When you first think of this word, it is with a slippery slope in mind.
I’ve been on a few of those in my time.
And while we’re on the subject, those inclines measured in degrees are very important if you want a train to get up and down the side of a mountain.
For the train, that’s an incline plane, the point where traction alone won’t get the iron horse up the hill.
Did I say ‘Iron Horse’? Sorry, regressed there, back to the mid-1800s in the American West for a moment.
It’s not that important when it comes to trucks and cars, and less so if you like four-wheel driving; getting up near-vertical mountainsides often present a welcome challenge to the true enthusiast
But for the rest of us, not so much if you find yourself sliding in reverse uncontrollably into the bay. I’m sure it’s happened more than once.
Then…
Are you inclined to go?
A very different sort of incline, ie to be disposed towards an attitude or desire.
An inclination, maybe, not to go four-wheel driving?
There is another, probably more obscure use of the word incline, and that relates to an elevated geological formation. Not the sort of reference that crops up in everyday conversation at the coffee shop.
But, you never know. Try it next time you have coffee and see what happens.
Hang about. Didn’t I read somewhere you need to plan your novel, create an outline setting the plot points, and flesh out the characters?
I’m sure it didn’t say, sit down and start writing!
Time to find a writing pad, and put my thinking cap on.
I make a list, what’s the story going to be about? Who’s going to be in it, at least at the start?
Like a newspaper story, I need a who, what, when, where, and how.
Right now.
I pick up the pen.
Character number one:
Computer nerd, ok, that’s a little close to the bone, a computer manager who is trying to be everything at once, and failing. Still me, but with a twist. Now, add a little mystery to him, and give him a secret, one that will only be revealed after a specific set of circumstance. Yes, I like that.
We’ll call him Bill, ex-regular army, a badly injured and repatriated soldier who was sent to fight a war in Vietnam, the result of which had made him, at times, unfit to live with.
He had a wife, which brings us to,
Character number two:
Ellen, Bill’s ex-wife, an army brat and a General’s daughter, and the result of one of those romances that met disapproval for so many reasons. It worked until Bill came back from the war, and from there it slowly disintegrated. There are two daughters, both by the time the novel begins, old enough to understand the ramifications of a divorce.
Character number three:
The man who is Bill’s immediate superior, the Services Department manager, a rather officious man who blindly follows orders, a man who takes pleasure in making others feel small and insignificant, and worst of all, takes the credit where none is due.
Oops, too much, that is my old boss. He’ll know immediately I’m parodying him. Tone it down, just a little, but more or less that’s him. Last name Benton. He will play a small role in the story.
Character number four:
Jennifer, the IT Department’s assistant manager, a woman who arrives in a shroud of mystery, and then, in time, to provide Bill with a shoulder to cry on when he and Ellen finally split, and perhaps something else later on.
More on her later as the story unfolds.
So far so good.
What’s the plot?
Huge corporation plotting to take over the world using computers? No, that’s been done to death.
Huge corporation, OK, let’s stop blaming the corporate world for everything wrong in the world. Corporations are not bad people, people are the bad people. That’s a rip off cliché, from guns don’t kill people, people kill people! There will be guns, and there will be dead people.
There will be people hiding behind a huge corporation, using a part of their computer network to move billions of illegally gained money around. That’s better.
Now, having got that, our ‘hero’ has to ‘discover’ this network, and the people behind it.
All we need now is to set the ball rolling, a single event that ‘throws a cat among the pigeons’.
Yes, Bill is on holidays, a welcome relief from the problems of work. He dreams of what he’s going to do for the next two weeks. The phone rings. Benton calling, the world is coming to an end, the network is down. He’s needed. A few terse words, but he relents.
“Should I draw any conclusion from you hiding in the bathroom?”
Cecilia was awake and sitting up when I came back into the room.
“Just needed to be away from any distractions.”
“Should I take it as a compliment you think me a distraction.”
“I meant it in a good way. I’m glad you’re here, and I appreciate your perspective. It means there’s a new plan.”
The bedside clock glowed at 4:15. I climbed back into bed. A plan formulated, it could wait a few hours to fill in the details. “Get some sleep. You’re going to need it.”
When I woke 4 hours later, Cecilia was gone and my phone was ringing.
“You’re in luck.”
Alfie.
