"Slice of Pie" by Bill Cameron

From: Killer Year ed. Lee Child. St. Martin's, 2008.

Not long after his father's death, Raymond is in the bathroom at his parents' house when he overhears a man ask his mother for money. His mother explains that the rumpled-looking man, Mr. Franklin, locked himself out of his car and needs $20 for a blacksmith, but Ray is convinced the man is conning her.

Using the confines of first person to their best effect, Cameron lets readers feel Ray's frustration dealing with a strong-willed mother who still treats him like a child. Ray drives by his mother's neighborhood the next few days, subconsciously looking for Mr. Franklin. He remains convinced Franklin is a conman, tempting readers to believe the same, keeping them on the hook until the final word.

In her introduction to the story, Anne Frasier remarks on the realism of Cameron's work. As a fan of realism, I concur.