210 Words - Part 5

Last time, our shady protagonist and his associate interrogate the suspicious Waffle House waitress and learn that she was a witness to the diamond heist. After she describes the thief and his unknown assailant to Officer Burgh, Jack recognizes him as the classy gentleman named Daniel Charleston, an improbable suspect. Our story continues as the duo investigate. 

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"My apologies, but Mr. Charleston isn't here." The cashier of Charleston's Apparel for the Sophisticated Man is speaking to Lem and Pepper Jack.

"When'll he be back?" asks the inspector gruffly.

"I don't know. He went home complaining of a injury or something."

"Could you tell us where he lives?" Jack is now positive that Daniel is guilty, but the cashier eyes him warily, not wanting to endanger his employer, "It could be a life or death situation," Pepper exaggerates.

After some authoritative persuasion and a short car ride, the pair arrive at the bachelor's front steps. When knocking on the door at various intensities fails to acquire a response, the two enter the mansion uninvited.

"You look upstairs, I'll check downstairs," commands Jack quietly.

As Lem creeps cautiously through the eerily unlit upstairs hallway, he hears a floor board creak several doors down. He freezes, heart pounding, then stalks quietly to said door. Upon entering, Lem finds himself in a shadowy unfinished room. Piles of boxes lie everywhere. Unbeknownst to Burgh, a dark figure in a trench coat and cowboy hat watches him from the rafters. Lem walks carefully across the room and around a pile of boxes. On the floor is the hulking, blooded body of Daniel Charleston.

210 Words - Part 4

Last time, we learned that a waitress at Waffle House by the name of Jessie Jones apparently knows the whereabouts of the missing gem. Our story continues several blocks down the street. 

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At the nearby police station, a waitress named Jessie Jones is speaking to officer Burgh and his associate, Pepper Jack. "When I was walking home late last night, I saw a burly man walking down the opposite side walk when someone else jumped out of the shadows onto his back. The second man was lanky. They started fightin' and the first man dropped somethin'. I think it was the diamond. The second man got knocked out. The first person saw me as he was leaving. I never would have seen his face if he hadn't come over to me and threatened to kill me if I told anyone of what I saw." Jessie is now upset and panicked. "That's all I know! I promise!"

"Thank you, Ms. Jones. But can you describe the person with the diamond?" says Lem comfortingly. Meanwhile, Jack watches through squinting eyes, his features motionless, his expression icy. By now Jessie is in tears, but she describes the thief's features.  

"Thanks, Ms. Jones, we'll ensure yer safety," Pepper says as he and Lem stride from the room.

"Any ideas, Jack?" asks Lem.

"I know that it's Daniel Charleston."

"But he's the proprietor of Charleston's Apparel for the Sophisticated Man!"

"He's the only one with that description."

210 Words - Part 3

I take this time right now to say that this project is definitely not my best writing. It's more about developing a story in a limited amount of words, so the story is very fast passed and choppy only because I have a meager 210 words...

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Last time, the mystery of the disappearing diamond thickened when we discovered that the suspicious museum night watch was not actually at the museum the night of the heist. Our story continues.

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We find our enigmatic inspector, Pepper Jack, and his assisting officer, Lem Burgh, arriving at a breakfast diner.

"Remind me why we're here?" asks Lem.

"To grab a bite to eat" Jack replies gruffly. The duo arrives at the door of the dingy diner, entitled Waffle House. A waitress named Jessie Jones is unlocking the door and enters before the inspector and officer. Wearily, the gangly blonde takes their order and serves them. While Lem devours his food, Jack eyes the waitress with suspicion.

"So, how's life?" Jack casually asks.

"Good," she sighs.

"What'd ya' do last night?" he says without a hint of suspicion.

"Nothin', really." Jessie says semi-nervously.

"Ya' didn't happen to pick up anything expensive 'round midnight?" Pepper interrogates. Jessie freezes, "Where's the diamond?" Jack says menacingly, drawing a small revolver from his trench coat.

"Please, I don't know whatch'er talkin' 'bout!"

"Don't play dumb, Ms. Jones, I saw you at the crime scene last night."

"I don't know nothin'!"

"Uh... Jack, she's a Waffle House waitress, she's not involved," suggests Lem.

"Little lady, I'd be more willing to talk if I were in your situation..." Jack says harshly, pressing her against the wall with is revolver.

"Fine! Fine! I'll talk! I know who has the diamond."

210 Words - Part 2

Last time, we learn that a valuable diamond was stolen from a museum, and a mysterious character by the name of Pepper Jack is out to find it. Our story picks up right where it left off...

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Pepper Jack stands up from the desk. He has just been hired as a detective to find the missing diamond.

"First thing is to check to the surveillance camera," he says while walking out the door. When the officer and night-watch arrive at the surveillance room, they find the detective already there. "There's nothin' here. No records between 12:31 and 1:03. The night-watch was there all night, completely alone," states Jack. The night-watch adopts a welmish color, knowing he'll be blamed for the robbery.

A second police officer arrives, arrests the night-watch and begins to leave, "Hold it, there's one more thing to check; the cameras at the coffee shop." Jack and the first police officer exit the room.

The officer accompanying Jack, a clean-shaven, young, and unsure fellow, speaks, "One more thing. I've been assigned to work with you. I'm Lem Burgh." Jack doesn't reply.

As dawn gains strength, the duo find themselves at the coffee shop staring at the camera records.

Lem speaks, "Right here it shows the night-watch walking in at 12:35 and he stays there until 12:59. He wasn't at the museum during those times, just as he promised."

"Travel time between locations?

"About 3 minutes."

"So who was there when the cameras were turned off?"

210 Words - Part 1

In the past, I've tried doing several short story series and haven't exactly finished any of them. So I decided to start another one! But this one's going to be very different. Each installment will have exactly 210 words. Not 200, not 212. I got this idea from a contest put on by Readers Digest that challenged readers to send in a personal, true story containing exactly 100 words. I chose 210 words instead of a 100 to allow myself more breathing room, since I'm a long winded writer. I mean, you've been reading this post for 30 seconds and still haven't gotten to the actual story!

The actual story is going to be in the mystery/suspense genre, taking place somewhere in the 1800-1990 range. So without further ado...

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Our story begins in a dark alley way located in a reputable part of the city. Its 5 o'clock in the morning. A shadowy figure drifts across the abandoned alley, quickly picks a locked door, and enters the Museum of Natural Occurrences. Gliding through the corridors, he makes a detour into the Rare Gems gallery. He finds the display case for a valuable diamond to be empty, just as he had expected. There are no signs of a thief to be found, besides the missing diamond. Minutes later, the man sits with the museum night watch and a police officer.

The night watch is speaking, "...Just like I said, I left the building at precisely 12:30, got a coffee and returned at about 1:00. I have witnesses that I was at the cafe! When I left, the diamond was there. When I returned, it was gone." The upset man finished.

Now the police officer turns to the shadowy man in a western-style hat and cloak, "Tell me again, detective, how did you get into the building just now?"

"The door was unlocked when I turned the handle," He replies in a gravelly voice.

"One more thing, what is your name?" asks the officer.

"The name's Jack," he pauses, "Pepper Jack"