Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #58 (12.3)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

As this long day finally draws to a close for our heroes, one has to wonder what is on the horizon? See what's happening in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #58 (12.3)

Of course, telling the tale of our involvement with Sweet Surrender just had to involve the story of how we first met a certain evil actress and why I hated her so much. To Ethan’s credit, he kept that to a minimum. To be fair, it’s not like he was ever interested in her or anything. Ever since I’ve known him, he’s only had eyes for me.  Also, her goal was primarily to win back her ex, the director. See how well that worked out.

“Do you really think she might be responsible for what’s going on?” Benny directed his question primarily to me, since Ethan hadn’t been nearly as vocal about that as I had been. “What about that Florida Mangler guy?”

He made a good point. The trouble with that theory was Chip was securely incarcerated, awaiting trial for what he’d done. No chance of bail. Her, on the other hand… well, despite Troy’s insistence that she never went out, I still had to wonder if maybe she kept things hidden from him.

“Maybe it’s neither one,” Benny continued. “Maybe another player has entered the scene.”

 “That new player would have to know a lot about us,” Ethan said. “An awful lot.”

And wasn’t that a disturbing thought in and of itself?

“And you, and Troy and Brendan,” Ethan continued. “Besides, what motive would such a person have?”

What motive, indeed?

On that note, we decided to call it a night. We gave Benny—the little one, not the big one—a last chance to do any business he might have before we tiptoed back into the house, careful not to disturb the sleeping inhabitants. When we entered the living room, I heard something that sounded like a freight train. What the hell? It took me a minute to realize it was the sound of snoring.

Oh great, Ethan’s brother snores.

Couldn’t be helped. Ethan offered an apologetic shrug as we laid down together on the floor, as far from Joey as we could get. Benny curled up at our feet. I snuggled into Ethan’s embrace and tried to ignore the noise from the other side of the room. Before long, I fell asleep and didn’t stir until morning.

I awoke to delighted cries of “Puppy!” from Alex, who’d been asleep before Troy and Brendan had arrived the night before and was thus unaware of the pup’s arrival.

“Shh, Alex.” Sarah tried to quiet him, but it was too late as we were all awake now. I didn’t really mind. The floor wasn’t exactly comfortable, and I was glad to stretch my muscles. I could hear the bones pop as I sat up.

“Hey Sis,” Ethan greeted her.

“Sorry guys,” Sarah apologized, but we all told her not to worry. Well, Joey didn’t. Primarily because he wasn’t there. Maybe he was skulking outside again? That thought was quickly dispelled when we heard the minister loudly tell his older son not to sleep in his study again. Guess he wandered in there when we were asleep. His bad.

Ethan and I took advantage of Sarah being downstairs to use her room to change our cloths, while Benny opted for the bathroom. I felt much better as we rejoined them.

Sarah seemed to be in a very good mood, all things considered. I was about to ask her if she’d slept well, when the doorbell rang and I suddenly realized why she was so chipper. A certain dreamboat movie star was about to take her… well, all of us… out for breakfast. As we admitted Troy and Brendan, I couldn’t help but wonder if we weren’t making ourselves an even bigger target.

 to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #37 (7.5)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Ethan's twin's comment about Roanoke has the boys wondering if she intends to move there. See what they think about that idea in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #37 (7.5)

“Roanoke is very nice,” Ethan agreed. “Vinnie and I like it there, don’t we, Vinnie?”

“Very much.” I quickly added my enthusiastic endorsement to his statement. “I think I like it even better than Richmond.” While I did enjoy living in Richmond with Ethan, Roanoke had come to feel more like home. Maybe because we lived in an actual house, and we had Benny, and we’d made some real friends, both on the police force and outside of it. While some of our other assignments had taken us to different locations around the country, these been short-term stays for the most part. Richmond and Roanoke were the only two cities where we’d spent any amount of serious time. I didn’t count the Mangler case, although we were there for a while, because we were constantly moving from place to place in pursuit of the twisted killer and never stayed very long in one spot. Honestly, if I had any say-so in the matter, I’d be more than happy to keep Florida in my rearview mirror. No offense to the residents of the state, but too many unhappy memories stemmed from being there.

“But,” Ethan continued. “You have to remember something, too, Sis.”

“What do you mean?” She gave him a baffled look.

“They can move us anytime they want. Not that I’m saying they will or anything. But if you’re considering moving up there to be closer to us, which I would be all for, you just have to keep that in mind. ”

“Oh absolutely.” Sarah’s face relaxed at Ethan’s words. “I’m not saying I plan to move there, just thinking how nice it would be to live closer to you guys. I don’t want to go back to Atlanta, to be honest, and I really don’t want to be in Imperial much longer. I love Mercy and all, but I’m sure she and her wife would appreciate having their privacy back.” She gave a little laugh. “If my thinking is out of line, or if I’m overstepping any boundaries, just tell me so—”

Without thinking, I interjected, “I think having you closer would be great!” I knew how much Ethan missed his twin and his nephew, and I couldn’t help but think he would love seeing them more. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything, though, as it really wasn’t my place. I almost apologized for butting in until I saw Ethan’s beautiful eyes fixed on me, and his expression was so tender and loving that I knew he appreciated what I’d said. And Sarah was positively beaming.

