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.
There’s something to be said for a story that starts like a James Bond movie, throwing you straight in the deep end, a perfect way of getting to know the main character, David, or is that Alistair?
A retired spy, well not so much a spy as a retired errand boy, David’s rather wry description of his talents, and a woman that most men would give their left arm for, not exactly the ideal couple, but there is a spark in a meeting that may or may not have been a setup.
But as the story progressed, the question I kept asking myself was why he’d bother.
And, page after unrelenting page, you find out.
Susan is exactly the sort of woman to pique his interest. Then, inexplicably, she disappears. That might have been the end to it, but Prendergast, that shadowy enigma, David’s ex-boss who loves playing games with real people, gives him an ultimatum, find her or come back to work.
Nothing like an offer that’s a double-edged sword!
A dragon for a mother, a sister he didn’t know about, Susan’s BFF who is not what she seems or a friend indeed, and Susan’s father who, up till David meets her, couldn’t be less interested, his nemesis proves to be the impossible dream, and he’s always just that one step behind.
When the rollercoaster finally came to a halt, and I could start breathing again, it was an ending that was completely unexpected.
One Day, One Stop: Why Titanic Belfast Is the Only Place You Need to Visit
You’ve just landed in Belfast for a quick stopover. The clock is ticking, the rain is drizzling, and you’ve got only 24 hours to soak up the soul of Northern Ireland’s capital. Where do you go? The answer is simple: Titanic Belfast—the world‑class visitor experience that turns a fleeting lay‑over into an unforgettable adventure.
1. The Power of a Single Icon
Belfast is a city of layers—industrial heritage, political history, vibrant street art, and a buzzing food scene. Trying to cram them all into a single day inevitably leads to a frantic dash from one museum to the next, leaving you exhausted rather than inspired.
Titanic Belfast, by contrast, packs history, architecture, storytelling, and emotion into one spectacular 10‑storey building that dominates the city’s waterfront. It’s not just a museum; it’s an immersive journey that:
Narrates the ship’s birth, tragedy, and rebirth in a way that feels personal, not just factual.
Showcases Belfast’s industrial spirit—the very shipyards that built the Titanic were the backbone of the city’s economy.
Offers panoramic city views from its rooftop glass lift, giving you a quick, breathtaking orientation of Belfast in under five minutes.
Put simply, stepping into Titanic Belfast means you walk through the heartbeat of the city without having to hop on multiple buses.
2. What Makes the Experience Memorable
Feature
Why It Stands Out
The Building
Designed to look like the hull of a ship, the glass‑clad “ship’s bow” reflects the River Lagan and the surrounding skyline—perfect for a quick photo op.
The Storytelling Galleries
Ten interactive galleries guide you from the Edwardian era, through the ship’s construction, to the fateful night in 1912, and finally to the modern-day legacy.
Full‑Scale Titanic Replica
Walk the exact length of the grand staircase, explore the first‑class lounge, and stand in the engine room—feel the scale that no textbook can convey.
“Iceberg” Immersive Theatre
A 3‑D projection room that drops you into the chilling moment the ship struck the iceberg—thrilling, yet respectful.
Rooftop Observation Deck
A glass lift ascends 100 m, delivering a sweeping 360° view of Belfast, the shipyard, and the surrounding hills. A perfect “one‑minute” city overview.
Café & Gift Shop
Finish with a cup of locally roasted coffee and pick up a handcrafted Titanic souvenir—a reminder of your day for years to come.
3. How to Fit Titanic Belfast Into a One‑Day Itinerary
Time
Action
08:30 – Arrival in Belfast
Disembark, collect luggage, and hop on a Metro (bus) 400 from the airport to Titanic Quarter (≈ 15 min).
09:00 – Ticket & Quick Bite
Purchase tickets online in advance (≈ £19 adults) to skip the queue. Grab a quick pastry at the on‑site café while the line moves.
09:15 – Start the Tour
Dive straight into Gallery 1 – “The Legend Begins.” Use the audio guide for a personal pace.
11:30 – Lunch Break
Head to The Dock Café (right outside) for a 30‑minute sandwich and a local craft beer.
