Ah, Brevity!

Ross Thomas is rightly celebrated for many reasons, foremost among them the opening lines of his books, but he really knows how to end Chaper One, too.

This from his final novel, Ah, Treachery:

“A wealthy aged person of sixty-two years lies dying in Los Angeles. Needs bright aggressive go-getter to help solve one final problem. You interested?”

“What’s the problem?”

“I don’t know, but it pays one thousand a week and found.”

“How many weeks?”

“Till death do you part, I suppose,” the Greek said.