Angler: Ruphass

Submission to a Iced

And the ice pick sticking out of her right eyeball didn’t help. Was that grisly detail supposed to be a message to Schmidt? Or a frame job?
               Lilli’s beauty remained, even as a gruesome corpse. Bitch – absolutely; beauty – undeniably. Schmidt and Lilli met ten years ago at a Star Trek convention. She was painted green and dressed as an Orion slave girl. He was geek out as Spock and attended on a dare. She thought his ears were cute. He thought she was hot in any color. S...

Submission to a Iced

Fortunately, Icepick missed Detective Batista’s visit, but he would have to respond today. Don’t want to look like you’re not eager to help solve dearly departed Lilli’s murder. Hey, who the hell is going to get my ocean view penthouse now? Bet that bitch left it to her damn cat. A bit of prep couldn’t hurt. Tidy up a few ends before calling Batista. Icepick hit Ramona’s number on his iphone.

“Hello. I’m tied up right now. Leave a message.” Beep.

“Hi Hon. I’d like to...

Submission to a Iced

The warm-hearted detachment Icepick could generate for dead vagrants didn't apply to Lilli. They were a blank slate ripe for sympathy and any hard luck back-story Icepick fantasized as he prepped their carcasses for burial. She was known commodity. A self-serving bitch. They didn’t have anyone who cared anymore. She took those who cared and stabbed the humanity out of them with her four inch stilettos. Icepick didn’t mourn Lilli; he mourned his fantasy of Lilli. That’s what she had in comm...

Submission to a Destiny's Annex

Submission to a Allie's Choice

pull the covers over them and pretend they could stay in their own universe, complete and serene. Nothing existed outside the bedroom at this perfect moment. Allie nuzzled Drew’s neck. He didn’t stir; he slept contented. She snuggled closer and dozed.

When Allie awoke, she was alone. Again. That’s the problem with Drew. The moment never lasted. He was magical when he was with her, but a mystery when he was away. His cryptic explanations of his “other” life never satisfied her. H...

Submission to a Becca's Roots

Maybe you can purchase character at an art gallery, Becca thought as she entered Sublime. It sure looks like that ‘s what half of the clientele was doing at the exhibit tonight. Plenty of characters, mostly pretty empty, snapping up oils to impress themselves, something to hang in the foyers of their McMansions. But a few, the ones who didn’t give a shit what everyone else thinks, they had the kind of character that matters. Like Mitch, Mitchell Blair.

“Mitch, enjoying the exhib...

Submission to a Destiny's Annex

Submission to a Allie's Choice

Tommy pushed through the door. “Mom, what am I gonna wear to school today?”

“I don’t know, Tommy. What do you want to wear?” Allie grinned and took him in with her eyes. The bed-head hair, playful eyes, and lanky limbs looked exactly like the man who just lunged out the front door wearing only pants. If Drew had gotten a glimpse of Tommy, he would have known Allie was lying about his genetics.

Submission to a Destiny's Annex

“So where will they be going?” asked Ando.
“Staple it, ass wipe,” Dap replied. “You don’t need to know.”
“Where will you and I be going?”
“I’m going on an outer galactic moon beach vacation. You can go where you like, as long as it’s past the third boundary of the Outland. And you need to stay gone for at least six months. Got it?” Dap locked eyes on Ando.
Ando squirmed. “I’m not going with you?”
“Staple it or you’ll be leaving sooner than planned.”

Submission to a Becca's Roots

“Humph. Typical cowboy. Might work with some of the buyers. Don’t count on it working with me. Let’s get out there and sell some art. You may not care about the money, but I need the commission. Rent’s due in a few weeks.”

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to offend you.”

“Hell, honey, I know it was a compliment,” Becca winked, then added in her best drawl, “Betcha say that to ALL the girls.”

Submission to a Destiny's Annex

Submission to a Destiny's Annex

Rinbin remained in the room with Ando and Dap. He eyed the two, capturing the visual images and transmitting them through the transceiver. As he slowly approached the captors, he resumed singing.

Ando’s large eyes watered. He stumbled into a wall, weakened.

Dap smirked. “Staple it, blue boy. That shit won’t work on me. Only idiots fall for your melodious parlor tricks.” Dap pulled a stasis rifle from under his coat and took aim on Rinbin.

“But why do you wa...

Submission to a Destiny's Annex

Inside the transport, Dap produced a syringe from his pocket, removed the protective tip and plunged its contents into Matt’s neck. Matt collapsed like a ragdoll.

