Sunday Snippet: The Baracas File

Yeesh. We're already halfway through the month and I have barely scratched the surface on holiday stuff. In all fairness, I'm not really feeling it this year. There's just too much terrible going on from mass shootings to the kidnapping of people off the streets. Good will toward man doesn't seem to be a thing anymore … unless it's a specific type of man.

Ohio is super cold and snowy right now. We got about six inches last night and the temperature plummeted down to single digits. It's in the teens at the moment. Won't last long. We're supposed to be in the mid-fifties by Thursday. Seriously.

Work projects are moving along. I'm finishing up a proofread and working on a copy edit. I have another new project getting ready to start soon and another copy edit coming next week. I also have the memoir that I'm reviewing as the author makes changes.

I got a few of my regular shows watched this week. I'm still in a blah place and haven't been able to dedicate the time to viewing. I did get a good bit of my mountain of laundry completed, which is a huge accomplishment. I have a new hanging rack I want to get set up but can't until I get the backlog of clothes cleared.

I did finish up Foyle's War and will be starting a new season this week. The next one only has two episodes, which means they might be a little longer. If that's the case, I might be breaking the episodes into two chunks.

I also got the season finale of Beyond Paradise in. I wanted to get it watched before the holiday special and I got it done. Really hope there's some good stuff around the corner for Esther and Archie. My fingers are crossed. Also … Martha and Humphrey are really great foster parents. It hurts my heart every time they send one of their fosters back.

In an odd twist, I caught a holiday episode of Poirot. Thoroughly enjoyed the mystery even without Hastings and Miss Lemon or Inspector Japp. Gotta say the Egyptian prince being a complete prat ended up being fun to watch. I would not have blamed Poirot if he lost his calm and thwacked that guy on the head.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from The Baracas File, a novella that takes the main characters on a twisty journey to find justice. This is a tie-in to the Furlough 99 universe.

Here's the miniblurb:

Briggs Felderzon, an investigative reporter, will stop at nothing to discover what's in the Baracas File, the contents of which results in his brother's death. Myrrh Golz, his brother's partner in the Inter-Stellar Police, decides to help him … but Briggs isn't sure he trusts her.

And a sneaky peek…

Briggs let the ISP handle the arrangements for his brother's death. No … not death. Murder. The ceremony and wake would take place later today.

And Briggs had research to do, if he wanted to get answers.

But putting his current workload on the back burner pissed his boss off.

Briggs cut into his editor's tirade. "Fuck off, Andy. You do remember I just lost my brother, right?" Asshole behavior wouldn't get the guy a story … not when a bigger one took up every inch of Briggs's brain.

Andy's breath hissed out. "Shit. Yeah. Yeah, you're right." He paused and heaved a sigh. "Take whatever time you need. I'll move the trafficking story over to Carson."

Briggs shook his head. "Andy? Do me a favor. Leave it with me…" A huge ask but…

Andy all but salivated over the phone line. "You've got a feeling, don't you?"

Briggs couldn't explain his reticence—gut instinct, a weird vibe, or just sheer ego—but, yeah, something made him reluctant to let the thread go. "I don't know what the fuck I have. Yet. Give me some leeway and if nothing pans out, I'll send my notes to Carson." The other reporter would do an adequate job … if necessary.

Andy grunted. "Yeah, okay. And listen, my apologies for being a dick. I'm sorry about your brother." He signed off after extending his condolences again.

Briggs leaned back and let a little of the grief slide in. He'd been out of touch with Zell for weeks, but they'd been close. Briggs chased down stories about corruption and greed; Zell chased criminals that committed major crimes. Sometimes their professional paths crossed, but often they didn't have time to make personal connections.

The weight of that fact settled over Briggs. "Who did this to you, Zell?" And you need to keep watch for Myrrh…

Sitting up, Briggs grabbed his laptop and started digging for information on his brother's partner.

Two hours later, he had the basic details any cursory search would come up with … and quite a bit more the general public wouldn't be able to get their hands on.

Closing his computer, he exhaled on a long, slow breath. "Looks like I need to have a chat with Myrrh Golz. And she better have some good answers for my questions."

Starting with whether she killed my brother…

This one might end up going in a direction I didn't expect, but I love it when that happens.

 

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Baracas File

Had a rough week with an ear infection and a cracked tooth. The antibiotic is definitely helping but functioning with a fuzzy brain from discomfort is not fun.

