"White Elephants," by Peter W.J. Hayes, in Mystery Most International, edited by Rita Owen, Verena Rose, and Shawn Reilly Simmons, Level Short, 2024.
I have a story in this book.
This is Hayes' third appearance in this blog. It's a nice little spy story. Levon Grace isn't a career guy, mor of a free-lancer. The CIA uses him as a bagman, bringing money to places in Asia.
But his current assignment is different. He is bringing a priceless painting to a gangster in Asia. In return the gangster is giving him valuable information about the latest crackdown and new personnel in the government of China.
This would be a very short story if everything went right, so of course it doesn't. Chinese agents want Levon's swag, but dodgin them, deadly as they are, is only part of the problem, because the gangster isn't playing straight.
If you like your spy stories tangled and action-packed you will enjoy this one.