“Vinnie, you’re so sweet, thank you!”

Ethan reached over and kissed me, and my heart swelled. If this was family, I was all for it. “He is the sweetest,” Ethan agreed, his eyes locked on mine.

“I’d have to find a job, of course. And a place to live. Daycare for Alex…”

I could read the question in Ethan’s eyes without his having to say a word, and I simply nodded my agreement. The radiant smile I received in return was almost blinding.

“You can stay with us,” Ethan offered.

“Oh, I don’t want to put you out,” Sarah protested.

Ethan turned his head and I could just imagine the look he was giving her without having to see it. She immediately backpedaled.

“Well, I mean, after everything… and you and Vinnie just got engaged. And you know… stuff.” Obviously she’d run out of legitimate reasons and was now grasping at proverbial straws.

“You are more than welcome to stay with us,” Ethan said firmly, in that no-nonsense voice I loved so much. “If you want to move to Roanoke, we’ll be thrilled to have you there. Maybe talk it over with Mom and Dad, see what they think.”

I believe he deliberately avoided mention of the baby daddy. Somehow I doubted she was in any frame of mind to consider his wishes, especially as he’d been out of the picture for so long.

“I might just have to consider Roanoke myself,” Benny said. “Especially if my favorite niece and nephew live there.” He gave us a quick wink. Hmmm, tell me you don’t like Joe Junior without telling me you don’t like Joe Junior.

Ethan looked so happy, I thought he might burst into tears. And to think that just a few short months ago, none of this would have been possible. But sometimes bad things lead to happy endings. Ethan’s mother’s stroke had ended up with Ethan bursting out of the closet, Uncle Benny’s brush with his ex had led to an opportunity for a new beginning, and the painful return of Sarah’s ex seemed to be leading to exciting new horizons for her and Alex. Win-win situation, I’d say.

Just then my phone unexpectedly rang. I wondered who that could be as I reached into my pocket. I knew that wasn’t Anderson’s ring tone, nor was it Troy’s or Brendan’s. Ethan was right here with me, so obviously not him. Who else did I know who might call me? The caller ID gave no clue. I didn’t recognize the number. Probably a telemarketer.

Before I could even get out a hello, a muffled voice said, “Listen to me very carefully. I am going to say this only once…”

What the fuck?

 to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

 Cia Nordwell

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #34 (7.2)

Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

A suspicious Vinny calls Troy to find out if his less than favorite actress is still in the loony bin. See what's happening in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #34 (7.2)

I knew Ethan wasn’t likely to leave things alone, and he didn’t. After a few minutes, I felt his fingers caress my thigh before he asked, “So, Sherlock, what did you find out? Is the big bad actress on the loose, a menace to society?”

“Ha ha, very funny,” I retorted, although I took no actual offense at his comment. “No, she’s safely locked up and probably being pampered to within an inch of her miserable life.” Okay, maybe that was petty, but I didn’t really care.

“Feel better?”

“I don’t know.” I knew I should, having heard Troy’s assurances of her location. I mean, he would probably be the first to find out if Miss Looney Tunes were released, even for a day. Even so, I knew what I’d seen…even if I didn’t know who I’d seen. And maybe that was what bothered me—the not knowing.

“Vinny, why didn’t you let me talk to him?” That was Sarah now, grumbling at me from the back seat. “I asked you very nicely.”

My bad, guess I hadn’t heard her request, too focused on the matter at hand. “Sorry, Sarah,” I apologized. “But to be honest, I doubt he had time. He’s anxious to get back to his sweetie. Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll meet him sometime.”

“Maybe I should move to Roanoke,” she joked…at least I think she was joking. I didn’t know her well enough to be able to tell. I saw Ethan glance into the rearview mirror at her.

“Is that something you’re considering?” he asked. I turned a little, just to watch her expression. At the moment, she seemed a little weary, maybe even somewhat defeated. Understandable, all things considered. I would be too after what she’d been through.

She released a long drawn-out sigh. “I don’t know. Right now, I don’t know where my head is…or my heart. Or much of anything else. All I really do know is that I have to take care of Alex, to the best of my ability. He’s my priority.”

I watched her set her hand on the arm of the sleeping child—when had he fallen asleep? “He’s everything to me,” she said, and I believed her.

“You’re a great mother.” Ethan echoed my thoughts. “Don’t worry, Sis. You’ll figure it out. And you always have me and Vinnie to turn to.”

“And me.” That from Uncle Benny.

Our declarations produced a small smile from Sarah. “I know. I’m so lucky to have all you guys in our lives. And Mom and Dad. Don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’ll never have to find out,” Ethan vowed. And I had no doubt of his sincerity.

Before long, we crossed over the Virginia state line, into Tennessee, heading west on Highway 40. We passed through some road construction in Knoxville, but before too long we’d left that in our rearview mirror and were headed toward Chattanooga, only fifty miles away.

