The Sudduk Tablet

By J.E. Kitchell

A desperate man enlists the aid of a shady character to save his kidnapped wife from a sophisticated but ruthless criminal searching for a lost treasure. A fast paced and violent hardboiled  nour crime short story. 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.E. Kitchell
• Release date: Oct 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215955628

J.E. Kitchell

The author is lucky to live in the Sierra Nevada mountains. He likes to relax with an occasional hardboiled detective novel and occascionally writes hardboiled noir shorts. 

Book preview

1

As soon as the man stepped out of the cab, Max knew he was heading in his direction. He watched the man’s movements as he stood on the sidewalk below. He kept looking around and then referring to a piece of paper in his hand. His steps were halting and irregular as he craned his neck looking at street numbers on the face of each building. He paused. He hesitated. He second-guessed himself. It was obvious he was unfamiliar with his surroundings and unsure of where he wanted to go. Finally, he entered the lobby below.

Max backed up and dropped into his office chair. Dollars to doughnuts the guy was heading here. He didn’t look like a patron of the Chinese laundry downstairs nor the hair salon that shared the second floor with Max’s office. That narrowed down the choice of destination.

In a few minutes there was a timid knock on Max’s door. He sat behind his desk and waited. Another knock and then the door opened slowly. A plain vanilla face peeked around the door and looked around the room. He settled on Max.

Mister Blaine?

Max nodded. The man slipped through the door and quietly closed it behind him. He shuffled closer, his eyes darting around the office. He was so average. Average height, average weight. Faded summer tan highlighted by his five o’clock shadow. His black hair sported bluish highlights from the pomade he used to slick it down. He wore a nice gray overcoat over a middling gray suit and vest. If you met him on the sidewalk, you’d forget him the moment he passed.

I might have the wrong place, he said.

‘What are you looking for?" Max said.

I was directed here. I’m looking for a cleaner.

Max nodded. Well, here we are.

The man looked around the office again. I was thinking of a different kind of cleaner.

Oh?

I mean, this looks like a janitorial shop.

It is, Max said, Cleaning is what we do.

Oh, then I do have the wrong address, the man said, backing away. "I’m terribly sorry for the interruption. This is the address