"Hitting the Fan"
by Alina Adams

        "Finally, finally! You are a very hard man to track down, Mr. Storm; though I guess I can understand why, considering everything you have going on these days. I'm Serena Fenton. Remember? I've known you for years."

        "No, I'm afraid… "

        "Please, what kind of an idiot do you think I am? You're not going to deny that you're Chase Storm, are you? That's low, even for you."

        "Oh, alright, then, you've got me. I apologize, but I'm sure you understand why I sometimes need a bit of anonymity."

        "You've got that right. If I were you, I'd be terrified of showing my face in public, especially now. I've been looking all over for you. Except every time I call you, I get the usual run-around. You're busy, leave a message, you'll get back to me…."

        "I'm afraid I have been very busy the past few weeks. More than usual, even."

        "I know what you've been working on. I've been paying careful attention, and I've finally got it figured out."

        "How disappointing. I like to think I'm not all that transparent."

        "I know what you're up to. You're planning on kidnapping Amber. Probably sometime in the next few days."

        "My, my. You are very clever, Ms. Fenton. Tell me, how did you figure it out?"

        "I'm no fool. Not like the others. You may be able to draw the wool over everyone else's eyes, including Amber's. I've seen how she looks at you. She thinks you're her hero. She doesn't understand your real motives."

        "Well, thank you, I do pride myself on my acting skills."

        "You won't get away with it."

        "You don't think so? I actually think it's a pretty good plan, myself."

        "I won't let you."

        "I'm afraid there's really nothing you can do about it, Miss Fenton. It's too late. Everything's already in the can."

        "That's what you think, Mr. Storm."

* * *

        "So she just took out a gun and shot him? In broad daylight? In a public place?"

        "Yup. Bartender had the brains to jump her soon as she fired, but she wasn't really a danger to anyone else by then. Manager called the police, but too late to help the victim time we got there. And there wasn't a ton of detective work to do, either. Miss Fenton confessed to the whole thing. Said she had to keep Chase from kidnapping Amber and stealing her from her true love. Chase wouldn't listen to reason, she said, so she had to kill him."

"Chase? Report says his name is Harry Kaplan."

"Harry Kaplan, right. He plays Storm Chase on "World of Love." Been their key bad guy for almost a decade. Here. Check this out."

        "Our World of Love: The Complete History?"

        "Serena Fenton gave it to me before they took her to booking. Says I should use it for evidence about all the crimes Chase committed over the years. Says he's never paid for a thing. Police are too stupid to realize he's guilty."

        "Uh-ha… Well, I guess it'll be evidence for at least one crime."

        "Doubtful. Wanna bet we're looking at an insanity plea, here? Even odds this case is never going to court. A nice stay in a rubber room and she'll be back in front of her TV in no time."

        "So if it isn't evidence, what do you want me to do with this thing?"

        "I don't care. Read it. Give it away as gift to your latest girlfriend. Put it up for the next Police Auction. Got to be other nuts out there dying to have a book like this. Maybe it'll give us a hint where the next crazy will come from."

ALINA ADAMS writes The Figure Skating Mystery Series for Berkley Prime Crime, including "Murder on Ice," "On Thin Ice" and the upcoming, "Axel of Evil." Her website is www.AlinaAdams.com.

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