From "Murder At The Rocks" by Jill Paterson

When Laurence Harford, a prominent businessman and philanthropist is found murdered in the historic Rocks area of Sydney, Detective Chief Inspector Fitzjohn is asked to solve the crime quickly and discreetly...

Laurence Harford emerged from the building into the cold night air and lit the cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. Discarding the match, he exhaled, absently watching the smoke blend with the shadows in the dimly lit lane. Moving slowly toward the stone archway and the street beyond, he stopped when a figure stepped into his path. As their eyes met, Laurence’s heart pumped, a sense of recognition and fear registering in his brain. Beads of sweat broke out across his brow, his cigarette fell to the wet flagstones and he lurched from the lane into the deserted street, the sound of uneven footsteps following behind.

From "The Fall Guy" by Simon Wood

Todd glanced at the headline: DRUG DEALER BUSTED DURING ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP.

“The car you hit belongs to an employee of mine. Driving home the other night, he was pulled over for a busted headlight. The cops discovered two kilos of cocaine in his possession. He’s in a lot of trouble and I’m minus an employee, not to mention a lot of money. Do you see now? Do you see what you’ve done and why it has led us to your door?”

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s not important.”

“I didn’t know.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to know. But I’ve lost a valuable employee who had a job to do. Now he can’t do it. This is where you come in.” The small man stabbed a finger in Todd’s direction.

Todd’s stomach twitched. He didn’t like what was coming. He knew it was retribution for what he’d done, but it wasn’t the kind he wanted. Points on his license and a fine he could accept. He’d even take a beating. But the small man’s kind of retribution filled Todd with dread.

“Me?” Todd stammered.

“Yes. You’ll have to fill in.”

From "kiDNApped" by Rick Chesler

KIDNAPPED  HELP ME W Archer 0601Wailua R KIDNAPPED HELP ME W Archer 0601Wailua R KIDNAPPED …

It would run for several pages. He’d just copied the same strand over and over and inserted it into the genome, Kristen realized. It gave her the chills.

Help me, help me, help me...being churned out by a population of living organisms as if they were factory workers producing goods on an assembly line.

An entire population with a message.

Her father’s single-celled couriers.

It occurred to Kristen that one hundred—possibly even one thousand—years from now, the population of bacteria in the waters of Oahu would likely still carry this message.

Tara huddled closer to the computer screen. She wondered what she was getting into as she looked down again at the message’s opening: HELP ME!

From "Dead Game" by Jennifer Chase

Emily reported to Jordan.  “I don’t have enough ammo to keep them off of us for very long.”

Jordan shimmied toward the window and looked out.  He quickly ducked back down next to Emily as she fired another shot.  A spray of bullets then pummeled back at them.  Glass frames of inspirational quotes from artwork flew off the walls, pieces of furniture cracked and chipped leaving fragments flying into the air, and finally the large window that Jordan peeked out from shattered into a million pieces.  It was deafening.

Emily yelled, “Jordan, any ideas?”  She knew that it was probably over for her.  A flood of images filtered through her mind of her life with Rick, and everything that led up to this standoff.

Jordan had a thought, his face lit up.  “I have an idea.”

Emily fired another round.  “Now would be a great time to tell me.”

Jordan pointed to the window.  “There.”

Emily didn’t understand.  She eased her way to the window and looked out.  The wind blew through the room.  She realized what Jordan thought they should do.  “No way.”