(2013) Shooter Read Free Page A

later.
    Shutting my closet door behind me, I took the bag out into the main room and dropped it on one scarlet couch. My stomach growled, time for breakfast.
    Attempting to keep my clanking to a minimum, I crept into the kitchen and opened the fridge, selecting a pan or three from the rack over the stove.
    I selected eggs and bacon and several types of seasonings from the cabinet overhead, and a couple types of cheese and kicked the door closed.
    I felt the need to cook up something special this morning. Chances were, this might be my last halfway decent meal for a few days.
    Laying out all the ingredients on the countertop, I set to work.
    A half hour later, Julia and Daisuke woke and wandered in.
    "Holy crap, Gracie, how long have you been up? I was going to go and wake you, but I heard the sizzling and smelled the delicious food." Julia stretched and looked around at the amazing spread I'd laid out.
    "Just about an hour or so." I poked a stuffed pepper and cheese omelet to see how done it was. "That's for you guys. Dig in." I waved at the table.
    They both grinned like children presented with cake, parked it at the table and seized a plate of breakfast each.
    Daisuke smiled as he ate, and Julia wore a dreamy expression.
    "My god, you are my fucking hero, Gracie. This is great."
    I waved a spatula at her in-between flipping another omelet. "Flattery gets you nowhere."
    She chuckled darkly. "Right."
    I just smiled and grabbed my plate. It was nice for people to actually appreciate my work once in a while. Hey, I was a pretty good cook, too.
    "Alright, it might get me to cook more often. That's all you get."
    "Hell, I'll take that."
    "So, I hear you and Julia have a job. That means I get the house to myself for a bit." Daisuke chimed in.
    "Oh, shit, we do? Why does nobody tell me these things?" Julia dropped her fork and it clattered to the plate.
    "I dunno any of the details, yet, but yeah. So with me gone, who's going to cook for you, Dai?"
    He blinked. "You're right."
    "Who's the monkey?" Julia asked, slightly irritable.
    "You are."
    "Damn."
    "Sorry babe."
    She laughed. "Screw you, Ghost."
    "No thanks. I don't roll that way."
    Julia rolled her eyes and stomped off to go get dressed.
    "You two better be nice to each other or this job's never getting done." Daisuke sniggered to himself.
    "What are you talking about? We are being nice. You should really see us when we're pissed at each other… which thankfully doesn't happen often."
    "No thanks, I'd really rather avoid that fallout."
    "Very wise, my friend." I nodded and smiled.
    "I thought so. Hey, isn't that your phone?" He pointed a thumb behind him into the center room. I could hear a faint buzzing.
    "Oh, it is. Thanks." I set down my plate and bustled toward my bag. I pulled out a Blackberry and opened up the lone new message. An email. It contained the information on the job and the photo of our intended victim.
    Caleb Holtz. A 52-year-old husband and father who had apparently pissed off his partners in the law firm. They were willing to pay a pretty penny for this job to be done. I sort of wondered what he did that was so terrible, but not for very long; you know, none of my business.
    I now knew what he looked like, where he lived, and what my likely choice of method would be. I flipped off the Blackberry and went to Julia's door and rapped on it twice.
    "Hey, we've got a long drive ahead of us. Gotta get moving." I heard a shuffle and a bump, and Julia appeared in the doorway.
    "Let's go, slowpoke." She hitched a backpack onto her shoulder and strode past me, toward the exit. "Bye, Daisuke."
    A grabbed my duffel bag and followed, giving Daisuke a cheery wave and a grin.
    This time, we drove the nice car. A steel gray BMW with heated seats and a nice system. I loved that car.
    "I'll drive." I deftly snatched the keys from a scowling Julia and stepped in.
    "Fine…" she sighed. "But I get to drive back."
    We found ourselves parked a ways away from Mr. Holtz's rural