Death, Shaken Not Stirred

Chapter One - In The Shadows

            Call me whatever you want, but don’t call me a murderer. I’m a hitman, and there’s a difference. 

At night, the city might look innocent with its twinkling lights as tourists take selfies at Fisherman’s Warf, but it’s very much like a panther prowling treetops for prey. In my world, a person would be foolish to marvel at the city’s wonders. It’s a distraction—a glittery cloak hiding the dirty underbelly of San Francisco's true nature. 

If someone asked if I’m proud of my work, I would say no. But, there is a balance to things, and people like the man I’m about to approach, deserve what's coming. Anyone who scams an elderly woman into falling in love with them to steal her retirement money is trash. 

And now I’m going to take out the trash.

Darkness fills the alleyway where I stand, hidden in the shadows against the masonry, waiting for Mr. William Anders. He’s a forty-year-old male who had a negative account balance a few weeks ago, but thanks to innocent Mildred Stone, he’s been depositing six grand from her account into his every month. 

Tonight that ends. 

Lights from the surrounding buildings glow against the obsidian sky like lungs expanding and contracting with life. There’s electricity in the air—a buzz along the power lines as prostitutes and drug addicts walk the street, oblivious of my presence. For the last few days, I’ve been following William, and he likes to visit his favorite hooker between nine and nine thirty PM. At this moment, they’re behind a dumpster further down the alley, and it sounds like their date is almost over.

“All done, sugar?” Candy says as she steps into view, smoothing down her mini jean skirt. 

“Yeah,” William grunts, adjusting his pants.“But I don’t know why we had to do it over here instead of at the hotel as usual?”

“I told you, sugar. I’ve got a busy night, so making love back here was easier.”

“But tomorrow will be at the hotel again, right?”

“Whatever you wish.” She grabs his face and gives him a quick peck.

They make their way toward me, so I press my back against the masonry, and the frigid stones nibble my spine, eliciting a shiver. The minutes leading up to a contract always have my pulse beating like a tambourine, and right now, I could pee like a racehorse from the anticipation. Neither Candy nor William can see me, but at least she knows I’m here, so she remains a few paces ahead of him. Smart girl.

“Catch you later, sugar. I’ve got another Jon to meet.” She emerges onto the sidewalk, where the streetlight bathes her in a yellow glow. Then she blows a kiss over her shoulder, and it’s the last time she’ll see William ever again as I lock my arms around his neck and drag him backward.

“Hey!” he yells and claws at my hands, but the Tenderloin is a loud neighborhood at night. No one walking past the alleyway twitches a brow at the commotion. “Let go, you ass—”