Crime Fiction by Thomas G. Madsen Ashe Wycliff climbed the stone passages, keeping to the shade. He had to escape the stifling grind of his dead-end job. But he had been saying that for years. Right now, he just needed distance. And a drink. He’d spent nine years in Tangier with little to show forContinue reading “Bottom Of The Glass”
Category Archives: Criminal
The Cheater
Crime Fiction by Michael Downing Night is the hardest part. The stretch that burns you out inside, drawing out the minutes until they snap like a whip against your skin. Cooper sucks on his Marlboro, feeling the burn, squinting his eyes shut, letting the smoke roll around his head until it stings. The darkness neverContinue reading “The Cheater”
Friends with Benefits
Crime Fiction By Seamus O’ Leary Doctor Derek Goldberg sat at the bar in Louie’s Sports Pub, watching the game on one of the big screen TV’s He was excited. It was Friday night, and his new friends were coming for another night of partying. He could not wait. He took a drink of hisContinue reading “Friends with Benefits”
Havana Nocturne
Crime Fiction by Russell Thayer Gunselle adjusted her stylish new sunglasses, unshouldered the straps of her new bikini top, and melted into the poolside lounger to let the blazing Cuban sun caramelize her flesh. A green parrot with a smart red bib admired her from the limb of a potted Bougainvillea. Gunselle gave it aContinue reading “Havana Nocturne”
Foundation Repair
Crime Fiction By William David Higgs III He had been repairing foundations for fifteen years, but it only took him fifteen minutes to decide that it was the worst condition he had seen a house in. It’s a miracle this place is still standing, he thought. He prepared to turn around when he heard clangingContinue reading “Foundation Repair”
Chuco Has A Bad Day
Crime Fiction by J. Marquez Jr. The world is an anthology full of short stories and small clips. Everybody has a story to tell and everyone has something to say. But not everybody tells their story. The majority cruise through life creating interesting stories that they eventually take to their graves. Alike the world, IContinue reading “Chuco Has A Bad Day”
Cut
Crime Fiction by Kevin Hopson “We have a problem, boss,” Wally said. Wally was my right-hand man, and he sat across from my desk, his dark mustache twitching nervously as he met my gaze. “What kind of problem?” I said. “It concerns this morning’s shipment.” It was the 1970s, and I ran a small –Continue reading “Cut”
Charon 2.0
Crime Fiction by Matthew Snyderman It wasn’t until he’d decided to kill himself that Joel Barkley gained the relief meds and booze had failed to provide. Fading fast was the guilt for having laid off the employees at his floundering art gallery. Ditto the night sweats over his landlord’s increasingly loud threats to put hisContinue reading “Charon 2.0”
Parfum
Crime Fiction by Kim Castle The night her brother Jason flung himself off the 500-foot-high bluff, the full moon glowed a chalk white, hovering above the Pacific Ocean’s shimmering surface. Just before he leaped to his death, he probably heard the harbor lighthouse’s foghorn blasting out a low and steady moan. Jodene Moore imagined hisContinue reading “Parfum”
Simon Barber, Plumber
Crime Fiction by John Ahlfors Avid armchair sports fan, beer enthusiast, bookworm and retired plumber, Simon Barber was turning eighty-one, his square birthday. “You know, nine times nine,” he explained to his wife, Faye, who rolled her eyes. Heaving deep breaths, Simon battled to blow out the roar of candles. Never had he thought he’dContinue reading “Simon Barber, Plumber”