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Check out what the first print issue of MFOB has to offer:

Mouth Full of Bullets

Autumn 2007 – Published: September 11, 2007

SHORT STORIES

Death On The Ocean Breeze by Gary R. Hoffman

Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover by Walter Giersbach

Handful Of Stars by Jack Hardway

Heart Of Gold by Margaret B. Davidson

Monologue by Herschel Cozine

Reach Out And Touch Someone by Penelope Karageorge

The River Ran Red by D. G. Stockwell

Tyger, Tyger by Jean Lauzier

What’s Left Behind by Patricia Abbott

FLASH FICTION

A Rose From Rose by Aubrey Skade

A Woman Scorned by Jillian Berg

Deus Ex Machina by Warren Bull

Family Tree by Allen McGill

Grandmother's Green Thumb by C. A. Verstraete

The Condiment King by Keith Gilman

With Help From My Friends by Mary Schenten

POETRY

Burglary Gone Bad by Guy Belleranti

Mind Game by Guy Belleranti

Patent, Latent, And Patient by Stephen D. Rogers

The Tears Fell by Danny B. Bourg

We Are Strong by Danny B. Bourg

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Mouth Full of Bullets

P.O. Box 138

Mathews, LA 70375

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Louisiana residents: include 8.7% sales tax

Outside US: $10.00 per copy, $40.00 one-year sub (US funds only)

When ordering multiple copies of single issue, please specify number of copies and the title of the desired issue.

ADVERTISE WITH MFOB

Rates per issue:

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$20 for back cover

Mail check or money order (US funds only) to:

Mouth Full of Bullets

P.O. Box 138

Mathews, LA 70375

For more information, e-mail:

editor@mouthfullofbullets.com

SNEAK PEEK into print issue:

Death On The Ocean Breeze

by Gary R. Hoffman

"Now, you're sure you want to go through with this?"

"Yes. Positive."

"Because once this is put into motion, it can not be stopped. You will have no way of getting in contact with me."

"I understand."

"Okay. You bring the money and pictures?"

"Yes. Right here." Jeff Pinkly handed Brad Barnett an envelope. "There's ten thousand in there, plus six different pictures, and the tickets for the cruise aboard the Ocean Breeze, as well as for the flight to Miami."

Brad slipped the envelope in the inside pocket of his sports coat. "Thanks."

"Aren't you even going to look in it?"

Brad smiled. "Not now and especially not here. I'll have plenty of time to do that later. Now, go over your plan again for me."

"Leslie will be going on the cruise by herself. We are supposed to go together, but at the last minute, a business deal is going to come up for me. She's used to that sort of thing by now. She may find someone to take with her, but that won't matter to you, will it?"

"No."

"The rest is up to you. Just make sure she doesn't come back from that cruise alive. According to our pre-nup, I'll get nothing if we simply divorce. This way, I'll get it all." Jeff took a sip of his Scotch. "She inherited a pretty good chunk of change when her daddy passed away." Jeff snickered. "No sense letting all her daddy's hard work be squandered giving that money to charities."

Leslie Wall and Jeff Pinkly had only been married for six years. Two years into their nuptials, Leslie's mother and father were killed in a car wreck. Jeff knew when he proposed to Leslie he would get his hands on her father's money sometime, but her father had insisted on the pre-nup to protect his daughter. Her father had just never figured on how much Jeff wanted all the money.

A year after her parents died, Leslie considered herself to be happily married, but Jeff didn't. After he came to a decision about ending his marriage, he spent two years finding the right person for the job. Brad Barnett was a pro, even though Jeff wasn't even sure that was his correct name. That part didn't matter. Brad had come highly recommended through a business contact.

When their meeting was over, Jeff left the hotel bar first, secure in the knowledge his troubles were going to be over in three weeks. The cruise was two weeks away and the ship would return to Miami in three weeks, minus his wife.

Brad stayed at the bar for a half hour after Jeff left. He was in no hurry to return to his motel room. Granted, he lived in motel rooms for a good part of his life because of his job, but they weren't his favorite place. His favorite place was a cabin he owned in the Missouri Ozarks. The cabin was set on twenty acres of land just thirty miles west of Branson, Missouri. He had complete solitude there when he wanted it, but it was close enough to Branson that he could go there for a social life if he desired.

He also stayed a little longer in the bar because a man he was looking for was reputed to hang out there once in a while. Brad liked the idea of "double-dipping," as he called it. Getting paid for two jobs at one time could only be topped by getting paid for three. He didn't have to wait long for the other man to show. Jim Alton made contact with the woman who had been waiting there for him. After downing one quick drink, Jim and his lady friend headed for the elevator to take them up to a room. Brad followed.

When they were on the elevator, Brad was standing in front of the pair. They weren't paying any attention to him, but were more interested in making "goo-goo" eyes at each other. Brad unbuttoned his suit coat and slipped out a small .22 pistol. He quickly screwed on a silencer. He turned and fired one shot into Jim's head. The woman screamed, but was silenced with a shot to her head. He hadn't intended to kill the woman too, but she was in the way when the time presented itself for him to take out Jim Alton. The army had taught him that was called "collateral damage." Wasn't planned, just needed to be done.

Brad got off on the fourth floor and walked across the hall to a set of stairs. He walked down one flight and took another elevator to the main floor. He walked through the hotel lobby, out the front doors, and got in a cab. Two blocks down the street, the cab passed a police car screaming towards the hotel.

The cab driver dropped him off at a nice restaurant. He ate a leisurely supper and caught another cab back to his motel room by the airport. Once there, he called the airline to see if he could fly out tomorrow morning, rather than waiting until Saturday. He hated to waste three more days in a motel room. The operator confirmed it would be fine, and he turned on the television to watch "Law and Order." It was one of his favorite comedy shows. He got lots of chuckles at how crimes were solved there.

This page was last updated on 09/13/07.