12:00 – The Grand Staircase & Engine Room
Follow the self‑guided route through the ship’s interior—don’t miss the first‑class lounge for that glamorous glimpse.
13:15 – Iceberg Immersive Theatre
Reserve a 10‑minute slot; the 3‑D experience is short but powerful.
13:45 – Rooftop Observation Deck
Take the glass lift up, snap panoramic shots, and soak the city’s layout—use this time to check your next travel connections.
14:30 – Gift Shop & Departure
Pick up a souvenir, maybe a Titanic‑themed notebook, and hop back on the Metro 400 to the airport (or train station) for your onward journey.
Total time: ~ 6 hours (including travel, meals, and a comfortable buffer). This leaves you plenty of room for a quick coffee at a local shop or a stroll along the River Lagan before you head out.
4. Insider Tips for a Seamless Visit
Buy Tickets Ahead – The online “Skip‑the‑Line” tickets guarantee you’ll be inside within minutes, even during peak tourist seasons.
Wear Comfortable Shoes – You’ll be walking on metal decks, stairs, and the glass lift.
Pack a Light Rain Jacket – Belfast weather is famously unpredictable; the rooftop deck is glass‑enclosed, but the queue line can be exposed.
Use the Free Wi‑Fi – Download the Titanic Belfast app for audio commentary and interactive maps.
Time Your Photo – Early morning light reflects beautifully off the building’s glass façade, giving you a stunning Instagram shot before the crowds arrive.
5. Why Titanic Belfast Beats All Other Options
Alternative Spot
Time Required
What You Miss
Belfast City Hall
1‑2 hrs (plus waiting for tours)
No deep connection to the city’s industrial roots.
St. George’s Market
2‑3 hrs (plus food time)
Great for foodies, but weather‑dependent and less “iconic.”
Murals & Political Tours
3‑4 hrs (including travel)
Powerful, yet emotionally heavy for a brief lay‑over.
Giant’s Causeway
Full day (4‑5 hrs just travel)
Too far (≈ 1.5 hrs each way) for a single‑day stopover.
Titanic Belfast
4‑5 hrs (including lunch)
All‑in‑one: history, architecture, views, and a strong sense of place—no extra travel needed.
6. A Quick Story to Seal the Deal
When I first stepped onto the rooftop lift of Titanic Belfast, the city unfolded beneath me like a living map. The old shipyard cranes, the sleek new apartments, the River Lagan glinting in the winter sun—all of Belfast’s past, present, and future converged in that single moment. Within minutes, I felt like a true visitor, not just a passer‑by. That’s the magic of the place: it compresses a city’s story into an unforgettable, tactile experience.
Final Thought: One Stop, One Story, One Memory
If you only have a day in Belfast, make it count. Titanic Belfast isn’t just a museum—it’s a narrative bridge that connects the grit of a shipyard community to the awe of a world‑famous ocean liner, all under one iconic roof. One visit, and you walk away with a clear picture of Belfast’s spirit, a handful of stunning photos, and a story you’ll recount for years to come.
So next time your flight itinerary leaves you with a fleeting stopover, skip the scramble and set your compass for Titanic Belfast—the one place that guarantees your day in Belfast will be nothing short of memorable.
Known only to a few, there is a legend that a ship named the ‘Flying Dutchman’ left Nazi Germany in the last weeks of the war and set sail for America, escorted by U-boats, under a different name. Aboard was a trove of treasure and gold worth a ‘king’s ransom’.
It was said that it had been sent to a group of American Nazis to create the Fourth Reich at an appropriate time. Over the years since many expeditions off the coast had searched, but found no trace of the vessel or the treasure.
In other words, it was just a legend created to boost tourism.
…
Fast forward to 2024. Our intrepid private detective, Harry Walthenson, overhears a conversation at Grand Central Station. It was the oddness of the message that caught his attention. An investigation turned up nothing out of the ordinary, and he thinks no more about it.
Then Harry is kidnapped, interrogated, and asked questions over and over about a date and a place, why he went there, and when he could not give satisfactory answers, he was beaten half to death and left for dead on a rubbish heap. He was lucky that it was a living space for homeless men; otherwise, he would have died.
