Clues Blues
Hunter Cooley
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“We got ourselves in a rough spot, Ms. Dutchess. Give it to me straight.”
Spade barked.
“I told you. That’s all I know, Mr. Spade.”
“Tuesday. Run me through it.”
“I was in bed, sir.”
“Out by 2 p.m.? Must have had something on your mind.”
“Can’t a girl get some beauty sleep?”
“You’d need a coma for that mug.”
Ms. Dutchess was appalled.
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you how to treat a lady?”
“I’m asking the questions.”
Spade rolled over the conversation.
“Grapevine spotted you prowling around that night.”
“Who said that?”
“Spot did.”
“And you’d believe that hound? You call yourself a detective?”
“Not as far as I can throw him.”
“Then why are you wasting my time, Spade?”
“Nothing’s ever black and white.”
“Ironic.”
Spade growled.
“Drop the act. I know you saw the perp. Spill!”
“That night had nothing to do with it!”
“So you do know something.”
“Well… I…”
The cat was out of the bag.
“Spit it out!”
“He’s a tall man. Came to the door that afternoon. He has a large bag and leaves paper at the door every day.”
“Paper? Every day?”
“Yes, every day. But I swear, that’s all I know!”
Spade turned to the window. Stared at nothing. This case would be the death of him.
Then, like fate, he made his appearance. A tall man with a large bag of… Paper?
“I’ll be a son of a bitch…”
Spade launched at the door on all fours.
Ms. Dutchess pounced to safety.
He barked and barked, tail wagging.
His owner came down the stairs.
“Spade! Down boy! It’s just the mailman!”
__________
Jaskier the rat, named after a character from the Witcher Saga.
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Hunter Cooley is a twenty-five-year-old from Virginia. He enjoys writing flash fiction as a lunch break hobby between washing cars for pocket change. He loves playing guitar and video games.
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