SAINTS AND SCHOLARS
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        • I Wonder Where He is Now
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        • Kiss Me, Kate-Lynn
        • klick-klock
        • The Last Elevator Girl
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        • Lookalike
        • Love Nothing Novel
        • The Lunacy and the Lace
        • Man in the Big Pajamas
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        • Morning Jog
        • Mr. In-Between
        • My Brother's Science Project
        • A Nice Quiet Space
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        • Not Fields Afar
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        • One Way Ticket
        • Out of Limelight
        • Parallel You
        • The Passenger
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Picture
The Lunacy and the Lace

Ethan Hamill
At the climax of Cry Bloody Murder, neo-pulp private operative Dick Dudgeon had dispatched 
SCORPION's evil second-in-command with his fabled Magnum 45 in a shoot-out on the very 
steps of the Municipal Building.  Now Peter Cloverdale was at the Saints and Scholars Bookstore
to pick up the sequel, More Deadly Cries, wherein Dudgeon would vanquish the drug cartel's whole 
worldwide operation.
He never made it to the Thrillers bookstall.  In his way was the salesgirl at the Poetry kiosk.  He
ambled over, picked up the first book of poems he saw.  It was called Queen Anne's Lace and
Other Summer Miracles.  That was the girl.  Short brown hair, the face from a cameo, white
blouse with lace collar, a pale-grey skirt of just-proper length and low pumps of matching hue.
Her nametag told him that hers was Amber.
"These are early works of Cynthia Hall," she pronounced the author's first name, Cyn-THY-a,
"written when she was still at Chestnut Hill College.  But, of course, you probably know that."
"I didn't, but I do now," he said, fighting down the nervousness.
"It is a beautiful re-print, don't you think?"
"Beautiful." He added quickly:  "I'll take it as a gift."
She was so proficient writing him up, then gift-wrapping the small volume in paper he allowed
her to choose.  Finally came the gift-tag.
"Would you like to sign the party's name?" she asked.
"No, you do that," he smiled.  "The name is Amber."
"That's my name."
He kept smiling.  "That's your book," he said, "without the discount."
When she remained speechless, he followed up diffidently:  
"Do they ever give you coffee breaks around here?"
"They do," she smiled back.
"That's great," he nodded.  "I'll be in Thrillers."

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  • Home
  • Contact
    • Roadmap to HEAVEN >
      • Suit to Kill, Slip to Thrill
      • Title Index >
        • A Letter From Your Secretary
        • 8086
        • A Woman's Pride
        • Aliens or Angels?
        • Alpha Beta Traitor
        • Amy And Amy And
        • Are You Telling Me?
        • Baby Blue Sunbeam
        • Ballpark Hero
        • Barn Quilts
        • Beautiful with Braces
        • Because it Still Rains
        • Bend
        • Better
        • Better Yet
        • The Big Yellow Elopement Machine
        • Blind Date
        • Brother
        • Cadmium Gold
        • Calico Charms
        • Caramels
        • Carrie Me Back
        • Cat in the Corner Chair
        • CATCH from 13 Stories
        • Cat's Eyes
        • The Cherry Spot
        • The Closer Wins a Steak
        • Cloud
        • Coffee Shop HEARTS 2
        • Company
        • Confessional
        • Confetti
        • Cover!
        • Cover Art Gallery
        • The Dad Who Was 24-Feet Tall
        • The Day the Avanti Didn't Start
        • Days of Christmas
        • The Devil Sells His Soul
        • Double Sugar
        • The Ebullience of Being Elaina Brightman
        • Escape
        • Everybody's Teddy
        • Fall of Winter
        • Fatal Flaws
        • Final Final: The Last Newspaper
        • Forgiveness Day
        • The Girl as Good as Mozart
        • The Girl Who Never Was
        • Girl With Backpack
        • Grand Lady
        • Guardian
        • Hard-Boiled, Soft-Headed
        • The Heart of an Unknown Soldier
        • Help Wanted, Hope Needed
        • Hurt
        • I Am Afraid of My Feelings
        • I Don't Care if I Ever Come Back
        • I Will Be Leaving
        • I Wonder Where He is Now
        • In the Throes of Coca Coma
        • Jailhouse Judy
        • Jigsaw
        • Kansas City
        • The Kid Goes 0 for April
        • KISS
        • Kiss Me, Kate-Lynn
        • klick-klock
        • The Last Elevator Girl
        • Lawyer Vs. Rodeo Rider
        • Library Doors
        • Lighthouses
        • Loft in Space
        • Lookalike
        • Love Nothing Novel
        • The Lunacy and the Lace
        • Man in the Big Pajamas
        • Mermaid
        • Morning Jog
        • Mr. In-Between
        • My Brother's Science Project
        • A Nice Quiet Space
        • Nine
        • Not Fields Afar
        • The Note
        • On Briarwood Roof
        • One-Two Punch//Delivered
        • One Way Ticket
        • Out of Limelight
        • Parallel You
        • The Passenger
        • Perfect
        • Physical
        • Pitch Count
        • Polaroid Manipulations
        • Portrait of Genevieve
        • Pretty Dresses, Petty Thieves
        • Pretty, Ugly
        • Proposal
        • PurgaStories
        • Red Chair to Mars
        • Reentry
        • Return to Fine Arts
        • The Ride of a Lifetime
        • Run-Run Runaway Caboose
        • Saturday
        • Secret Game Workshop
        • Shadows
        • Signals
        • Slideshow
        • Slugger
        • The Small of Her Back
        • Southpaws
        • Spelling Bee
        • Spring of Summer
        • Starry Night
        • Stewart Survives the 7th
        • Stuntgirl
        • Stopover
        • The Stowaway
        • The Super Secret Planet Finder
        • Tail of the Lake Monster
        • Team Bus
        • Telephone
        • Tow Me
        • Turret
        • Usherette
        • Varsity
        • Veranda Nights
        • Wicked Curves
        • We
        • Where's Your Faith?
        • You
        • You Kill Me
      • .005 >
        • Prayers Answered >
          • Postcards
          • Pitch Count
          • Where's Your Faith?
          • Spelling Bee
          • You Kill Me
          • Cruisin'
          • Casey's Comeback
          • Archives
  • Library
  • Omnibus
  • Parables
  • Love Stories
  • 5-Minute Stories that Last Forever
  • Miracles
  • Healing
  • Meditations
  • PurgaStories
  • Scenes of a GT Hawk
  • PRETTY WOMAN
  • A CUPA DONUTS
    • The Miracle at Multiplex 4
    • Moon Over November
    • THE JOURNEYMAN >
      • Strangers on the Shore
  • Wait Worthy