Stories of Tie Up Games

Claire appears in the doorway, her expression carefully neutral, but there’s something in her posture - a slight tension in her shoulders - that catches Erica’s attention.
“Sorry to intrude, Erica.” she says. “There’s a Mr. Christian Gordon asking for an appointment. He says it’s a matter of life ...

Dear @Caesar73, dear @LunaDog, I'm so glad to have readers like you. Thank you so much for your vote of confidence.

Dear @Caesar73, I hope I won't disappoint.

Dear @Caesar73, I'm glad you enjoyed the story. For Erica is was a damn close-run thing, but Ruiz was smart enough to strap her into the bulletproof vest.

I hope you'll enjoy the new story just as much. It might be... a little bit darker than the previous one.

And just as promised, here's the link to the next adventure: Erica Sinclair - The Vanishing Hour.
viewtopic.php?p=204993#p204993

As Erica steps out of the elevator and into the sleek, modern lobby of Sinclair & Associates, the subtle hum of the city below is muffled by the thick glass windows framing the skyline. The air is crisp, cool - and overwhelmingly citrusy.

She exhales slowly, the sharp tang of the air freshener ...

When two teenage girls vanish without a trace, attorney Erica Sinclair follows a chilling trail, but what she discovers behind the locked door of a quiet Brooklyn home is more horrifying than she ever imagined. Erica must confront a twisted mind - and the fragile line between grief and madness - to ...

Dear @LunaDog , in this case, yes. But we know how it is.

Of course, it isn’t over.

An ambulance takes Erica to the nearest hospital, sirens wailing through the city. It is all part of the protocol.
For her, the ride is a blur of flashing lights and dull, throbbing pain. In the ER, a harried doctor asks her to unbutton her blouse and take off her bra ...

Dear @LunaDog, thank you so much. We'll see what happens after the shootout tonight and how Erica feels after coming very close to a messy end.

"Police!"
Ruiz’s voice cuts through the silence.

Erica watches Fallon carefully. His voice is steady, but there’s something in his eyes.
She feels it before she sees it. The shift in his stance. The movement in his shoulder.
She knows what’s coming – a predator striking. A breath hangs between ...

Dear @LunaDog, I don't think this is the end, though. Shall we crack on?

She presses the key fob, locking the Volvo with a muted beep. Then, straightening her coat’s collar, she sets off toward the Fountain Splash Pad.

The walk isn’t long, but every step heightens her awareness. The rhythmic clicking of her heels against the pavement. The rustling of leaves as the wind ...

Dear @Caesar73, you'll find out if you stay with the story.
There will be another episode later tonight.

Dear @SashaMoh, I do my best to deliver. Thanks a lot for being one of my faithful readers.

Ruiz lays the transmitter out on the sleek conference table, its black casing matte under the overhead lights. The device is small - no larger than half a deck of cards - yet it carries the weight of everything they’re about to do. A silent witness. A tether to the tactical team waiting in the wings ...

Dear @Caesar73, you never know. But maybe Erica and Detective Ruiz can find out.

Dear @LunaDog, thank you for the kind compliment. I don't intend to let you wait for long. In fact, we'll press on in a minute or two. Enjoy!

The fluorescent lights of Mr Leslie’s 24/7 supermarket on West 72nd Street hum softly, casting a sterile glow over the aisles. Erica walks at an easy pace, tossing essentials into her cart – almond milk, a pack of blueberries, chicken breast for the kittens.

Her phone buzzes in her pocket.
At first ...

Dear @LunaDog, let's see if Erica was right to talk to Ruiz.

Ruiz doesn’t just halt - she shifts her stance slightly, weight balanced, feet apart. A practiced move, one that says she’s ready to react. Then her hand slides into her coat pocket - where Erica assumes an off-duty pistol rests, a reflex honed from years of experience on the job.
Muscles tensed ...

Dear @LunaDog, maybe we'll find that out tonight. Stay tuned.

Finding out Detective Sandra Ruiz’s duty schedule is almost disappointingly easy. One quick call to the precinct she’s stationed at, a polite inquiry, a friendly tone, and a distracted desk sergeant rattles off her shift details without hesitation. No John Dance-level maneuvering required. Erica ...

Dear @LunaDog, you're hitting the proverbial nail on the head. I guess, it's time for some creative thinking on Erica's part.

Erica exhales, reaching for her wine glass with one hand and her phone with the other. The number is muscle memory - she doesn’t even have to look.

The line rings twice before she hears the faint hum of traffic in the background.
“Erica,” John Dance greets her, his gruff voice carrying the easy ...