100 comments

Mystery Drama

I'm pregnant, and I'm desperate to have my father be a part of her life, read the Facebook message. Mom refused to tell me anything about him, but I found this in her nightstand drawer. I'm hoping it might help.


I reviewed the digital attachment, then messaged the sender – Carmen – to drop by my place that night after work with the original.


Carmen had come to the right gal: I advertise on Facebook as Snapshot Holmes, Crack Image Detective, but my small following of fans just call me “The 2-D P.I.” Librarian by day, my true loves are photo analysis and mystery resolution… oh, and coffee.


My usual cases involve outing crashers in family reunion shots, spotting a stolen pooch in a dog park line-up, verifying if a spouse is starring in a below-the-waist Big Mistake… you get the idea. Reuniting a kid with her long-lost dad (and soon-to-be grandpa)? Refreshing. I was all-in!


The 8"x10" photo she'd brought with her depicted a beautiful sunny day, smiling young people in swimsuits and trunks clowning around together in front of a pool surrounded by palm trees. Taking a seat, the very pregnant Carmen declined an offer of my most exquisite bean brew (because, of course; I'm clueless sometimes), then said, “The one in the center that everyone's lifting is my mom. I’m not even sure when this picture was taken.” 


There were a dozen people in the shot, but half of them were women and could easily be discounted as anyone’s father (as a semi-professional, I always nail these trickiest of clues). It appeared to be from the late ‘80s or early ‘90s, given the hair and clothing styles.


The woman that Carmen pointed out was in a bikini, plus a long-sleeved red cover up, a scarf around her neck, and a smile that didn’t extend to her eyes. The man in striped shorts standing closest to her head - “Knuckles” - had one red-knuckled hand clamped on the woman’s shoulder possessively, helping the others lift her up into a semi-prone display. 


I took a hearty swig of Jamaican Blue, then grabbed my loupe for a closer look. “Do you already suspect any of these men?” I asked, as delicately as I could phrase it.


“Mom was in a common-law marriage when I was born, so there's no legal record, of course," she said, "but that same guy might’ve been my father and seems most likely. It’s just that I don't even know if he’s one of the ones in the picture.” Lingering on her mom's face, she added: “She died of late-stage syphilis last year, so that's all I know; I only found the photo last month when going through her things.”


I murmured my condolences. “What about any siblings who might be able to shed some light?”


“Mom always said she really wanted another child, but she miscarried three times after I was born." Carmen instinctively cradled her belly out of the corner of my eye. "Guess she stopped trying after that."


Tall for a woman, her mother had brilliant blue eyes which would have been mesmerizing under different circumstances. My petite client’s honeyed-brown eyes? She got those somewhere else. I searched the photo again under the loupe and discounted two of the men right off the bat, but I didn’t say anything to my client just yet: the man clutching her mother was one of those men. 


I chugged my cup empty and poured another. “Do you know anyone else at all in the photo?” 


“The one lady standing on the far right is my aunt, but she’s also deceased.” She indicated a smiling woman wearing sunglasses and a t-shirt depicting a broken cinder block wall with graffiti. I could make out the word “Fall” on the shirt, but nothing else. 


“My aunt was my guardian until I was three; Mom was doing drugs when I was born, so social services took me away." Carmen had certainly had her share of hard times; my heart went out to her. "She cleaned up her life after that, though. Miraculously so. She was a fantastic mother, really committed to doing right by me after our rocky start… except when it came to talking about my father.”


While she was talking, I was pouring my third mug-full and beginning to reach Javana. Consequently, I noticed that Mom had a slight bulge beginning to distend her fit midsection; though barely perceptible, my suspicions were confirmed when I noticed a slight swelling of her legs on an otherwise slim form. I asked Carmen her own age: she was 33. 


One stroke of luck was that Mom had written the names of the subjects on the back (though, I still credit the caffeine with this groundbreaking discovery). With nothing else to go on, I had Carmen leave the photo with me, telling her not to worry: I was on the case and would give it my all to reunite them.


***


I began the hunt on Facebook.


Even though I had already ruled him out, I looked up Knuckles first. When I told him why I was getting in touch and asked if we could meet for coffee, he readily agreed: turned out he really loved mochas. (Oh, also turned out that he remembered Carmen as a sweet little baby.)


