juka-productions
The home of
Regina Glei's fiction
To mix and to stir
To Mix and To Stir - Exerpt:
Albert opened the door and Hagen stepped out. The gardener was working on a hedge close to Hagen’s car. Hagen wished him a good day but the gardener didn’t even nod. Hagen entered his car and drove off, letting out a deep breath after he had passed the Illig resident’s gate.
“Holy shit,” he whispered.
Yes, I have a bad feeling about this, Alberich said.
“Which I entirely share. Maybe Illig doesn’t know his wife is trying to kill him, but he surely does know that his wife is having sex with me.”
If you go back there next week, things could escalate. And if he digs deeper than a normal background check he’ll find out that Paul Desmond doesn’t exist.
“Well, your turn, Al, help me to deal with this. If you want me to take on Tim Abcott it will be much more challenging than this Illig asshole. He might be a gangster and a wife beater and a rapist, but he’s not an alchemist. And you shouldn’t forget that I have a contract with his wife now, which is to kill her husband. If I botch this, Tim Abcott will be the first to know.”
Yes, we have a challenge here, I admit that, let me think about it for a while.
“You’re pathetic, why can’t you admit that you have no clue what to do.”
Now hush, hush, just let me think a bit.
Hagen made a sound of disgust and drove on in silence. One thing was sure, this arrangement would never work for another seven to ten months. It had only worked before because Illig had genuinely believed that Sabrina was giving Shelly a pedicure. Hagen’s appearance on the scene had made that lie an impossible one. He’d have to find some other way to get the poison to Shelly.
And this was not only dangerous for him, but for her too. What if he beat her again or raped her or had her gang-raped now that he suspected her of sleeping with her pedicurist? What if she talked? What if the word alchemy slipped out of her lips while he beat and tortured her? Shit, this was bad. He should not have slept with her--nothing but trouble for a few moments of pleasure and lust.
But that’s what makes life interesting, son.
“Oh, shut up, Al.”
***
To Mix and To Stir © 2013 Regina Glei
To Mix and To Stir
The cover art was again designed by Naoyuki Katoh.
About the cover artist:
Naoyuki Katoh is a noted Japanese science fiction artist since the 1970s and has contributed to many science fiction/fantasy magazines, novels and games. He did the outstanding cover art for all of Regina's books:
"She Should Have Called Him Siegfried."