The Devil You Know

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The Devil You Know Page 33

by Richard Levesque


  When the door clicked shut after Whistler, Eddie smiled unsteadily and Blackwood, who had remained standing since entering the office, now walked around Whistler’s desk and sat in the editor’s swivel rocker, making it squeak loudly. He pushed himself back from the desk a bit and crossed his long legs, his elbows on the arm rests and the fingertips of each hand meeting lightly in front of his chest. He nodded toward Eddie and then directed his eyes downward toward the chair Eddie had hopped out of when Blackwood had walked in the room. Taking the cue, Eddie sat, continuing to smile at the older writer, not knowing what else to say or do. Blackwood had seemed pleasant enough when being introduced to Eddie, the deep lines around his eyes making him appear open and inviting. But he was not smiling now as he quietly asked, “Did you think no one would figure it out?”

  Eddie hesitated. The blush he had felt at Roxanne’s presence returned tenfold. He knew there should be a dozen ways to respond, had thought out this moment a hundred times and planned all the possible ways out of it. But he had never thought it would be Chester Blackwood asking the question, and he couldn’t think of a single thing to say. His mouth instantly dry and his heart pounding fiercely, he could see in a straight line six months back to September 1939, could see the direct cause and effect chain that had gotten him here and how it had started with his decision to cheat the system rather than beat it.

  * * * * *

  That’s all for now. Interested in reading more? You can find the book here.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Richard Levesque was born in Canada and grew up in Southern California. By day, he teaches composition and literature—including Science Fiction—at Fullerton College, and by night he works on his novels and short stories. He joined the ranks of independent novelists in 2012 with the release of Take Back Tomorrow and followed that with Strictly Analag and the first Ace Stubble novella, Dead Man’s Hand. 2013 saw the release of Unfinished Business, the second Ace Stubble novella, as well as The Girl at the End of the World, a YA post-apocalyptic novel. When not writing or grading papers, he spends time with his wife and daughter, works on his collection of old pulp magazines, and tries to be better than a mediocre guitar player.

  You can see more about Richard and read some free short stories at his website.

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