The man smiled, a grin that terrified the man sitting across from him. “Do we have a deal?” he asked, his tone holding a distinct threat despite the smile on his lips.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzTKQwx4SK
His companion nodded with quick jerky movements. “Y-yes. D-deal.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGQRvF07ap
“Good.” He leaned back in his chair. “Now, tell me what I want to know.” 50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gC8nzfFT1
“W-well, I, I, uh, don’t know m-much,” started the terrified man. “BUT!” he almost shouted when the smiling man’s face darkened in rage. 50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1dZMILexg
“But what?" growled the first man, his pleasant smile still in place. “Tell me how to get into the book NOW or your son dies.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylh4UjM86F
“I don’t know anything about getting into books!” sobbed the man. “I-I only know there’s this thing, an, an item. Everyone h-has been whispering about it.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5ZJmXx7LT
He slammed his fists onto the table, his smile twisting. “What. IS. IT?!”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ECf5h1Z7z
“A necklace!” sobbed the cowering man. “It’s a necklace! I swear on my son’s life!”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmjfUFKVl9
“WHAT KIND OF NECKLACE?” He slammed his fists onto the wood again. “ANSWER ME!” 50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrCPrulVBp
“I-it’s supposed t-to be a silver ch-chain w-with a-a pen. Please don’t kill my son, that’s all I know!”
“Where is it?” His twisted smile looked painful even as his voice dropped to a near whisper.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9eAKdoGjn6
“I’ve never seen it! I swear! P-please!” His desperate eyes dropped to the item now held in the villain’s hand.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PNakDe98u
In the dark room, it would have been easy to miss the small gun clenched by the smiling man. The gun pointed across the table at his companion.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lht50hhLu
“Please,” whispered the panicked father. “I told you what you wanted to know! You said if I did, my son would live! That was the deal!”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyokkny4OLo
“And he is still living.” He cocked the gun with a casual movement. “I’ll ask you only once more. Where. Is. The. Necklace?”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTJQVSnMUp
“I-I-I….” He swallowed hard. “It….. it might… might be at…. At the jewelry st-store.”50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkUL7c9NhZ
“Finally.” The man’s expression shifted back to a pleasant smile. He stood and nodded to the other man. “Have a lovely rest of your day.” He strode to the door.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKBBtAfLiH
The seated man gasped in relief, pressing a hand over his heart.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUHEPWZ7Ic
At the door the smiling man turned. A gunshot rang through the silence, followed by a thump and then the slam of a door.