“Here, sit on him.” Dap shoved Matt’s limp body onto Ando. “He should stay out until we reach Destiny’s Annex, but keep an eye on him anyway.”

One of the other transport passengers overhead Dap and asked, “Destiny’s Annex? That’s what we’ve all been standing in line for. We have special invitation. At least ...

Submission to a Iced

Dirk’s direct line rang. He answered, “Detective Greer.”

“Hey that lawyer, Schmidt, he made a visit to Sunset Horizons Mortuary. Left in kind of a hurry. We lost him on the freeway heading south.”

“Lost him? How hard can it be to tail a real estate attorney?”

“He drove like he made us and wanted to get away.”

“All right, have a car sit on his place. Let me know when he returns.”

Dirk slammed the phone down. Lost a damn paper pusher, he t...

Submission to a Iced

Dirk’s direct line rang. He answered, “Detective Greer.”

“Hey that lawyer, Schmidt, he made a visit to Sunset Horizons Mortuary. Left in kind of a hurry. We lost him on the freeway heading south.”

“Lost him? How hard can it be to tail a real estate attorney?”

“He drove like he made us and wanted to get away.”

“All right, have a car sit on his place. Let me know when he returns." Dirk slammed the phone down. Lost a damn paper pusher, he thought.

Submission to a Iced

“Well, I certainly hope so, Miss Tiberri.” Dirk almost drooled.

“About Ice, I mean Schmidt. He didn’t do it.” Pinky lowered her chin and gazed into Dirks eyes.

“Oh, and why would you come in here to tell me that?”

“He was with me.”

“Oh,” Dirk drooped.

“Well, not with me that way, but in the same place,” she glanced at him sideways.

“Oh,” Dirk raised his head and puffed his chest. “Have a seat and tell me about ...

Submission to a Becca's Roots

Josh stuffed an extra pair of jeans and a couple of shirts into a carryon and grabbed a few items off the bathroom counter. Not a heavy packer. “Hell with those New York yahoos. I’m not playin’ puppet for them,” he thought. He lit a cigarette and headed to his studio for paint supplies.

Becca arrived at the gallery, head spinning. Kendra looked up from her desk. “Missy. Just look at you. Can’t tell if you look like you’re going to church or a whore house. What’s that combination...

Submission to a Vampires' Buffet

Margaret mumbled to herself, “Jeez. Humans and vamps in the same room after supper time. When are they gonna let us get some sleep? I’d go back to sleepin’ on the street ‘cept my bones are too tired for concrete and cardboard. Need a damn bed.” She continued talking to no one else, and sauntered into the women’s sleeping area. “Shelter for street people. Damn, I’d go back to dumpster divin’ ‘cept I can’t climb into the good bins anymore.”

Submission to a Vampires' Buffet

“Asshole.” Dante stood, squaring his shoulders and lifting his chin. “At least I’m not trying to be something I’m not. Hypocrites.” He rounded the corner and found Candice leaning against the wall.

“Took you long enough.”

“For what?”

“To know there’s nothing wrong with being who you really are.”

“Yeah, what were those crazy homophobe vamps thinking? Fresh blood every night and no one looking for missing homeless people. It’s a brilliant plan. They just don’t k...

Submission to a Iced

After Icepick found the incriminating tool in the duststirred up by Pinky’s fast exit, he looked around inside the Escondido warehouse.What else was just lying around waiting to frame him?

The space reeked of bird droppings, all that was left afterPinky’s emergency evacuation. What the hell was she up to now? He finished thewalk through and lit another cigarette. He called her phone, but it wentstraight to voicemail. “Damn it Pinky. Where are you and what are you doing? Ifyou think ...

Submission to a Allie's Choice

“You‘rebluffing.  You don‘t have my daughter.“

            Drew patted his pocketsagain.  “You got me.  I don‘t have her...on me.“

            Footsteps pounded up thestairs and Chooch burst into the room panting and gasping for air.  “Boss, Deke is dead and the boy is gone.“

            “Shit!  Get the girl.“

            Chooch ran out the room.

            “Tell me where my ledgers are,or I kil...

Submission to a Cold Heat

Well, playing dead. His young master, Blake, dreamed of being a famous dog trainer, and Daniel Beam would be his star. Blake bragged to his friends that Beamer would be amazing in 10 days. Nine days later, as show time approached, Blake feared he’d be so embarrassed that he’d have to hide out the rest of the summer. The first performance of “The Amazing Daniel Beam, Dog Extraordinaire” promised to be the end of his dog-training career.