“Leggo, Dad. I need to play with Lucy.” “It’s Wednesday Little One. Lucy is taking a nap.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week our heroes met with Wentworth, and he told them that Mr. and Mrs. Dixon had registered at the hotel while Rafferty was there. Larry recognized that the information is not useful unless he can get a positive ID on the fact that Janice is posing as Mrs. Dixon. He and Andrew decide that maybe someone in the hotel can identify her. They decide to go back to Wentworth’s office while he is still on the phone with the lawyer so that they can short circuit any delay in getting what they want. I think we should rush back there as well. Our pair just went into Wentworth’s office.
“Hi, gentlemen. Bear with me. I’m on hold with the lawyer.”
“That’s good that you are still on the phone with him. We need to get the whole portfolio of Mr. and Mrs. Dixon.”
“Yeah, I’ll ask but not sure that is covered in the warrant. The name Rafferty is clearly spelled out here.”
“I know that. The judge was not comfortable with a fishing expedition, but I swear to you the Dixon’s are a couple of evil characters, and all we need to do is ID the Mrs. as posing as Mrs. Dixon when, in fact, she is Mrs. Rafferty the wife of the guy killed.”
“Tell you what. I’m going to hang up on the lawyer. I need to know that I’m not going to be dragged into anything legal here.”
“I can’t see how you would be.”
“Well, for one thing, if I give you information and then I have to go to court to verify the information, I will be dragged into something legal.”
“Okay, I see that. All we want to know is if Mrs. Dixon had room service and who served her.”
“I’ve disconnected the lawyer. Let me look up the portfolio. I do this with the understanding that you get no copies, okay?”
“That’s fine with us.”
“Ah, yes, here it is. Let me see. Hmmm. I show that there was a room service delivery every morning they were here.”
“Any clue who signed the bill?”
“Sure, here it is. Mrs. Dixon signed two of them.”
“Perfect. Who served them?”
“On one morning, it was Silvester. The other Robert.”
“Can we speak to these two?”
“That should not be a problem. I will ask that you keep your questions informal, and then if they need to make a statement, you can formalize it later. Our company lawyer will want to be there.”
“We really appreciate this, Wentworth.”
“I think justice needs to be served.”
“Why would you say that?”
“I remember Rafferty, and he seemed like a good guy is all. He had a lot of meetings here and was very kind to the staff. We felt pretty bad when he had his so-called accident.”
“Did you see him the night he died?”
“No. sorry. The last time I saw him, he thanked me for a nice meeting.”
“When was that?”
“That morning. He told me he was sorry he wouldn’t be able to stop by after his meeting. He said he needed to get to the airport early, so he came into my office in the morning instead.”
“You mentioned a ‘so-called’ accident.”
“Yeah. He didn’t strike me as a guy who would get loaded and then go on a night ski. Not like him at all.”
“How can we reach Silvester and Robert?”
“Make yourselves comfortable in the outer office, and I’ll get them to come here. It might take a minute or two. These guys are really busy.”
“No problem. Besides, you have some pretty good coffee out there.”
“When they arrive you can use the conference room. It’s right next door.”
“Thank you, Wentworth.”
“Name’s Sanford.”
“Sanford Wentworth?”
“That’s it.”
“Well, thank you, Sanford. Andrew and I are grateful.”
In Keith’s words. “Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next Monday.”
Since the historical picture looks a little light on humor, I decided I would make a top ten list that I have wanted to do for a while. I hope you like it.
10 If you are texting, do not say, “Will you marry me?” If you do, at best, your intended’s battery has failed. At worst, your reply with being a short and sweet “Kiss off.” (You see, Jayyed, the idea of marriage is a serious thing. Your casual approach does not instill confidence that you would make a right partner.)
9 If you are texting, do not say “yes” to Tiny the WWF champ when he wants to buy you a couple of rounds. If you do, at best, Tiny won’t be able to find you. At worst, when you meet Tiny at the gym, you suddenly understand that he wasn’t talking about drinks. (Well, here you are, Jedd. I think I would lay back during the rounds and try not to break any bones.)
8 If you are texting, do not tell someone that a family member has passed. If you do, at best, your battery will die. At worst, the news will not be taken well. (So now you are responsible for another mental break down, Jedidiah. It’s no wonder they are not speaking to you anymore.)
7 If you are texting, do not tell someone you are breaking up with them. If you do, at best, they didn’t like you anyway. At worst, you now have a life long enemy. (Way to go, Jennis. This could have gone so much better face to face. How did that boiling bunny get on your stove anyway?)
6 If you are texting, do not answer the text and photo that asks, “How do I look in this.” If you do, at best, you’ll say “great.” At worst, you’ll try and be helpful. (Admitting that hat looked ridiculous has just earned you a cold night in the dog house, Jensen. You see, that was the favorite pick.)
5 If you are testing, do not send an “I’m mad at you” text. If you do, at best, the recipient will turn off their phone. At worst, the recipient will become very defensive. (So how are you going to patch this up, Jeremias? You weren’t all that angry in the first place, and now you have WWIII on your hands.)
