The Confidential Case
When I opened the door, the guy who’d knocked held up a flyer. Tess Trowel Investigations it read. We dig trouble.
“This you?”
I glanced at it. “Who’s asking?”
“It’s kinda… confidential,” he said. “Can I come in?”
He was a looker all right. Wore a white button-down and a pair of red jeans he’d been poured into like a fine wine. Châteauneuf-du-Va-Va-Voom.
I swung open the door. “What can I do for you, Mister…?”
“Caine. Abelford Caine. Heard you’re the best, and I need help.”
“I am the best.” I raised a sardonic eyebrow. “But — wait a minute. Your name’s Abelford Caine? As in — Abel Caine?”
“That’s right,” he said. “And I’m missing…”
“Don’t tell me.” I shifted my toothpick. “Your brother, right?”
He gave a low whistle. “You are good. My twin, actually. How’d you know that?”
“Wild guess.” I leaned against the wall. “Okay, pay up front and I’ll take the case.”
He slapped a chocolate orange on the desk. “There’s more where that came from,” he said.
Good enough for me.
“Tell me something about your brother,” I said. “He look like you?”
Caine gestured at his jeans. “He’s more into stripes.”
“Whatever. What’s his name?”
“Candleford.”
The light went on, and I jumped to my feet. I’d been peppermint-barking up the wrong seasonal fir.
Taking a bite of chocolate, I grinned at him. This was one sweet case.
I just needed to find me the right Candy Caine.
***
For the month of December, my goal is to post a piece of festive flash fiction here to the blog every day. Twenty-five stories, each 250 words or fewer — a little fictional festivity to brighten the darkest month of the year. For readers, I offer these stories as a moment of peace within a hectic month of busy. And writers? If you’d like to join me, I’ll feature any flash fiction you’d like to share!
More soon…
~kc
PS I’m kinda in love with Tess Trowel at the moment. You may well see her again…
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