Free Price of a Bounty (Reliance on Citizens Makes Us Great!) by S. L. Wallace

for the butler who was relaxing in a chair now that
most of the guests had arrived. My talk with Scott had taken too
long. I waited patiently for a distraction. Soon enough, one of the
kitchen staff brought over a plate of food. While they were talking,
I began to climb the stairs with my head down. This wasn’t the best
opportunity, but unless another guest arrived, it was probably the
best I would get.
    “Hey!”
I heard a voice call. Just then the doorbell rang. Damn, I should
have waited, but how was I to know someone would arrive so late? I
practically ran up the rest of the stairs, quickly located Elaine
Ramsey’s bedroom and turned on a small flashlight.
    I’d
modified this skirt with pockets in which to carry the tools of my
trade. In addition to the flashlight and the knife I’d taken from
the kitchen, I carried a thin black cloth bag and my black leather
gloves. I pulled on the gloves.
    Sorry,
no time to enjoy the painting. With one quick glance, I decided
that ballet costumes were whimsical but impractical. I wondered if
this ballet type of dancing was meant to tell a fairy tale. I hadn’t
had much use for fairy tales in my life. I tossed the painting onto
the bed and saw the door of the wall safe. This was a much more
advanced model than I was used to. As quickly as possible, I entered
the code. The safe didn’t open. I punched the “clear”
button and tried again. I didn’t hear anyone yet, but I was certain
the butler wouldn’t be distracted for long. This time, the safe
opened. I emptied the contents into my bag and turned off the
flashlight.
    As
I crouched down, I pocketed the flashlight and pulled out the knife.
Would I be able to take out the butler without the element of
surprise on my side?
    Quiet
as a whisper, I moved toward the open bedroom door, slid behind it
and set down the bag. A large shape moved into view and turned on
the light. His gun was already drawn. He immediately saw the
painting on the bed and the open wall safe and pushed against the
door to ensure that no one was hiding behind it. I pushed back as
hard as I could.
    As
the door slammed into the butler, I dropped down with as much force
as I could muster and stabbed the knife through his foot. He
stumbled. A grimace of pain crossed his face. Quickly, he regained
his balance and pointed the gun directly at me.
    I
stood slowly, with my hands out to my sides, my gaze locked with his.
I took a step backward.
    “Stop!”
he ordered. Just then I saw another shadow move behind him in the
hall. I dove to the side. A muffled shot sounded, and the butler
fell.
    “Scott?”
I called out. No, it was Eberhardt who reached out and helped me up.
“Nice gloves,” I said. They looked just like mine.
    “Why
did you call for Scott?” he asked.
    “Not
now. I should have known you wouldn’t wait in the car.”
    “You’re
welcome. Let’s go!”
    “I
haven’t finished the job.”
    “And
you won’t tonight. With him dead, it’s too hot. We need to get out
now.”
    I
sighed and then removed my gloves and shoved them into my pocket. I
followed Eberhardt to the front staircase. Fortunately, luck was on
our side, for the moment. No one was in the front hall, and no one
seemed to have noticed that the butler was missing, yet.
    Eberhardt
pocketed his gloves and his gun. He pointed toward himself and then
to the front door. Then he pointed at me and in the direction of the
servants’ entrance. I nodded. Eberhardt must have entered as a
guest. I watched as he confidently strode into the night. Then I
took a smaller side corridor to the servants’ entrance and
successfully bypassed the busy kitchen.
    During
the drive home, I had time to mull over the events of the evening.
Rick shouldn’t have sent in Eberhardt after I had specifically told
him not to, but if he hadn’t, I had to admit that I probably would
have been captured or worse.
    I
silently studied Eberhardt.
    After
a few minutes, he turned in irritation.