Shadow Dancing

Across town in a nondescript motel, a man and a woman sat talking. They'd been arguing for several minutes and neither one had succeeded in convincing the other. "I've done all that you asked of me," the Asian woman said. "Just give me my money and I'll go." "It isn't as simple as that. You should have left immediately. I would have wired you the money. Those were the plans. Now the entire police force is looking for you and what's more, they have a picture. That's another mistake you made. You were supposed to stay out of camera range. Just how do you propose to get away?" "I'll find a way. I have connections. But I'm not leaving without the money you promised me. I don't trust you. I'm not stupid. Once I'm gone, I'll never see that money, and I earned it." "You don't understand. I told you, the police know what you look like. They're sure to have faxed your picture to every car lot and car rental in town, not to mention the airport and bus terminal. The whole deal depended on your not being recognized. You blew it." "Look, I got the poison for you, didn't I? How easy do you think it was for me to get that into the country? The girl is dead, so anything she knew or suspected is dead with her, and you didn't have to lift a finger. I did all that for you, and you owe me. I have friends who can get me out of town and I can easily rig up a disguise so that even my own mother wouldn't recognize me. But I'm not leaving without my money. You have it with you, don't you?" "Yes, I have it with me," said the man, reaching into the small bag he'd carried into the motel room. "Then give it to me and I'll disappear," the Asian woman said. As the man straightened up from bending over the bag, he fired four shots into the small woman and watched as she slid slowly from her chair down to the floor. Then he carefully removed the silencer from his gun and returned both to the canvas bag. Looking down at the girl's body, he said, "Just as you asked, my dear. I gave it to you, and now you'll disappear."