A Bit of a Twist

By SmokingPenPress

The twelve short stories presented in A Bit of A Twist are each mostly normal and ordinary, but somewhere in the story is a twist. In “David’s Not Here”, “Marriage Counselor”, “Down Home”, “River Road”, “Happily Ever After”, and “Blind Date”, the ending takes a bit of a twist from what you were probably expecting. “The Chateau de Puyguilhem” and “The Wish” take stories you’re already familiar with, and give the whole thing a bit of a twist. “Reunion”, “Eternal Youth”, and “Aliens Among Us” each have a bit of a mental twist. And “Air of Authority” shows what happens when you twist around words.
As you read these stories, you will also discover that many of them involve some degree of revenge. Because, after all, what is revenge but twisting someone’s own actions back on them?
And as always, each story in the Read on the Run series of anthologies is short, to suit your busy lifestyle.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Smoking Pen Press
• Release date: Jul 5, 2017
• ISBN: 9781944289065

Book preview

A Bit of a Twist

Read on the Run

Anthology

The Asylum

Jeffrey B. Burton

Tracy Falenwolfe

Laurie Axinn Gienapp

Charles Gramlich

R. S. Leergaard

Robert Petyo

Jacqueline Seewald

Loni Townsend

Catherine Valenti

Andrew Wentzell

Laura Wise

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

A Bit of a Twist

Copyright © 2016 by: Laurie Axinn Gienapp, Catherine Valenti, Kathleen Terrell, Theresa Thompson, R.S. Leergaard, Tracy Falenwolfe, Jeffrey B. Burton, Charles Gramlich, Jacqueline Seewald, Andrew Wentzell, Laura Wise, Robert Petyo, Loni Townsend

Cover design by Elle J. Rossi - http://www.ellejrossi.com

All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

Smoking Pen Press

PO Box 190835

Boise, ID 83719

www.smokingpenpress.com

ISBN-13: 978-1-944289-07-2

First Edition: December 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

DAVID’S NOT HERE by The Asylum

ETERNAL YOUTH by Tracy Falenwolfe

THE REUNION by Jeffrey B. Burton

AN AIR OF AUTHORITY by R. S. Leergaard

DOWN HOME by Charles Gramlich

THE MARRIAGE COUNSELOR by Jacqueline Seewald

BLIND DATE by Catherine Valenti

THE CHATEAU DE PUYGUILHEM by Andrew Wentzell

RIVER ROAD by Laura Wise

ALIENS AMONG US by Robert Petyo

HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Loni Townsend

THE WISH by Laurie Axinn Gienapp

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

OTHER TITLES BY SMOKING PEN PRESS

INTRODUCTION

The twelve short stories presented in A Bit of A Twist are each mostly normal and ordinary, but somewhere in the story is a twist. In David’s Not Here, Marriage Counselor, Down Home, River Road, Happily Ever After, and Blind Date, the ending takes a bit of a twist from what you were probably expecting. The Chateau de Puyguilhem and The Wish take stories you’re already familiar with, and give the whole thing a bit of a twist. Reunion, Eternal Youth, and Aliens Among Us each has a bit of a mental twist. And Air of Authority shows what happens when you twist around words.

As you read these stories, you will also discover that many of them involve some degree of revenge. Because, after all, what is revenge but twisting someone’s own actions back on them?

And as always, each story in the Read on the Run series of anthologies is short, to suit your busy lifestyle.

DAVID’S NOT HERE

The Asylum

Greg had just put his feet up on the ottoman and opened his book to the dog-eared page, when the telephone rang.

Greg, my hands are wet, I’m washing pans. Can you get the phone?

Sure thing, he replied, then muttered under his breath, although it’s never for me.

Hello.

Hi, is David there?

Greg hesitated. No, there’s no David here.

Well, give him a message. Tell him we’re rescheduling the game, and he needs to call Ed.

You don’t understand. You’ve got the—

But before Greg could finish with wrong number, he found he was listening to a dial tone. He frowned, then returned to his book.

Who was it? Did you tell them I’d call them back?

It wasn’t for you, it was a wrong number.

Maureen walked into the living room, drying her hands on a dishcloth. A wrong number? Are you sure?

Unless we have someone living here that I don’t know about, it was a wrong number.

Hmm. What did they want?

I don’t know. They wanted to talk to someone named Dave or Dale, or something. Something about a game.

What sort of game?

Hell, Maureen, I don’t know. I didn’t pay attention. Do we have a Dan here? No. So I didn’t pay attention to the details.

I thought you said it was Dave or Dale?

Greg threw his hands in the air. I don’t know what the guy said, I don’t know what he wanted. I just know that he didn’t say Maureen, and he didn’t say Greg, and as far as I know, those are the only two people living here. I’m just trying to finish reading this book before they make it into a movie.

Maureen drew the dishcloth out between her hands, as if preparing to swat Greg with it. David used to live here.

Greg shrugged his shoulders and kept his eyes on his book. He was doing his best to forget Maureen’s brother. It would have been better if he’d never existed. Nothing but trouble, and she couldn’t, or wouldn’t, see it. In the year he’d spent with them David had never contributed toward rent or food, he’d totaled Greg’s Mustang, and weaseled Maureen into giving him all the money in her 401k just before skipping town. He’d be willing to bet whatever game the caller referred to was illegal.