In the aftermath, he once again gives it no more thought.
…
After resolving his first case successfully, there’s no rest. Harry’s angry mother comes to his office and demands that he find out where his father has gone. She believes he has run off with a mistress, not for the first time.
Perhaps it was not the wisest decision she has made, because Harry promises to investigate, and adds that she might not like what he finds.
He soon discovered he does not like what he finds, that his father’s friends, a cabal formed at University, have two who are his mother’s current lovers, and another, a criminal blackmailing his father.
Felicity, now his partner, working on a different case, and trying to get answers, uncovers a crime family involved in guarding a disused warehouse on the docks, where she believes Harry had been taken for interrogation, and subsequently dumped nearby to die.
Why are they up to? What is so important that the empty warehouse needs guarding? Who is employing them?
Harry, following up on the death of the blackmailer, traces his death back to an enforcer employed by his grandfather. His mother’s grandfather was a pre-war industrialist who made his fortune in war munitions and shipbuilding.
He was also a member of the American Nazi party.
When Harry also discovers a logbook belonging to a so-called wartime Liberty ship the “Paul Revere” in brackets ‘Freiheitskämpfer’, hidden by his father, and written in a code that is not readily identifiable.
It is no longer a matter of a father who has run off with his mistress; it is a very frightened man in fear of his life, running from a group who will stop at nothing to get the logbook back. And when Harry discovers a family connection to the group, it becomes a race against time to decode the log and find his father before his grandfather does.
…
Coming soon: Harry Walthenson’s new adventure – A case of finding the ‘Flying Dutchman’
Crafting the Perfect Synopsis: Tools to Help You Succeed
As a writer, you’re likely no stranger to the daunting task of condensing your entire manuscript into a concise, compelling synopsis. A well-written synopsis is essential for capturing the attention of literary agents, publishers, and readers alike, but it can be a challenging and time-consuming process. Fortunately, there are several tools available to help you create the perfect synopsis.
In this post, we’ll explore some of the most effective tools and techniques for crafting a synopsis that showcases your work in the best possible light.
1. Synopsis Templates
One of the most useful tools for creating a synopsis is a template. A template provides a structured framework for organising your thoughts and ensuring that you include all the essential elements of a synopsis. You can find a variety of synopsis templates online, or create your own using a word processing program like Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
Some popular synopsis templates include:
The Snowflake Method: This template involves breaking down your story into smaller and smaller pieces, starting with a one-sentence summary and gradually expanding to a full synopsis.
The Three-Act Structure: This template is based on the traditional three-act structure of a story, with a setup, confrontation, and resolution.
The Hero’s Journey: This template is based on the classic hero’s journey narrative pattern, with stages like the call to adventure, the road of trials, and the return with the elixir.
2. Writing Software
There are many writing software programs available that can help you create a synopsis, including:
Scrivener: This popular writing program includes a synopsis feature that allows you to create an outline of your story and organise your thoughts.
Novelise: This writing software includes a built-in synopsis tool that helps you create a concise and compelling summary of your story.
Writing.com: This online writing community offers a variety of tools and resources for creating a synopsis, including templates, prompts, and writing exercises.
3. Online Synopsis Generators
If you’re struggling to come up with a synopsis on your own, you can try using an online synopsis generator. These tools use artificial intelligence to analyse your story and create a synopsis based on the characters, plot, and themes.
Some popular online synopsis generators include:
AutoCrit: This writing tool uses AI to analyse your manuscript and create a synopsis, as well as provide feedback on character development, pacing, and other elements of your story.
ProWritingAid: This writing software includes a synopsis generator that helps you create a concise and compelling summary of your story.
Synopsis Generator: This online tool uses a simple questionnaire to gather information about your story and create a synopsis.
4. Writing Guides and Resources
In addition to templates, software, and online generators, there are many writing guides and resources available that can help you create a synopsis. Some popular options include:
The Writer’s Digest Guide to Query Letters: This book provides comprehensive guidance on writing a query letter, including tips and examples for crafting a compelling synopsis.