The first time I saw the road sign proclaiming the distance to said Chattanooga, I turned a mischievous glance toward Ethan, whose eyes twinkled back at me, even as I sang the inevitable words. “Pardon me, boy…”

He quickly joined me in the lyrics, and Benny caught up by the chorus.

“…is that the Chattanooga choo choo?”

Sarah chortled and obliged us with matching train sounds, such a the choo choo and the chug-a-chug.  Alex laughed at his mother’s antics, and for the next few miles, the car was filled with the sounds of the old Glen Miller tune.

to be continued

Now see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

 

Wednesday Briefs: Rose and Thorne 6 #24 (5.3)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Ethan's twin sister's baby daddy shows up unexpectedly and tensions rise until Vinnie reaches the breaking point and punches him! See what the aftermath is in this week's chapter of Rose and Thorne. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Rose and Thorne 6 #24 (5.3)

I think the idiot was actually going to respond to what was probably a rhetorical question on my part. I braced myself to punch him again, if necessary. I was operating on an adrenaline high at the moment. I knew later I would probably be in at least a little pain where my knuckles had made contact with his nose. But right then I didn’t care.

Luckily any further display of fisticuffs was not required as Sarah herself stepped between us, standing over her baby daddy and preventing Ethan from getting any closer to him than he already was. “James, you need to leave.” Her voice was deceptively quiet, but I could hear the same tone I’d heard in Ethan’s warnings to some of the scum we’d dealt with on the job. I wondered if James had the sense to realize she meant business.

“Fine, I’ll leave. I can tell when I’m not wanted.” He rose to his feet, swiping at the blood which was pouring from his nose. “C’mon, Sarah, you and the baby can come with me. We can get a hotel room and fly back to—”

“Oh hell no.”

Oddly, Sarah and Ethan delivered that same line in stereo. Told you that twin thing was eerie and I meant it. Sarah shot Ethan a look that clearly said I got this.

I didn’t doubt that for a moment.

Ethan gave a slight nod. He wrapped his arm about my waist and brought my injured hand up to his lips, kissing it gently. I knew then that he wasn’t angry with me for what I’d done. Not that I’d really thought he would be. We stand up for each other—it’s what we do.

“James, I honestly don’t know what’s wrong with you,” Sarah continued. “I overlooked everything you did after I told you I was pregnant, including the way you ran out on us and never contacted us until recently. Against my own better judgment, I let you back into our lives because I thought maybe, just maybe, you’d grown up. I thought maybe you weren’t the immature asshole you were before, and that you loved us. I get it. People can change. And I thought things were going well, that we had something good. But then you have the nerve to come into my brother’s home. Not just my brother’s but the home of his fiancé, who is a wonderful and good man, and you have the nerve… the unmitigated gall to…. Just take your homophobic self and get the hell out of here. Now!”

I think the rest of us were too stunned to react at that moment. Including James. Benny (the pup, not the uncle) had taken up a defensive posture in front of Sarah and Alex, as if he intended to protect them from all harm, I have to admit that even with his teeth bared, he didn’t look very threatening.

Uncle Benny, on the other hand….

I guess James didn’t move fast enough for his liking. The next thing I knew, he held James’ forearm in a tight grip as he escorted him down the hall, headed toward the front door. “I guess you didn’t hear my niece very well, did you? It’s time for you to leave. And I suggest you don’t return. Ever.”

I thought James sputtered something, I don’t know what, but then the front door opened and closed in rapid succession, and I realized Benny had literally tossed the hapless baby daddy out.

Wow, so that happened.

I wasn’t sure what to say or do in that moment. But before I could collect my thoughts, Sarah had turned toward Ethan and me, tears already raining down her cheeks.

“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry…” She kept repeating the same words, clinging tightly to Alex, who was beginning to fret, which caused Benny to yip in consternation. He probably thought the child was in distress, which he probably was after that very stormy scene.

“No, don’t,” Ethan stopped her. “It’s all right. Don’t cry, please don’t cry.” The next thing I knew, he had wrapped his arms around Sarah and Alex, and then around me, and we were all hugging, while Sarah continued to sob. Then Uncle Benny joined us and we became one big hugging machine, there in our narrow hallway. Finally, Sarah’s sniffles began to decrease, and her breathing returned to normal.

“I’m okay now,” she insisted, but Ethan decided she needed to sit, so we all trooped into the living room and took our seats.

 Sarah took a deep breath and exhaled. “I had no idea he was like that,” she said. “I mean, the subject of you… I never told him you were gay because it never occurred to me. Since we started talking again, he never asked about you. I figured we’d talk about what happened eventually, and he would ask about you.. But not like this, never like this.” She fell silent.

Ethan and I sat hip-to-hip on the couch. He’d pulled a piece of ice from the freezer and wrapped it in a paper towel, which he held against my hand. He’d also whispered, “My hero,” when we were momentarily alone in the kitchen.

I would have done what I did again in a heartbeat.

“Were you planning to fly home with him tomorrow?” Ethan asked.

