The Case of the Missing Wife

By Victoria Wallin

Martin Harrington is lucky he was born with a respectable name, let's just say he is not a people person, and getting clients to his P.I. firm is not his forte. Thankfully, he is able to leave that part up to his charming and very clever secretary Lucy, who also helps solve the mysteries. In this story Martin takes a case where a husband claims his wife is missing, but everythng is not how it seems...

A classic noir set in New York City in 1942 with dark, gritty scenery, femme fatales and unexpected twists, that makes you think of Mickey Spillane and Raymond Chandler.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Victoria Wallin
• Release date: Jul 31, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463066225

Victoria Wallin

Victoria Wallin writes women's fiction, romantic comedies, romance, historical fiction and crime thrillers!

Book preview

The Case of

the Missing Wife

The Case of the Missing Wife

Copyright © 2019 Victoria Wallin

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written admission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed by a newspaper, blog or other social media.

All characters appearing in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons is coincidental.

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Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

About the Author

1942. New York City. Martin Harrington is a derelict P.I. whose wife recently left him. He spends his days at the office of a rundown hardware store drinking booze that he hides in a drawer in his desk, and fondly argues with his secretary Lucy in between solving cases that shows up on his door step.

Chapter One

Lucy and Martin were in the middle of bickering over some trivial nonsense in Martin’s office in the back when a new potential client showed up at the door, a middle-aged man with his hat in hand. He looked around, a bit confused, at the empty reception desk and heard voices in the room behind it and decided to follow the sound. He hesitantly entered the open door to the room behind the reception desk.

Err, hello. Are you a private investigator? I need your help. It’s about my wife, the man said and nervously turned his hat in his hands in front of him. She’s missing, he said and looked helplessly at Martin. Martin looked at the man with contempt behind his large desk.

Good for you, Martin quipped.

Excuse me? the man said, unsure, and glanced at Lucy who stood next to the desk.

He didn’t mean that, Lucy quickly interjected.

It’s probably for the best, Martin continued, and received a look of warning from Lucy.

He has a weird sense of humor, please ignore him, Lucy said between her teeth.

Trust me, I’ve been there, Martin went on.

He thinks he’s being funny, Lucy tried to explain.

Um, perhaps I should come back later? the man suggested in total confusion.

No, Martin said.

Yes, Lucy said simultaneously. Lucy was boiling with anger and glared at Martin who lit a cigarette. The man looked at them both, not knowing what to do. Come with me, I can take your information at my desk over here, Lucy suggested in an attempt of taking control of the situation. She gestured towards the reception desk outside Martin’s office, which was starting to fill up with smoke from his cigarette.

Oh, OK, the man said with a sense of relief and followed her out of the smoky office. Lucy closed the door behind them with force so that the tinted glass in the top part of the door rattled, after giving Martin a murderous look. Martin replied with a crooked smile and put his feet up on his desk.

Lucy took