The Synopsis Workshop: This online course offers in-depth instruction on writing a synopsis, including video lessons, writing exercises, and feedback from industry professionals.
Writing Excuses: This popular writing podcast often features episodes on writing a synopsis, with tips and advice from experienced authors and industry professionals.
Conclusion
Crafting the perfect synopsis is a challenging task, but with the right tools and techniques, you can create a compelling and effective summary of your story. Whether you prefer to use a template, writing software, online generator, or writing guide, there are many resources available to help you succeed. Remember to keep your synopsis concise, focused, and engaging, and don’t be afraid to seek feedback and revise your work until you’re satisfied with the result. With practice and patience, you can create a synopsis that showcases your work in the best possible light and helps you achieve your writing goals.
50 photographs, 50 stories, of which there is one of the 50 below.
They all start with –
A picture paints … well, as many words as you like. For instance:
And, the story:
Have you ever watched your hopes and dreams simply just fly away?
Everything I thought I wanted and needed had just left in an aeroplane, and although I said I was not going to, i came to the airport to see the plane leave. Not the person on it, that would have been far too difficult and emotional, but perhaps it was symbolic, the end of one life and the start of another.
But no matter what I thought or felt, we had both come to the right decision. She needed the opportunity to spread her wings. It was probably not the best idea for her to apply for the job without telling me, but I understood her reasons.
She was in a rut. Though her job was a very good one, it was not as demanding as she had expected, particularly after the last promotion, but with it came resentment from others on her level, that she, the youngest of the group would get the position.
It was something that had been weighing down of her for the last three months, and if noticed it, the late nights, the moodiness, sometimes a flash of temper. I knew she had one, no one could have such red hair and not, but she had always kept it in check.
And, then there was us, together, and after seven years, it felt like we were going nowhere. Perhaps that was down to my lack of ambition, and though she never said it, lack of sophistication. It hadn’t been an issue, well, not until her last promotion, and the fact she had to entertain more, and frankly I felt like an embarrassment to her.
So, there it was, three days ago, the beginning of the weekend, and we had planned to go away for a few days and take stock. We both acknowledged we needed to talk, but it never seemed the right time.
It was then she said she had quit her job and found a new one. Starting the following Monday.
Ok, that took me by surprise, not so much that it something I sort of guessed might happen, but that she would just blurt it out.
I think that right then, at that moment, I could feel her frustration with everything around her.
What surprised her was my reaction. None.
I simply asked where who, and when.
A world-class newspaper, in New York, and she had to be there in a week.
A week.
It was all the time I had left with her.
I remember I just shrugged and asked if the planned weekend away was off.
She stood on the other side of the kitchen counter, hands around a cup of coffee she had just poured, and that one thing I remembered was the lone tear that ran down her cheek.
Is that all you want to know?
I did, yes, but we had lost that intimacy we used to have when she would have told me what was happening, and we would have brainstormed solutions. I might be a cabinet maker but I still had a brain, was what I overheard her tell a friend once.
There’s not much to ask, I said. You’ve been desperately unhappy and haven’t been able to hide it all that well, you have been under a lot of pressure trying to deal with a group of troglodytes, and you’ve been leaning on Bentley’s shoulder instead of mine, and I get it, he’s got more experience in that place, and the politics that go with it, and is still an ally.
Her immediate superior and instrumental in her getting the position, but unlike some men in his position he had not taken advantage of a situation like some men would. And even if she had made a move, which I doubted, that was not the sort of woman she was, he would have politely declined.
One of the very few happily married men in that organisation, so I heard.
So, she said, you’re not just a pretty face.
Par for the course for a cabinet maker whose university degree is in psychology. It doesn’t take rocket science to see what was happening to you. I just didn’t think it was my place to jump in unless you asked me, and when you didn’t, well, that told me everything I needed to know.
Yes, our relationship had a use by date, and it was in the next few days.
I was thinking, she said, that you might come with me, you can make cabinets anywhere.
I could, but I think the real problem wasn’t just the job. It was everything around her and going with her, that would just be a constant reminder of what had been holding her back. I didn’t want that for her and said so.
Then the only question left was, what do we do now?
Go shopping for suitcases. Bags to pack, and places to go.
