Second place winner of the 2025 Short Story competition hosted by the Houston Writer's Guild/ WIVLA.When a fresh body drops with new evidence linking it to a series of cold case murders, semi-retired death investigator Sam Nolan is forced to open old wounds to catch the killer before another girl goes missing. Will he finally be able to put the case to rest, or will this hideous crime simply unravel perplexing new secrets.

A multimillion-dollar art heist.A murder suspect on borrowed time.The shocking conspiracy that ties them together.Houston private investigator Malcolm Ly doesn't need dangerous cases. He's still regaining his footing after a recent job cost him his son's life. The only reason he accepts his latest client, a man locked up for a double homicide who says he's been framed, is the paycheck.Tragedy or not, rent is...