I did get a lot of Batman: The Animated Series episodes in. I started with season one number forty-eight and ended with sixty-four. I'm not all the way through "Paging the Crime Doctor" yet but should finish it up today.

Again, there were a few forgotten but so good episodes. "The Mechanic" and "The Man Who Killed Batman" are two that were excellent. Interestingly, Sid the Squid is mentioned later but it's not the same character from "The Man Who Killed Batman."

Two of my favorite two-parters were in this bunch, "Robin's Reckoning" and "Shadow of the Bat." I loved both. The first because it dives into Dick's backstory and shows how much Bruce and Batman care for Dick / Robin. The second because it introduces Batgirl. Another two-part arc with Ra's and Talia, "The Demon's Quest," is also pretty solid.

I also forgot about the second concluding (I think) episode "Day of the Samurai" that wrapped up Bruce's history with his instructor and rival.

"Zatanna" is another one I always enjoy. I love seeing the journey Bruce took to become Batman. I also enjoyed "Read My Lips" that introduced the ventriloquist. One I forgot about is "Fire From Olympus," which feels a little out of place in the Batman realm but I kind of like it because of that.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from The Baracas File, a novella that puts the characters in a precarious position when they go after corruption.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Briggs Felderzon, an investigative reporter, will stop at nothing to discover what's in the Baracas File, the contents of which results in his brother's death. Myrrh Gold, his brother's partner in the Inter-Stellar Police, decides to help him … but Briggs isn't sure he trusts her.

And a sneaky peek…

Myrrh spent the two days following a departmental debriefing about Zell's death reading the entire contents of the Baracas file.

Two things became very clear. "He died because of me." Inadvertently, but the burden didn't lessen because she'd walked away from her not so straight and narrow family business.

He'd been right about being targets. Obviously. But she'd been so certain no one could possibly know they had the file.

Her fingers practically burned holding the assortment of reports, court documents, and communiqués. "Yet less than five hours after I liberated it, Zell is targeted and eliminated." Only someone in the department would miss it.

The big question? Who? Unless someone did a daily check—and that had to be the case—the file shouldn't have been missed. The plan had been she and Zell would scan the contents and return the bulky package to the evidence room.

Rising from her couch, she paced back and forth. "I got away clean. I know I did." She'd learned from the best and put her skill to use from the age of eight to seventeen.

She kept up with the latest safeguards and equipment, too. As an inter-stellar police officer, she had access to the newest technology. Zell used to challenge her to test her knowledge.

She paused. "Testing my knowledge got him killed." And put her in the line of fire … unless her family connections gave her cover.

Several distant relatives were listed in the file. The ones with ties to organized crime. And one or two appeared to have connections to bigwigs in the police department hierarchy.

She huffed out a breath. "That's new info." And the one person she'd normally share the intelligence with, the only one she trusted, no longer existed.

Sinking back down onto her sofa, she fought a wave of grief. I'll bring down the person who murdered you, Zell. Justice will be served.

If she lived long enough to mete it out…

I like how this story is coming together even if it's a little slow going. We might also see a character or two pop up from other books set in the Queen City universe.

 

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Baracas File

Well, another homecoming house party is in the books and I'm so thankful we had such a great group of kids to host over the last four years. A few faces came and went, but for the most part, the core group has remained the same. I'm looking forward to seeing what this group of kids ends up doing in the future.

It's been a crazy week with a ton of work projects coming in and I'm truly thankful to be busy. Sometimes my projects dwindle a little in the fall and that doesn't seem to be the case this year.

A limited week of television, but some good progress made. I started a new classic British series called Sapphire and Steel. It's pretty decent with some time-wimey elements.

I also started a new arc of Classic Who. I didn't realize quite how much of a role the Master had in the third doctor's run.

Caught an episode of Midsomer Murders and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm almost through with series nineteen and have the final season to watch.

Watched another episode of Arrow and should be ready to start the new limited season eight in the near future. I started the penultimate episode but had to pause to get ready for homecoming. I'm going to miss this show so much when it's gone.

Also viewed an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and quite enjoyed it. I'm a little wary of what they're possibly doing with Julia, but we'll see how things go.

Finished up Frankie Drake Mysteries second season and look forward to starting the third. I'm pretty excited to see where things go from here.

Caught another episode of Riverdale. I can honestly say the whole farm thing really kind of annoys me. That said, this show tends to pull off a few twists that end up making me like what I didn't before. With the exception of Hiram. I love the actor but truly hate the character.