It took a moment to register who it was, and what he was saying.
“How?”
“Rodby wants a meet, but we’ve been informed there’s going to be a raid on Larry’s girlfriend’s premises and they’re taking her in for questioning. We’re arranging for you to visit. You’ve got an hour to get to the airport. I’m sending the details now.”
Rodby of old, summoning agents mid-mission, almost having to break cover, or upset the mission at a delicate point just so he could tell us something that very easily could be said over a secure line.
I had not missed him at all.
I got to the airport with ten minutes to spare, taking Cecilia with me to fill her in on the overall plan. I told her to go off-grid until I returned. Now she was in Juliet’s sights which meant Larry might target her, and even though she was quite able to look after herself, she didn’t need to take unnecessary risks.
The plane was not a commercial flight but a private jet Rodby had sent for me. It was not subject to loading passengers or baggage both of which could go missing or be subject to late arrival of the incoming flight, or missing crew members on other such flights, all of which had happened to me many times in the past.
Urgency and commercial airlines didn’t seem to get along.
In these cases, it was simply a matter of getting on the plane, taking a seat and departing, all of which took a little more than 30 minutes. Two and a half hours later I was on the ground at London City airport.
Rodby himself was there to greet me.
In the back of his ancient Rolls Royce, chauffeur-driven, of course, he smiled at me as he opened the door. Beaumont was his name no first name just Beaumont.
He closed the door and then went back to the front of the car. A few minutes of private conversation, even though I was sure he never listened.
“It is nice to see you again. I’m surprised though you deigned to come considering your aversion to these meetings.”
“I’m not at a critical point in the mission, so why would I pass up a chance to fly in a Citation? Send, for the record, I was hoping never to see you again.”
He smiled, well, maybe mother a smile but a smirk. He once said I was the only one to tell him exactly what I thought and I corrected him the only one to say it to his face.
“If wishes were water.”
His favourite analogy though it took a while before I worked out what it mean.
“I’d need a boat. Yes. I know. Now, why am I here, other than to see Denise. Stupid question, if the police are aware of her activities, why did it take them so long to shake her down.”
“No concrete evidence. As you are aware with these new lawyered-up criminals’ we have to be very precise when laying charges. She’ll be very happy to learn her new best friend Larry has dropped her in it.”
“And I’m here to see her for?”
“Just to shake the trees and see what falls out. She’s a tough cookie so you’re going to have to leave Mr nice guy at the door.”
Rodby never liked my interrogation style even though it got results. I didn’t think he’d appreciate me saying I didn’t like violence which was to him an odd thing to say for one in this line of business.
I shrugged. “I’ve made a note. Anything else?”
“What are you intending to do now that Violetta has passed?”
“Not come back to rejoin your merry band of misfits. I was thinking of living on an island somewhere in the middle of the Pacific ocean, one that doesn’t have an airstrip.”
“Well, if you change your mind, the door is always open.”
Conversation over, he waved to the chauffeur. It was time to go.
Revenge is a dish best served cold – or preferably so when everything goes right
Of course, it rarely does, as Alistair, Zoe’s handler, discovers to his peril. Enter a wildcard, John, and whatever Alistair’s plan for dealing with Zoe was dies with him.
It leaves Zoe in completely unfamiliar territory.
…
John’s idyllic romance with a woman who is utterly out of his comfort zone is on borrowed time. She is still trying to reconcile her ambivalence after being so indifferent for so long.
They agree to take a break, during which she disappears. John, thinking she has left without saying goodbye, refuses to accept the inevitable and calls on an old friend for help in finding her.
After the mayhem and being briefly reunited, she recognises an inevitable truth: there is a price to pay for taking out Alistair; she must leave and find them first, and he would be wise to keep a low profile.
But keeping a low profile just isn’t possible, and enlisting another friend, a private detective and his sister, a deft computer hacker, they track her to the border between Austria and Hungary.
What John doesn’t realise is that another enemy is tracking him to find her too. It could have been a grand tour of Europe. Instead, it becomes a race against time before enemies old and new converge for what will be an inevitable showdown.
I had to wonder, in that brief moment standing there, how I had come from a contented life plying space in a nomadic cargo vessel, to this, in charge of over 2000 crew, on a spaceship the size of a small town, on a mission to find new life out beyond the known edge of space.
