Olivia Snead

“Edgar Nikephoros Huntinger, P.I.” by Olivia Snead

Submitted to Contest #164

On April 30, in downtown Miami, Florida, a car turned the corner. Its tires screeched as it bumped a palm tree that stood precariously there. It jolted, moved back, then continued, with frenzied speed. The harsh sunlight of early morning gleamed on its black chrome. A young boy and his mother, who crossed the street at that moment, were momentarily blinded. Too late, the boy saw the monstrous vehicle. He screamed as it rammed into them, so hard it knocked them down, moved over them, then abruptly turned, roared, and screeched back around the...

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“The Open Door” by Olivia Snead

Submitted to Contest #156

After a short vacation in Jamaica, Kate returned to work. That October morning, she enjoyed the copper lined sandy leaves that shimmered on the trees in the sunlight. She crossed the street from the bus stop, and humming her favorite tune, she walked up the steps. The soft autumn wind ruffled her dark curly hair.            She looked at her watch and saw that the train would arrive in five minutes. She stepped in haste on the escalator and almost bumped into an elderly gentleman whose s...

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“The Case of Zaralyne Langster” by Olivia Snead

Submitted to Contest #152

The killer sat reading a book on psychic dreams. He frowned in concentration. Then, he thought of her, and her fear. The heat rose in him. No one will believe her, he thought. He’ll taunt her first, in her dreams. “I can see it now,” he said aloud, laughing at his own cunning.    Years ago, he’d learned through his troubling dreams, that sometimes he could hear the thoughts of another sensitive (as he called them). He once found himself connected with someone who had dreams of possible death. He thought about warning them, by subtl...

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“The Case of the Caterer's Error” by Olivia Snead

Submitted to Contest #149

One night Ricardo Rivera's eyes snapped open out of a deep sleep. Sounds of snapping and cracking and breaking from downstairs pushed him out of bed. Numbed with fear, he forced himself to move. In the darkness, he almost called his wife’s name, then he remembered she’d left for her mother’s house. He stumbled to the bedroom door, went into the hallway, and clicked on the lights. The lights flickered, and almost simultaneously, there was a crash, and again, a sound of glass shattering. He gathered his courage, went back into the bedroom, ope...

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“The Hardrocker Case” by Olivia Snead

Submitted to Contest #146

One Thursday morning, Edgar Nikephoros Huntinger, private investigator, sat in his living room, with thoughts as gray as the Miami overcast skies. His thoughts hindered on his father’s unexplained disappearance years ago, which brought thoughts of his mother’s unsolved death. The telephone rang in his office. He wearily stretched his legs, got up, and went into his office. He picked up the phone on the fifth ring. “Huntinger.”            “Mr. Huntinger, my name is Victor Dumoure. I hope ...

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“The Case of Andrew Scribner” by Olivia Snead

Submitted to Contest #145

The Andrew Scribner Case By, O. S. Snead Monday, April 19   Edgar Nikephoros Huntinger, private investigator, had current cases solved, so he was in good spirits. He dressed for a casual morning in short-sleeved white and blue checked shirt, and black jeans, and went down to breakfast. After cleaning the dishes, he went into his office, sat down, and thought. I wish I had an exciting case unusual to my portfolio, for once. Huntinger yawned. The telephone rang.            “Hu...

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“The Case of the Missing Children” by Olivia Snead

Submitted to Contest #143

“How can you bring your heart to leave my children all alone in the wood…” Hansel and Gretel Grimm’s Fairy Tales Saturday, October 7            Edgar Nikephoros Huntinger, private investigator, smiled at Amaltheia Amaranthus across the candlelit table, at Spyro’s in downtown Miami.            “You look lovely tonight, Amaltheia. Your satin dress complements your ivory skin and dark Grecian features. But it seems an odd color. M-m...

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“The Case of the Passiflora X” by Olivia Snead

Submitted to Contest #142

The Case of the Passiflora X By O. S. Snead            One Monday morning in August, private investigator Edgar Nikephoros Huntinger received a telephone call from Franklin Harrington, an agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.            “Good morning, Edgar, this is Agent Harrington. How are you on this hot Miami morning?”            I’m doing well, thank you, Franklin...

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“Why Did Brandon Huntinger Disappear” by Olivia Snead

Submitted to Contest #140

August 2, 2022 Edgar Nikephoros Huntinger sat by the open window in his office. Because his air conditioning needed repair, he allowed this opportunity to enjoy the warm morning breeze and to listen to the pleasant chirping of birds. His thoughts rose about his missing father. He usually pushed them back, but now they hammered at him, relentless, of an unfinished task. I remember that each time I began the search process, I couldn’t develop it. It was a bitter taste because I abhorred the idea of searching for the man who caused my mother...

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“The Locked Door” by Olivia Snead

Submitted to Contest #130

 The young woman heard the piercing sound of sea gulls screaming. She looked up; they were flying in droves to a destination of safety, for a reason known only to themselves. She scanned the horizon. Mountaintops loomed in the distance, fluffy clouds surrounding the summits. She was clammy, caused by the tropical heat, and her fear. Miles of hot sand was everywhere. Her bare feet hurt with each step on the sharp stones. Who am I, she thought? How did I get here? She held out her hands to examine them. They were small brown hands, scratc...

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“The Case of Constance Livingston” by Olivia Snead

Submitted to Contest #127

Edgar Nikephoros Huntinger, private investigator, awoke to a rainy morning. He got up and washed and dressed. He went into the kitchen, and whisked an omelet, made toast, and a pot of coffee. As he ate, he thought of the unresolved case of Constance Livingston. What would have happened if he’d found her son’s father? Memory of the phone call rose in his mind as he recalled Constance Livingston telling him to end the investigation because there was no longer a reason to find the father. Was there something he missed? Would her son had lived? ...

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“The Dilemma of Amaltheia Amaranthus” by Olivia Snead

The Dilemma of Amaltheia Amaranthus            It was December 26, and Amaltheia Amaranthus was cheerful as she awakened to the warm weather of Christmas in Miami, Florida.            My little boy will love the shorts set I’ve sent him in Crete, she thought as she walked to the front door for the mail. Picking up a variety of letters, she quickly skimmed through them. She walked to the living room. She stopped when she saw an enve...

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“The Recurring Dreams of Victor Dumoure” by Olivia Snead

Submitted to Contest #113

On an August morning as the sun cast its rays through the window, Victor Dumoure awakened from a dream. The handsome and successful singer got up, stretched, and crossed to his favorite chair, a Vintage from the Renaissance period. He sat down and crossed his silk clad legs. I haven’t had a dream like that since I was a young hard rocker, he thought. I was so terrified after that unforgettable performance, that I hired a private investigator to find out if someone had tried to kill me. How cunning my agent and Lenore were, slipping that drug...

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