Sarah nodded. “I know I shouldn’t have let him come here when you were gone. I really was going to say something about him coming, but then it turned out you had to work, so I just thought I’d let sleeping dogs lie. That was dumb, I know.” She turned her gaze to me. “He deserved that, Vinnie. I’m sorry you had to do it, though. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I assured her.

“We should all get some sleep,” Ethan said. “Tomorrow—”

His words were cut off by the sound of his cell. This late?

What could Anderson want at this hour?

to be continued

Now go hand out with the other Briefers for a bit!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

Wednesday Briefs: Rose and Thorne 6 #22 (5.1)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day ! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts. 

Just when the fire turns out to be a false alarm, the boys get a call of a prowler at their house? And Sarah and baby Alex are there alone? See what's going on in this week's chapter of Rose and Thorne 6. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Rose and Thorne 6 #22 (5.1)

Everything else took second place in that moment. Returning to our home and seeing to the welfare of Sarah and Alex had just become priority number one. Of course we weren’t about to leave Benny alone at the hotel, especially under the circumstances. He seemed as anxious as we were to find out what was going on, not surprising considering his niece and great-nephew were involved.

This would have been a good time to have one of those flashing lights to slap on the top of our car, the kind you see the police use in lots of movies and TV shows. Being undercover, we’d never really had a need for those before. Technically, this didn’t qualify as a police emergency either, and we probably could have got into trouble for using them anyway.  I’m amazed we weren’t pulled over considering how fast Ethan was driving. Luck was on our side, and we reached our house in record time. Ethan pulled into the drive and just barely threw the car into park before jumping out and heading inside. Benny and I were right behind him.

Ethan yanked open the front door and burst inside. The living room was empty. “Sarah? Sarah!” he cried out. Hearing no immediate reply, he pulled his weapon and waved me toward the kitchen while he moved toward the back of the house, down the hallway. I motioned to Benny to wait where he was.

I could easily follow Ethan’s thoughts processes. Secure his sister and nephew before we searched outside for the prowler, although anyone with any sense should have fled the moment we arrived. Still, there were people for whom common sense was a foreign language.

The kitchen was clear, not a perp in sight, so I followed in Ethan’s footsteps. The hallway was empty. Ethan was just coming out of our bedroom. Obviously no one there. Ditto with the bathroom. The door to the spare bedroom, the one where Sarah and Alex were sleeping, was closed. Ethan and I exchanged glances just before he reached for the doorknob.

At that moment, the door opened, and Sarah appeared in the doorway. She slid out and quickly closed the door behind her. She seemed puzzled as she looked between us.

“What’s up, guys? I thought you were at the hotel, guarding Uncle Benny?” Then she looked past us, exclaiming. “Benny!” Apparently he was standing just inside the living room. Hoorah for family reunions!

“One of the neighbors reported a prowler, that’s what we’re doing here,” Ethan said tensely. “Are you and Alex all right? Is anyone here? Did anyone try to break in?”

I wasn’t sure why Ethan was questioning her so closely. I mean she was standing right there, clearly unharmed. What did he suspect? That there was intruder hiding in her bedroom? Maybe using little Alex as a hostage to keep her from revealing his presence? She did seem somewhat tense herself, all things considered.

“Everything’s fine, Ethan,” she assured him. “Go on, take Benny back to the hotel before you get in trouble.”

Strangely, she made no move to otherwise greet or embrace her long lost uncle, hovering protectively by the bedroom door. My suspicions were growing stronger, and I suspect Ethan’s were as well.

“We can catch up later,” she added, almost as an afterthought before yawning very widely. A fake yawn if I ever saw one. What the hell was she playing at?

Just then I heard Alex squeal from behind the closed door, followed by a peal of laughter.

“Step away from the door, Sarah,” Ethan said calmly.

Sarah gave a nervous laugh. “You are being so melodramatic! Isn’t he, Vinnie?” She appealed to me, as if for support, and much as I loved her as Ethan’s sister, I couldn’t offer that support right this moment. I was more than a little suspicious myself.

When Ethan tried to reach behind her, Sarah yelped. “So help me, Ethan, don’t do it,” she warned him. “Please, please just trust me here. Okay?”

I could tell Ethan was not going to be swayed by her words. I was afraid I was about to witness a sibling fight such as I’d never seen between them before, and I felt helpless to stop whatever was about to happen. I laid my hand on Ethan’s arm. At the same time, I could feel Benny drawing closer.

But before anything untoward could happen, the door opened. Standing inside the doorway was a man I’d never seen before, little Alex in his arms. My blood ran cold at the sight of the intruder. My gun was in my hand, but I certainly couldn’t shoot and take a chance on hitting Alex. What sort of stand-off were we in the midst of?

And then I heard Ethan’s next words and suddenly I understood.

“James.” Ethan’s voice sounded unnaturally cold. “What the hell are you doing here?”

 to be continued

 Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

 

Wednesday Briefs: Rose and Thorne 6 #21 (5.0)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day ! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts. 

