No One Will Believe You

by Paul Ryan O'Connor

About the Author: Paul O'Connor made his short story debut in the September/October 2023 issue of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. He has previously written for video games, most recently as Game Director for Amazon's Lord of the Rings MMO. He also co-created Darkwatch for High Moon Studios, and was narrative director for The Bourne Conspiracy, based on the Robert Ludlum novels. Paul's crime fiction blog -- The Hourglass -- publishes weekly at https://www.paulryanoconnor.com/

Excerpt

The revolver was inches from Ayden’s face. Four copper dots flanked the barrel, two bullets to each side, the black cylinder holes impassive and forbidding like the clustered eyes of a predator spider.

“Your wallet, now,” the man with the gun said. His voice was familiar, and bizarrely out of place.

Ayden looked past the gun. The gunman was a dead ringer for …

“Go ahead and say it,” the man said, reading Ayden’s mind.

Ayden knew he shouldn’t tell his mugger he could describe his face. Almost against his will, he said, “You look just like Ted Pace!”

“That’s because I am Ted Pace.”

The gunman flashed his billion-gigawatt superstar smile, his dimples popping into place like soldiers snapping to attention.

“What is this? Like a movie, or something?”

“It’s an armed robbery.”

Ayden couldn’t wrap his brain around it. He was already spent, walking home after working a double so Jenny could pick up her sick kid, and now the most famous man in the world had a gun in his face. Impossible.

“What do you need my wallet for?”

“Because I want it. Give it to me or I’ll blow your head open.”

“But I’m broke! There’s nothing in it!”

Pace clicked back the hammer on his revolver.

Ayden handed over his wallet.

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