And succeeding beyond all expectations without the loss of a single life, or perhaps that wasn’t quite true, the previous captain had become a casualty in exceptional circumstances.
I looked over at the head of Diplomacy. “Have you given any thought to my suggestion?”
After coming back from the alien vessel, I had immediately gone to the head of the Diplomatic mission and told him to pick a team to go down to the alien planet, telling him that we had been given permission to learn about their culture and others in their galaxy.
There had been no shortage of volunteers, and they had left not much more than an hour after I arrived back on board. It was an opportunity not to be missed.
The other matter was about leaving some people there until we came back, or the next earth vessel arrived. It was not what had been considered back on earth before the mission left, but to me it had some merit, perhaps setting up what might be a galactic embassy smoothing the way for other vessels like ours.
A sea of expectant faces, only one asked the question on everyone’s mind, giving my diplomatic chief a little more time to come up with an answer.
“Who are they, and are they like us?” The fourth officer had finally appeared from his room in engineering where his interest lay, but from a practical standpoint, was there in case the bridge was lost.
“No. And yes. They are consciousness in an artificial body that looks like us, but I imagine it would take the form of any being they came in contact with. I suspect they have evolved beyond the need for a body that wears out over time, which it seems is our problem, and we are only at the threshold of robotics as replacement parts, even bodies. I don’t know the whole story, but that’s one for the medical people. But…”
I turned back to my diplomatic expert, “we are going to have to talk to these people and not only that, we need to understand them and their customs before more of us blunder into their territory and do everything wrong. You have permission to send two representatives to the planet to talk to their scribes, which I believe are most likely historians. They are going to tell us about the peoples of this galaxy and perhaps beyond. It will at least give us something to work with before as they rightly put it blunder our way into possible diplomatic nightmares.”
“Do you think they’d let us set up a diplomatic outpost?”
“You could work on a proposal, but for now we have about six days or so to get as much information as we can. Anything else is your department, and for you to decide. I understand there are some in your department who signed on in the hope they might get to stay in a new world, but, again, you will have to make a threat assessment based on all of the contacts so far. I have endured all of the recordings of our encounters are available.”
“How long have I got?”
“Until we reach the Princesses home planet in about three days’ time.”
Not a lot of time to review and assess given most of the encounters were hostile. But an arrangement with these people would be considered advantageous as a first stop on the way to other galaxies. And I had no doubt they had a vast store of knowledge of other alien life forms which would be invaluable.
“How did we get stuck with taking the Princess home, and how do we know they will want her back? We don’t know the precise circumstances of how she got there in the first place.”
The second officer was not backwards in voicing concerns. He was the ship’s resident Mr doom and gloom. But for all that, his was a view that could be used as a counterbalance when making a decision.
“A good question and one I intend to get answers to right after we finish here.”
That left general business on the table, departmental reports, crew statuses, and the all-important ship systems.
Good to know the crew was reasonably happy, all performing their duties through the various crises, and systems had only minor failed that the skeleton shipbuilders crew were able to fix, one way or another.
Best of all, the chief engineer was happy, so far.
Winifred, daughter of Adria, is the contradiction.
She always had no intention of playing on her title, and she always regarded people addressing her as Lady Winifred with suspicion.
She also never wanted to use her name to open doors or get an advantage. She went to university, and soon realised her calling was the written word and a talent for getting to the truth of the matter.
She honed her journalistic skills in the university newspaper and had the distinction of solving a rather convoluted death that was first believed to be a suicide as a murder, one the murderer would have got away with if she hadn’t tenaciously pursued it.
Those detective skills stood her in good stead, getting her a job at a major newspaper, except the editor didn’t believe she was up to the task, her society and aristocratic background getting in the way.
She has a point to prove, and this latest move by her mother’s organisation as good as any for what might be a good story.
And, in the back of her mind, something she had overheard when researching another story stuck, that involved the General, and it wasn’t good.
Of course, her mother knows Winnie is like a dog with a bone and warns her, ‘There’s nothing to see here’.
This is rugged bushland not far from suburbia, though you wouldn’t know exactly where it is just by looking at the photograph
But, for the writer, this is an excellent setting.
For instance, once again we are out wandering in the bush, lost. It’s not hard to get lost, and stay lost if there are no recognizable landmarks, and given we all walk with a bias to one side or the other, and we have to avoid objects like trees, ravines, animals, and rocks, keeping a straight line is impossible.