 It was bad enough to be dragged out of the hotel in the middle of the night, in the rain, but now someone is shooting at them? What is going on? See what's happening in this week's chapter of Rose and Thorne 6. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Rose and Thorne 6 #21 (5.0)

What the hell’s going on?

If the first shot had given cause for concern, the second one induced a full-blown panic attack on the part of the hotel guests. Probably the staff too. Screams punctuated by assorted expletives filled the air. I glanced up cautiously from my position shielding Benny. The fire department had their hands full preventing a stampede back into the hotel, aided in their efforts by Roanoke’s finest. Good thing they’d already been on the scene. No need to call 9-1-1.

Ethan had abandoned his quest to speak to the manager and beelined back to us, his weapon drawn, his eyes darting about the crowd, no doubt searching for the shooter. “Got him! Stay with Benny!” he yelled at me before taking off like a bat out of hell. Although I wanted to follow my lover, I remained where I was, protecting Benny. I knew Ethan could handle himself. Didn’t mean I wasn’t concerned for his welfare.

I waited anxiously for the sound of more gun shots over the cries of the panicked guests but, to my relief, none were forthcoming. Within mere minutes, a disappointed Ethan had returned to us, holstering his weapon. “Someone must have been waiting for him. He jumped into a car and disappeared before I could catch up or even get a good look at him. There was nothing I could do. Couldn’t even make out the license, damn the luck.”

I was carefully picking myself off the wet sidewalk as Ethan approached, Benny doing the same.

“Are you guys all right?” Ethan’s worried glanced scanned each of us in turn. We assured him we were fine.

“You have quick reflexes,” Benny complimented me. He patted my arm approvingly. I was amazed at how calm he was under the circumstances. Another way in which uncle and nephew were alike.

“Vinnie’s the best,” Ethan said warmly. I couldn’t help but glow at his words, whether I entirely believed them or not. He was more than a little biased when it came to me. Time to change the subject.

“So there’s at least two of them,” I speculated. “But what were they trying to accomplish?” We both glanced at Benny. A small frown now creased his forehead.

“Your ex is in custody, isn’t he?” Ethan asked. “No, scratch that, I know he is. If something had changed in that regard, Anderson would have let us know. I know better than that.”

I did too. Didn’t mean he didn’t know people on the outside who would be willing to help him get rid of Benny, though. Money talks.

As we stood there contemplating our next move, the hotel staff began to wave everybody back inside, as apparently the fire department had verified that it was safe to do so. I heard disgruntled comments of “It’s about time” and “Took them long enough” as the various groups turned toward the hotel. But the police department took control at this point. A couple of policemen were going around, collecting names and room numbers, asking what they’d seen and heard, before allowing anyone to re-enter the hotel.

I briefly considered requesting the department send us any information they collected, but I suspected no one really saw anything that would be of any use to us. Not like we didn’t have a good idea who was behind this. But the big question in my mind was how did someone find us here at the hotel?

Ethan and I exchanged uneasy glances. What if the fire had been a diversion to drive us outside? Maybe someone knew we were at the hotel, but not which room? What better way to smoke us out than by a false fire alarm?

“Maybe we shouldn’t stay here tonight after all,” Ethan suggested.

“Good thinking, but where should we go?”

As we were debating our options, we were approached by a young policeman. He gave us a warm smile as he opened his phone. “Good evening, detectives,” he greeted us. “Nasty night, eh?”

Momentarily baffled, I quickly realized we’d seen him at the station before. One of the newer recruits, he might have been just a little younger than we were. I could tell Ethan recognized him too.

“Officer Wainwright, isn’t it?” Ethan asked. I could tell the young man was pleased at having been remembered.

“Yes it is.” He nodded at Benny, who returned the gesture.

“So, was there actually a fire?” I asked. “Or was this someone’s idea of a joke?”

“Not really much of a fire,” Wainwright admitted. “More like a malfunctioning microwave. But better safe than sorry. That’s why we’re taking everyone’s information. Just to be safe.”

“Understandable,” Ethan said. He gave the young officer our names and phone numbers but deliberately made no reference to Benny and he didn’t ask.

“Thank you for your cooperation.” He slid his phone into his pocket. “See you at the station sometime.” He briefly touched his hand to his hat before moving on. Obviously we were free to go. But where?

Before we’d had a chance to debate the question, Ethan’s phone began to ring. That was concerning. Who would be calling him at this time of night?

Ethan glanced at the caller ID before answering. “Hello?” He listened intently while I fretted beside him. This could only be bad news, right?

“Thanks for calling, Laverne. We’ll head straight there.” He hung up and turned to me. “We’ve got to go home right now, Vin. One of our neighbors called in a report on a prowler outside our house. They’re responding now, but we should go too.”

Oh damn. Sarah and Alex were there alone. There was no time to waste.

 to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

Wednesday Briefs: Rose and Thorne 6 #20 (4.6)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day ! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts. 

As you'll recall, Vinnie and Ethan had said good night to Uncle Benny and were engaged in serious... conversation in their room when all hell broke loose. See what's happening in this week's chapter of Rose and Thorne 6. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Rose and Thorne 6 #20 (4.6)

“Guys, come on, fire alarm!” Benny continued to pound on our closed door, his voice rising above the sound of the alarm. Ethan and I pulled on our clothes in record time. We holstered our weapons as well and emerged fully dressed to find Benny had had the presence of mind to do the same.

