"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer." ~ Sun-tzu, "Art of War" Pauley closed the bathroom door and hung the dress Millicent gave her on the hook on the back. Sitting on the closed toilet, she leaned back against the tank, running her fingers through her knotted, bed-head hair. Shutting her eyes against the … Continue reading Keep your enemies closer
Category: Pauley
Dressed to kill
Pauley stared at the proffered hand. The flawless ivory skin, the impeccably manicured nails, flowing from the cuff of a pale green silk blouse. Unable to lift her arms, she shifted her gaze to the other woman's face. Smiling down at her were the darkest eyes she'd ever seen. A mane of chestnut hair framed … Continue reading Dressed to kill
Let it go to voice mail
Set to vibrate, her phone skipped across the bar top, crashing into the stem of her wine glass. Her boss Sam was calling again. Without picking up the phone, Pauley turned it off, ignoring the blinking voicemail alert. Downing the last swallow of her Merlot, Pauley searched for Ross, the new bartender. He wasn't the … Continue reading Let it go to voice mail
Good neighbors
Looking around to make sure no one was watching her, Pauley swirled a finger around her dessert plate, scooping up any remaining pie juice and crust crumbs. Sticking her finger in her mouth up to the last knuckle she slurped off the sticky sweetness, licking her lips, then wiping her mouth with the back of … Continue reading Good neighbors
Soul food
She hated making a mess. As a rule she went to great pains to avoid it. Typically clean up meant simply gathering spent casings, wiping down a blade, disposing of a garrote, the usual. This last job was going to be more complicated than that. Even with all her experience, she couldn’t anticipate every scenario … Continue reading Soul food
Thin spiral notebook 