To Kill a Ghost

Dedra walked quickly in the wrong direction. Every nerve ending in her body was screaming for her to turn back. She had no business doing this, but she couldn’t stop herself. No matter what instinct said, she had to see Sam Jennings for herself. The Marquis Grand was only a twenty minute walk. It gave her time to cool down before the anger ravaged her mind again.

She moved through the crowds, drawing more attention than she wanted because of her wardrobe. A sports bra and tight yoga pants may not have been the best idea for storming out fashion, but she needed to get away. Dedra picked up a sports coat lying beside of a businessman reading a newspaper she didn’t recognized and slipped it over her shoulders.

Her hair twisted into a sloppy bun easily as she quickened her pace. The more her mind reeled, she began to picture Sam. His hair mussed with a subtle beard gracing his chin. She imagined him with the same crooked grin Kirkland often got when he knew he was right, and there was no way anyone could dispute his argument. Does he shrug his shoulders and put his hands through his hair to hide the twitching when he lies too?

As she evaded bumping into anyone a clear image developed of this man in her mind. The way he walked, talked, smiled, even the way he drank his liquor floated amongst her thoughts. Nausea filled her stomach as she thought about killing the boy that reminded her so much of the family she almost had. As she considered the possibility more another realization dawned on her. “He can’t be the boy,” she whispered to herself.

Sam Jennings birthday was in 1984. He turned thirty-one years old over the summer. Dedra was older than Kirkland’s child. She was older by nine years, and her birth year was 1987. Unless Kirkland kept more secrets from her over the years, Sam Jennings was nothing more than a good look-a-like. Still, birth records could be forged. Dedra had to look this man in the eye before she could be sure enough to point her gun in his direction.

Dedra stopped for traffic as the light turned green. “I won’t kill an innocent man…” she whispered aloud, earning a harsh stare from the woman closest to her. Not again, I won’t.

She rushed forward, ducking her head and praying the woman didn’t report her for suspicious behavior, as the light stopped the cars again. Her legs broke into a run as the miles shorted between where she was and the Marquis Grand Hotel. Something against her hip vibrated as she ran. She remembered her phone in her back pocket and pulled it out.

“What?” She hissed into the phone, never slowing her pace.

“I know where he is, but I can’t tell you.” Linox’s gruff voice stated.

“Why?” She rolled her eyes and mentally punched him in the nose.

“Kirkland threatened my…job.” His pause was unusual, but he didn’t stop to let Dedra question it. “I think I know what you’re doing, so as a heads us, Kirkland’s meeting is going down at lunch time. Sam isn’t as important as the woman who has him sprung.”

“Sam is just as important,” she retorted, her voice sounded a little winded.

“15:00 hours, D. Don’t forget!” He said, putting emphasis on fifteen and four. She could hear the panic in his tone.

“I think I can handle it.” Dedra hung up the phone and once again picked up her pace. She ignored the traffic lights, almost getting run over more than once. Within five minutes she stood in front of the hotel bar. Blood still lingered in the parking lot from the previous night. Her victims weren’t as lucky as Sam Jennings.

Dedra walked to the door and pulled the handle. The door resisted. She snatched the handle again. Nothing happened. She growled to herself before reading the ‘closed until 5 p.m.’ sign on the door. As she paced in front of the door she began thinking again.

“If the bar is closed where can I find you?” She asked aloud. Linox’s voice came to her as she paced.

15:00 hours, don’t forget, D.

He made sure to put extra emphasis on the words fifteen and for. Why did he pick such random… “They aren’t random, dumbass!” Dedra scolded herself. She walked to the entrance of the hotel. It had a key code, and she couldn’t call Linox to hack it. She would have to wait until someone came along to open the door; Dedra hoped it would be sooner rather than later.



Kirkland wiped the steam from his mirror before he lathered shaving cream on his cheeks and chin. He flipped his antique straight razor open and pressed it to his skin. Carefully, he shaved the whiskers from his profile and beneath his chin. He felt cleaner and better after a hot shower.

His shaving didn’t take long, nor did cleaning the bathroom sink. He never stood for untidiness; that was probably why Dedra didn’t care too much about her appearance. Kirkland donned his suit, left the tie hanging on the door knob, and headed to his car. The library was across town, it’d take at least twenty minutes to get there if traffic was good. Traffic was never good, and he liked to be early for his lunch date…meetings.

This couldn’t be more than a simple update meeting. He would tell the woman that less was more but her problem could be solved. With those words and covering her tab, he would leave the café. No more contact was necessary. Dedra could handle Sam Jennings.

However, Kirkland had to stay longer than a simple sentence. This woman was more than suspicious. He couldn’t tell her yes if she was an officer or some agent for God only knows what company. She could be anyone. Dedra couldn’t go to jail…wouldn’t go to jail. Kirkland refused to let that happen to her because she had enough issues in this life.

“Let the games begin, Stranger,” Kirkland said to his steering wheel. “Let them begin and end even faster.”