The Stick - a short story

By Vineet Verma

A fresh tear flowed down her face. She wiped it and glanced up at Paul. He stared back, processing what he had heard. To believe her or not to believe. That was the question.

Back on duty in Wichita, Homicide Detective Paul Conley is called in to investigate a fatal stabbing. It appears to be the work of a professional. The woman who was with the victim is in shock and doesn't remember much. Conley believes her at first, but soon has doubts as the investigation progresses. Things get complicated when a mystery man enters the picture. Is he the one responsible for the murder? Or is the woman not as innocent as she seems? Join Paul on this quest as he unravels the intricate web of lies and deceit.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vineet Verma
• Release date: Apr 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393514442

Book preview

The Stick

When Samantha awoke , the first sensations of consciousness were unpleasant. Her mouth was dry, and her head was pounding. She opened her eyes for a split second, only to shut them tight again. The light aggravated the headache. She tried to pierce through the fog in her brain and recall the events of the previous night. There was a memory of meeting Cindy at Harry’s, a bar they loved to frequent. Had she had too much to drink? Yes, that’s what this felt like. Twenty-eight years old, and still repeating the same mistakes.

She realized she was naked. It could only mean one thing, and it added to her confusion. She opened her eyes again, working through the ache to keep them open this time. Her clothes were on the floor. She faintly remembered entering the apartment with someone. Kisses in the dark. Undressing. The warm embrace of a tall, ripped body. Ecstasy. Not wanting to change position and make the headache worse, she moved her left hand behind her to search the other side of the bed. It made contact with skin, and further probing confirmed it was a muscular arm. So, it was not a dream. But something felt off. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she turned over to face her mystery lover.

The scream was piercing and lasted a few seconds, ending when she fell off the bed in shock. There lay a naked body, face up. There was an addition, one that explained the reaction, and why the arm was so cold. A knife blade was sticking out of his chest. She slid back to the wall, sobbing, and sat there for a while with her knees drawn in.

Once she had calmed down, she mustered enough courage to walk over to the bed. She did not recognize the face. Or did she? What were they doing together? If only she could remember. Cindy was her best bet. Samantha called her best friend and coworker. Ten minutes later, the call ended. Things were a lot clearer now, though there were still some blank spots. But she knew what she had to do next.

HOMICIDE DETECTIVE Paul Conley stepped