Minister Jones sat with Inspector Murphy at a sidewalk table outside Rituals Coffee House on Sweetbriar Road in St. Clair. Jones was having a cappuccino grande and Murphy, a regular coffee.
Jones smiled and nodded at a mother and daughter as they passed. The little girl, dressed in her neatly-pressed school uniform, walked with a little forward-tilt from the weight of her bulky backpack.
“You got any children, Murphy?” Jones asked.
“Yeah, boy and girl.” Murphy shook a yellow sachet of Splenda, ripped it open and poured some in his coffee.
“Who’s older?”
“Girl, by four years.” Murphy stirred his coffee, the spoon clinking against the sides of the mug.
He laid the spoon on the saucer and, turning his head to the side so that no coffee would drip on his pants or shoes, took a careful sip.
“I got two boys.” Jones shook his head. “Idiots.”
Murphy sipped his coffee.
“Yeah, two blundering teenage idiots. Twins.” Jones shook his head. “Can you imagine my house on a morning? Freakin’ chaos.” Jones shook his head again and drank some of his cappuccino.
Rituals on Sweetbriar was a cozy spot. Tucked in the west corner of Briar Place, a snazzy office building, Rituals held its own against corporate-giant neighbors Royal Bank, Ernst & Young, British Gas. Like David facing off with Goliath, Rituals was up to the mammoth task, brewing cup after cup of coffee and tea for its exacting corporate clientele.
“So, what more do you have on our friend Mr. SS?” Jones said.
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I received an underground draft copy of this manuscript months ago....incredible writing style, gripping prose, insightful yet subtly-displayed grasp of human nature, witty analogies....I could not put the manuscript down. At work I found my thoughts straying, wondering how the plot would change that evening - "what does Mr. Big do tonight??". This is an absolutely fabulous book and I cannot wait to tear into the published version. Batson thank you and please keep it coming!
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