Back in 2009, I wrote my first Spadena Street story. I think that was the first one.
ANYWAY, in 2009, I wrote a Spadena Street story. Spadena Street is the setting for a series of mystery stories and books I’ve been working on since…. Well, since at least 2009. This one features LeJune and her mother, June Rose, as does the book I’m working on now.
In this story, a friend and neighbor has been mugged, and they’re going to visit him in the hospital. They’ve been warned not to interfere with the case.
Realtor Raccoon
excerpt from “The Spirit of Spadena Street”
by Marian Allen
We stood side-by-side, staring at the lights above the door as they went from G to 2 and listening to the piped-in Christmas music, pointedly not looking at each other. I mean, we weren’t interfering in police business. Not this time.
We didn’t have to ask where Joe’s room was—it had to be the one with the cop sitting in front of it looking all steely-eyed over his Styrofoam cup.
“Hey there, Tyler,” I said. “Can we go in and see Joe?”
“Sure, I guess so.” He stood up. “I have to look in your purses, though.”
“We’re not packing heat,” I said, but I opened my purse.
“Good luck finding anything in that mess,” Mama said. “If she did have a gun, anybody would be dead of old age before she could get to it.”
“Ha-ha,” I said. “What a funny old lady you are.”
Mama snorted and let Tyler look into that envelope she calls a handbag.
It was a single room, of course, or rather it was a regular room with only Joe in it.
“June Rose and LeJune! My gosh, it’s good to see you girls!”
“Good God in heaven,” Mama said, “you look like a raccoon!”
~*~
“The Spirit of Spadena Street” was donated to and published in THE GIFT OF MURDER, the proceeds from which go to the Marine Toys for Tots Program.
A WRITING PROMPT FROM ME TO YOU: What size purse/wallet does your main character carry? Is it stuffed or practically empty? Why?
MA
