“You missed him again?” The Frenchman screamed into the telephone. “How many morons does it take to kill one idiot?”

“In Pamplona, the target was not certain so the shooter chose and fired.”

“And three times he chose wrong?”

“The boy was in disguise. Because of this, I used two in Cannes to be sure. I found the woman dead in the forest this afternoon. Also being an American, I thought she might…” The caller stumbled. “The other was less talented than his reputation suggested.”

“I’m not spending any more time or money on amateurs! If I don’t hear positive results within 24 hours, I’ll send another and this time he’ll be looking for you! Do you understand me?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Let me explain,” he said, ignoring the man’s answer. “This weekend, he’ll come to your country cottage. Yes, the one near Orleans. He will gut the old caretakers in your kitchen. He’ll sell your wife to recover my money if she’s worth anything. He’ll set your children on fire to keep warm while he digs out your soul and eats it. When he finally lets you die, you will meet many others who have also failed me.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll go myself.”

The Hollow Man Excerpt 8

​The Hollow Man   |     The Hollow Man Series, International Espionage​

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