Scorched Noir by Elliott Garnett

Author:Elliott, Garnett [Elliott, Garnett]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: General
Publisher: BEAT to a PULP
Published: 2015-06-12T16:00:00+00:00

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Bad Night at Burning Rock

Shari pulled into the campsite late afternoon. She'd almost missed the sign. The gravel lot had one other vehicle parked, a dusty Toyota pickup. Beyond that lay two concrete picnic tables and a crude restroom, the walls painted olive green. Creosote hemmed the little clearing on three sides.

She got out. The first thing that hit her was the stillness. Absolute. No wind to rustle the plant life. Nothing but ceaseless blue overhead.

People came here to die.

Her athletic shoes crunched gravel as she followed a trail past the restroom, toward a concrete building not much bigger than a toll booth. The seal for National Parks and Recreation was affixed to the window.

"You the student?"

A middle-aged man came lurching around the building's side. He wore a light green shirt and dark green slacks, his gut bulging out over the waist. Scraggly beard. It took her a moment to realize he was in uniform.

"Name's Carl," he said, and stuck out a hand.

"Shari." His grip seemed to linger too long. "I'm from the university, yes. I would've gotten here sooner, but I was up late last night at the health center. We had a potential suicide."

"Grim business."

"I'm getting used to it."

"I suppose I am, too." Carl settled his hands on his hips and let out a breath. He wore sunglasses, but she could swear he was leering at her beneath the scratched lenses.

"So, you want to show me this rock everyone's talking about?"

* * *

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