Also started another episode of Blue Heelers but have to pick it back up this week. Ran out of time to finish watching it.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from The Baracas File, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Briggs Felderzon, an investigative reporter, will stop at nothing to discover what's in the Baracas File, the contents of which results in his brother's death. Myrrh Gold, his brother's partner in the Inter-Stellar Police, decides to help him… but Briggs isn't sure he trusts her.

And a sneaky peek…

Briggs Felderson entered his apartment via the underground tunnel. "Damn, I hate meeting with sources who can't deal with tech." His informant didn't trust anything electronic.

Briggs refrained from pointing out that paper trails couldn't be encrypted and didn't provide any more safety. Why bother? Especially when the source's information usually paid off in big ways.

Briggs flexed his fingers. "The writer's cramp sucks ass." He retrieved the notebook he'd almost filled with details of a possible police corruption story and made his way to his office.

He wanted a shower and about three days of sleep, but both would have to wait until he got the notes scanned into his computer. He started the first few pages then grabbed his phone to check for messages.

The display showed two from the news center. "Eh, the bosses can wait." He'd informed his editor he had a hot lead, another day wouldn't hurt.

His brother's name flashed as the next contact. Briggs pressed the screen to replay the message. He hadn't heard from Zell in almost a month.

"Yo, Briggs, listen. I've gotta be quick here. Push for all the intel you can get on something called the Baracas file."

Something in Zell's voice set Briggs's teeth on edge. Fear. His brother's tone carried fright of someone or something.

"Bro, I need you to keep a lid on whatever you find. Talk to no one. I mean it. I'm sitting on a pile of explosives and can't trust anyone but you." Zell's voice took on an urgent timber. "And you need to keep watch for Myrrh—"

Pop. Pop. Pop-pop-pop.

Briggs blinked, his brain scurrying to keep up with what just happened. A muffled sound of his brother's phone landing with a thud, the screech and squeal of tires zooming off, and finally, a beep when the call dropped told a sinister tale.

A cold chill slithered down Briggs's spine but he switched screens and dialed Zell's number. The call went straight to voice mail and the chill turned to ice in his veins. Fighting a wave of nausea, he started to call the precinct but a knock at his door drew his attention.

Getting up, Briggs walked toward the door, each step taking him closer to a certainty he didn't want to face.

Someone had killed Zell—keep watch for Myrrh—and it might have been his partner.

This story is so much fun. I love writing cat and mouse moments between characters and showing how they finally come to trust each other. Briggs and Myrrh are going to need each other if they want to find Zell's killer.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Baracas File

Well, tonight is the rescheduled premiere date for The Last Ship. I fully respect TNT's decision to postpone the airing and I'm very much looking forward to watching the start of season three.

Wynonna Earp's lead-in to the finale blew my mind. I'm not sure if the show will have a second season, but I'm so hoping it does. That said, I don't trust Syfy the way I used to. At least I know Killjoys and Dark Matter will be showing up soon.

Orphan Black. Wow. Seriously, just wow. While I'm incredibly sad next season will be the last, I'm also kind of excited because I know it'll far surpass anything I expect or can anticipate. As for the finale, once again, Rachel proved she's the biggest bitch on the planet. I'm rather looking forward to a major toppling of her reign of terror. I can always keep my fingers crossed that what she thinks she wants and deserves ends up being her total undoing, right?

Still working my way through the first seasons of Babylon 5 and Strike Back. Someday, when I have copious amounts of spare time, I want to get back into recapping and sharing my joy for my favorite shows. There's something fun and rewarding about interacting with other fans.

Tonight's post is from The Baracas File, a novella started from the prompt of one character is a cop and the other a reporter investigating the death of his brother / her partner. Since I love sibling stories, I couldn't resist this one.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Briggs Felderzon, an investigative reporter, will stop at nothing to discover what's in the Baracas File, the contents of which results in his brother's death. Myrrh Gold, his brother's partner in the Inter-Stellar Police, decides to help him… but Briggs isn't sure he trusts her.

And a sneaky peek…

Zell Felderzon pulled up outside Myrrh Gold's building. "You sure you've got a secure location for the file?" He nodded toward the thick folder tucked inside his partner's satchel.

Myrrh smiled. "Growing up with a safe-busting family means I've got better than average safeguards installed." She flipped the cover over her bag and reached for the door.

Zell grabbed her shoulder. "Seriously, we're walking targets while the file is in our possession. We don't know how far up this goes and if it's more than the inter-stellar police involved." The tension in his grip tightened.

