Post by Cullyn Of Cerrmor on Dec 15, 2015 12:31:26 GMT 9.5
Story Special: “Leaf” by Katharine Kerr
Editor’s note: As a holiday treat, Book View Cafe is happy to share a short story by Katharine Kerr featuring her psychic detective, Nola O’Grady.
I saw the case first on the local news websites. “Prominent Bay Area Developer found dead!” the headline ran, above a picture of Albert Harlander from the files: bald, chubby, smiling, little pig eyes gleaming with corruption. My dad had worked in construction for years in San Francisco, and we all knew that if Harlander could save a buck by cheating his illegal immigrant labor, or using sub-grade materials and slapdash construction methods, he would. Among the permit and oversight departments at various city halls, he wasn’t known as “Baksheesh Bert” for nothing. The news article stank of murder with its vague hints about mysterious circumstances and unexplained details, but it lacked concrete information.
I remember that his cheese-paring way of working had killed a roofer not long before. If the guy’s relatives had returned the favor, I couldn’t blame them. My main reaction: thank god the case wasn’t mine to solve! When the police began digging into Harlander’s business dealings, a lot of influential people in San Francisco and San Jose were going to do their best to make their official lives miserable. Lullabies would have nothing on the “hush, hush” that the cops were going to hear. --- I went to see if Melissa, Archie's mum, was home as she has a sewing machine and I wanted to see if I could use it, Henry told me that she was still at work so I said I would come back later to see her.
Around 2:00pm Nick went to Healey's place to play Cricket, Archie and Henry went with him, Nick came home at 3:00pm to watch the end of WWE Monday Night Raw but he did not see if Melissa was home or not so I will have to go check myself in a few minutes.
Click Here to Read More:
Editor’s note: As a holiday treat, Book View Cafe is happy to share a short story by Katharine Kerr featuring her psychic detective, Nola O’Grady.
I saw the case first on the local news websites. “Prominent Bay Area Developer found dead!” the headline ran, above a picture of Albert Harlander from the files: bald, chubby, smiling, little pig eyes gleaming with corruption. My dad had worked in construction for years in San Francisco, and we all knew that if Harlander could save a buck by cheating his illegal immigrant labor, or using sub-grade materials and slapdash construction methods, he would. Among the permit and oversight departments at various city halls, he wasn’t known as “Baksheesh Bert” for nothing. The news article stank of murder with its vague hints about mysterious circumstances and unexplained details, but it lacked concrete information.
I remember that his cheese-paring way of working had killed a roofer not long before. If the guy’s relatives had returned the favor, I couldn’t blame them. My main reaction: thank god the case wasn’t mine to solve! When the police began digging into Harlander’s business dealings, a lot of influential people in San Francisco and San Jose were going to do their best to make their official lives miserable. Lullabies would have nothing on the “hush, hush” that the cops were going to hear. --- I went to see if Melissa, Archie's mum, was home as she has a sewing machine and I wanted to see if I could use it, Henry told me that she was still at work so I said I would come back later to see her.
Around 2:00pm Nick went to Healey's place to play Cricket, Archie and Henry went with him, Nick came home at 3:00pm to watch the end of WWE Monday Night Raw but he did not see if Melissa was home or not so I will have to go check myself in a few minutes.
Click Here to Read More: