To Kill a Ghost

Patches of orange and pink evaded the midnight blue slowly taking over the western horizon. Below people walked on the sidewalks like ants trying to build, but accomplishing nothing more than hurrying to their next task after the first is destroyed. Dedra shivered as the cool breeze caressed her cheek, but her steady hand held its ground. The cold metal trigger beneath her fingertip felt more like home than anything she'd ever touched. Her scope focused on the door to the Marquise Grand, the fancy hotel across the street. The scope searched for one woman in particular, a greedy mistress of the night.

Hired two weeks ago by a jealous housewife with too much money, Dedra agreed to take her case. Little did the wife know, her husband had already paid for the mistress to be taken care of so she wouldn't find out about the affair. Kirkland did his job a little too well sometimes, but when the money got delivered on schedule, Dedra never minding doing her part.

"The targets just moved onto 1st and Main. They'll be coming your way any moment," the new operative whispered through her earpiece. She didn't like having backup; however, these double homicides were always tricky.

"Moving aim to the parking lot then. It'll be less messy at least," Dedra said more to herself than to the man helping her scan for her target. He chuckled.

Against all logical sense, the ritzy hotel did not have a well-lit parking lot or a safe parking garage. The half-full lot next to the hotel's bar entrance held only two street lamps; one closer to the door, and the second at the very back. Wide gaps separated the walls of the parking garage; dim blue lights flooded the area. She knew her target well enough to know he would park near the bar since there was no one checking IDs and asking for money at the door.

"What do I get if I kill two birds with one stone?" Dedra mused as she shivered again.

"I'll give you half my pay for the job," The new guy offered.

A black BMW pulled into the parking lot. The car pulled into the darker area of the lot, but she still saw both occupants well enough. Dark scruffy hair popped out of the driver's side door, followed by a red button down shirt. He ran to the other side of the car opening the door for his lover. Red curls fell over her bare shoulders while her long legs spilled out of her little dress. He offered his hand, and she took it as she stood. She leaned in, pressing his lips against hers. "Deal," Dedra whispered before her finger squeezed the trigger.



Bells chimed as she opened the door to the office. Sirens blared from the television while a red banner flashed 'breaking news'. "I can't believe I owe you." The new operative scowled as he followed her. "That show was impossible!" He pulled the blue running jacket off his tense shoulders. A vein popped out in his triceps. His hair was cropped to his head, he had bronze skin and hazel eyes. The dark jeans he wore had holes in the knees and fit him well. She hated to admit it, but he wasn't a bad looking man.

"That shot was amazing," Dedra corrected as she put her duffel bag behind the counter. Her hand patted the red hilt sticking out of her belt. "I told you the FBI tried to hire me."

A man with salt and pepper hair emerged from one of the back rooms. He was tall with cool blue eyes and a smile that warmed her bones. "The transfer went through all right?" She asked. The man nodded. "Half of the new guy's pay is mine. Remember that when you're putting it in bank accounts."

He shook his head as he laughed. "Two birds?"

"No one saw it coming." She grinned. "We left before anyone noticed the bodies."

"Good." He answered with a smile. "And how did Linox work out?"

The new operative scoffed as he held his up hands. "I am standing right here!" He crossed his arms over his chest. "Why didn't you just ask me?"

The older man moved around Dedra toward Linox. His smile faded, but his eyes never lost their gleam. "I asked her because no good operative in this business will answer that question honestly for themselves."

"This mission would've gone as smooth if I had been alone," Dedra retorted as if on cue.

"She knows there would have been more problems getting away, and it would have been a lot messier had you not been there." The older man translated. "Now how did Linox fare?"

She smirked. "It wasn't as messy as last time, I didn't almost get caught again, and he wasn't too annoying."

The new operative glared at her. "Let's keep this one around for a while, Kirkland. Maybe he'll make my life a little easier." She said with a wide grin.

"Go get cleaned up then. Dinner is in twenty, we'll discuss caseloads tomorrow." Kirkland turned toward the room he came from when Linox stopped him.

"What do you mean caseload?"

"Are you prepared to do what Dedra did tonight?" he asked. His body never moved, but his hands fidgeted.

"I don't..." Linox shook his head, and Dedra rolled her eyes.

"Caseload - you do the research and investigation and she does the dirty work." Kirkland moved as if he owned the world. Linox didn't speak again before his office door closed.

"What have I signed up for?" He asked; he meant for the question to be rhetorical.

"Research apparently," Dedra answered, making the most of her opportunity to annoy him. "Your job isn't hard, New Guy. Try doing my job, and then try doing mine plus yours and not getting caught."

"Why do you keep calling me New Guy? Can't you learn a simple name?" He glared at her again. She shrugged and moved toward another room. The doorknob she wrapped her fingers around was on the opposite side of the lobby from Kirkland's office.

"No one survives your job long enough for me to remember them." She disappeared behind the door leaving Linox to his own mind.