But the question is, how did you get into the bush in the first place?
It’s not as if you would deliberately go there, just to if you can get lost.
No, my idea is that you have been kidnapped and drugged, then taken to a location either in the book of a car or just in the back seat with a hood, then dropped off and left to die
The criminals in this story are more efficient in getting rid of pesky witnesses.
Or maybe it’s something less sinister, like going out and counting the koalas in the bush, well, what’s left of the bush as the suburban spray takes more and more of the koala’s habitat.
And it could also be like the planet of the apes, the koalas start fighting back.
It’s one of those grey, dark, wet mornings where you can inadvertently sleep in because the bedroom remains dark for an extra two hours.
That could be a problem if you have a day job, like most of us.
But, today is Friday, and it’s just what I need. The news is telling us that six months worth of rain just fell in one hour. That’s a lot of rain, but it isn’t going to break the drought.
But that’s not a topic that can make a story work. I need something poetic, dramatic, or a catalyst.
Time to mull over the latest storyline, marshal my thoughts, write the prose in my head.
OK, that not working for me.
The rain is getting heavier, and is splashing outside; the steady waterfall of overflow from the gutters is taking away my concentration.
Rain, rain, go away …
I have two different visions.
A cold, grey day in London (is there any other sort of day?) waiting for a train, and seeing the woman of your dreams go past, standing in the doorway, and in that fraction of a second your eyes meet, a connection is made.
I suspect it has fuelled many a song such as ‘The Look of Love’.
The second is on a desolate section of coastline as for north as you can go in Scotland (yes, I am a glutton for punishment), and she is standing on the cliff top gazing out to sea, hair blowing in the wind. Silent, strong, resolute.
Rain gone.
Notes hastily scribbled in a notebook for later reference.
Time to go out and check if the garden has derived any benefit at all.
Day 295 – Don’t tell the readers what they already know about life
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Why Charles Simic’s Advice to “Not Tell Readers What They Already Know” Can Transform Your Writing
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Introduction
“Don’t tell the readers what they already know about life.” — Charles Simic
Charles Simic, the Serbian‑American poet and former U.S. Poet Laureate, was famous for his razor‑sharp wit. This single line may sound almost like a tautology, but it holds a secret weapon for every writer: trust your audience.
When you assume readers have the same life experiences you do, you risk preaching, over‑explaining, and, ultimately, boring them. The modern reader craves connection, not instruction. In this post we’ll unpack Simic’s advice, see why it matters in today’s content‑driven world, and give you concrete steps to keep your prose fresh, resonant, and—most importantly—show rather than tell.
1. What Simic Really Meant
1.1 A reminder of the “show, don’t tell” principle
Simic’s statement is a riff on the classic show‑don’t‑tell mantra taught in every creative‑writing class. While “show” urges you to let actions, dialogue, and sensory details illustrate a point, Simic sharpens it: don’t waste precious words on truths the reader already carries.
1.2 Why it matters today
Attention economy: Online readers skim. A sentence that restates the obvious is a fast track to bounce‑rate.
Reader empowerment: Audiences enjoy the pleasure of discovering meaning themselves. It feels like a partnership, not a lecture.
Depth over surface: By discarding the obvious, you free up space for nuance, subtext, and emotional resonance.
2. The Pitfalls of Over‑Explaining
Common Over‑Explainers
Why They Fail
Better Alternative
Heavy “moral of the story” statements
Feels preachy; removes reader agency
Let the narrative’s arc imply the lesson
Repeating universal truths (“love is painful”)
Redundant; cheapens impact
Use a specific anecdote that embodies the truth
Expository dumps under the guise of “background”
Slows pacing; creates info‑overload
Weave backstory into dialogue, setting, and action
Overly literal metaphors (“the storm raged like a lion” )
Cluttered, cliché
Choose fresh, concrete images that spark imagination
3. Trusting Your Reader’s Intuition
3.1 Readers bring their own life experience
Even if you think a concept is obvious, each reader’s cultural background, age, and personal history shape how they receive it. By offering breadcrumbs rather than a full meal, you respect their intelligence.
3.2 The “Goldilocks Zone” of information
Too little: Readers feel confused or alienated.
