The life I left behind was the beginning of a world anew, filled with excitement and possibilities, far from any violence not born within me. After hours of riding at night, I arrived in the big city in the morning. Everything looked like it came out of a movie: lots of stores, fancy cars, and ...

The flow of memories brought me back to my childhood. We lived in a small town near the state’s capital, and our community was like all other small ones in our country: embrace tradition, go to church, and avoid sin. My mother, Susan, was a beautiful, fair-skinned blond woman. She was suspicious about me being ...

“Ugh…” My ears buzzed, louder and louder. A headache joined it and amplified the pain tingling through my body. My neck, arms, back, and legs all ached. Pain pulsed through me. That was good, though. Pain brought me closer to reality. I tried to move, but that made everything hurt more. I growled with discomfort, ...

The landlord was right. The passing trains behind her row home had become white noise. Hattie lived her life around the comings and goings of thousands of commuters. She was one of them. Departed at 6:39, returned at 5:10. The train rattled like a dog shaking the rain from its fur just before it dipped ...

Read entire series The last thing Julie remembered was Old Hank pointing a taser at her. It felt as if she had been electrocuted. Not sure if she was dead or alive, she felt her skin crawling with tiny bugs as she lay on the damp ground. Unable to see her hand in front of ...

Read One through Eight The plan was to land in San Francisco and purchase a vehicle. The address of the business was in Kansas City ‘on the Missouri side.’ Pearl had never been to the U.S., so she had no idea what they meant by that statement. She just followed directions and only asked questions ...

Read One Through Seven Holly, excited to end midterms with A’s in her classes, decided to surprise her parents by driving home rather than heading to Miami with her sorority sisters for spring break. She knew it would be all mayhem and debauchery. Plus, Zack asked her specifically if she were going so they could ...

Read past chapters here “She called me into her office and said, ‘Fran, it’s just not working out.’ I asked her, ‘What’s not working out?’ And she told me, ‘Our working relationship.’ I’m devastated, Danny. How am I going to pay my rent and buy dog food for Maddy? I should have quit. But, no, ...

Read past chapters here Growing up on the streets of Brooklyn will always hold fond memories for Ramon. His parents immigrated from Puerto Rico looking for streets paved with gold. His dad told the story so well.  “Son, be careful when you pray to God.” The senior Rodriquez would tell him as he leaned into ...

Read all in this series Daniella sat in the large, glassed-in conference room of the FBI headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. She’d been on the job for almost two weeks. Graduating second in her class, her competitive ego took a hit when Rodriquez passed her up in target practice. Ramon Rodriquez, the cocky, egotistical, pompous ...