Myrrh placed her hand over his. "I know, Zell. I'll be careful." She held his gaze. "We'll do this together and bring everyone involved down." Popping the release, she eased the door open and exited, walking up to her building and keying in the entry code.

Zell didn't pull away until the big glass panels shut behind her. Myrrh shook her head, but appreciated his concern. Making her way to her apartment, she inserted her keycard and waited for the entry to slide open. She immediately scanned the room, her gaze lingering on the dark corners. Once satisfied she had nothing to fear, she crossed over to the decorative tapestry hanging on the wall and unlocked the access to the hidden safe by pressing on a series of points on the artwork. The wall moved outward and her safe slid forward. After a retina scan and biometric verification, the keypad appeared and she punched in the seven digit code to open the door.

Retrieving the file from her satchel, she secured the contents in the small space and locked everything down. She heaved a sigh and rolled her shoulders. Zell had her all nervous and twitchy. No one knew they had the file. They'd taken great pains to make certain.

Didn't stop her gut from churning, though.

She and Zell were stepping way beyond their jurisdiction and pay grade by digging into the Baracas file. Myrrh headed for her bedroom sanctuary and stripped down to the skin before crawling between cool sheets. Finding a comfortable spot, she closed her eyes and ignored the sense of trepidation seeping into her bones.

Three hours later, her phone rang and she fumbled to answer. She didn't get a greeting out before the bad news hit her ears.

Her partner had been found dead in his vehicle—sitting three blocks from her residence.

I'm loving the way this one is coming together. Need to find the time to really sit and finish writing the whole thing.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Baracas File

Hello!

Okay, no Arrow episode this week and I missed my favorite show. L But, we did have new Walking Dead and Bitten, which made me super happy. I love reading the speculation about Daryl and whether he'll fall in with those rogue survivors or play nice until he can track down Beth. I'm rather hoping for the latter. It would make a nice bookend to the episode where he more or less sent his past life up in flames.

Bitten's episode for this week has me full of anticipation. I cannot wait to see Elena's worlds collide. J Orphan Black is gearing up for next month and I'm following their instagram page with an obsession. My twitter feed is rife with speculation… to the point I'm pondering a blog post with my wish list for the season. I'll just add that to my ever growing pile of stuff that needs attention. J

Tonight's post is from The Baracas File, a novella featuring danger and intrigue and my two main characters get sucked into the vortex of trying to figure out why the contents keep getting people killed.

Here's the tagline:

Briggs Felderzon, an investigative reporter, will stop at nothing to discover what's in the Baracas File, the contents of which results in his brother's death. Myrrh Gold, his brother's partner in the Inter-Stellar Police, decides to help him… but Briggs isn't sure he trusts her.

And a sneaky peek…

Briggs asked a point-blank question. "Were you sleeping with my brother?"

Myrrh blinked, but answered. "It's none of your damned business, but no, we never had sex." She got up and paced the floor.

Briggs noted her agitation before pushing harder. "Why not? You're exactly his type. Zell wouldn't let working together keep him from going after what he wanted." One of his brother's lesser-known faults.

Myrrh snorted and spun around. "He might not, but I would." She resumed walking back and forth in front of the fireplace. "Look, Zell and I were tight, but as partners, not lovers. I loved him because he became my best friend." She stopped and pinned Briggs with her gaze. "I know you like to dig deep for the truth, but you can put your shovel away. There's nothing buried here."

Briggs tilted his head and searched for any sign she held back. Finding none, he nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Myrrh chuckled. "Frustrating to be wrong, isn't it?" She crossed the small distance separating them. "Now it's my turn."

Briggs frowned, confused.

Myrrh rolled her eyes. "Quid pro quo. I can either take you in for interrogation or…" She jerked her head toward the wingback chair. "You can have a seat and we can chat, off the record, about the Baracas file."

Briggs roughly grabbed her arm. "What do you know about it?" His suspicions went to maximum overload. "Tell me now."

Myrrh yanked out of his grasp and jammed her finger into his shoulder. "Don't ever put your hands on me again." She shoved him back then nudged him toward the chair. "If you want more information, you can sit your ass down and I might be willing to discuss the file. But you get nothing unless you understand the stakes." She paused, meeting his gaze again. "Am I clear?"

Briggs gave a curt nod and sat. He needed answers. He'd play nice until he had a better idea of where and how she fit into the murky picture.

But… if she had anything to do with Zell's death, Briggs would make sure she paid a very high price.

This novella is still pretty much in the planning and conception stage, but this part spurred the idea in the first place.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flip.

ML Skye