Just right: Readers fill gaps, feel involved, and remember the story.
Too much: The narrative becomes a lecture.
Finding the sweet spot is a skill—one we’ll develop in the next sections.
4. Techniques to “Show, Not Tell” the Known
4.1 Use specific, concrete details
Instead of saying “She was sad,” describe “She traced the rim of her coffee cup with a trembling finger, the steam fogging the window as her eyes refused to meet his.” The emotion is inferred, not stated.
4.2 Leverage dialogue
Let characters voice their worldview. A line like “I guess we’re all just trying to stay afloat” hints at life’s struggle without the author’s narration.
4.3 Play with sensory language
Touch, taste, sound, and smell evoke feeling. The scent of rain on pavement can conjure renewal without commenting on it.
4.4 Deploy subtext and implication
A character’s silence, a lingering glance, or an unfinished sentence can say more than an explicit explanation.
4.5 Trim expository filler
Ask yourself: Is this sentence necessary for plot, character, or theme? If the answer is “no,” cut it.
5. Embracing Ambiguity & Subtlety
Simic didn’t recommend vague writing for its own sake; he championed purposeful ambiguity. When you leave room for interpretation, you invite deeper engagement.
Open‑ended endings let readers project their own experiences onto the story.
Symbolic objects (a cracked mirror, a broken watch) can hold layered meaning.
Contradictory actions (a smile in grief) provoke curiosity and empathy.
6. Applying Simic’s Advice Across Genres
Genre
What “don’t tell” looks like
Example
Literary fiction
Focus on inner nuance, avoid moralizing
Instead of “He realized love was fleeting,” show the wilted roses he places on the table.
Thriller
Keep suspense by revealing only what the protagonist knows
Don’t tell the reader the killer’s motive before the reveal.
Non‑fiction
Trust readers to connect facts themselves
In a business article, present data and let readers draw the conclusion.
Blog content
Provide actionable insights, not “obvious” advice
Skip “Write regularly” and share a unique workflow that helped you meet deadlines.
Poetry
Use metaphor rather than declarative statements
Rather than “Life is painful,” write “The night bleeds into the dawn.”
7. Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them
Narrative “hand‑holding” – Fix: Cut adverbs that explain feelings; replace them with visual cues.
Over‑reliance on exposition – Fix: Convert exposition into scenes or dialogue.
Assuming universality – Fix: Research diverse perspectives; test your piece with beta readers from varied backgrounds.
8. Practical Exercises
Exercise
Goal
How to Execute
The 30‑Word Scene
Strip to essentials
Draft a scene in 30 words that conveys a full emotional beat.
Show‑Only Rewrite
Replace “telling” sentences
Find five “telling” lines in a recent draft and rewrite them using only actions, senses, or dialogue.
Reader Gap Test
Identify unnecessary explanations
Share a paragraph with a friend and ask them to “fill in the blanks” where they think you’ve over‑explained.
Metaphor Hunt
Replace generic statements
Locate any sentences that begin with “It was …” and replace them with a concrete metaphor.
Silence Exercise
Use subtext
Write a dialogue where the main conflict is never spoken outright.
9. Key Takeaways
Trust your audience. Readers bring their own life experience—don’t waste words reiterating the obvious.
Show, don’t tell with concrete details, dialogue, and sensory language.
Embrace ambiguity to create richer, more memorable writing.
Tailor the approach to your genre, but the core principle remains universal.
Practice relentlessly. Use the exercises above to train your instinct for what to leave unsaid.
10. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Isn’t some exposition necessary for clarity? A: Absolutely. The key is balance. Give readers only the information they need to stay oriented, and let the rest unfold organically.
Q: How do I know if I’m over‑explaining? A: If a sentence could be replaced with a sensory detail or an action without losing meaning, you’re likely over‑explaining.
Q: What if my audience is younger or less experienced? A: Adjust the depth of implied knowledge, but still avoid stating the obvious. Use relatable analogies instead of explicit explanation.
Q: Does this mean I should avoid “life lessons” altogether? A: Not at all. Life lessons shine when they emerge from the narrative’s events, not from the author’s direct commentary.
Q: How can I apply this advice to SEO‑focused blog posts? A: Write for humans first—use engaging storytelling, vivid examples, and data-driven insights. Then sprinkle SEO keywords naturally; avoid keyword‑stuffed “obvious” statements that sound like filler.
