Chapter 13: The Nightmare Begins

Dylan stood staring dumbfounded at the corpse bleeding on his kitchen floor. He instantly recognized it as his neighbor Rhonda from across the hall. How the hell had she even gotten into his apartment? Dylan was dumbfounded. Searching his foggy memory conjured up a flurry of disjointed, violent images. Feeling overwhelmed, he tried to block out the flashbacks and the […]

Chapter 60: Something Unexpected

I turned and frantically tried to go back into the building. Somebody had to help Hiromi! The door was locked from the inside. Plum went to a dumpster, fished out a wad of plastic bags, used them to wrest the dagger from my hand and tossed the whole thing into the dumpster, concealing it beneath an overflowing trash bag. From […]

Chapter 61: Small World

The doorbell rang again. Rachel, Harriet, Joshua and Richard exchanged dismayed looks. Officer Foster was not going to leave. They would have to face him. Joshua led the way downstairs. Harriet had a sudden attack of nerves and ducked into the bathroom. Rachel and Richard settled themselves on the couch, while Joshua answered the door. Officer Foster entered and greeted […]

Chapter 61: On a Wing and a Prayer

Sage latched onto the outer edge of the hole in the ruined wall, resisting Marko’s attempt to bring him out the antiquities vault. The gravitational pull of the whirling vortex aiding him in his resistance. Janet and Andrea rushed to pry his fingers loose. In his exhausted state, Sage did not have the strength put up much of a fight. […]

Chapter 11: Face Off

Detective Hernandez was slipping the last of the paperwork from murder victim Liam Anderson into a file, when he heard the spouse Carter Stanfield’s raised voice out in the bullpen. One of the other detectives…it sounded like Clemons was trying and failing to be placating. Hernandez sat in the interview room a few moments longer, enjoying the show. There were […]

Chapter 59: Turning Tables

My recovery was surprising swift. Whatever herbs and potions were in those poultices the witch doctor applied to my wounds did the trick. I was on the mend, in no time and worrying about my impending confrontation with Hiromi. It was drawing nearer each day. Suddenly, I wasn’t so sure that killing her was a good idea. It was true […]

Chapter 10: Paper Trail

Officer Palin strode into the precinct and headed for the bullpen carrying two trash bags. He saw Detective Hernandez watching his approach and a big grin broke across his face. “I come bearing gifts,” quipped Palin. Detective Hernandez stood and directed him towards an unoccupied interview room, “My man! You secured the bags. Did Mr. Stanfield see you take ’em?” […]

Chapter 11: Secret Passages

Vincent’s panicked shrieking for help with Caitlyn roused the entire house. Terrified women in their nightgowns cracked open bedroom doors up and down the corridor. Deidra hurried past them, averting her eyes from all the curious stares and glares. Before she could reach the staircase, four men came thundering up the steps. For one panicked second, she imagined they were […]

Chapter 60: Family Ties

Richard washed the last of the breakfast dishes and placed it on the draining board. Rachel was absentmindedly cramming a kitchen towel into a cup and twisting it. He turned and leaned against the counter, watching her. “Hey, did mom ever tell you how Harriet and I were adopted,” Richard asked hopefully. “No, she never really talked about it…or if […]

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