Free Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman by JB Lynn Page B

overpower the antiseptic smells of the hospital. “I didn’t recognize you at first. Good disguise.”
    “Disguise?”
    “Yeah. The dressed-down look, not attracting attention, smart move.”
    I hadn’t dressed to camouflage my existence. I was wearing my usual work uniform, khakis, long sleeves, and flats.
    “Personally,” the mobster continued, “I preferred the femme-fatale look you were working the other day, but I appreciate your business decision.”
    Deciding that my wisest course of action was probably to just keep my mouth shut, I didn’t tell him that my femme-fatale look was a result of my not having anything else to wear to my sister’s funeral.
    “Who’s the big dude?” Delveccio asked.
    “My friend’s boyfriend.”
    “He a linebacker?”
    “Don’t know.”
    “A bodyguard?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “A bouncer maybe.”
    “I don’t know. I didn’t even know he existed until about five minutes ago. I’ve never met him before. I have no idea what he does.”
    Tony/Anthony raised his hands in mock surrender. His diamond pinky came within inches of my face. “No need to be touchy about it.”
    “I’m not being touchy. I just don’t want to talk about him. We have more important things to talk about.”
    “We do?”
    “Yes.”
    “Like what?”
    “Like that . . . job you offered me?” I kept an eye on Katie’s door, half-expecting to see nurses flying in to revive Alice.
    “You wired?”
    “No. I haven’t had any coffee since this morning.”
    “Are you for real?” Tony/Anthony turned to look right at me. I studied his face, wondering if this was even the twin who’d offered me a hundred grand to kill his son-in-law. If he wasn’t, I could be getting myself in a whole lot of trouble by opening my mouth, so I kept it closed.
    He spoke with exaggerated slowness, so that I could keep up with his line of questioning. “Are you wearing a wire? A listening device? A bug? Are you going to try to rat me out to the cops?”
    I shook my head and whispered, “Are you?” Cuz that was all I needed, to be sent to the big house by a career criminal.
    He chuckled. “What did you want to talk about?”
    “The job.”
    “What about it?”
    “I’ll take it.”
    “You’re sure?”
    I nodded.
    He leaned back in his seat and fixed his gaze on Dominic’s door.
    “You try to screw me with this and I’ll kill your whole family. Every, single last one of them.”
    Cold fingers of fear clawed at my chest, making it difficult to breathe. “I . . . I believe you.”
    He templed his fingers beneath his chin. To any would-be witness it probably looked as though he was praying. “I’m not convinced this is the best idea.”
    Truth be told, neither was I, but I was too scared to voice my concern. I needed this job. Katie needed it.
    He slid a sidelong glance in my direction. I probably looked like a puppy desperate to be thrown a bone.
    “Okay. We’ll give it a shot. Meet my guy at the Galaxy Diner, nine tomorrow morning. He’ll teach you what you need to know.”
    “I have to be at work at nine.”
    “Call in sick. Or, if you don’t show up, I’ll assume you’re walking away from our deal and this was all one big communication error.”
    As Alice and Lamont, fingers still entwined, emerged from Katie’s room, Delveccio got to his feet.
    “Wait!”
    He looked down at me.
    “How will I know your guy?”
    “He’ll know you.”
    “He will?”
    “But if it makes you feel better, he’ll be stacking condiments.”
    “What?”
    He walked away without explaining.
    I switched my attention to my best friend, who was even paler than usual. “You okay?”
    “She looks so . . .”
    “Small? Weak? Lost?”
    Alice nodded.
    “I noticed.”
    “How are you getting through this?”
    I glanced at Delveccio’s back as he turned the corner and disappeared from sight. “I’m doing whatever it takes.”
    Whatever it takes. Exactly what my dad had predicted. The thought made me