11. Closing Thought
Charles Simic’s advice isn’t a command to become cryptic—it’s an invitation to collaborate with your readers. By withholding the obvious, you give them space to connect the dots, feel the emotions, and remember the story. The next time you reach for a line that tells rather than shows, ask yourself: Does my reader already know this? If the answer is yes, let the scene breathe, and watch your writing become more alive, more authentic, and ultimately, more unforgettable.
Ready to rewrite? Grab your latest draft, highlight every sentence that says what instead of how, and start swapping the tell for the show. Your readers (and your Google rankings) will thank you.
Uncover Bern’s Hidden Gems: 5 Offbeat Attractions for the Curious Traveller
Bern, the charming capital of Switzerland, often finds itself overshadowed by its more famous counterparts in Zurich and Geneva. However, this picturesque city has plenty to offer for the discerning traveller willing to venture off the beaten path. In this post, we’ll explore five unique attractions in Bern that cater to those seeking a more immersive and authentic experience.
The Federations Garden (Bundesgarten)
Tucked away in the heart of the city, the Federations Garden is a serene oasis that few tourists know about. This beautifully landscaped park is home to over 100 flower beds, charming walking paths, and several monuments dedicated to Swiss history and politics. It’s the perfect spot to relax and enjoy the tranquillity amidst bustling Bern.
Einstein Museum
While Albert Einstein’s connection to Bern is well-documented, the dedicated museum to his life and work is often overlooked by visitors. The Einstein Museum offers an engaging and educational experience, featuring interactive exhibits, original documents, and even a reconstructed version of the patent office where Einstein worked. It’s an excellent choice for science enthusiasts and those fascinated by the life of the iconic physicist.
Gurten Hill (Gurten)
For a panoramic view of Bern and its surroundings, head to Gurten Hill, a popular local spot. This hill offers several hiking trails, a playground for kids, and a beer garden with delicious Swiss cuisine. On summer evenings, the Gurten Festival takes place, featuring live music performances and stunning sunsets over the city. Don’t miss the chance to capture breathtaking photos of Bern from this unique vantage point.
Bern Minster’s Roof Tour (Dachrundgang)
Most tourists content themselves with admiring Bern Minster’s Gothic facade from the ground. However, for a truly memorable experience, take the guided roof tour, which provides unparalleled views of the city and its surroundings. The tour leads you through the steeple’s narrow catwalks, giving you a thrilling sense of being on top of the world. Book your spot in advance, as the tour’s limited capacity ensures an exclusive experience.
Tanner Row (Tuchlauben)
Step back in time and wander along Tanner Row, a charming cobblestone street lined with half-timbered houses dating back to the 12th century. This picturesque alley, once an important textile industry hub, now hosts a variety of boutique shops, cozy cafes, and traditional Swiss restaurants. The lively atmosphere and historic charm make Tanner Row an ideal spot for a leisurely afternoon stroll or a romantic dinner date.
In conclusion, Bern offers a wealth of hidden attractions and experiences for those willing to explore beyond the city’s main tourist trails. From serene gardens to thrilling rooftop tours, and from historic streets to science museums, there’s something for every interest and curiosity in this enchanting Swiss city. So why not take the road less travelled and uncover Bern’s unique charm for yourself?
This word, where I live, had taken on a new meaning. We have telephone scammers who ask your name when you answer the phone, and when you say yes, they hang up.
It doesn’t take much imagination how they can use that recording.
So, I now answer the phone with maybe, which confuses the real callers who want to know if it is you.
Of course, maybe is one of those words that have so many meaning, but the best one is to use it while you have time to think of a proper answer.
For example, did you get the potatoes? You haven’t been out, it slipped your mind, or you just plain forgot, but run with a ‘maybe’ so you can judge the reaction.
Angry face, you know no matter what, you’re in trouble.
Genial face, you know that it didn’t really matter and all is forgiven.
Then there’s the person who doesn’t know you and comes up to you in a crowded room. Are you [put name here]?
Maybe. We want to know if we’re in trouble, or if it for something good.
Using ‘maybe’ in writing probably isn’t the best word to us, but I like defying the experts. You can always find a maybe or two in any of my books.
