16

THE LAUGHING DOGS

~STEPHAN

I looked at the rearview mirror of my Chiron and saw a motorcycle following just behind. I suppressed a sigh because I knew who it was.

I did not think Frank noticed because of how busy the streets were. Besides only a trained eye sees the figure on the bike. Frank had never been worried about who wanted him dead.

"Are we going in guns blazing or what?" Frank asked me as I drove.

I had no plan for what to do when we got there, I did not know much about this dog gang but I wanted answers and that was the plan.

I heard a phone vibrate. Frank put his left into the pocket of his inner jacket and brought out a black burner phone. It belonged to the deceased hitman.

"It's a text message, asking if you are dead and also asking for a picture as proof," Frank reported as he scrolled through the phone.

I stifled a laugh. "They still do that?" I asked in a mixture of amusement and disbelief.

"Fucking amateurs," Frank muttered.

"Ask for payment first," I said as an idea