March 25, 2024

Duped, Part 2

Penny stood up and waved her hand in front of Benny’s glassy eyes. No reaction, no blinking, nothing. It was like Benny had been scooped out of his body. Eve pulled the bottle away from his right-hand without resistance but the hand kept repeating the motion.
March 23, 2024

Duped, Part 1

All captured by his spotlight, Benny wrestled the bag like it was a dopey Alsatian three-quarters his size, up and over the plastic container. The white property light intermingled with yellow streetlights, overlaying Benny with a nostalgic sepia tone. Just as he closed the lid, the light changed and Penny uprooted herself from within the squidgy cushions to the edge of the chair. Benny stood in a vertical tube of crimson light descending from the sky. His arms bolted straight upwards and head flopped down to his chest like his neck bones had dissolved.
March 16, 2024

By the Light of the Moon, Part 4

“I can tell the future and here's what I learned,” I said with dramatic seriousness. “I will not need to ask anyone to homecoming because I'll be taking you. Paul will be home with mono. You may not know but my pebbles know.”
March 11, 2024

By the Light of the Moon, Part 2

I raced through the line taking food without much thought. Platter piled high, I breezed past the cashier and out into the dining room. Normally, we ate in a small room behind the main hall away from the co-eds, but I refused to miss this opportunity to dine with her.
March 9, 2024

By the Light of the Moon, Part 1

I turned to Gator. “Over there.” Gator and Ellen leaned closer. They must not have heard me. I nodded in the direction of the middle of the dance floor. Gator scratched his chin. Ellen scrunched up her forehead and squinted, unsure of what I was trying to communicate. But she turned slowly following my gesture. We saw her standing there.
February 21, 2024

At the Red Door

He’d pretty much decided he was going to enlist, thinking the navy would be better than just getting drafted and sent to who knows where in Vietnam. Will knew how to act in a bar because he’d gone with his older brother John to St. Jean’s Social Club many times; he knew you just keep to yourself or shout “yeah right” in reply to a joke or to deflect an insult.
February 1, 2024

The Twelve Suspects of Christmas: A Book Review

Why, it’s The Twelve Suspects of Christmas by Ana T. Drew. It’s the Die Hard of cozy Christmas mysteries - an engaging mystery full of intrigue and spies that happens to take place at Christmas rather than a Christmas book that happens to have a mystery. Well, minus all the shooting. There’s really only a couple of knives and a jar of cinnamon.
January 26, 2024

Emma’s Place, Part 2

At the front desk I asked the concierge if she had seen Amelia. The concierge furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes. “Amelia? Amelia? I don’t recall anyone named Amelia.” The concierge must have been new, to not know Amelia, although I could have sworn she was an old hand. “What’s the full name?”
January 23, 2024

Emma’s Place, Part 1

On my way, I thought I heard them talking about me. As I neared the table they stopped talking. Zoey looked guilty. Zoey always looked guilty. When I sat down they stared at me with – oh, I don’t know – sorrow, pity: something like that. In response I opened my hands palms up, and said, “What?” as I looked from one to the other.
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