This week, the authors of Tuesday Tales are writing to the word prompt, stingy. I am in my story where the heroine can speak to the dead. She and Andrew Jackson are watching an interrogation and talking to each other.
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Stephen’s response made her sure of the reason. “My friends—if you really think you have my friends in custody—aren’t saying a thing. This is a cop tactic. I’ve seen Law and Order. My mom likes that show. You guys lie about that stuff all the time. You got nothing on me.” He raised his arms slightly, rattling the cuffs. “You’ll soon be letting me go.”
“I do have something on you. I have witnesses who’ve seen you and your friends together.”
Stephen leaned forward. “What witnesses? And why am I not in a lineup already then?”
At the look on Malcolm’s face—that Lu knew was because his witnesses were long dead priests and General de Galvez—Stephen sat back again. “Thought so. No witnesses.” He barked a laugh. “See, Ma, Law and Order cop lies again.”
Lu didn’t know how to help Malcolm. After all, he was the trained professional. He knew how to interrogate suspects. But this guy was obnoxious and she wanted to see him go down. And hard.
Jackson paced the room. “The little miscreant needs to be sent to the Army. Make a man out of him instead of a sniveling pup.”
Lu tended to agree with him. The Army did sometimes make a change for the good in a person, but she’d also seen it break some people down entirely. But this guy, all he needed was a dose of the reality boot camp would give him. They wouldn’t be stingy in making sure he was brought down to earth with running laps or doing sit ups until he was too exhausted to mouth off.
The thought made her laugh. “I doubt this guy would make it through the six weeks of basic training with his attitude. He appears strong enough to handle it, but the drill sergeant would eat him for breakfast the second day.”
“Ahh, your training camps now must be as tough as the ones in my day.”
“I imagine they might be somewhat worse since people were hardier in your day. We’re soft. Indoor plumbing, air conditioning, electricity and indoor kitchens where we can zap a meal without having to find a cow, kill it, cure the meat, and all that stuff.”
“Not a delightful way to spend a life, I must admit. You have a lot of nice places to dine as well. Too many, really, from what I can tell.” Jackson shook his head. “Sometimes I wish I could still eat. I can recall so many nice meals, it would be nice to try them again. Alas, one of the things one misses when dead.”
Jillian Chantal 
Great scene. Love the “indoor kitchens where we can zap a meal without having to find a cow, kill it, cure the meat, and all that stuff.”
By: Susanne Matthews on November 29, 2022
at 7:14 am
Thanks, Susanne. I wasn’t sure I’d be in this week as couldn’t figure out where to use the word. LOL
By: Author on November 29, 2022
at 10:42 am
You did well.
By: Susanne Matthews on November 29, 2022
at 10:43 am
thanks!!
By: Author on November 29, 2022
at 10:45 am
Ooh, I hope they find something on his. Cocky dude. I love the side conversation Lu and Jackson have. Great job!
By: Tricia on November 29, 2022
at 11:28 am
thanks!! This week was hard for me to fit in the word so I am glad you liked it.
By: Author on November 29, 2022
at 11:28 am
Great post. Jackson is fascinating to me. I want to interview him or something lol. Stephen is way too cocky to get away with it–something’s coming!
By: Flossie Benton Rogers on November 29, 2022
at 9:21 pm
Lol re: Jackson. I’m having so much fun with him as a character. He was most of the reason I decided to make this a series. Lol. Yep, Stephen is going down. Lol.
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By: Author on November 30, 2022
at 5:54 am
I love this. Would like to smack the little sniveler myself. And that last line? Priceless!! Brilliant. Love this.
By: Jean C. Joachim on November 30, 2022
at 8:32 am
LOL! Thanks Jean. He needs slapping for sure!! LOL
By: Author on November 30, 2022
at 9:11 am
Great snippet. I love that indoor kitchen line! If our ancestors could only see all our modern conveniences!
By: Vicki Locey on December 2, 2022
at 4:27 am
Lol. Yeah. They’d totally be jealous of our kitchens and the convenience.
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By: Author on December 2, 2022
at 6:48 am
What a fun snippet. I love the characters and how they interact with each other. That last line – about being dead- was perfect!
By: trishafaye on December 5, 2022
at 5:59 pm
thanks, TrishaFaye. These characters are so much fun to write. Especially Jackson. I am quite sure he was not nearly as funny in real life…. LOL
By: Author on December 6, 2022
at 10:47 am