Shiny

By Cynthia A. Knoble

Bobbi is a thief. When her partners in crime suggest robbing a housebound man, she is hesitant. She should be, for the team could not have picked a worse house to rob. Within its crumbling filthy walls lurks an ancient horror watching them with dark unblinking eyes. Amid blood and ruin, Bobbi will learn a new word for terror.

Shiny.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Get Your Shriek On Press
• Release date: May 28, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393789147

Book preview

Shiny

1

Dave’s squeezed her knee under the table. He was excited over the job. Bobbi wasn’t and her apprehension grew as Rick babbled. If she knew anything about burglary it was to keep your business quiet. This idiot never shut up. She was tired of straining to hear him over the loud voices of the patrons and even louder music in the shitty bar. Rick had selected the meeting place and it was no wonder. It was as sleazy as he was. She had made the mistake of touching the tabletop earlier and her hand still felt sticky.

I’m telling you, the guy is loaded. Okay, I don’t know that it’s a guy. I told you I’ve never seen him. When I deliver the pizza the door opens and the money is on the floor. It’s weird, right? But some old dudes are weird. Like the pizzas. Same order every Wednesday for as long as I’ve been working there. A large pizza, easy on the sauce, with every meat topping we offer. And that pop. I told you about the pop, right? He had. The customer he delivered to ordered the same cola every time, one hardly anyone drank. The restaurant acquired small quantities of it solely for the mysterious customer. Gold Seal Cola. Nasty stuff, according to Rick, that came in a distinctive, cheap-looking gold can.

So, yeah, the exact same order every time. He tips decently but the bills are always old. I think he’s housebound and that’s why he only has old bills. I bet his mattress is full of them, maybe even the walls. You know, like those stories you hear of old folks hiding money all over their house, like taped to the back of pictures and shit. Rick took a breath and looked around the table. So what do you think? Are we going to do this?

Mac had crossed his arms partway through Rick’s yammering. It was a sign he had reservations which was good because Bobbi certainly had some. Dave was too keen. Sure, he and Bobbi needed the money but she wasn’t willing to do anything risky.

I don’t know. Mac’s shoulders hunched. Dave, Bobbi, and I don’t work like this. I don’t want to go in if that guy is there. Housebound or not, that’s a problem. He could have weapons. He might have family or friends over to help him.

Sure, sure, Rick said