4 If you are texting, do not ask the question, “What do you like about me?” If you do, at best, the response will be something you like. At worst, the answer will be something like, “You have a great personality.” (What did you expect, Jerett? This is not the kind of question to put in a text. You are lucky you didn’t get a compliment on your deodorant.)
3 If you are testing, do not send a text asking where the relationship is going. If you do, at best, the recipient will call you. At worst, you might get a reply like, “To Milwaukee.” (Well, I guess you could have predicted that response, Jerico. What did you want the person to say in a text message? HUH? Dope.)
2 If you are texting, do not send a message with the words “I love you” for the very first time. If you do, at best, the recipient will think you are drunk. At worst, the recipient will get the idea you cannot face commitment in person. (That was a lousy idea, Jerren. Let’s hope an in-person statement will undo the damage. You are a bit of a clod, though.)
1 If you are testing, don’t send a message that has drama around it like, “Where were you last night?”. If you do, at best, the recipient will delete it. At worst, you’ll get a response that you won’t like. ( “I was out with Bill,” is something you didn’t expect, huh, Jerrick? I guess that will learn ya.)
It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again, and this week’s prompt is “dress.” Linda Hill says we can use it any way we want. She also advises to have fun. If you would like to join in, visit Linda’s blog to read up on how. It is very easy. Here is a link to her blog.
“Hey, Twiggy. You want to play? It’s Friday.” “One more chew on this starfish, Lucy and I’ll be ready.”
Yup, it is Friday, and we all are thankful for that. We had some rain here in Parched City, which was mighty welcome.
The week has been pretty calm. It started with temperatures in the 90s and looks like it will finish in the 70s. It means fall weather has finally arrived here in Texas.
Been plugging away at the WIP. Most of my edits have been additions to the dialog sections. I’ve been adding bits of what could be called Emotional Beats. As you may know, I construct whole stories with nothing but dialog. That may be well and good with less than 1000 words, but throughout a novel, it could be tiring for the reader.
There is plenty of dialog, but I’ve added some points of interest to bring the characters alive when they are talking. I still don’t use tags (he said, she said) since I think it is pretty obvious who is talking and tags just slow the story.
We’ll see if it all works. I’m planning on asking for Beta-reader interest around mid-November. I think I won’t ask for the comments back until mid-January since there are some holidays in there. All in all, the story is still holding, so I’m pretty happy with it.
I had an interesting discussion with someone last weekend. They asked me if I was self-published, and I said, “yes.” Her response was a very patronizing, “Writing is a very good hobby.” I guess we all have had that kind of comment. Today’s John Ku talks about discouraging words. I hope you have a great weekend.
Usually, you see Twiggy and Lucy in action here but this week is a little different. I’m actually going to promote my books (gasp). Now don’t run away cause there is something in it for you. If you leave a comment, you will be entered into a drawing.
Here’s What I’m Giving Away Today:
One of two $5.00 Amazon gift cards won by Liz Gauffreau & Ron Yates
One of two of my E-books won by Miriam Hurdle & Wendy Scott .
There are a total of four winners.
“We are here, Boss.” “Yeah, Dad. Now go talk about your books.”
Thank you, Ladies.
Here are the books
This is the John Cannon Trilogy. It is a continuing story of John Cannon’s struggles with a terrorist organization whose objective is the destruction of America. You can click on each of the covers for a trailer.
Click cover for the trailer.
When a former pro football star and broadcaster, now a Wall Street maven is accused of insider trading, will he be able to prove his innocence and expose those who are guilty?
Greg and his boyhood pal dreamed of big success in professional football and then later in business. Greg was the only one to live the dream. Now the founder of an investment fund Greg is faced with a routine audit finding by the SEC. The audit points to irregularities and all the tracks lead to Greg. The justice department hits him with an indictment of 23 counts of fraud, money laundering, and insider trading. His firm goes bust, and Greg is on his own.
His best friend knows he is innocent but has been ordered under penalty of eternal damnation not to help.
If you enjoy stories of riches to rags, redemption, brotherly love, and a little of the paranormal, Circumstance of Childhood will keep you riveted.
Click the cover for the trailer
The earth is under the threat of a catastrophic political event that could result in international warfare and destroy all life on the planet. In heaven, a divine council decides that extraordinary measures are essential. They call for an intervention that involves two souls returning to earth. The chosen two sign a contract that they will work to avert the disaster.
Brad Channing, a Navy SEAL, and Sarah O’Brien, a teacher, become heaven’s representatives on earth. The story follows them as they individually and then together face overwhelming obstacles and eventually end up on a strategic Air Force base in California. It is there that they discover a conspiracy to assassinate the President of the United States. The terrorists have a plan for global dominance, and they are determined to complete their mission. Although military leadership appears to have the President’s best interests at heart, it is not clear who can be trusted and who should be feared. The action is rough and tumble as Brad and Sarah try to figure out the culprits of the plot that will turn into a worldwide conflagration unless stopped.
