Let Him Sizzle There’s nothing like a dry martini at thirty thousand feet to set the mood. Edwin Manning, normally not much of a drinker, sips the icy vodka and decides that he has, finally, taken charge of himself, if not the whole nightmare situation. His twenty-four-hour emotional meltdown has...
The boy had been awake for hours past his bedtime, fretting about his mother, who he calls Mi Ma. He’s a smart kid—some sort of musical genius or prodigy—and he knows that something is terribly wrong, how could he not? Spirited away from his piano class and put in the care of strangers, flown hal...
That’s the name on the card. Randall Shane. Sounds vaguely familiar, but I can’t think why. Soon after giving me the card, Ms. Savalo locks her briefcase and prepares to leave, eager to return the borrowed Honda and, no doubt, to get on with her regular life, whatever that might be. I’ve no idea ...
And notice, for the first time, evidence of some- thing he’s hiding. Something he keeps dark and deep and does not want to share. “It’s a form of stress-induced insomnia,” he explains, studying the saltshaker. “I’ve been the subject of at least two papers on sleep disorder.” “You’re serious,” I s...
Something About The BoyAs it turns out, torture isn’t necessary. Or not much of it. The Barlows have seen the error of their ways and are eager to cooperate. If Vash understands them correctly, and the whimpering makes it difficult, their defense is that Ruler Weems made them do it. They’re cluel...