Nikki Knox & The Line of Chalk: Nikki Knox, #3

By Shawn L. Bird

First, their nemesis Richard is missing.

Then body parts start arriving in the mail.

Can the power of great shoes save the day for Nikki Knox and her assistant, Kip?

 

A 25 minute read.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lintusen Press
• Release date: Jul 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9781989642030

Shawn L. Bird

Shawn L. Bird is an author, poet, and educator from the interior of British Columbia, Canada.

Book preview

Nikki pushed on the door to the office, but instead of opening, it held firm and her head thumped into the glass.  She looked through the greasy oval she’d just left on the window and peered around the office in search of her assistant, Kip.  He was always in the office before her.  Even if she arrived an hour before they opened, Kip was there, tidying the stock room or the kitchenette, sitting at this desk reading the mail, or arranging flowers in a vase.

But today the office door remained locked. Nikki rummaged through her purse to find her office keys. It had been a long time since she’d unlocked in the morning or locked up at night.  Kip was always there.  She pushed through the door and froze, nostrils twitching, as she caught a whiff of something that did not belong there.  She closed her eyes and rotated left and right trying to narrow in on the source of the smell.

The scent was a pungent cross between the compost bin and a butcher shop.  It wasn’t overpowering, but it wasn’t particularly pleasant, either.  The hairs rose up on the back of her neck.

There was a rap on the glass door and she jerked, gasping as she turned to face it.  Kip! she placed her hand over her pounding heart and exhaled deeply.  You scared me!

Sorry, I’m late, said Kip as he covered a yawn.  Cody has the flu.  It was a long, disgusting night.  I really earned my ‘in sickness and in health’ points.  Ooh.  What’s that smell?

My question exactly.  She set her purse on the chair behind her desk.  I think it’s coming from over there.  She flicked her chin in the direction of Richard Van Dyck’s desk.

He probably left a tuna sandwich in his desk drawer over the weekend, said Kip.  He walked over to Richard’s work station.  He shook the drawers.  Did you know he’s got locks on all his drawers?

Nikki rolled her eyes.  That sounds like him.  He’s so devious himself, he doesn’t trust anyone else.  She joined Kip beside the desk.  The smell is definitely coming from over here, though.  She leaned in, sniffing in a sweeping arc from right to left and then up and down.  Right there, she pointed to the left bottom drawer.  Whew.  That’s disgusting."

"Should I phone him and tell him to pick up some baking soda on his way in so he can to