“You get used to dressing quickly in prison,” he explained as we three bolted toward the exit. “You never know when you’ll be turned out for something.”

One of the first things I remember being taught in training in Illinois was that in any given situation Don’t panic. Keeping a level head could mean the difference between life and death. I imagine that had been ingrained into Ethan as well during his similar training in Georgia. To be honest, though, my boy didn’t tend to panic no matter what. Being by his side was an inspiration to me to stay calm as well.

We moved cautiously into the hallway, unsure of what we might find. There was no visible sign of a fire, neither smoke nor flames. Maybe a dozen or so guests were in the hall, most of them staying close to their rooms, as if unsure what they should to, as if they wanted someone to take charge and give them direction. When I noticed a few of the guests had broken away from the others and were headed toward the elevator, I yelled out, “Take the stairs!” One of the worst places to be during a fire was an elevator, for a number of reasons. What if the power went out? You’d be stuck inside an immobile metal box, with no way out, and you could very possibly die. Stairs, although more work because you had to climb them, were safer and didn’t require electricity.

Ethan and I automatically took charge. We began to herd everyone toward the stairs in as orderly a fashion as possible. An old man in his pajamas grumbled about people making a fuss in the middle of the night, moaning that he wanted to go back to sleep, but his feisty little old wife smacked him and told him to get his skinny ass down the stairs before it got roasted. He mumbled something that might have been yes dear and meekly followed her out.

I glanced at Ethan, whose glance was fixed on me. I knew just what he was thinking, without having to ask, and I shook my head vehemently. “That is not us!” I protested. “Never will be.” That produced a smile from him.

“That is exactly us, in fifty or sixty years, Vinnie.”

“You have a high opinion of yourself, Mr. Thorne, if you think I intend to put up with you for the next fifty or sixty years.” The last of the guests on our floor had just disappeared down the stairwell, and Benny held the fire door open, waiting on us.

Ethan’s smile only grew bigger. “Don’t worry, I’m gonna love your skinny ass forever,” he swore before giving that same ass a quick swat. “Even if it gets fat.”

“Get fat? What?” I complained. “I’ll have you know—”

But whatever I’d intended to have him know was lost in the kiss he laid on me, just before he slung his arm about my waist and we made a quick exit of our own.

 to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

 

Wednesday Briefs: Rose and Thorne 6 #16 (4.2)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day ! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts. 

Ethan and Vinnie are learning what led up to where they are now, in a hotel room with Ethan's Uncle Benny. See what's happening in this week's chapter of Rose and Thorne 6. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Rose and Thorne 6 #16 (4.2)

“Jewelry,” Benny replied. “He became obsessed with stealing some of the jewels he heard were on display. In particular, he was obsessed with something called the Blue Heart Diamond. Said it reminded him of the movie Titanic.” Benny shrugged while Ethan and I shared shocked glances. What kind of idiot was this guy?

“Out of curiosity, how did he plan to get into the Smithsonian without being caught?” Ethan asked. “I mean, they must have extensive security systems in place.” I’d been wondering the same thing myself.

“You would think so, wouldn’t you?” Benny snorted in obvious derision. “He got the idea from an ex security guard he met and seduced in some bar in San Francisco. Probably the same one where he ran into me, I don’t know. But this guy, Jeff, was bragging to Connor about how he used to work at the Smithsonian and how important he’d been there. He described these beautiful collections of jewels they had on display and how valuable they were, and how it had been his job to personally keep them safe and sound. And how sorry they all were when he left. He was probably trying to make himself look like a big man, but all Connor saw were dollar signs. And doing what he loved to do best—steal. Except on a whole new level. I’m sure Jeff never knew what hit him. By the time Connor was through with him, the poor sap probably didn’t know up from down.”

A moment of silence passed. I couldn’t help but think Benny was referring to himself as well as the other guy. Despite his outwardly calm demeanor, I had to believe he was furious on the inside at what he’d allowed himself to get into all those years ago.

“Let me guess,” Ethan spoke up. “This Jeff guy still knew people who worked there and was sure he could get one of them to let them in after hours.”

Ethan’s hypothesis brought a smile to Benny’s lips. “That was pretty much his scheme, yes. I guess he never thought about the internal security measures that must be in place that would have to be bypassed as well.”

“So what did you do then?” Ethan asked. He seemed to be hanging on his uncle’s every word. I could tell how much he’d missed the man, and I couldn’t help but be glad they’d been reunited. Too bad it had to be under these circumstances.

