My still sleep-groggy brain zipped around like a lightning bug. Tony? Oh, Tony. He was one of the artists at the co-op, a metal sculptor who worked part time as a welder and sometimes, like Olivia, as a bartender. Was he the artist overseer of the week? My heart started pounding. Had something ha...
LAND OF sunflowers, golden wheat fields, occasional roads of brick (though none yellow as far as I could see), and the more-than-occasional tornado. Tornados were specifically on my mind that sunny but cool California Central Coast Saturday morning in July, since I’d just awakened from a dream fe...
With everyone getting ready for Mardi Gras, I had to wait twenty minutes just to reach the front of the line.“Oh, hi, Benni,” Cathy said, her pale blond hair disheveled, her china blue eyes already glassy with fatigue. “Your costume’s all ready. I hope you like it. It’s one of my new ones.” She c...
I finally gave up trying to find street parking and settled for a space on the top of the new four-story municipal parking garage. The air was pungent with the smell of coffee and cinnamon and car exhaust. Gangs of students bunched in front of every open coffeehouse and cafe. School had only been...
Though the murder happened too late to make the Tribune, it had been carried on the local morning news. Naturally my first phone call was from Emory.“I’m goin’ to take your name out of my will,” he said, his Arkansas drawl thicker than normal this morning, probably because he hadn’t had his requi...
I grunted at Dove’s “Good morning” and headed straight for the coffeepot. She floured her hands and started kneading the huge lump of dough on the counter, all the while getting on my case about what happened at the parade.“I don’t want you going back to town.” She smacked the white lump with a p...
Rich said as we bumped along the gravel road toward Parkfield. It was open range, and I had to stop more than once for a lazy heifer or bull wandering across the road to where the alfalfa was undoubtedly greener. Above us, turkey vultures swooped low in the sweet-tasting air, so close we could al...
She had already left for work and Sophie was staying with her abuelita Aragon. Emory and I sat on the wide front porch in matching Shaker-style rocking chairs. It reminded me of his dad’s house in Sugartree where he and I had spent long, hot Arkansas afternoons in the deep shadows of their Victor...
“I bet he was referring to Levi,” I said. “Remember how he was against Levi getting the job?” “He’s a jackass,” Gabe said mildly, not as upset about the remark as I was. I poured maple syrup on my oatmeal. “I wonder who he was talking to.” Gabe sipped his coffee, his expression mild. “Who cares?”...
“Save me,” the voice on the phone whispered. I jerked the instrument underneath the down comforter. Perfect temperature control was shattered, causing me to growl at my caller. “Go away.” “You’re my last chance.” It was a harsh, old voice, as ratchety as a Las Vegas Wheel of Fortune. I laughed in...