Across from me sat a clean-shaven man in his 60s. Knuckles admitted – apologetically – that period of his life was mostly a blur: they were all bound together only by their love of partying and scrapping. He'd been sober for a couple of decades since.  


“I can’t make amends now that it’s too late, but I can tell you that I loved her.” He looked at me in earnest. “We hadn’t had sex for months when she turned up pregnant the first time. That broke my heart in a way I never got over.” He hesitated. “When it happened again, that was it for me. I admit I got violent over it… the drinking didn’t help, of course.” He turned his face away, hastily swiping at a tear.


I pretended not to see, asking him about the other men in the photo. “Well, you’d have a hard time tracking “Patches” down,” he said with a sniffle. “He died probably 30 years ago in a botched home invasion.” He tapped on a guy holding a squirt gun aimed at the camera. “Guess he never gave up the booze – they said his mind was destroyed by the time he was killed.” Shoulda stuck to joe.


Knuckles barely remembered any of the other men in question, even after seeing their names. He apologized that he wasn't more help, then encouraged me to give his number to Carmen so they could get together and share happier memories of her mother.


Next, I looked up the one I thought of as “John Holmes.” You didn’t have to be a sleuth to notice him in beachwear. Medium-height and gaunt, with indigenous features but lighter, pock-marked skin, he was holding Mom’s legs in the photo.


He declined to meet in answer to my Facebook inquiry, responding that he’d always been gay and had never slept with a woman. I guess I should have seen that coming. I asked What about the remaining men? but for some reason, he never responded.


Next up was “Lurch,” the tallest of the group, who was standing next to Knuckles in the photo. Despite a common surname, I easily found him on Facebook still living locally. He had become an undertaker at a nearby mortuary but didn’t want me to come to his office, so we met a couple of days later at Midpoint Coffeteria. 


He hadn't changed much: solid for his height, with clear, pale skin that set off his dark eyes and curly black hair. Women would have considered him a catch, with his arresting looks and lucrative career. Plus, he ordered his "black," the hallmark of a man of good taste. 


I showed him the photo: he remembered that day and said the background was a local swimming spot that had since been developed into tracts of McMansions. 


“She and I hung out a few times,” he admitted. “She was living with "Knuckles," so we had to keep it on the down-low. I’d be willing to take a DNA test for Carmen, but I would be very surprised if I was her father. We were only intimate one of those times, and we didn’t go all the way. Are you sure it isn’t "Knuckles?"” I told him how I knew.


He said Knuckles was their de facto leader at the time; most of the people in the photo were drinking buddies of his and their girlfriends. He remembered the group used to party at one of the industrial clubs downtown, making this one of the rare daytime outings they would've had. 


I interrupted him a moment to order another round, then asked if he remembered any of the other men in the photo; he remembered two of them.


Patches was a guy he steered clear of: “That guy just seemed off. He’s not smiling right because he’s missing a couple of teeth, possibly from a fight, but he also had crazy eyes.”


I peered closely at the photo and saw what Lurch was calling crazy eyes: Patches simply had mismatched pupils and patchy eyebrows. While generally not bad-looking, he definitely looked like he'd seen better days. Hard partying will do that to you.


Intriguingly, Lurch also remembered that “"John Holmes" was definitely there with the mousy girl on the far right of the photo.” He tapped the image of Carmen’s aunt. 


Taking my leave, I thanked him for his time and paid up for the perks. At this point, I only had one more interview with potential: I messaged “Hairy.”


Hairy was now a mechanic working on the outskirts of town, and he invited me to drop by his shop the next day. He seemed very open and friendly, even offering me a demitasse; he was having one, so I knew I was gonna like this guy. 


I showed him the photo and asked some routine questions about the gathering, which he recalled quite well. I noticed his eyes lingering awhile on Mom before he responded. I found that odd, since the others had lingered on their own “glory days” images; perhaps the scrawny scrapper with an already-receding hairline held no interest for him.


Pointing to the stunning redhead next to him in the photo, he said, “That’s my wife. She’s the only woman I’ve ever been with, and we were together even back then.” The smiling pair had their arms around one another.


