This is Chapter 3 of “Waltzing in the Snow” — my experiment in serialized fiction. If you missed chapters 1 & 2, scroll down to catch up!
Chapter 3: To Catch the Conscience of the Playwright
Detective Morgan called Amanda Sommer as soon as he heard about the young woman’s body.
“Ms. Sommer, it’s John Morgan. I know it’s been a while…”
“Detective Morgan, please call me Amanda. I cried on your shoulder over thirty years ago. I think that qualifies as a bonding moment.”
The detective laughed.
“We may have found her.”
“Candace? Now? Really?”
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but the barrette — the pink crystal and silver barrette — the one you described was found with the body, holding a clump, of long, dark hair.”
“Oh my God! It’s Candace!”
“We still have to do more tests. I know we never got a set of dental records, but…”
“There must be DNA, skin cells or hairs or whatever. I gave you everything you asked for in 1981.”
“But the science was less sophisticated then. My hope is that the items we collected, in the hope of finding fingerprints, will net us some DNA for comparison. The remains are, superficially, very much like your friend. Same height, long, dark hair, jeans…”
“Where was she found?”
“A warehouse in Long Beach, Nassau County. It was a construction site in 1981. There was another body there too.”
“Another body?”
“They are busy making an ID right now. We have dental records so the work should go fast on this one — provided we’re right.”
“Who do you think it is? Detective, who?”
“Anton Vislovsky.”
“Why do I know that name?”
“He was a Russian mobster.”
“Candace spoke Russian. Her parents were Russian. She worked as a waitress at a Russian restaurant in the East Village. “
“I know. I wanted to talk to you before you read about it. We won’t know anything for a while, but…. I also wanted to know how things are going with the foundation.”
“It’s slow going. Some progress with a few cases — more than a few runaways identified, but so many young women simply disappear into the void. So many are like Candace. We won’t find them until a body turns up.”
“I know. It’s a harsh world.”
“Add the human trafficking…”
“Ms. … er Amanda, I’ve been meaning to connect you to the human trafficking task force. Some good people in charge — I’ll email you tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Detective, and keep me posted.”
“I will.”
Amanda thought about the pink crystal barrette she’d given Candace as a birthday present and cried. Her friend had died wearing it.
Daniel had a second drink and bought a round of Irish coffees for the young Highline couple before heading back home to his desk. He didn’t even notice that he had phone messages until he reached for his landline to call his agent. He wanted to leave her a message and tell her that even his bartender had seen his appearance on Theater Rap.
Mr. Blake, this is Detective Morgan. We met in 1981 when we spoke to you about your missing friend, Candace Gregore. There’s been a break in the case, or we think there is and… we’d like to talk to you…
Daniel remembered meeting Detective Morgan. In 1981 he was the junior partner in a duo of plainclothes cops. Barron, the senior partner, had been dismissive of everything Daniel and Amanda told him, but Morgan seemed to really listen. Now, Morgan was likely on his way to retirement. Daniel returned the call and got the detective’s voicemail. He left a message with his mobile number and said he hoped to hear from the detective as soon as possible.
Daniel made a few notes on the dialog and then started to clean the kitchen. He felt guilty. He’d felt guilty since the day that Candace disappeared and the success of his book had only made him feel worse. Candace had called him that night. He was writing and, instead of picking up the phone, he’d let her leave a message on his old answering machine. He wound up giving the tape to Detective Morgan. He didn’t need it to remember what she had said.
It’s a beautiful night, Dan, come out and play with me! I’m going to take a long walk in the moonlight. Remember when we waltzed in the snow. It’s going to be better than that. Pick up the phone. Oh well, I’ll dance in the moonlight alone.
The plot thickens. We have a tie in to the Russians. Gimmie more…
And thickens and thickens and thickens…
I’m reminded of that old movie with Alan Arkin — The Russians are Coming. I must have seen hit a dozen times when I was a kid. Yes, we have Russians and all sorts of powerful characters coming in the next few chapters.
Good stuff, keep it coming. Liking the storyline and the characters.
So glad you are enjoying it!
Tell your friends — it’s not too late to catch up.
“gimmie more” says it all! You are a brilliant but evil woman for making me wait another week. 🙁
And many weeks until the end. Keep coming back for more!
Boy oh boy! Your book is really going to be good once you get it published and on bookshelves!
This one is likely destined to ELECTRONIC bookshelves, but as a Kindle reader, I’m happy with that.
Keep on coming back on Fridays for new chapters and send your friends, too!
Ok, will do Candy!
Candy I think it’s nice and have you read Shades Of Vampire? It’s a good read, a rebirth of Twilight!
I think I’m too old for Twilight. LOL…
I thought you liked vampires.
I love vampires — in general — but they are not all created equal. The Twilight series is a little to YA-ish for my personal reading taste. I know it’s a huge phenomenon, but it’s the first time I swam against the tide.
Ok, well I want to ask you this, what or how do you feel about spiders, being half human and living just as normal or normal lokking beings as humans but with an ax to grind over the murder of their spider aunt and a hungering desire to take over earth and rule human kind male and female and make them into their liking?
Very curious about your spiders and looking forward to your web/book!
I know you’ve seen the pic of the little spider girl before. What do you think about her?
I’m really appreciating this chance to get a glimpse of your writing. I have downloaded Poed and hope to get to it soon (on the never-ending TBR list) but until I do, I can enjoy your little snippets. You provide a fine example of how to build mystery and suspense.
So glad you are enjoying Waltzing in the Snow. I hope you, of all the Poe people, also enjoy POED. I too have a huge to-be-read list on my Kindle. It’s a little terrifying! LOL..
Oooh, Russians now 🙂
Oh, yes… the whole Russian Mob thing was big in NYC in before the end of the Soviet Union. The Russian immigrants to the US were a mixed bag of people seeking religious, political and economic freedom with a dollop of criminals seeking a new home base. Very interesting stories. Great Russian nightclubs still in Brighton Beach (yes named for the British Brighton) in Brooklyn, New York.