If you enjoy thrillers, this is one with enough twists and adventure to keep you riveted and guessing. If you like your thriller along with a good romance, Brad and Sarah’s initial attraction and eventual love will sustain you as they live out their heavenly and earthly desires.
“Hey Boss.” “What Lucy?” “Have you seen Friday?” “Nope. Still Wednesday
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week we saw Larry and Andrew go to the Hyatt hotel and serve the warrant on the pretentious hotel manager named Wentworth. It seems Wentworth needed to talk to his lawyer before turning over the records. He invited our heroes into the executive area for some coffee. Andrew is suspicious, and Larry tries to assure him that it will be okay. We are wary too. I see the boys are gathered around the silver coffee service, so let’s join them.
“Man, this is Sumatra deep roast. Just smell that bouquet.”
“Reminds me of Chock Full of Nuts.”
“You have to be kidding, Larry.”
“Yeah, I thought I would get your goat.”
“Mmmm. This taste is out of this world.”
“Okay, Andrew. Snap out of it. We are here for business not to swoon over some coffee beans. Where the hell is that guy anyway. He said five minutes.”
“I can see by my watch that it has been five minutes and thirty seconds. How dare he keep us waiting like this.”
“Hilarious, Andrew. Oh, here he comes.”
“Well, gentlemen. Sorry to keep you waiting. I have received clearance from our legal department to give you the records covered by the warrant.”
“Thanks, Wentworth. For some reason, I hear a caveat in your emptor.”
“Emptor.”
“In your words, sir.”
“Oh, no, caveat. Just that I have to be careful to comply with the warrant and not give away the store.”
“So how you going to do that?”
“I will have our lawyer on facetime. He’ll check everything I plan to turn over before I do.”
“Yeah, whatever. Can we get started?”
“Yes, let’s go into my office, and I will bring up the registration records.”
“Great. Lead the way. Andrew, can you tear yourself away from the bean plant and join us?”
“Most certainly, Bawana. I can’t find my machete anyway.”
“You two have a strange way of communicating. Code, I presume.”
“No code. Andrew is a smart ass is all.”
“So here we are. Let me pull up the records. What night are you interested in?”
“Would be the week of February 12th.”
“Okay, here is the week. What information do you need?”
“When did Ned Dixon check-in?”
“The record shows he checked in on the 13th.”
“And when di Alexis Rafferty arrive?”
“Humm. He is in on the twelfth.”
“How about Mrs. Rafferty?”
“I’m looking at the whole week. Nope, there is nothing for a Mrs. Rafferty.”
“Damn. Wait. How about with Rafferty. Is there a Mr. and Mrs.?”
“No, just Mr.”
“Larry?”
‘’Yes, Andrew.”
“Try Dixon. See if there is a Mrs. Dixon.”
“Yeah, Wentworth, see if there is a Mrs. Dixon.”
“Yes, I show Mrs. Dixon. Mr. and Mrs. Dixon checked in on the thirteenth.”
“Okay, I need a copy of that registration.”
“Sure enough. Let me call the lawyer.”
“Okay, while you are doing that, Andrew and I need to confer. We’ll be right back. Come on, Andrew.”
“Okay, I think we are far enough from Wentworth’s office. What the hell are we going to do with that piece of evidence? It tells us nothing.”
“It does tell us Mrs. Rafferty was here with Dixon. Now, all we have to do is find someone in the hotel who can identify her. Let’s go back and see if she ordered room service. Maybe the server can remember her.”
“Super idea Andrew. Grab another cup of your elixir, and let’s get back to Wentworth while he has the lawyer on the line.”
I am very pleased to welcome Jaye Marie to my blog today. She is introducing her new book and is here to let you know it is available.
Silent PayBack Book Description
A city on edge – a detective on shaky ground…
A serial killer roams the streets of Brighton, hunting for his next victim.
When the case lands on detective David Mallory’s desk, will his personal demon prevent him from bringing this vicious monster to justice?
As the body count rises, Mallory finds himself sinking under the weight of his heavy secret – one that could jeopardise his job and his reputation.
With the pressure building, can the troubled detective reconcile his issues and solve the case, before more women die?
About Jaye
Jaye Marie is affectionately known as the giant redwood, probably because she is very tall, but also because of her love for trees. Most afternoons she can be found repotting or taking care of her bonsai collection, but her love of detective mysteries soon brings her back indoors. She has written three fiction novels in this genre, Nine Lives, Out of Time and Crossfire and is looking forward to publishing Silent Payback, her fourth book.
She spends any free time learning everything she can about self-publishing, and despite all the obstacles, she never gives up on anything and is as stubborn as a mule. She also shares a website http://jenanita01.com with Anita Dawes…
A glowing skeleton who lost his legs and a coven of ghosts.
Major spider infestation.
The last laugh is on us. I hope you enjoyed the little tour.