Just then, a pretty, somewhat older version popped her head around the corner from where she’d been tinkering in the bay: “Can confirm!” She added a brilliant smile and a wink at her husband.


Stumped, my brain percolated for a moment before it finally occurred to me that there was a 13th man: the photographer. I asked Hairy who took the photo. He said they’d balanced it on a tripod and used the timer. 


Unusual. Who would have been carrying around that much equipment for a day at the pool? “"John Holmes,"” he responded.


Arriving back home that night after snagging some drip at the brew truck down the street, I texted Carmen with an invite to come by in the morning – thanks to cumulative caffeine, I had her solution.


***


She arrived early, tense but anticipatory. “Well,” she said, taking a deep breath, “I was surprised you’d have an answer this soon, but I think I’m ready.”


“Your mother was probably pregnant in this photo. It’s subtle, but her belly and legs are fairly good indicators. When exactly were you born?” 


“Wow, my first portrait! May, 1989.”


I shook my head; it wasn’t her. “See this t-shirt your aunt is wearing? It celebrates the fall of the Berlin Wall. It happened that same year, but after you were born. This must have been taken the following summer.”


She paused, then perked up. “It's possible I have a brother or sister somewhere out there?” 


“Unfortunately, I don’t think that's likely," I said sympathetically. "You said your mother died of syphilis. Judging from the clues, I think she already had it by then, which would've made carrying a child difficult.”


“Oh." She drew a deep breath. "So then, who’s my father?”


“You had two, actually. The man who lived with your mother when you were born was "Knuckles." He would really like it if you'd contact him to catch up, by the way; he misses her, too, and would love to share memories with you.” 


I didn’t tell her about the situational violence: from his red knuckles to the scarf and cover up that her Mom was wearing, she was probably hiding evidence of a domestic assault. Her canned smile also pointed towards a contemporary unhappiness. The daughter could find out for herself whether Knuckles was worth getting to know better, and I wasn’t going to screw up her chance to learn more about her mom… maybe over a decaf.


That led me to the grand finale: “Choosing from only the men in this photo, which isn’t definitive, your biological father would likely have been "Patches." I’m sorry to say we may never know for sure, since he died 30 years ago. Do you want to know more about him? It isn’t good.”


Her eyes searched his face on the image, trying to see herself in it. “No.” She paused and looked up at me. “But how did you find out?”


I took another jolt, then walked her through how I first discounted Knuckles and the other blue-eyed subject: two blue-eyed parents can produce a brown-eyed child, but it's so rare as to be statistically improbable.


Of the remaining possibilities, only one of them had the telltale signs of the syphilis that he’d spread to her mom: the uneven pupils, patchy hair, and tooth loss were all signs of the disease. Unfortunately, her mom probably did not know. 


“You’re very lucky. She must have been in a remission phase during her pregnancy with you. The important thing, though,” I continued, “is that, while their paths may have briefly crossed, they were fortunately going in completely different directions. His life imploded, and your mother picked back up her life with you and made it amazing.” Carmen nodded, with tears in her eyes.


I asked – now that she had her answer – whether she thought she might contact Knuckles.


"I'm not really sure yet," she said. "Maybe there's a reason Mom never mentioned him to me."


"You know, he never got the chance to apologize to your mother for whatever happened, but 'I'm sorry' is just a promise to do better," I said gently. "The changed behavior is the real apology, and I think he's changed. Having a grandfather in your child's life is what brought you here; it might be worth a shot."


After she left, I breathed a sigh of relief. While I love solutions, I prefer happier ones; this wasn’t one of those. I glanced out the window and saw the sun. Maybe I’d hit the beach later and shake it off with some refreshing iced brew.

January 29, 2023 03:30

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100 comments

Russell Mickler
17:13 Jan 29, 2023

Hey! First, Hairy, or Harry? Second, it’s got a great noir rhythm to it! Third, 1989? Jesus, I’m old. Fourth, great detail on the disease and genetics working into the solution. Fifth, a digital gumshoe would make _excellent_ serial fiction, ace :) this is a great concept … “It was a dark night. The glow from my monitor lit up her face like a poltergeist, and I froze, wondering how this dame got into my office.” …. Oh yeah! A very fun one …! R

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Wendy Kaminski
17:42 Jan 29, 2023

Sounds like YOU might be able to pull this off! Of course, you're doing mini-mysteries in your stories all the time. I tried to use descriptors, so while it looks wrong, "Hairy" is right, for what I was picturing. :) Thank you for the point-out though, just in case! Well, given that we're contemporaries, we are both old. Mine was "Welcome to the Jungle"... yours?? Thank you as always, Russell - I really enjoy your comments, and appreciate you taking the time!