“At first I wasn’t sure what exactly to do,” Benny admitted. He smoothed down his fuzzy red moustache, first one side then the other, before continuing. “I knew I wasn’t going to help Connor do anything much less anything so stupid and illegal, but I wanted to be sure I was turning him in to the right agency too. I finally ended up calling an eight hundred number and they put me through to some anonymous agent, who took down some basic information and told me someone would be in touch. So I just waited, hoping they didn’t take too long to get back to me.  Not long after that, I finally got a call from a different agent, and we arranged to meet. I told him Connor’s whole stupid plan. By that time, the date of the robbery was only a couple of weeks away. I had to admit, I was on pins and needles, wondering if I was about to get myself into another huge mess, an even bigger one than the first one. I knew I wasn’t going to get off so easy the second time, and I was quite frankly getting worried. But everything went surprisingly well. Connor and Jeff and I all flew to DC, and on the appointed night, we went to the Smithsonian and we were all apprehended in the act.”

“Wow,” Ethan exclaimed. “That is so… amazing. I’m glad everything worked out well, Benny, and you didn’t get in trouble, and I’m so happy to see you again.” It warmed my heart to hear the love in Ethan’s voice for his uncle. Ethan was more about family than I was, I had to admit. Although I did like his mother and sister, I still wasn’t used to the concept of family outside of my own mother. It was nice to see the bond that obviously existed between uncle and nephew.

“There’s still something I don’t understand, though,” Ethan said.  “How did you end up getting Vinnie and me as security? That can’t be a coincidence, surely? I mean, of all the agents in the country, how were we assigned to you?”

“You can thank your boss for that,” Benny said. “Apparently when I was in the process of being transferred here, he got a hold of my file and recognized my name and somehow made the connection between us. He met me at the airport and brought me here. That’s when I found out that you were one of his agents.  Your mom had mentioned you were in law enforcement. We just hadn’t had a chance to go into the details.  I am so proud of you, Ethan. I always knew you’d do well, and you certainly have.”

I knew Ethan was blushing even before I glanced his way. The next moment, Benny was hugging us again, before taking his seat once more.

“And I mean both professionally and personally.”

Now it was my turn to blush. “Ethan’s the best thing to ever happen to me,” I blurted out without thinking. Well, it was true, even if it took me a long time to realize it.

Ethan took my hand and squeezed it. “That goes for me too,” he said.

Of course our mutual declaration resulted in another round of Guinness. I promised myself it would be the last. Not that I expected anything bad might happen, but we did need to be on guard at all times. Ethan must have read my mind.

“Last call,” he said.

to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

Wednesday Briefs: Rose and Thorne 6 #15 (4.1)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day ! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.  

The saga of Ethan's Uncle Benny continues in this week's chapter of Rose and Thorne 6. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what they're up to! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Rose and Thorne 6 #15 (4.1)

Surely I hadn’t heard Benny correctly. “The Smithsonian? Like in Washington DC? That Smithsonian?”

Benny chuckled, probably at the look of disbelief on my face. “Yep, that one,” he confirmed.

Ethan gave a low whistle. “That guy certainly has delusions of grandeur, doesn’t he? What made him think he could pull off something like that? I mean, he got caught just robbing a bank?”

Benny nodded. “That he did. And he even served more time than I did. Maybe that’s the problem. He talked to some guys where he was, and he believed some of the stories they told him. You’d be amazed how much guys in prison will lie just to keep from being bored.” He shook his head. “And why he thought I was a good choice to help him with his little project, I’ll never know. Maybe just because I was there. And maybe he thought he could manipulate me the way he did all those years ago.”

Benny paused, and for a moment, his expression seemed far away and distant, as if he was remembering his younger, more foolish self. “Well, once he explained it to me, how could I resist the opportunity to really screw him over but good?”

“I can certainly understand that,” Ethan said and I nodded my agreement.

“Okay, quiz time,” Benny said. “Do you know who controls the Smithsonian?”

Ethan and I looked at one another. I knew I didn’t know the answer to that question, and I wasn’t sure Ethan did either, judging by his blank look.

“I would assume some sort of board of regents,” he said. “I’m not exactly sure how museums work. I’m sure Sarah would know.”

I’d completely forgotten that Ethan’s sister worked at a history museum. Or at least she did at one time. I wasn’t sure what she was doing now, other than trying to hook up with her baby daddy.

“True, very true, but this is no ordinary board of regents,” Benny told us. “This is a rather prestigious group indeed. One that consists of the vice president, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, three members of the Senate, three members of the House of Representatives, and nine citizens.”

Well, that was impressive. I had no idea, and neither did Ethan, But he was quicker drawing conclusions regarding that new knowledge than I was. My boy is certainly brilliant, I’ll hand him that.

“So what he did was automatically a federal crime. Or rather what he wanted to do. I suspect you kept that from happening.”

Benny broke into a very broad grin as he pointed one finger at Ethan. “Bingo! Right you are! You’d think he would have learned after the first time. Not like robbing a bank isn’t a federal crime too. That man is not the brightest bulb in the chandelier by any means.”

I had a feeling that part of that critique was meant to apply to Benny himself, for falling for that asshole’s particular brand of bullshit. But I wasn’t about to point that out. I was no psychologist, not even of the armchair variety.

“You were young,” Ethan said softly. “Doesn’t make you stupid.” What did I tell you? Sexy and perceptive.

