"Take Me To The Pilot," by dbschlosser, in Better Off Dead, vol. 1, edited by D.M. Barr, Down and Out Books, 2025.
I have a story in this book.
This is the second tale by my friend dbschlosser to make my list.
Apex (pronounced ahh-pecks, and no "Mister" in front, please) is a security guy in Kansas City. When a top legal defense firm wants to hire him he jumps at the chance, but it is a pretty strange assignment. Chuy Lopez is a top member of a criminal motorcycle gang. He is in prison, awaiting trial, and he wants Apex to find his lost dog.
Well, that seems a bit of overkill.
What complicate the matter is that Piloto the pooch is in the possession of Lopez's ex and she is in the Witness Protection Program.
Apex makes it clear he is not interested in letting the gangsters know where a protected witness is being held but Lopez assures him he doesn't care about her at all, just the doggie.
This is a good private eye procedural with plenty of interesting twists.