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Russell Mickler
19:57 Jan 29, 2023

Grin, of course, and I always look forward to your work - I was born in '70, so the math's pretty easy :) Graduated in '88! Listened to OMD and Metallica and wore my hair similar to Dusty in Stranger Things, except it was even more mullet-ish :) And I'd say fifty's the new thirty anyway. It's only when I start hearing "Enter Sandman" covered by some whispy fem on Disney's horrid reboot of Willow that I get pissed off :) R

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Wendy Kaminski
19:58 Jan 29, 2023

hahahah :)

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BRUCE MARTIN
16:15 Jan 29, 2023

Wendy, this is an amazingly well-thought-out and multifaceted story, as are many of your stories. I really enjoyed it. Regarding the syphilis issue, here is a link to a very good discussion of the natural course of syphilis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1779891/ Generally, death from tertiary syphilis is primarily from its cardiovascular manifestations, mostly from thoracic aortic aneurysms. Late-stage syphilis is otherwise characterized by worsening dementia, spinal neuropathy with loss of balance and difficulty walkin...

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Wendy Kaminski
16:20 Jan 29, 2023

Thank you so much for bringing your bailiwick to bear, Bruce! That was fascinating info, and I appreciate it so much. I was thinking the guy in the photo had the secondary stage, but it looks like I lumped in some symptoms of both 2nd and 3rd stages. I may see if I can fix it a bit, to be more realistic - you rock! Thank you again so very much, for taking the time to read and Dx. :)

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Lindsay Flo
00:12 Jan 30, 2023

This was a fun read! I really liked the line-up of crazy, messed-up kids and ruling out each possible dad. There was humor and you also kind of had to feel sorry for Carmen with such a bum pool of potential dads lol. If I'm being nitpicky...TECHNICALLY two blue eyed parents can produce a brown eyed child, but its a pretty small percentage of a chance if I recall. I also liked the names she gave them all, it gave you a visual as well as being more distinctive than "john" "bill" "tom" etc.

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Wendy Kaminski
00:18 Jan 30, 2023

Oh wow, I did not know that; I had always heard (obviously) the "mostly" version. I may need to put in a mild disclaimer so I don't perpetuate it. Thank you so much for the heads-up on that, and also for the lovely review! :)

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Jim Firth
11:06 Jan 29, 2023

'Verifying if a spouse is starring in a below-the-waist Big Mistake...' This line cracked me up! And so did all of the coffee references. I hope Snapshot Holmes gets some nicer clients in the future--Carmen's family were a rough crowd!

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Wendy Kaminski
14:08 Jan 29, 2023

Thanks, Jim! Appreciate your encouragement. :)

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Rama Shaar
08:56 Jan 29, 2023

This was a great read! You should consider this side hustle 😉

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Wendy Kaminski
14:24 Jan 29, 2023

haha Thank you! :) It definitely sounds like fun!

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Michelle Oliver
07:55 Jan 29, 2023

Wow, loved the style of this one, the detective spin where all the clues are there, but only put together at the end. A great read.

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Wendy Kaminski
17:33 Jan 29, 2023

Thank you, Michelle! I'm so flattered you liked it, thanks for taking the time to give it a read! :)

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Martin Ross
05:32 Jan 29, 2023

A terrific contemporary spin on the private eye story, with solid cluing, thorough research, and a plausible, human ending. I’m looking forward to where you go next with this series — I’d love any of the cases you mentioned in the third paragraph, as well as the more intensive stuff. And I love “a below-the-waist Big Mistake…”👍🤣

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Wendy Kaminski
05:38 Jan 29, 2023

heheh :) Thank you so much, Martin - and for the first read-through, too! Your help and support are invaluable!

