James Pyles's Blog, page 180
November 15, 2017
Burning Bridges
Devon had been lucky to get away before the police came. The bounty hunter killed or maimed twelve heavily armed men when she escaped. He got away with a broken arm. Time to erase his tracks both in Chicago and here in Iowa City. It would look like an accidental oven fire. All records […]
November 13, 2017
The Colonials
“Wallace, I’ve seen your evidence and the supporting papers, but they don’t explain one critical piece of information.” “Like if the Chinese had visited America frequently and in numbers from 1,300 BC until 500 AD, why didn’t they colonize, right Hendricks?” This was a frequent argument between the British and Native American archeologists, however Hendricks […]
Hellspite
“Why the bloody hell wasn’t I notified earlier? Never mind that. I want every available agent to comb Orly. Thomas might still be in the airport. And get people on her daughter’s disappearance. I don’t mean the local police, I mean our people. Tell them they don’t need warrants, they just need to produce results.” […]
November 12, 2017
Audrey of the Sewers
“Hey, kid.” Twelve-year-old Jeff Edwards was crossing the street when he heard it. “Down here.” He looked down at the sewer drain. “Come a little closer.” “What the…?” “Wait! It’s not what you think.” Jeff stopped. The drain was securely grated so he figured nothing could get out. Then he felt something. A little vine […]
November 11, 2017
The Acropolis by Night
“You know we could be shot for this Manolis.” “You’re worried about a Nazi bullet, Stefanos? How about we don’t fall first and break our necks.” “I’d rather break my neck than hide like a coward from those bastards even one more day.” The two teens faced the dangers of climbing to the uppermost point […]
November 10, 2017
Far Too Late
“God knows I never meant to hurt you…I never meant take it that far…” He was the perfect man for her but she was born far too late. Alec Bristol (born Archibald Leech) died of a stroke when he was 82 years old. Throughout his entire film career, he was the quintessential leading man, suave, […]
November 9, 2017
The Man in the Dark
Autumn 2017 – London “Here’s what we’ve got from your video and description of the suspect. Amanda Thomas, 48 years old, born Zuhal Amanda Clarke, Father George Sanford Clarke, British, a nationally syndicated columnist and novelist, Mother Aliya Fowler, moderately successful painter of mixed English-Arab descent.” Mikiko expected to be debriefed or briefed or whatever in […]
November 8, 2017
First Flight
The Present – Salerno, Italy The young Japanese woman looked as if she were just another curious spectator in the crowd watching the corpses being offloaded from the vessel sent to retrieve them from the Mediterranean Sea. Mikiko Jahn felt the tears welling up behind her eyes and almost overwhelming grief and anger like a […]
Murder at 900 North Michigan
Mikiko left her room at the Four Seasons reluctantly ready to kill the assassin-for-hire called Sandman. MI6 learned his condo was on the 29th floor. Her contact arranged the Glock. She’d never met Sandman, but she knew his victim’s scent from last month’s encounter. Mikiko barely survived a nuclear accident six years ago and […]
November 7, 2017
The Sculptor with a Long Memory
“Dragons? Why?” “A lad back at the shop makes them. Pretty good advertising, eh?” Norstar Recyclers Director Paul Sweet was showing off the artwork to his neighbor Quentin Choi. “I guess so, Paul. Seems bit fanciful. What else does he do?” “Specializes in extinct beasts. Working on a Stegodon right now. Says it reminds him […]
