A.G.E's Joint

Ray and Angela exchanged glances and began taking notes. Nothing was inconceivable. Jarrett voice dropped to a whisper. “I stopped for a bite after work. Sat in the back cause I don’t like to get bothered.” He looked like he had seen a ghost. “I hadn’t got settled good when the Flapper Queen dances through the door. She had on this black lacy dress and a hat, but it was her.” Scribbling, Angela nodded and asked,“What gave her away?” “The necklace.” “Describe it, please.” “Some kind of a fly, with rounded wings.” Jarrett looked up at a picture on the far wall. “A dragonfly, I think. She’s modest in the bodice, but it drew your eyes in to paradise. ” The detectives grinned. Best left handed compliment they’d heard in a while. Angela made a quick sketch of a dragonfly from memory and showed it to him. Jarrett saud the piece looked something like it. Ray continued with the next question. “How about the face.” “She sat at the bar, so I didn’t get a good look. But I’m telling you it was C…

Red and white wrappers lay on top of the coffee cups steaming in their holders. The morning sun beamed across the lake, reflection blinding the detectives as they ate breakfast. Angela’s broke apart, showering her with dry crumbs. Opening the doors, they stepped out into the cool November morning. “Dang it!” Brushing the leftover biscuit from her skirt. “I don’t understand why you think these things are so good?” “Got to have my chicken biscuits” Ray smiled, swallowing the last morsel. “It cures morning madness.” “Rum’s better. ” Looking out over the rows of docks, she sighed. “Where do you want to start?” “Manager’s office. Maybe he’ll be able to tell us about the houseboat.” “What if Holden finds out we’re here?” Ray shrugged and started down the dirt road entrance. At the end was a nondescript building to the right of an empty dry dock. “Waterworld Enterprises Inc.” hung from the scarred door. Inside, There was an obese young woman behind the counter eating candy from an old W…

Angela’s stomach was a giant knot as she rushed into the Ladies Room. One of the desk girls was at the counter and waved as she stepped into the stall. There wasn’t time to wave back. It was a race what would hit the floor first. The panties won, fortunately. Finishing quickly, she found the girl gone when she came out. Good. She wasn’t in the mood for chit-chat. Looking into the mirror, she undid the pony tail. The air conditioning was out again and she needed airing out. The cool air was refreshing as the curls fluffed out. It had been such a long day and it wasn’t over. As she gathered everything back into the band, she noticed a gray hair. Hmm...Maybe she should take a couple of days off. Do a spa trip. Yeah...Maybe when she retires. The meeting had been a waste. Lieutenant Nowhere and his “all inclusive” style made her want to scream. The case wasn’t hers and she needed to work on the missing girl. Six months of these nowhere plans and not once did it help a case. Just let u…

One by one, the items are ticked off the mental list: two changes of clothes, camera, radio, and wet-suit. The important stuff. The obvious ones the cops would want. Had he forgotten anything? Everything else could wait for the warrant, if there was one. As the lid closed, a clanking noise like an old anchor chain startled him. The Toyota had never been right since the drunk bitch hit him coming out of the store. No insurance, either. Luckily Tom knew where a one with a blown motor was. $200, a case of beer, and a weekend made it driveable again. It looked like crap between the bondo and three colors of paint, but it worked. He didn’t go anywhere anyway, at least until today. With one last round of the cabin, he double checked the water and gas was off. As he walked out the door, he noticed a picture laying next to the lamp. It was of Corrine sitting in a chair on the Last Chance with Harvey just behind her. He had found it when looking for the radio equipment. He couldn’t remember…

One of the downsides of police work is waiting. Chasing crooks might be one percent of the job. The rest of it is split between paperwork,meetings and waiting. Like now. Ray and Angela sat shotgun in the black Crown Vic, staring at the monument basking in the autumn sun. Something dug against her back. A quick pull on the back band of her bra made it go away. The quiet became too much. "You sure the C.I. said the Chicken?" "Yeah." Ray was glancing at his phone, a ruse to keep anybody from realizing they were working. If nothing else, the statue was unique. A bronze chicken perched atop metamorphic limestone. The blue and black veins in the marble alternated, giving the stand a hypnotic look. Poultry Park was the official name, but ot the locals it was The Tomb of the Unknown Chicken. A fitting tribute to the industry keeping the place alive. She thought the thing was stupid. The money spent on the thing could have funded a reading class for immigrants or som…

The creaking noise him jump, the ice machine. 3:00 AM and he couldn't sleep. Between the cops and the news of a salvage boat in Naked Lady had him completely rattled. Did the cops know more than they were letting on? More important, who knew about The Last Chance besides them? The scuttlebutt said no cops were involved, just the insurance company. It was all too much. The image flickered across the screen. Binge watching TV shopping channels wasn't the best distraction, but it passed the time. The cheap flowered top was the wrong color for the model and the pattern did nothing to hide the fluff. Sad, there was a pretty girl in there somewhere. All of this accompanied by a shrill voice warning the viewers to log in, quantities were limited. It didn't matter. None of it did. The lonely insomniacs wanted to see this and maybe buy. Or something else that didn't sell during the daytime. What else is on? Click A CNN segment on the Royal Couple. Some minutiae on a price ta…