Story Du Jour #13

All Story Du Jour tales are available online and free! A small presentation in these trying times.

You decide if it leaves a mark.

Flash Bang Mysteries

"The 4th Amendment" - by John Bowers

731 words

Law clashes with order in a judge's chambers.  

Here's a sample of the writing:

Judge Martin sighed. “Your surveillance proves nothing. A beer party late at night, maybe a poker game. That’s likely all it was.”

 “Facial rec ID’d some of those men, your Honor. 

Known felons, a couple with Mob ties.”

 “Proves nothing. I’m sorry. Is there anything else?” 

 Carpenter stared at the judge in mounting frustration. “You’ve always been stingy with warrants, your Honor, but–” 

 “I believe in the Fourth Amendment. As should you.” 

“I do, of course, or I wouldn’t be asking for a warrant.” Carpenter leaned forward. “Look, your Honor, if Braxton is innocent, the search will only clear him. What’s the harm in that?”

“Nothing. But the Fourth clearly states that a search must be reasonable, with probable cause.”

Carpenter held up the warrant again. “I believe I have probable cause right here.” 

Another story will appear in a post much like this one very soon.

Story Du Jour #12

All Story Du Jour tales are available online and free! A small presentation in these trying times.

Lowlife Literature

All Due Respect

"On the Edge" - by Sharon Diane King

1,228 words

Shrink vs shrink in a seedy motel with plenty of resentments to go around. 

Here's a sample of the writing:

McLeod paused, trying to even out his breath. He stared out the window at the thrashing ocean. The wooden balcony jutted out over the jagged rocks on the beach below. He’d been right to come. The perfect setting....

 “What is it you’d want me to say to you, Sandy?”

 “Truth’d be nice. For once.”

 McLeod grasped his cane and stood up slowly, gazing at the man with his back to him. “Okay, all right. You want the truth? Here’s a start. You were all about getting what you wanted, no matter what it took or who it hurt. From the day you rolled into town.”

 Sandy turned and stared at McLeod.

“You came here with all this hype, big city doctor settling down to a heartland practice. Your beauty pageant wife, your gifted kids. Your guitar, your garage band. Big fancy trips, RVs and motorcycles and new cars. Flashy stuff. Flash in the pan, more like. You used us all, so you could get everything you ever wanted.”


 Sandy smiled thinly. “Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it? You done?”

More fun fiction soon.