Conversant

THE MEETING HAD gone on way too long. Maddy took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "Do we have anybody who's conversant in long range disaster preparation?" There was the expected hemming and hawing, the shuffling of the papers, and the refusal to look her in the eye. She bit back a sigh. "Anybody? … Continue reading Conversant

Assay

"CHECK THIS OUT." Mark gestured me to come take a look through the microscope. "This is not gold." "It can't be gold," I retorted. "Gold is an earth mineral. This isn't from earth." Mark's mouth thinned. "I understand that. Just take a look, please?" I frowned. If Mark couldn't tell what it was, I wasn't … Continue reading Assay

Constant

"I'M OUT OF tea," Jane's mother called out as Jane slipped on her coat. "Pick some up for me." Jane sighed. Her mother was always out of something. "What kind?" "Constant Comment." Her mother came out of the kitchen and leaned against the door frame. "You look nice today." "Thanks, mom." Jane waved and was … Continue reading Constant

The Trial

"STATE YOUR NAME for the record." "Charnes. Detective Liz Charnes." I kept my face neutral and my voice confident. After a while, trials don't get to you. Especially this trial. We had caught the defendant, Jay Pressincarla, red handed. It didn't get any easier then this. The prosecutor felt the same way. "Detective Charnes, can … Continue reading The Trial