The Fifteen Minute Novel is a novel written fifteen minutes at a time with each week day’s section starting with the sentence from the previous day. At least it is attempting to be a novel. For now I am just aiming at one continuous story, worked on for fifteen minutes each day. Started Friday January 1st, 2021 (in case you want to search for the beginning. I can’t wait to see where it ends up. It could be good, or it could be a mess. We’ll have to see. For now, here is today’s fifteen minutes.
Day 254: “Yes,” James said. “I’ve never even managed to set foot on the property.”
“Yes,” James said. “I’ve never even managed to set foot on the property.”
“Is the Strawbridge cabin important?” Morris asked. “I don’t recall it being mentioned in any of your reports.”
“It was one of the prime meeting places those involved in the more clandestine activities of the company used.”
“And James was never there?” Morris asked.
“He claims so,” Tucker replied.
“You have your doubts?” Morris asked. James decided that at the moment it was in his best interest to remain quiet and pretend that he wasn’t in the room. Thoughts were beginning to swirl thickly in his brain and he wasn’t certain he should let them out.
“Well it seems awfully convenient that any time the gray areas of the company practice were discussed something came up to keep him away,” Tucker said. “Every time? That’s a lot of coincidence.”
“It does sound a bit convenient,” Morris said. “Or arranged by those who didn’t want him involved.”
“You believe he wasn’t involved in any of it?” Tucker sounded incredulous.
“I checked what records there were. To our knowledge James never visited the cabin, and even though he was the titular owner of the place, he wasn’t involved in its purchase, except for signing the paperwork and transferring the money for the purchase. We have been able to confirm that any meeting relevant to our current investigation was done when James had other events scheduled. Events that kept him away. However, that is hardly the point. The point is whether or not James knows where Cassie would run. Have you any cause to suspect he does? Any evidence that he is not being honest?”
Tucker sighed sounding exasperated. James wasn’t certain if he was the cause or if it was Morris.
“Right now he is claiming he knows nothing because there is no reason for him to tell us anything. He already has his protection and doesn’t want to jeopardize it,” Tucker said. “Let’s face it, no one out there in the wide would will think that he doesn’t know.” Tucker turned to him and James saw a dark smile cross the agent’s lips. “No one else would believe he was just innocent, why should we?”
James watched Tucker’s face change, the dark malice sliding back into a neutral questioning expression before he turned back to face Morris. James blinked and felt his heard begin to thud painfully in his chest.
“And what do you propose?” Morris asked. His voice remained calm and level.
‘But he didn’t see Tucker’s face,’ James thought. He swallowed hard and wondered how much he had to fear from the agents who were supposed to be keeping him safe. He knew Tucker wasn’t on his side and studied Morris’ face, hoping for a glimmer of…something to let him know which way the agent leaned. There was nothing. Morris’ expression was as placid as a lake on a windless day. The only frogs jumping were in James’s belly.
“I wonder what sort of sharks would surface if there was a whisper that James here was still alive,” Tucker said. “It seems there was a lot of interest in him when they thought he was in the program. The interest only stopped when people felt he was taken out of the program feet first.”
“You propose using him as bait?” Morris asked.
Ten til Midnight 