Venice, Italy – Chasing Red Silent – 2018 A to Z Challenge – Day 22

Copyright – ALPINE ACRES PUBLISHING 2018

For the 2018 A to Z Challenge my topic is a new book about one of my recurring characters in the weekly flash fiction invitationals I frequent, a top flight detective named Sophie Marcus. Sophie is a single woman in her late thirties who is running from a demon.

For someone who is always matching wits with those who don’t even consider a set of rules to play within there has to be a safe place to get away when the strain gets to be too much. At this point in her career Sophie has settled on a scene from a place she dearly wants to visit in her future, Venice, Italy. Sophie has always felt drawn to places with a rich water culture and Venice certainly boasts that.

The thought of buying her own water taxi and lazily seeing every drop of water in and around Venice gives her the kind of peace that lowers a person’s blood pressure. She has even begun to study Italian so she won’t come off as a rank tourist when she gets her opportunity.

Here is an excerpt:

Sophie found herself transported to Venice more and more often. She was totally fine with that coping mechanism, especially if it precluded slipping toward a more destructive substitute. She’d learned long ago to use her mind to shield her heart and feelings from unwanted threats. The same scene of water taxis sliding through their watery streets filled her thoughts.

However, this time their was a nasty twist. On an approaching water taxi she saw . . . him! No, no that was not possible. She’d left him behind on the East Coast. Two thousand, eight hundred and ninety seven miles separated them.  Four 9mm hollow points in center mass, it always was more than enough. But yet, here he was!

Sophie shook her head, barely conscious of the fact this had to be a dream gone wrong. She reached in her small bag for her side arm, but instead felt a cool liquid. She lifted the flap to see dark red blood all over her hand. Then she heard that eery, mocking laugh. 

The next installment introduces you to Sophie’s Portland, P.D. partner.