Getting on the roller coaster is easy. On the beginning, it’s a slow easy ride, followed by the slow climb to the top. It’s much like some relationships, they start out easy, they require a little work to get to the next level, follows by the adrenaline rush when it all comes together.
What most people forget is that what comes down must go back up, and life is pretty much a roller coaster with highs and lows.
Our roller coaster had just come or of the final turn and we were braking so that it stops at the station.
There was no question of going with her to New York. Yes, I promised I’d come over and visit her, but that was a promise with crossed fingers behind my back. After a few months in t the new job the last thing shed want was a reminder of what she left behind. New friends new life.
We packed her bags, three out everything she didn’t want, a free trips to the op shop with stiff she knew others would like to have, and basically, by the time she was ready to go, there was nothing left of her in the apartment, or anywhere.
Her friends would be seeing her off at the airport, and that’s when I told her I was not coming, that moment the taxi arrived to take her away forever. I remember standing there, watching the taxi go. It was going to be, and was, as hard as it was to watch the plane leave.
So, there I was, finally staring at the blank sky, around me a dozen other plane spotters, a rather motley crew of plane enthusiasts.
Already that morning there’s been 6 different types of plane depart, and I could hear another winding up its engines for take-off.
People coming, people going.
Maybe I would go to New York in a couple of months, not to see her, but just see what the attraction was. Or maybe I would drop in, just to see how she was.
As one of my friends told me when I gave him the news, the future is never written in stone, and it’s about time you broadened your horizons.
Everyone knows that Bath is a city in England where the rich and pampered used to ‘take the waters’, whatever that meant. I’ve been to Bath, and it has many terrace houses built in a crescent shape.
I’ve been to the baths, too, which is another use of the word bath, a place where you clean yourself, or just soak away the troubles of the day, usually with a glass or three of champagne.
Apparently, the Bath baths have been there since Roman times and having been there and seen how old they look, I can attest to that fact.
We had a bath before we had a shower, and these days, a bathtub is usually a garden bed full of flowers rather than a body.
Being given a bath sometimes means you were comprehensively beaten in a game, like football.
Throwing the baby out with the bath water is a rather quaint expression that means nothing like it literally does but describes a wife or husband cleaning up a spouse’s space without due regard to what she or he might want to keep—that is, throwing everything out.
If you take a bath, yes, you might get wet, but in another sense, it might be when you take a large hit financially. And, these days, it doesn’t take much for super funds to suddenly have negative growth.
A bathhouse could be a place where there might be a swimming pool, not just a bath, where people gather. A notable one was seen in the movie ‘Gorky Park’.
It could be said that of all the women one could meet, whether contrived or by sheer luck, what are the odds it would turn out to be the woman who was being paid a very large sum to kill you.
John Pennington is a man who may be lucky in business, but not so lucky in love. He has just broken up with Phillipa Sternhaven, the woman he thought was the one, but relatives and circumstances, and perhaps because she was a ‘princess’, may also have contributed to the end result.
So, what do you do when you are heartbroken?
That is a story that slowly unfolds, from the first meeting with his nemesis on Lake Geneva, all the way to a hotel room in Sorrento, where he learns the shattering truth.
What should have been solace after disappointment, turns out to be something else entirely, and from that point, everything goes to hell in a handbasket.
He suddenly realizes his so-called friend Sebastian has not exactly told him the truth about a small job he asked him to do, the woman he is falling in love with is not quite who she says she is, and he is caught in the middle of a war between two men who consider people becoming collateral damage as part of their business.
The story paints the characters cleverly displaying all their flaws and weaknesses. The locations add to the story at times taking me back down memory lane, especially to Venice where, in those back streets I confess it’s not all that hard to get lost.
All in all a thoroughly entertaining story with, for once, a satisfying end.
For a story that was conceived during those long boring hours flying in a steel cocoon, striving to keep away the thoughts that the plane and everyone in it could just simply disappear as planes have in the past, it has come a long way.
Whilst I have always had a fascination in what happened during the second worlds war, not the battles or fighting, but in the more obscure events that took place, I decided to pen my own little sidebar to what was a long and bitter war.
