I heard Uncle Jasper’s tractor rattle to life behind the house; every shudder was amplified by the...
Enjoy a Story or Two
The Dog Catcher
“Fuck no!” I clicked off the phone and rolled over. It was Mitch’s goddamn morning to work, but...
Until Again
Methuselah. That's what they call him, the regulars that ride my train. Other things too, but...
Killing Hope
I was six years old when Mrs. Greene introduced our first grade class to Hope Parsons, my first...
Treading Water
I am going to die. *** I was nine when I saw my first dead body. During the summers growing up, I...
The Greenhorn
Until sundown. That's how much time Deputy U.S. Marshal Brady Hawkes had to get out Prosperity....
Fish Stew
It made a satisfying ‘pop’ when Donnie’s nose crushed under my knuckle-scared right. I threw...
Cross Country
The train seemed unusually empty this morning. Not that I minded, the night before the train had...
The Needle And The Damage Done
"She never knew her, you know?" Chief Jack Gardner, retired, said to the duty officer absently,...
Mary Lou’s Lost Shoe
"Why aren’t shoes ever abandoned in pairs?" She said. Soft, under her breath, the question floated...
Out The Door
"He walked in and slid the photograph across my desk." Lain Chandler's words were tangled with...
Father’s Day
“What the hell, bitch?” The words rolled out of my aching jaw. I twisted my legs around, kicking...
Just Another Hero
Alma Tucker settled into middle age with the comfort that escapes most women. Her festival queen...
The Bagman
“Are you sure he’s dead?” Dean Pauley drawled out again, mouth agape. He watched as I steadied the...
Dancing Jesus
“Are you a religious man?” Hearing the question read back, I felt a chill. A bit of panic. The bed...
On The Sly
She was a sucker punch. Mr. Cowley didn’t see her coming. The red head just appeared curves and...
No Good Deed
The mook’s third swing was a right cross. It connected like an anvil, slamming me against the...