The Hooker: A Reprehensible Acts Story Read online

  But Jane’s insistent. The key was jammed in my mashed potatoes last night. She’s getting impatient.

  I have a gun now, a .32 automatic, just like Lance’s. It’s legal. I have a license and all that. Bullets too. I don’t want to be a father and I don’t want Jane to be a mother. Some things just shouldn’t be.

  It’s Tuesday today. I’ll give you cops until Friday to bring us in, or I’ll add to my body count. Don’t send a black and white. Send English. Tell Taylor to stay home.

  I don’t know why I want English. I know we don’t have any great history between us or anything, but he impressed me. He should take it as a compliment. But I would understand if he didn’t.

  Anyway, just make sure someone’s here before Friday. The clock is ticking. You know where to find me.

  AUTHOR'S NOTE:

  The idea for the REPREHENSIBLE ACTS series came from a situation I've run into with editors from time to time when they think the tone or subject matter of a piece will tweak the reader’s sensitivities in the wrong way. I've had an editor call me up and say, "That’s a bit bleak. Do you want to tone it down?" I can in some cases, but not in all. I was asked to drop a couple of stories from my collection ASKING FOR TROUBLE because of tone. THE HOOKER was one of those stories. Sometimes, you just have to go where the story takes you, in all its ugly glory. A story should make us feel something—even if it's revulsion or disapproval. Over the coming months and years, I'm planning to bring you some novellas and stories that press your buttons. I know these stories won't be for everyone, but I hope some of you will join me on these voyages to rack and ruin, because at the end of the day, if it can happen to them, it could happen to us.

  OTHER TITLES BY SIMON WOOD

  Dragged into Darkness

  Working Stiffs

  Accidents Waiting to Happen

  Paying the Piper

  We All Fall Down

  Terminated

  Lowlifes

  Asking for Trouble

  The Fall Guy

  Did Not Finish

  Hot Seat

  No Show

  Crestfallen

  The One That Got Away

  As Simon Janus

  The Scrubs

  Road Rash