Sunday, May 24, 2015

BSP Sample Sunday: "BURNING QUESTIONS" in "Mind Slices" collection

 A lot of my stuff crosses genres. I never set out to do that and certainly didn't in this case. I just had this idea that was part science fiction --- at least it still is right now --- and part mystery. This piece was to appear in a couple of different anthologies that never got going as a reprint after it won an "Honorable Mention" in Mysterical-E’s “Skeletons in the Closet” contest in the fall of 2007. That led to it being published online at the site in the summer of 2008.

I am still very proud of that win. I thought today I would give you a small sample of the story and hope that it will entice you to buy the book.

BURNING QUESTIONS

“So, what do you think, Marcus?”

Detective Marcus Freeman shot his cuffs for the fourth time in five minutes and fellow Detective Steve Washburn knew it was just a matter of time before he could make another mark on his pad. In the last hour Freeman had shot his cuffs nineteen times. Some might see such activities as a reflection that the clothes did not fit the man. Steve knew that it was just another sign of Freeman’s nauseating vanity. Unlike the Vampire legend, Freeman was able to check his image in every reflective surface.

“It’s a slam dunk,” Freeman said confidently.

Steve didn’t think much of the comment or his complex analysis of the case.  Actually, Steve didn’t think much of Marcus Freeman at all and just barely tolerated the sycophant. But, with the new Division Commander sitting there grading everything as his beady little eyes watched them both above his hawkish nose, Steve had to ask. Playing politics wasn’t his thing and Steve hated every second of it. Freeman should have been in sales because all he cared about was his personal image and what he could do by hook or crook to get ahead.

Detectives were supposed to speak for the dead and Detective Marcus Freeman couldn’t be bothered. The dead and their families weren’t people to him but just numbers and stats he used to justify his naked ambition. He wasn’t a real detective in the true sense of the concept but more like a celluloid Hollywood image of a snappy cop leading some task force. He didn’t look the real life part with his expensive clothes, his silver Porsche, and gold Rolex watch. Steve found himself doodling dollar signs in a cross-hair target and stopped himself as he shifted in his uncomfortable institutional chair trying to pay attention. He wanted to-- he needed to--be out working cases. Instead he was wasting his time in meetings.

“It’s a slam dunk. Open and shut case without a doubt and we can take it off the books today in favor of the good guys.” Freeman touched his lapel pin and went on, his confident voice grating on Steve’s already raw nerves. “We know he did it and he is going to the injection chamber. Six, seven months if they don’t fill the backorder fast enough and he is done.”

“Maybe.”

Steve hadn’t realized he had spoken aloud until he looked up in the silence to see both men staring at him.

“Maybe, Detective?”

“Maybe, Commander. I’ve seen enough cases go wrong that I don’t believe in the media myth of slam dunks.”

Freeman rolled his eyes and Steve looked away in irritation. Steve knew he should have not said a word but lately his irritation with all the nonsense and stupidity seemed to be getting worse.
He glanced down and realized he had drawn a small ferret with the Division Commander’s face on top of it. The face was very visible and remarkably life like despite being much bigger than the animal’s body. This sudden urge to doodle had to stop. He quickly turned the pad away and doodled over the top of the drawing trying to hide it. It only seemed to get worse and draw more attention to it as both men flicked their eyes down at the pad and then at each other. Freeman glanced back at Steve, snorted, and then his normal condescending tone got worse as he performed for the Division Commander.

“Sir, we have his DNA from the scene, we have the weapon, we have the ballistics match, we have the body and of course, we have the MindTell™ recording.”

Steve shook his head and Freeman raised his eyebrows.

“Assuming the court lets us use the MindTell™. If they don’t, all we have is the body, a weapon, and a suspect. The residue test came back inconclusive and of course, after working there for years, his friggin DNA was at the scene.” 

Steve looked back and forth between the two men and clearly neither one grasped the scope of the problem. Steve’s voice rose slightly as he tried to make the apparently elusive point one more time.

“If you swabbed and scanned the whole building, you would find it everywhere. Besides that, we don’t know why he did it!”


If you liked the above sample, there are 15 more short stories in Mind Slices: A Collection of New and Previously Published Stories. With ten four and five star reviews the book is a mix of fantasy, science fiction, and mystery with many stories containing elements of more than one genre. $2.99 it is available online at:

 
If you have not yet read the book, I hope you take a chance on it. If you have read it and have yet to review it, please do. Positive, negative, or something in between is fine with me.

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