It was in darkness. I was sure I had left several lights on, especially over the door, so I could see to unlock it.
I looked up and saw that the globe was broken.
Instant alert.
I went to the first hiding spot for the gun, and it wasn’t there. I went to the backup, and it wasn’t there either. Someone had found my carefully hidden stash of weapons and removed them.
Who?
There were four hiding spots, and all were empty. Someone had removed the weapons. That could only mean one possibility.
I had a visitor, not necessarily here for a social call.
But, of course, being the well-trained agent I’d once been and not one to be caught unawares, I crossed over to my neighbour and relieved him of a weapon that, if found, would require a lot of explaining.
Suitably armed, it was time to return the surprise.
There were three entrances to the villa: the front door, the back door, and a rather strange escape hatch. One of the more interesting attractions of the villa I’d rented was its heritage. It was built in the late 1700s by a man who was, by all accounts, a thief. It had a hidden underground room, which had been in the past a vault but was now a wine cellar, and it had an escape hatch by which the man could come and go undetected, particularly if there was a mob outside the door baying for his blood.
It now gave me the means to enter the villa without my visitors being alerted, unless, of course, they were in the vicinity of the doorway inside the villa, but that possibility was unlikely. It was not where anyone could anticipate or expect a doorway to be.
The secret entrance was at the rear of the villa, behind a large copse, two camouflaged wooden doors built into the ground. I moved aside some of the branches that covered them and lifted one side. After I’d discovered the doors and rusty hinges, I’d oiled and cleaned them, and cleared the passageway of cobwebs and fallen rocks. It had a mildew smell, but nothing would get rid of that. I’d left torches at either end so I could see.
I closed the door after me and went quietly down the steps, enveloped in darkness till I switched on the torch. I traversed the short passage, which turned ninety degrees about halfway to the door at the other end. I carried the key to this door on the keyring, found it and opened the door. It too had been oiled and swung open soundlessly.
I stepped into the darkness and closed the door.
I was on the lower level under the kitchen, now the wine cellar, the ‘door’ doubling as a set of shelves which had very little on them, less to fall and alert anyone in the villa.
Silence, an eerie silence.
I took the steps up to the kitchen, stopping when my head was level with the floor, checking to see if anyone was waiting. There wasn’t. It seemed to me to be an unlikely spot for an ambush.
I’d already considered the possibility of someone coming after me, especially because it had been Bespalov I’d killed, and I was sure he had friends, all equally as mad as he was. Equally, I’d also considered it nigh on impossible for anyone to find out it was me who killed him because the only people who knew that were Prendergast, Alisha, a few others in the Department, and Susan.
That raised the question of who told them where I was.
If I were the man I used to be, my first suspect would be Susan. The departure this morning, and now this was too coincidental. But I was not that man.
Or was I?
I reached the start of the passageway that led from the kitchen to the front door and peered into the semi-darkness. My eyes had got used to the dark, and it was no longer an inky void. Fragments of light leaked in around the door from outside and through the edge of the window curtains where they didn’t fit properly. A bone of contention upstairs in the morning, when first light shone and invariably woke me up hours before I wanted to.
Still nothing.
I took a moment to consider how I would approach the visitor’s job. I would get a plan of the villa in my head, all entrances, where a target could be led to or attacked, and where there would be no escape.
Coming in the front door. If I were not expecting anything, I’d just open the door and walk in. One shot would be all that was required.
Contract complete.
I sidled quietly up the passage, staying close to the wall, edging closer to the front door. There was an alcove where the shooter could be waiting. It was an ideal spot to wait.
Crunch.
I stepped on some nutshells.
Not my nutshells.
I felt it before I heard it. The bullet with my name on it.
And how the shooter missed, from point-blank range, and hit me in the arm, I had no idea. I fired off two shots before a second shot from the shooter went wide and hit the door with a loud thwack.
I saw a red dot wavering as it honed in on me, and I fell to the floor, stretching out, looking up where the origin of the light was coming and pulled the trigger three times, evenly spaced, and a second later I heard the sound of a body falling down the stairs and stopping at the bottom, not very far from me.
Two assassins.
I’d not expected that.
The assassin by the door was dead, a lucky shot on my part. The second was still breathing.
I checked the body for any weapons and found a second gun and two knives. Armed to the teeth!
