“Sorry…”

“Did you not hear me?”

Grady decided to change the subject. Even though they were talking on the phone and they might not even be in the same state, he feared making him angry. The man on the other end of the line could do some awful things to a person when he was in a good mood. Grady didn’t want to even contemplate the things he could do if he was actually pissed off at a person.

“Does the one I’m taking alive get the special treatment?”

“You worry about the abduction. I might be doing the treatment myself on this one.”

Grady tried to keep his voice even as he asked, “You in town?”

“Where I am is not really your concern. Call me on this phone when it’s done.”

“Yes, sir.”

Grady checked his tools. He had the Taser and zip ties ready. He had his knife to do the work and his gun in case things went sideways. He got out of the car and walked to the garage. He’d wait for his victim there.

The door was unlocked just as he was told it would be.

He opened it up and stepped inside. It was pitch black inside. He was feeling along the wall for the light switch when something hit in the back of his head. The next thing Grady knew, he was on the ground. The lights came on and Grady rolled over and got a view of the barrel of a gun.

“You were sloppy. You should have known I always show up early.”

Grady was getting ready to beg for his life when the man holding the gun pulled the trigger.

While Grady’s brains seeped out of the large wound the hollow point forty-five caliber slug made in the back of his head on the way out, his killer took his burner phone out of his pocket.

The shooter called the only number in the contacts.

“Grady?” the man on the other end said.

“No.”

“Is he alive?”

“No.”

“Interesting.”

“You the man who wants me dead?”

“Well, I did, but now I have some other ideas. If you’re interested.”

“I’m listening.”