Month: October 2021

Scotland Yard Detective Bureau, Joyce speaking, how may I direct your call, please?” She listened for a few moments and replied, “The principal of the Bureau has a space in his diary today at 2PM. Would that be acceptable? That’s wonderful, Mr. Harvey. I will book you in. Good day.” It was a mild spring day in Southern California, and […]

I stood on the sidewalk, people-watching. Two hundred years ago this neighborhood would have been considered a paradise. Running water? Indoor toilets? Refrigeration? Astonishing. Few people went hungry and luxuries were abundant. For most of the history of mankind, this would have been considered miraculous. Still, today’s residents bemoaned their fates and envied those who had it better. The church […]

“If you’re not going, then I’m not going either.” I knew this was a lie as I talked to my friend and colleague, Diana, because I had spent an hour straightening my hair and getting the right wings on the liquid eyeliner that she had convinced me to try. “I’m sorry, Dylan says it’s fine, but with Judy taking leave […]

As the youngest of the staff archeologists at our local museum, I am often asked why I decided to commit to a career at our small hometown museum rather than trying for one of the larger museums in a bigger city. My answer is always the same, “I remain here so that I can study La Chiave.” Most people don’t […]

I’ll bet you a hundred bucks that a century from now, the good folks at Staghurst College will still speak in revered tones about Marty Ketchum’s infamous Halloween party back in 2013. Everyone who was there and saw it with their own eyes will be ‘pushing daisies’ by then of course, but the legend will live on for generations. I […]

“Woo!” Rebecca exclaimed to Angie as they walked out of the conference room of the Herald Dispatch. “Girl, I can’t believe you are excited about getting that shitty assignment,” Angie sat her legal pad with her notes down on her desk in the cubical she shared with Rebecca. “Any story can be a big break,” Rebecca’s tone had become sarcastic […]

Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt had been married for eight years. Mrs. Schmidt, née Rogers, had met her slightly older husband at a college party, and only two years later the two had been married at a lavish wedding. A few years of marital bliss ensued, but eventually the newness of their coexistence wore off and the two adapted to the […]

Cindy peeked out of her window to look at the house diagonally across the street. She didn’t know the people who lived there but for the past three months she realized the woman didn’t seem to be around anymore. The man was still there; she saw him go to work each morning and return late afternoon or early evening. But […]

“Have you heard about that new haunted house?” Faith asked. I rolled my eyes, “you’ll have to be more specific than that. There’s a bunch of new ones, every year.” “Not like this one. It’s X-rated!” Faith exclaimed loudly. “Not so loud!” I admonished as several of the other women in our church knitting group glared at us. Faith blushed […]

“Coach Haines,” he exclaimed. It was the hunky assistant sports coach. “You’ve been avoiding me, Austin,” Haines hissed, pushing the lanky nineteen-year-old student up against the brick wall of the side of the gym. “I haven’t. I swear I haven’t,” Austin said, beginning to pant, remembering the last time the two of them had been alone, when Coach Haines had […]