And, so, it continues…
…
Wallace had not returned upstairs by the normal stairs, but the one by the radio room, far removed from the basement area where the prisoners were kept.
If he had, he might have realised that something was very, very wrong.
There were no more prisoners, except for Martina. The other defectors that had been captured had, on Johannsen’s orders, taken away by the three remaining resistance fighters, to be executed in the woods not far from the castle.
They had gone an hour before Schmidt’s men had departed, but in a different path, and would avoid running into the others. Johannesen had given Fernando’s second-in-command a silenced luger and told him to only use that gun for the execution. And to make as little noise as possible.
When they had left an eerie silence fell over the cellar.
Johannsen passed by Martina’s cell and looked in. She was lying on the ground, still badly injured from the beating Fernando had given her. She let him look at her for a minute, then said, “When is this going to be over. I’m not going to tell you anything.”
“I don’t doubt that for a moment?”
“Where did you send the rest of the prisoners?”
“Back to Germany. Someone else can deal with them.”
She didn’t believe him for one moment, but let it pass. “Why betray your country?”
“England? England wasn’t my country, it’s just where I ended up before the war. Then it seemed a good idea to become a double agent.”
“Germany isn’t winning the war, you know, despite what the fools in Berlin keep telling you.”
“I could have you shot for saying that.”
“Then get on with it. I’m over waiting for whatever you’re going to do to me.”
“All in good time. The new people have brought some very good interrogators and they promise they’ll have you singing like a canary in no time.”
She shrugged, and it hurt.
“Fools.”
“Actually, I’m inclined to agree with you. So much so, I believe, if I can get you out of here, you might put in a good word for me. Atherton is out there, and he’s coming, isn’t he?”
“Atherton is just a boy pretending to be a soldier.”
He smiled. “That’s what he wants everyone to think, but Thompson, the man you take orders from, he thinks Atherton is one of his best agents. And he will have a plan, and being the archaeological major that he was, he’ll know how to breach this place.”
And the fact she didn’t argue or deny what he was suggesting told him she was waiting.
“You expect too much, there are no more resistance fighters except for a few young lads, and that dog of his.” She laughed. “Rescued by three children and a dog. I wonder if Germany will record that piece of history if it comes to pass. Go away, whoever you are, and leave me to die in peace.”
“When the time comes, I’ll be back.”
She ignored him, and rolled over to face the wall.
The two guards had been watching him, though they had not been following the conversation. The officer in charge, Wallace, had told them to keep an eye on everyone who came and went, and though Johannesen was on that watch list because he treated them better than Jackerby or the commandant did, they simply ignored him.
At their peril.
Johannesen wandered up to them, bade them a good evening, and then shot them. He dragged the bodies to a place where no one would look and then headed along to the radio room. The guards and radio men would not be changed for another eight hours, so no one was going to miss them. Unless someone came down top check, but Johannesen had done several nights observation, and no one had.
The two radio men disposed of, it was time to block off the entrances to the basement so no one could come down. These exits or entrances were large iron gates bolted and locked with ancient locks. There was only one key to each, and Johannsen had the key ring with them on it. He’d taken that of one of the dead guards.
Once the entrances were locked, he went back to Martina’s cell and unlocked the door.
At the sound of the key, she turned back.
“Time to go,” he said. “We have a very small wind to escape before they find out upstairs.”
“I cannot save you, if Atherton thinks you are a traitor.”
“Atherton is probably the only level headed person in this area. He’ll appreciate what I;ve done and give me a second chance.”
She shook her head.
“Once a traitor, always a traitor.”
“Be that as it may, just hold that thought. I’m giving you a gun, and I’m hoping you won’t use it on me.”
He went into the cell and assisted her to stand. She was weak, but the thought of escaping death put a little life into her limbs.
“It will not be a quick getaway,” she said.
“Just as long as it is a getaway,” he said, as they headed for the exit.
At the same time, there was a very large explosion from above, the percussive sound almost deafening them.
“What the hell was that?” Johannesen muttered.
“Most likely the diversion we needed, that you forgot to arrange.”
It’s the obvious items in the photograph that you see first, or that your eyes go to first.
