. The perspiring man paused and mopped up accumulated sweat along his brow with a handkerchief from the left pocket of the comfortable Levi's before slamming the worn canvas hat back on his head, pulling it tight atop his graying ebony hair. The stranger pushed his mahogany horn-rimmed glasses up along his hooknose. An expert twist of a slim wrist pushed the sleeve of his denim jacket up. The clear image of a clean-shaven, angular face and dull azure eyes gazed back at him as he checked his only true possession. Five minutes. Maybe. Give or take a minute. He brought his left hand down to his side as shook his right, checking the weight of his vinyl attaché. Feeling that the contents were all there, he pressed on along the beaten gravel road.

         Calm replaced earlier impatience as the traveler leaned down every few paces to run his manicured fingertips along the wild rye-grass sprouting up along the edge of the one-lane road. The dried out stalks crumbled at his touch, their remnants floating along the cool fall breeze to new horizons along Herman Road. Four minutes.

         He conversed with his friend as he commenced with a systematic check of his appearance. "First impression matters the most." The insect buzzed a reply as it flew around in the shade his frame provided. Taking the sound for agreement, he drawled on in his baritone voice. "Spent weeks setting this thing up." He pulled at the hem of his pants, creating more wrinkles as he attempted to shake them out. "If we blow this, we'll never see her again." He checked his Rolex. "Two-"

         The distant rumblings from behind proved his initial estimate wrong. He hastened his pace without looking back. "Timing is everything." He waited for the vehicle to come closer before turning toward it. A thumb shot out in front of him as he attempted to attract the driver of a burgundy Jetta. He gave the stranger a dimpled smile as the old car passed him by. The sound of an engaged clutch told him the driver was slowing down. "Smile gets them every time." He ran after the vehicle as it stopped a few yards in front of him.

         The driver leaned a head full of low cut blonde hair out the window as it rolled down. Sapphire eyes framed by an oval shaped face regarded him with amusement. "Is that your truck in the middle of the road a couple miles back?" The woman talked fast, like a northerner.

         He responded, using the local southern drawl he mastered over the past month and a half. "Yes ma'am. That's me. Broke down about a half hour ago. I was going to head out to the station on Main-"

         Her thin lips compressed into a smirk. "I'm only twenty-nine. Save the ma'am for your mother." The collar of her heavy plaid shirt parted to expose a slender neck as she jerked her head to the passenger side. "Hop in. I'm on my way to the store."

         He smiled and gave the small woman a business card as he settled down into the tattered leather seat, placing his briefcase on his lap.

         The woman shook her head as she studied the small card. "Lee Davis, Insurance Salesman." She roared a laugh as she passed the card back to him and slammed the car into first. "I guess Louisiana still needs traveling salesman."

         Davis gave a slight blush as he put the card in his coat pocket. "I get by Jennifer."

         "Don't get defensi-" The car slowed down. The woman's jeweled eyes narrowed to small slits. "How do you know my name?"

         Lee did not let the mood of the car affect him. "You're that slick talking reporter from New York City that works at the paper. Everybody in Cankton knows you. See?" He opened the attaché and pulled out the latest copy of The Advertiser. On the front page was a story about a fire in the cul-de-sac on Joshua Road. Jennifer Ashe was the accredited writer.

         Jennifer nodded in appreciation, the gleam in her eyes returned once more. "Call me Jen."

         The German car jostled the pair as Jen drove over a small pothole. The beat-up car stalled. Jennifer murmured a curse and sighed as if this was a normal occurrence. Lee noticed Jennifer raise a quizzical eyebrow as she looked down at his hand. "Business must be good."

         Lee pulled the sleeve down over his wrist. He opened his briefcase to put the newspaper back. "I make do."

         "Make do? A salesman wearing an eighteen thousand dollar, eighteen carat gold Rolex GMT Master?"

         Lee abandoned the pretense of using the fake accent. "Like I said, I make do." He paused in the act of returning the paper and stared into the eyes of his mark. "My boss pays me well for what I do." He slid the paper toward his window, exposing a sleek silencer from underneath. Jennifer gasped and reached for the door handle. "Make another move, Anna, and you will make front page news."

         The frightened woman froze, a lone tear streaked down her smooth face. Her voice lowered to a whisper. "How did you find me? I had witness protection."

         Lee smiled as he considered the implications of this moment. "Yea, Fed's are going to flip when they wind of this. I'll be able to demand top dollar when I do you."

         The woman showed a quiet demeanor and composure that Lee admired. Most of his marks would be crying like babies by now, offering alternatives to the inevitable. "How did you find me?"

         Lee shook his head. "You were smart to run away to Small-town, U.S.A. But I find it hard to believe that the same women who took down the Lucchese Family is stupid enough to use her old pen name and then have the arrogance to get another job as a reporter." The woman named Anna opened her mouth but no words came out. Lee sighed at her idiocy. "You ratted out the mob, Miss Conen. You knew this was coming."

         "I was only doing my job."

         Lee nodded in complete understanding. "Same here." He pulled the trigger.