Library Finds “It’s their job to find bad guys, Connor,” Tony told me after I gave a detailed review of my condition. “LEOs train for that sort of thing. We sign up to take a beating. Or a bullet.” He sighed and shook his head. “It’s not your job to get yourself…

Under the Tacoma The lights came on gradually, a soft, warm glow at the edge of vision. A halo touched the fringe of the earth, casting its golden aura on all but the voids above and below. The light intensified, illuminating the edges of consciousness. Cool, crisp…

Disappearing Act It’s one thing to break into a dead man’s house, or even the house of a fugitive from the law, to search for evidence that can help your case. It’s another entirely to break into the home of a living, presumably law abiding, citizen, especially an…

Deputy Hunt It took most of a half hour to find Deputy Spiesz’s home. This worked in my favor, since he’d gone to lunch late. I could have just followed him from the station, but didn’t want to risk being seen.  So I waited and tried to find the place on my own. …

Crap Shoot “That’s free money. That’s free money. I didn’t even know about craps, but I could tell, that’s free money.” Energy rippled through his wiry frame. Five foot five, a buck and a quarter at best, he strung words out like dynamite fuse. “With craps there’s a…

Sequestered Love I reached for the landline phone on the nightstand, its faded beige pigment blending in with the drab walls of my room at the Nickelback motel. Its mylar heft added solidarity the Nokia couldn’t provide.  The Nickelback’s neon sign glowed through the…

Mad Mystery The cool porcelain toilet seat was doing nothing to warm my ass when Deputy Stan Spiesz showed up. I sat there, with the lid down, to remain as close as possible to the evidence. In case my attacker returned to lay claim to it. “You all right, Mr. Pierce?”…

Into Dark Every inch I put between me and Lorna Peale’s tantalizing snare rattled me more. It was that kind of forbidden opportunity, rooted in adolescent fantasy, and fueled by tenacious images from the girlie magazines of puberty, that fired my belly with irrational…

Steamy Towel Goddess Lorna met me at the door with steam rolling off her hair. The towel she’d wrapped herself in must have been her daughter’s. She arched like a goddess, misty fog of her own creation surrounding her, the makeshift garment revealing the soft curves…