The ocean, the beach, the buildings. You can see a shopping mall with MacDonald’s sign above it.
Yes, it’s late afternoon, and you can see long shadows of the buildings.
So, if I asked you what did you see in this photo, what would your reply be?
From a thriller writer or murder mystery writer’s point of view, it’s what you don’t necessarily see.
So, for the purposes of the story, the opening line for the world-weary detective, handing the photo to his partner, “What’s is it you can’t see in this photo?”
A partner that hadn’t been on the job very long, in from the suburbs, and had seen little more than break and enters car theft, and school kids hi-jinks.
“What am I supposed to be looking for?”
“You want to be a detective, or be looking for old ladies cats?”
His partner takes the photo in hand and looks at it again. There has to be a reason why the old man had given it to him, or perhaps there wasn’t and he was just playing with him again.
No, he thought, there has to be something…
And then he saw it, quite by accident. A hand, a gun, and following the line of fire, at the end, what looked like someone in the bushes.
In a photo taken from a higher floor of the building over the road, looking down on what was supposed to be a rooftop recreational area.
Only there had been no report of a missing person or a gunshot wound in the last seven days.
“When was it taken?”
“Two days ago?”
“And no reports of a shooting, or a body?”
“No. And yet the person who took this swears he saw a body, but by the time he came back, there was nothing.”
The detective handed his partner a second photo. Time-stamped five minutes later. With no gun and no body.
I’m back home and this story has been sitting on a back burner for a few months, waiting for some more to be written.
The trouble is, there are also other stories to write, and I’m not very good at prioritizing.
But, here we are, a few minutes opened up and it didn’t take long to get back into the groove.
Chasing leads, maybe
…
She had brought a file. It looked the same as the last one she brought with her, the one with my name on it.
This time it was thicker.
Intelligence gathering at its finest. There’d be stuff in there that even I didn’t know about me.
She didn’t open it, just looked at me.
“What have you been doing?”
“Working?”
“For whom?”
“Nobbin, of course. I am now assigned to his section. Did you do that?”
“He did. He tells me you’re working on the O’Connell investigation.”
“Is that what it’s called. He never told me that. And I had to find out where I’d been assigned by logging onto a computer. An email or a letter would have made my life a little easier.”
“You’re just lucky you’re still working here. Now, tell me more about this Severin character.”
“I told you everything I knew the last time you spoke to me. Apparently, you seemed to know who it was. Perhaps you might tell me, too.”
“It’s…”
“And,” I interrupted, “don’t tell me it’s above my pay grade. I was potentially working for traitors and could have finished up in jail for treason.”
“You might still get there.”
Then why hadn’t she had me arrested and thrown in a dungeon the last time we met? There was an easy answer to that question. She needed me out in the field. Nobbin needed me in the field. They presumably needed me to remain available to Severin for whatever reason.
“What do you want?”
She opened the file, turned a few pages, and stopped at a yellow sheet of paper. I wasn’t able to read it upside down, but it had very small spidery writing on it.
Then she looked at me again.
“Some secret documents appear to have gone missing. We believe that is to say Director Dobbin thinks these may have been on a USB drive that was in the possession of O’Connell at the time of his death. You were there at the time of his death. You can see where this is going…”
No matter which answers I gave it was the wrong one, which led to do not pass go and do not collect two hundred dollars, or pounds as the case may be.
“I haven’t got it, and he didn’t tell me where it was, and I saw him die.”
“If you say so.” She went back to the file and turned some more pagers.
“What do you mean?”
She looked up. “So far, there’s no body been recovered, or any evidence there was a shooting where you said it was.”
“Are you trying to tell me he’s alive, because if you are, then I must be a very poor judge of people who have no pulse. He was not about to get up and walk away.”
“Did you see the body removed?”
Now there’s an interesting point. I had done as I was told and left when told to. I assumed Severin would sort the problem out, in fact, hadn’t he called in the cleaners? I saw a white van.
Actually, when I thought about it, I had no idea what happened after I left. And, now that I remember, I didn’t see anyone get out of the white van.
Thrills, Spills, and just a dash of Romance 