Ace of Spades: Volume 1

In the stack of envelopes on top of Gideon's desk, one was curiously unlabeled, the same as any random piece of junk. He slid it open nonetheless. All the envelope contained was a simple leaf… dark green with serrated edges, finely divided and lacy. It was almost triangular, broad at the base with the tip tapering to an almost point. No sooner did he lay the envelope down on his desk, his phone rang. It was the Chief of Police requesting his service on another case.

Across town, another event was happening.

Watching her take a sip, it took the assassin every urge not to swat the glass away, but he knew it was the only way to save his life. He stared at the beautiful woman and wondered how long it would take to go into effect. He questioned how much time it would be before she became dizzy and forgot where she was.

Everything seemed to switch into slow motion. For a moment, the killer doubted himself and wondered if, in fact, he poisoned the wrong glass? Guilt began to creep into his gut. It took all his strength to withhold the tears that started to glisten in his eyes. Why?

The wine glass fell to the side, and her body collapsed to the floor. The killer wasted no time. With an ivory-handled dagger, he stuck the Ace of Spades across the point of the blade and pierced her in the chest. He then placed her body inside the largest trunk among the many in the hallway packed earlier for a long journey.

Then, he called on a deaf-mute to carry the trunk to an unknown destination. But, the blundering detectives assigned to the case get all the facts twisted, and the wrong man was accused… or, was it the wrong man?