Segment 13.4

From behind, the sameness of the condos only intensified. Each one hid behind a smooth façade of brown wooden fencing flanked by uniform fleets of gray trash barrels and bright blue recycling bins. Only the perfectly symmetrical white numbers painted beside each gate distinguished one unit from another.
Sam replayed the number of the Templeton [...]

Read Full Post »

Segment 12.7

A squeak announced the application of Dinah’s foot to the brake.
“Why are we stopping?” Sam asked, without looking up. He preferred to cast his eyes back along the lines of the telex. Some old geezer at the nursing home nicked a few personal items out of another resident’s room. The name “Wycliff” kept jumping out. [...]

Read Full Post »

Segment 11.5

It all smelled so appetizing…sizzling ground beef stewing in a tortilla, softening shreds of cheddar and soaking in chunky salsa. The burrito could barely fit in two hands.
“You want one,” Sam predicted.
“No,” Dinah grumbled, turning her attention to the opposite side of the squad car. “My stomach is blitzed. You took my appetite away [...]

Read Full Post »

Segment 10.6

Piece by piece, he took back his life, from his belt to his wallet to his expensive suit. With each movement, he muttered his thanks to the ex-roommate who’d had made it possible. It was barely noon when he emerged again into the sunlight, taking in the fresh, salty air. He stretched out his arms [...]

Read Full Post »

Segment 9.8

A shorter person had driven the little coupe before. Caleb pushed the seat back, wondering first how he should confront Imelda and then whether he should at all. She hadn’t asked to take the car nor had she confessed to using it. He wasn’t sure when she’d had that opportunity but somehow she’d found it. [...]

Read Full Post »

Segment 9.5

The squeal of brakes and the thump of something being struck, followed by a crumpling sound, drowned out the words that Sam was forming. Emerald leapt up and covered her ears, wailing “No! There they go again!”
Dinah poised her pen over the papers on her lap as Sam stood, offering his hand to Emmy. Dinah [...]

Read Full Post »

Segment 8.8

Cinnamon raisin, onion garlic, sesame, plain. Nothing smelled like a proper breakfast. Sam dug further in the bag and came up with a half-eaten honey whole-wheat. He dropped it back and wiped his chest.
“All the good ones taken?” he protested.
“Mmm,” Dinah replied, her attention on the computer. “What did you expect?”
“It’s not like I came [...]

Read Full Post »

Segment 8.2

The circle at the center of the Court felt different this time but then she drove her own car this time instead of the cruiser. Without all the power of the cruiser and the comforting annoyance of her partner and his ever-present cache of snack foods, Dinah felt exposed and vulnerable. Her eye flew to [...]

Read Full Post »

Segment 7.2

The hunger pangs morphed into growls so loud that others heard them at their desks. Heads snapped up all over the squad room. Dinah loosed an exasperated sigh and glared at Sam.
“Sorry,” he muttered. “No dinner. It was right there under my nose but, no, we couldn’t stop. I bet that Horatio’s guy would [...]

Read Full Post »

Segment 6.6

“I can’t believe we had to pay the tow driver off to leave the cruiser alone,” Dinah grumbled. She dropped into the passenger seat and took up the file on Mr. Pinkham again. “On top of not getting squat on our missing man.”
“Never mind that,” Sam said. He slammed the car into gear and squealed [...]

Read Full Post »