I pulled off the balaclava; a man, early thirties, definitely Italian. I was expecting a Russian.
I slapped his face, waking him up. Blood was leaking from several slashes on his face when his head had hit the stairs on the way down. The awkward angle of his arms and legs told me there were broken bones, probably a lot worse internally. He was not long for this earth.
“Who employed you?”
He looked at me with dead eyes, a pursed mouth, perhaps a smile. “Not today, my friend. You have made a very bad enemy.” He coughed, and blood poured out of his mouth. “There will be more …”
Friends of Bespalov, no doubt.
I would have to leave. Two unexplainable bodies, I’d have a hard time explaining my way out of this mess. I dragged the two bodies into the lounge, clearing the passageway just in case someone had heard anything.
Just in case anyone was outside at the time, I sat in the dark, at the foot of the stairs, and tried to breathe normally. I was trying not to connect the dots that led back to Susan, but the coincidence was worrying me.
A half-hour passed, and I hadn’t moved. Deep in thought, I’d forgotten about being shot, unaware that blood was running down my arm and dripping onto the floor.
Until I heard a knock on my front door.
Two thoughts: it was either the police, alerted by the neighbours, or it was the second wave, though why would they be knocking on the door?
I stood and immediately felt a stabbing pain in my arm. I took out a handkerchief and turned it into a makeshift tourniquet, then wrapped a kitchen towel around the wound.
If it were the police, this was going to be a difficult situation. Holding the gun behind my back, I opened the door a fraction and looked out.
No police, just Maria. I hoped she was not part of the next ‘wave’.
“You left your phone behind on the table. I thought you might be looking for it.” She held it out in front of her.
When I didn’t open the door any further, she looked at me quizzically and then asked, “Is anything wrong?”
I was going to thank her for returning the phone, but I heard her breathe in sharply and add, breathlessly, “You’re bleeding.”
I looked at my arm and realised it was visible through the door, and not only that, the towel was soaked in blood.
“You need to go away now.”
Should I tell her the truth? It was probably too late, and if she were any sort of law-abiding citizen, she would go straight to the police.
She showed no signs of leaving, just an unnerving curiosity. “What happened?”
I ran through several explanations, but none seemed plausible. I went with the truth. “My past caught up with me.”
“You need someone to fix that before you pass out from blood loss. It doesn’t look good.”
“I can fix it. You need to leave. It is not safe to be here with me.”
The pain in my arm was not getting any better, and the blood was starting to run down my arm again as the tourniquet loosened. She was right, I needed it fixed sooner rather than later.
I opened the door and let her in. It was a mistake, a huge mistake, and I would have to deal with the consequences. Once inside, she turned on the light and saw the pool of blood just inside the door and the trail leading to the lounge. She followed the trail and turned into the lounge, turned on the light, and no doubt saw the two dead men.
I expected her to scream. She didn’t.
She gave me a good, hard look, perhaps trying to see if I was dangerous. Killing people wasn’t something you looked the other way about. She would have to go to the police.
“What happened here?”
“I came home from the cafe and two men were waiting for me. I used to work for the Government, but no longer. I suspect these men were here to repay a debt. I was lucky.”
“Not so much, looking at your arm.”
She came closer and inspected it.
“Sit down.”
She found another towel and wrapped it around the wound, retightening the tourniquet to stem the bleeding.
“Do you have medical supplies?”
I nodded. “Upstairs.” I had a medical kit, and on the road, I usually made my own running repairs. Another old habit I hadn’t quite shaken off yet.
She went upstairs, rummaged, and then came back. I wondered briefly what she would think of the unmade bed, though I was not sure why it might interest her.
She helped me remove my shirt and then cleaned the wound. Fortunately, she didn’t have to remove a bullet. It was a clean wound but it would require stitches.
When she’d finished, she said, “Your friend said one day this might happen.”
No prizes for guessing who that friend was, and it didn’t please me that she had involved Maria.
“Alisha?”
“She didn’t tell me her name, but I think she cares a lot about you. She said trouble has a way of finding you, gave me a phone and said to call her if something like this happened.”
“That was wrong of her to do that.”
“Perhaps, perhaps not. Will you call her?”
“Yes. I can’t stay here now. You should go now. Hopefully, by the time I leave in the morning, no one will ever know what happened here, especially you.”
