Morning all and welcome to the morning writing prompt. I love these because no matter what sort of mood I am when I sit down with the time by the time I am done my brain has shifted into writing mode. Plus sometimes I get usable things. Let’s see what we get today. Timers set for fifteen minutes and off we go.
This is one I will have to sit down and plot out. Mysteries always take a bit more forethought. So many questions to answer before starting. Could be fun though.
Thursday, May 21st: He opened the car door.
He opened the car door. A wash of heat so intense it made the air ripple blasted out. He inhaled. The stink was worse than the heat. ‘Smells like something died,’ he thought. He stood beside the open car door for a moment letting the heat escape so he wasn’t boiled as soon as he slid behind the driver’s wheel.
He knew the heat shouldn’t be a surprise as the temperatures had been dancing on the triple digit mark for about a week. Or at least that’s what he was told when his plane arrived. He didn’t doubt it as just moving from the terminal to the shuttle made sweat slide down his hair line. He could feel it gather behind his knees.
As the shuttle took him to the outer lot known as long term parking, the driver talked about the heat wave that baked them while Troy was away on work. The work was successful, the contracts negotiated, signed and copies sent to all parties, and a large bonus check already deposited in his bank account. He couldn’t say he was happy to be back. As soon as he landed, all of the issues he left behind came crowding back into his mind.
The driver had the shuttle’s air condition cranked up to maximum ice box levels. His sweat gelled instantly and goosebumps rose on any exposed flesh. It made the heat so much more oppressive when he and his suitcase left the shuttle behind. Since he needed to put his suitcase in the back anyway, Troy decided letting the back doors stand open a bit would help the heat escape faster. He wheeled his luggage to the back of the SUV and tried to determine what he could have left in the vehicle that would have gone so rancid in the heat.
He popped open the back compartment and noticed something lumpy under the emergency blanket he routinely stashed there with his emergency kit. He knew when he left, the blanket was folded in a neat square. Sticking out of one end of the blanket was a shoe, a ladies shoe. He could see the outline of a foot inside.
The nails were painted a bright fascia even if what he could see of the foot was dark and discolored.
He staggered a step back, already reaching for his phone. He dialed 911 and gave them the details. He was advised to touch nothing and that someone would be on their way. Troy stood by his car, wheeling his suitcase back a few feet as though it would become contaminated. The heat waves dissipated but the stink wafting out of his vehicle was worse.
When the police rolled in Troy was sitting on his suitcase, watching his car as though it was going to explode. He was asked for details. He gave them. There weren’t many. He lived alone, parked her a little over a week prior to go on a business trip and just returned to find an addition was made to his car. He told them the blanket was usually folded. Troy was certain he even mentioned the nail polish as once he started talking he couldn’t seem to stop. His information was taken and he was offered a ride home. He appreciated that and wasn’t entirely certain he wanted to get in the vehicle again. He was told that he would be contacted. Troy nodded numbly and got into the vehicle that would take him home.
Ten til Midnight 