A Meer Deal by Angela Penfold

The man glanced over his shoulder and darted down the alley. His hands clutched the bundle beneath his jacket, trying to keep it still as the chill wind that'd started picking up cut through his clothing. A simple little deal, buying and selling, was way more difficult than he'd imagined. Heck, how could a guy predict that his parcel would take a dump in the back seat or leap onto the dash at the most awkward moments for a little sentry duty. Whoever'd said it was a bad idea to work with animals and children had been dead right, it was a total mistake, and one that'd require a cleaning crew to tidy up.

"Hey... Casey." The voice was thin and reedy, but it was quiet enough in the alley for the words to carry.

Smiling arrogantly, Casey stepped around the dumpster and stopped, facing his customer. Peter Prodromou looked just the type to be doing slightly dodgy deals: short, hairy and ugly as sin. His dark eyes were practically bulging as he looked at the squirming bundle.

"That mine?"

Casey's grin grew, one hand rising to open the zipper on his jacket. "Pete, you're the only guy that's ever asked me to hunt up anything like this." As he held out his hand for the cash a small, furry head peeped out of the front of his jacket. "Two thousand dollars I think we agreed on."

The swarthy young man nodded vigorously, so excited that it took him three attempts to tug the roll of bills from the pocket of his grubby jeans. "Uh huh, for a healthy specimen."

"Don't come healthier than this." Before Casey could put the payment away, Peter was relieving him of his bundle.

Prodromou let out an excited yelp, cradling the chittering creature in his palms as he pranced about on the spot. Watching in disbelief, Casey let out a sigh and shook his head. The guy was certifiable.

"How can you be so serious?" Peter asked, finally calming down to a jig. "Only a little deal, Casey, a mere hand-over meeting."

Casey's grin returned in full, arrogant magnificence. Stepping back to leave, he zipped up his jacket and flipped up the collar. "No such thing as a mere deal, Prodromou, just meer cats." Peter's laughter followed him all the way back to the car. Casey climbed behind the wheel, wrinkling his nose as the stink hit him. This was one deal he wouldn't forget for a while, at least until the stench in his car had faded.

END