Member-only story
A murder mystery (a parody with apologies to Raymond Chandler)
Farewell Barley June
Chapter 10: Finding Malo
Harlow’s yellow Thunderbird rolls into a casita courtyard on Green Tree Drive. She slips out of the car without closing the door. She draws her weapon and moves to the front door, which is slightly ajar. She nudges it open and slips in.
The living room is empty. She covers the house, both hands on her gun. She sees spilled liquid all over the floor. When she walks into the kitchen, she sees a quart bottle of beer smashed on the linoleum next to Etano Mulalo, who lies dead on the floor with a bloody gash on his neck.
“Malo…”
It’s late at night. Harlow looks out at the city view from her office window. The lights, the traffic, and the silence on the streets below are a poignant reminder of how lonely this city can be. She looks at the front page of the LA Times on her desk. Alfred Caldwell hugs Emma, and the headline reads: Billionaire reunited with missing niece, can now die happy.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about old man Caldwell. All his money and no quality of life. The ‘no quality of life’ kept banging around in my head. Times like these made me think about my old friend, Jack Daniels.” She sinks back in her chair, staring into the…
