Chapter 1 – I’m Late and Overhear Stuff I was fifteen minutes late to the funeral, pulling into the funeral home parking lot just as the police directed the last few cars onto the road heading to the gravesite. As the ward of Lady Elizabeth Southwell, I had been trained to be on time, and in truth, she would be… (more…)
Sarah Anne Wisemueller sat on the back steps of Sisters of the Secret Mystery, the orphanage her Uncle Thomas had dropped her off ten years ago. She looked across the dark paved playground, remembering. Back then, at seven, she was one of the children hanging from the monkey bars, but now at seventeen, she had different feelings as she watched… (more…)
I stood in the shadows at the edge of the silent alleyway, enfolded in early morning darkness. Across the street, the neon bar sign flashed “Mel’s Brewery” once every three seconds. Beneath the name, on an alternating three seconds, it flashed the question, “Ready for a beer?” and the correct time on the hands of a neon clock, now one-forty-six.… (more…)
The man carried the large bundle over one shoulder as he padded quickly down the stairs. Light from the street filtered through the sheer curtains but otherwise the darkness was complete. He almost tripped over the small dog gasping for air at the foot of the stairs, poison-filled froth dribbled from its small mouth. Poor pup, needed to be done… (more…)