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Lily Finch
04:53 Jan 29, 2023

Wendy, this story was divine. You had all the elements of a suspense-filled story. A woman who searches for her father. Delivered to her via an old photo. Loved the concept and how syphilis played a role in discovering who her pappy was. LF6

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Wendy Kaminski
04:54 Jan 29, 2023

Thank you, Lily! :) I had fun writing it but will probably edit it about 10x more before the week's done. It lacks a little of that punch, you know? (But it has plenty of coffee instead! *grin*)

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Lily Finch
15:14 Jan 29, 2023

I gotcha. Edits are good. I do them until I can no longer do any. LOL

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Wendy Kaminski
15:17 Jan 29, 2023

High five! :) You are just my style, lol.

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Lily Finch
15:54 Jan 29, 2023

;)

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KT George
15:04 Feb 04, 2023

I didn't know what a demitasse was, so thanks for that! I loved the gumshoe detective vibe but also that she was a librarian. Librarians can be cool. Hahaha. And the surprise reveal/deduction she made was fantastic. I enjoyed the way you included the prompt of two people passing in opposite directions.

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Wendy Kaminski
15:07 Feb 04, 2023

Thank you, Kt! :) I had fun writing it!

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Tara Leigh Parks
02:27 Jan 31, 2023

"Next, I looked up the one I thought of as “John Holmes.” You didn’t have to be a sleuth to notice him in beachwear." :) Great sleuthing, Wendy.

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Wendy Kaminski
02:32 Jan 31, 2023

:D

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Nathaniel Miller
18:23 Jan 30, 2023

Fantastic story, Wendy. I really enjoyed reading this; such a fun modern noir piece! I like the direction you went with it, too - offering closure on the case but an ambiguous and rather unhappy ending was a really great move. I know it's rather secondary to the actual plot, but I appreciated how you intertwined the narrator's love of coffee throughout the piece. It added a level of relatability (because honestly, who doesn't love coffee!? Aside from Carmen, of course) and fun personification that lightened the story and gave it more dept...

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Wendy Kaminski
18:30 Jan 30, 2023

Thank you so much, Nathaniel! You really made my day. :-)

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Wendy Kaminski
03:37 Jan 29, 2023

Note: Brown-eyed parents can have a blue-eyed baby, it is just fairly rare (approx 1-6% chance of successful brown-eyed couplings) and depends on specific genetic factors: https://www.thetech.org/search?search=blue+eyed. Want to know more about decoding family photo mysteries, particularly historical ones? Some great tips are located at these links: 4 steps to identifying old family photo mysteries: https://familytreemagazine.com/photos/identifying/4-steps-to-solve-old-photo-mysteries-when-you-have-but-a-few-clues/ Hidden clues in old fam...

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Graham Kinross
05:37 Jan 30, 2023

“a smile that didn’t extend to her bloodshot eyes,” oh no. That’s not a good sign. “beginning to reach Javana,” where people go when they’re reaching the apex of their coffee high? Or where coffee goes when it has fulfilled its destiny? “lucrative career,” as long as they’re not squeamish. “he ordered his "black," like his… cars. “Lurch also remembered John Holmes not being gay, because Holmes was definitely there with the mousy girl,” like Elton John’s wife. “thanks to cumulative caffeine, I had her solution,” not a headache? Amazing ...

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Wendy Kaminski
05:47 Jan 30, 2023

"“thanks to cumulative caffeine, I had her solution,” not a headache?" (lol :) Pro Tip: The only way you get a headache is if you REDUCE your caffeine consumption. This is why I'm up to 12 cups/day. I have indeed reached Javana. It's just a bean field tho.

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Graham Kinross
05:56 Jan 30, 2023

So you’ve evolved beyond sleeping, or your tolerance is so high you need that many?

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Wendy Kaminski
05:57 Jan 30, 2023

Sleep is for the weak.

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Graham Kinross
05:58 Jan 30, 2023

Yeah but I need all the beauty sleep I can get these days.

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Kevin V
00:45 Mar 03, 2023

Well, well, Wendy. I don't have much going on and decided to read another one of your stories and I loved it. Especially: - While she was talking, I was pouring my third mug-full and beginning to reach Javana. Javana! God I love that! Can I use it? That's the best, though you have many coffee references that I enjoyed! I'm sitting here now drinking instant Walmart coffee with creamer (I hear you groaning. No judging please. My tastes are as simple as I am). John Holmes? Really? Haven't heard that name in many years, but I'm definitely ol...

