fiction

Mystery, crime, murder, unsolved cases. Contribute your own tales of crime to Criminal.

Americano
Everyone has a little black book. A book, or a phone app, or a mental list, where they keep the names and numbers of exes or people they’ve dated. But most people don’t have a little black book quite like mine.
By Patrick Sanders5 years ago in Criminal
Overtime Is Overrated
Now, I ain't never told a story before, not sat down and scribbled one on paper anyhow. Comin' up in 1960s Mississippi didn't lend much thinking to anything but keeping my black hide on my black ass. There's some hateful people down there back then. That's why I come up here in '75 to find work. Well, that and chasing this big-legged caramel-colored gal kept runnin' 'round my brains and causing a ruckus in my draws. But that's a whole 'nother ordeal right there.
By Andre Bacon5 years ago in Criminal
The Vulcan, The Basset, The Lotus and The Nut
My brother was never really one to talk, many of the interactions we had were slanging matches in passing, nothing of any substance and so when he ushered me into his bedroom on a Sunday evening, I was nervous.
By Matthew Grantham5 years ago in Criminal
Sam Eagle P.I.
Samuel Erchinski took his retirement early. He had enough of the shootings, the rapes and robberies. When he handed his badge to the Captain, he let it be known that it was now going to be the easy life. He had bought an old run down house in downtown L.A. It needed a load of nails and screws and a gallon of paint. He still kept his apartment in the big smoke and this little house was going to be his art studio. Sam had a yen to paint.
By John Trewin5 years ago in Criminal
Peeping Tom
“Women in the Stonebrook are tonight being warned to be mindful of a peeping tom seen in the area. Police are yet to capture the man and strongly advise women to ensure they lock doors and windows and close curtains. In other news…”
By Raquel Moore5 years ago in Criminal
Carousel
The ornate golden harp lay on its side where it had fallen. Two strings were broken. He did not know which two strings, as he did not play the harp. “Maybe next time around,” he thought. For several reasons, it was no surprise the harp had fallen: for one, it had been balanced on a tiny black book. The miniscule book was hardly larger than a postage stamp, no thicker than a doubloon, and had a capital “O,” in ornate gold script, embossed on the cover. The book lay where the base of the harp would have been, in plain sight, but as the detective put him in handcuffs, and he said, “Do you see that?” the detective said, “See what?” And when he looked again, the book was gone; but he had a sense of a swishing movement out of the corner of his eye. He threw the detective a puzzled look, but then they were hustling him away and he had no chance to ask further. “Could you grab my coat, please?” he asked over his shoulder of the other detective, who then picked up the tuxedo coat and draped it through the cuffed hands of the prisoner. They ushered him outside and into the waiting clown car. It was overcrowded inside, of course. And it smelled funny.
By David Hawes5 years ago in Criminal
Zotzed by the Ghosted
Zotzed by the Ghosted Theo dropped the bag on the coffee table, letting out a long sigh. It fell on its side, the bundles of cash spilling out but he didn’t bother to correct it. All six of the locks on the door had been secured, and no one was getting in here. And even if they did, Theo’s roommate Alec could take care of them.
By Roxanne Ramirez-Searcy5 years ago in Criminal
Getting Even
It winked at her from under a folded newspaper in the back of a Yellow Cab in Manhattan. A black leather cover with gold guilt edges. Interesting enough to make her push the newspaper aside to see more of it, although touching detritus in a public space made her shudder.
By S.M. Santora5 years ago in Criminal
Who’s Mina?
“I’ll give you $20,000 to stop talking to my husband “ “Who the fuck -“ The woman in the doorway shoved a bag in the chest of the other woman
By Jan Flynn5 years ago in Criminal
KAMIDE V. THE BOOK
[The case of Kenneth Kamide has finally been made open to the public for their viewing. The following is a recount of Kamide’s experiences, per his personal journal entries, that we feel are contextual to his current trial. These were extracted from his home as use of evidence. ]
By Victor Torres5 years ago in Criminal
I never Forget A Face
I never forget a face. She tugged on her mask to make sure it covered her nose. She needed to buy a new one as this one had frayed and slipped repeatedly. Veronica grabbed a plate while placing two pieces of toast on the white plate with blue trim, the words Hank's Diner in red on her shirt. The light from the kitchen bright as the warmth from the heat lamp kept the stainless steel hot.
By Jacqueline Brockert5 years ago in Criminal
The clues in the little black book
One day Paul was contemplating why he bought such an old house that needed so much work. Paul went into the attic to see if there was any usable space up there. He noticed some unusual wood work that to his eye, seemed to be pointing to a certain spot under the insulation. He decided to pull up the insulation to look and was surprised to find a little box there. He open the box and inside was a little black book. Even more interesting was the content of the book. The first line said, “successfully follow these clues and there will be a reward at the end of every journey.”
By B. J. C.5 years ago in Criminal