The smack sound as the corner of the damp dishtowel connected with the armrest made him jump and nearly drop his book. Hey! You almost got my elbow!

Next time I won’t miss. That call was for David, wasn’t it?

So? He looked up into her angry, brown eyes. He doesn’t live here and we are not his message service. Let him get his own phone and voice mail like everyone else. He held her gaze. When she took a step toward him, he set his book on the arm of the couch and stood. Maureen, we don’t want to get pulled into whatever crazy scheme he’s involved in. You know it can’t be good. He softened his voice, hoping she’d soften her look in response. Honey. He took her in his arms. She was stiff, angry, but didn’t pull away. He nuzzled her neck.

No. She pushed against his chest with both hands. When’s the game?

He stepped back, concerned. She couldn’t have possibly overheard the caller. She’d been in the kitchen.

Greg, I know the call was to let... him know when the game is on. So, when?

***

Lieutenant Suarez stepped out of her office and looked around the squad room. Evens, Martins, in my office.

Before she even had a chance to get settled back in her seat, Martins was there, bouncing around like a puppy. Thanks for allowing me this opportunity, ma’am. Lieutenant Suarez rolled her eyes as the rookie officer rambled on. I’ve always wanted to be part of the bunko squad.

Sergeant Evens was unable to suppress a snort as he entered her office. Somebody’s been watching a little too much TCM.

The rookie shifted his weight, looking uncomfortable. What?

Suarez rolled her eyes again. Bunko squad went out of use sometime in the sixties, Martins. And we don’t really have anything. She pointed to the two chairs, and her officers sat. She pressed the button on the recorder sitting in the middle of her desk, and the three listened.

Hello.

Hi, is David there?

No, there’s no David here.

Well, give him a message. Tell him we’re rescheduling the game, and he needs to call Ed.

You don’t understand. You’ve got the—

She stared pointedly at Martins when the recording stopped. So, what do you think we have there?

Martins’ face flushed a deep red, and even though he was nervous, he stuttered his way through a summary of what they already knew. We know this Ed guy is David’s partner, and we know they’re planning some sort of heist—that’s how we got the warrant for the tap—and now we’ve got them trying to suck the sister and maybe her husband into The Game too, right?

Evens waggled his eyebrows at Suarez. Not bad for his first attempt.

Suarez shook her head. Any defense attorney would tell you that all we have is an apparent wrong number, Martins. That’s all. We’re going to need a lot more than that to find these guys and catch them in the act.

Like what? We already know where Ed is.

Suarez was starting to regret her decision to involve a rookie in this operation, but they had to learn sometime. Like where David is. And where whatever they’re planning is going to happen. And when.

***

Evens took another sip of his coffee and grimaced. Too bad this part of town had nothing other than the over-brewed pot at the twenty-four hour mini-mart around the corner, or the crap at the gaming cafe they were watching.

If you don’t like the coffee, you should get it somewhere else, or maybe you could bring it from home. Martins dunked his teabag into a Styrofoam cup of hot water, then glanced at Evens. Or, I could share my teabag with you?

I don’t want your teabag, and I wouldn’t need coffee if you hadn’t opened your big yap and so eagerly volunteered for the midnight to five shift, in February, while it’s snowing.

Geez you’re grouchy at four in the morning. How does your wife stand you? Martins frowned. He had wrapped his hands around the warm cup, probably trying to get every ounce of heat before the tea cooled. You agreed that this was a most likely time slot, because Ed got his hours switched so he could oversee the machine servicing.

I agreed. I didn’t fuckin’ volunteer, rookie. Evens pulled his scarf over his mouth, and sank into an annoyed silence while he watched the front door. Only one more hour to go and they could hand off to the next surveillance shift.

Evens sat up and nodded toward the cafe. Hey, there’s our target. Ed stood at the front entrance, shuffling the final few customers out for the night. When the last person left, Ed stepped towards the curb and waved.

A blue panel van pulled up in front of Ed and flashed its lights. The sign on the side of the van advertised US Gaming Technical Service.

Evens startled at the sound of gunshots and breaking glass, hitting his head on the roof of the Crown Vic. Kee-rist, wouldn’t you just know. He reached for the door handle. Call it in, stay down, and cover me.

While Martins called in shots fired and requested backup, Evens bailed out of the car, drew his service revolver and ran toward the cafe door. His senses were on high alert as he looked and listened for any sign of the shooter. The sidewalk in front of the cafe was slick with ice and covered in shattered glass mixed with snow, computer chips, and boards from a dropped bag of service equipment. Ed was down, and looked like he’d stay there until the coroner showed up. David was sprawled in a pool of blood in the gutter between the van and the sidewalk, maybe dead as

Reviews for A Bit of a Twist

[diana_long_thomas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received the book from the author with no expectation of a review. I voluntarily decided to review it. This is a book of short stories at most 4 pages in length that have some crazy endings. A Bit of a Twist is the perfect title for this anthology because I had no clue the story was going to go that way for almost all of them. The only story I didn't really like was the one about the alien, however, the ending made it slightly enjoyable. This would be a good book if you just want to read something short but entertaining.