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Wendy Kaminski
01:00 Mar 03, 2023

Please feel free, Javana's all yours! lol :) (I'm old, too, think nothing of it - lol - at least we get older jokes! *grin*) Thank you so much, KV, you really made me smile with seeing this on my feed! :D I appreciate you taking the time! PS No judging. I had just bought some Jamaican Blue Mtn at super stupid prices, and it's not even as good as I remember it. Disappointing in a FAR worse way than if I'd just bought a known WM-quantity. :(

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Richard E. Gower
21:01 Feb 28, 2023

Just had about three weeks of life packed into one, so thought I would challenge and relax my brain all at the same time to decompress with a good short story, and I am slowly working my way through your collection on Reedsy. Lots of stuff to like in this one, Wendy. You do subtle, understatement so very well. E.g.: Taking a seat, the very pregnant Carmen declined an offer of my most exquisite bean brew (because, of course; I'm clueless sometimes)… and…. There were a dozen people in the shot, but half of them were women and could easily...

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Wendy Kaminski
21:15 Feb 28, 2023

Thanks so much, Richard! "My Wife, a 4th stage coffaholic" hahaha I love that! I don't have that mug, but now I may very well need one. :) Can you believe I didn't even catch this: "John Holmes, equipment…? .. insinuation, imputation, innuendo or just a Freudian slip?" ?! You're right, that is hilarious now that you mention it, lol! Appreciate your reviews very much, always bring a smile on! Thanks again, and I hope your week is getting ... less-so! :)

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Richard E. Gower
21:53 Feb 28, 2023

Back into writing again, so my week is improving, thanks.:-)

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Philip Ebuluofor
17:55 Feb 18, 2023

Find work. It holds interest from beginning to end. Congrats.

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Wendy Kaminski
23:30 Feb 18, 2023

Thank you so much, Philip - I appreciate it!

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Philip Ebuluofor
19:14 Feb 19, 2023

Welcome.

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Philip Ebuluofor
18:39 Feb 27, 2023

Welcome.

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Evie Thorn
03:08 Feb 12, 2023

❤️❤️❤️

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Wendy Kaminski
03:11 Feb 12, 2023

Thanks! :)

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Brad Heald
00:16 Feb 12, 2023

Snapshot's detective work is impressive. Her interview skills commendable and the writer tells the story smoothly. After reading a few paragraphs I began looking forward to the next coffee break as well as the next crack in the case. Well done Wendy.

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Wendy Kaminski
00:17 Feb 12, 2023

Very flattering, Brad! Thank you for the lovely review, and I am so glad you liked it! :D

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Joanne Johnson
03:25 Feb 10, 2023

It's a fascinating story. Especially all the coffee references. Obviously this woman knows how to get through a day. You have made a small mystery into a great story. I hope Carmen follows up with her potential dad.

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Wendy Kaminski
03:28 Feb 10, 2023

In my mind post-finale, I think she'd do it. :) Thanks so much for the kind words, and for reading it, Joanne! :)

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Jane Andrews
21:35 Feb 09, 2023

Got you for the Critique Circle again and I feel like a rollover lottery winner. This was a fun story - I'm currently listening to the complete Sherlock Holmes on Audible so it was great to see how you merged elements of Conan Doyle's Holmes with roman noir and ended up with something just as compelling as but far funnier than both. Plenty of other people have already commented on all the things I had lined up to say, like the coffee references, the nicknames for the people in the photo, etc, so just take it as read that I enjoyed this and f...

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Wendy Kaminski
21:38 Feb 09, 2023

Thanks so much, Jane! :D

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Kathy Trevelyan
12:45 Feb 09, 2023

I really enjoyed this. One of the things I do is genealogy, and tracking down lost relatives for people, even though it's usually dead people, is a little similar to your digital image detective's work. I liked the funny names of the guys, and the process of elimination was believable. I think this has good potential to be a series!

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Wendy Kaminski
13:35 Feb 09, 2023

Really appreciate your encouragement, Kathy - thank you! :)

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