“Thank you,” Benny quietly replied, and for a moment, nothing was spoken.

At that point, my curiosity got the better of me as I broke the silence. “What exactly did he intend to steal from a museum the size of the Smithsonian? And how did he possibly think he could get away with it?”

 to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

 

 

Wednesday Briefs: Rose and Thorne 6 #14 (3.4)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day ! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.  

Ethan and Vinnie have been assigned to protect Ethan's Uncle Benny because he's a witness. Uncle Benny's story continues in this week's chapter of Rose and Thorne 6. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Rose and Thorne 6 #14 (3.4)

“Is Connor McKenzie the reason you’re here now?” Ethan asked when his uncle paused for breath.

Clearly Ethan and I were on the same wavelength.

Benny nodded. I thought I caught a glimpse of anger in his eyes, but that was quickly extinguished. “Connor McKenzie is absolutely the reason I am here with you now. And before I tell you the next part, I really would like a drink. How about you?”

Despite our earlier argument that we were working, I decided I was game if Ethan was game. Not like we didn’t drink on the job when it was required, especially when we were in Florida chasing the Mangler, going from bar to bar with our then-partner Eva June. Also, we were no doubt in for the night with no intentions of leaving the hotel, so no driving would be involved. We could always order in if we needed anything the hotel couldn’t provide.

Ethan agreed so Benny called Room Service and before long we were each holding an ice cold bottle of Guinness stout and listening as Benny continued to tell his tale.

“Well, as I said, Connor was exceedingly attractive and oh so charming. He knew how to get exactly what he wanted from anyone. Including me, obviously. I’m sure that’s why when I accidentally ran into him just a couple of years ago he assumed he could work his wiles on me once more and the past would be at least forgotten, if not forgiven. He’s just that kind of narcissist. Unfortunately for him, I’d learned my lesson during the five years I spent in prison because of him, and I had become immune to his considerable charms. I had no intention of forgetting, much less forgiving. To be honest, when he first approached me, I wanted nothing to do with him and I almost told him where he could go and what he could do when he got there. But then curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to find out what he was up to before I gave him the big heave-ho. Maybe save some other poor sucker from suffering the same fate that I had.”

He took another long breath before raising the bottle to his lips, regarding Ethan over the rim with a somewhat distant gaze before finally speaking again.

“I think you were about sixteen the last time I saw you, does that sound right?”

Ethan nodded.

“Ten years. What a difference time makes, right? The things that we take for granted now… well, they weren’t always that way. I guess I was naïve to think if I came out I’d be accepted for who I was, at least by my own family. And don’t think I blame Maureen, cause I don’t,” he hastily added, although I’m sure Ethan hadn’t been about to accuse him of that. “Your mother wasn’t happy at all with Joe and the things he said when he threw me out and told me never to return. I think his exact words were never darken my doorstep again!”

I couldn’t help but smile as Benny executed a perfect imitation of Joseph Thorne’s deep ministerial voice, and I noticed Ethan did the same. Benny winked at us before turning serious once more.

“I know Maureen had no choice. She was his wife, what could she do?” He shrugged. “Different times. Since then, she’s told me over and over how sorry she was that she didn’t stand up to him, but I get it. I really do. I’m just glad she didn’t let your father walk all over you and Vinnie.”

‘You can thank Vinnie for that.” Ethan’s voice held an unmistakable note of pride, one that warmed me to my core. “You should have seen him. Vinnie stood up to him and told him exactly what he thought of him. And Joe Jr too, and Heather.”

“That must have been quite the sight.” Benny chuckled. “Wish I could have been there.”

“Do you think you ran into this guy again by accident? Or maybe it was planned?” Seemed like a strange coincidence to me.

“Oh yes, I’m sure it was,” Benny assured us. “You should have seen his face when he first saw me. For just a moment, I thought he was going to shit himself. Then his inner snake took charge and butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. No one knew where I was. Not my own family, much less anyone else. And certainly not any mutual acquaintances, cause I hadn’t kept touch with them either.”

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” Ethan said sincerely. “If you don’t mind my asking, what were you doing all those years? How did you get by?”

“I don’t mind,” Benny said. “I have nothing to hide.” He drained his bottle of beer and reached for another. “I did a lot of traveling. Here there and everywhere. Doing whatever I could. Construction, retail… spent some time as a line cook for a restaurant in San Francisco. Worked on a fishing boat in Seattle. Even worked on a ranch for a little while.  It’s a beautiful country we have, you know, and I was privileged to be able to see a lot of it. But honestly, I’ve missed Georgia. I’m glad to be going home, although I wish the circumstances could be better. But at any rate, it was in San Francisco that we ran into each other. In a gay bar, of all places. I recognized him right away. Same pretty face, same rotten interior.” He gave a self-deprecating laugh.

“I let him think bygones were bygones as he plied me with drinks. But I was too smart to let myself get drunk and let him manipulate me. So I volunteered to get the drinks from the bar, and I told the bartender to make mine virgin and double his.”

He paused for effect. “Imagine my surprise when he said we would knock over the Smithsonian.”

 to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are doing!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb