Nick caught Kate’s panic from the corner of his eye. He switched the radio to his left hand and brought two fingers of his free hand to Kate’s lips. She understood.
“Boston is a large city,” Nick said.
“Not from where I’m sitting.”
Unlike the men at the workshop, Julian wasn’t merely an operative. Nick still had to test him.
“If you have Noah, put him on.”
“I didn’t say I had him.”
“Then you don’t.”
“Not yet.”
“You’ve always been a big talker.”
“Let’s see…” Julian paused as if reviewing notes. “He left the residence hall eight minutes ago. Westbound on Newbury, on foot. He’s approaching Mass Ave.” Another pause. “He’s probably headed for MIT. He meets his PRIMES mentor Thursday mornings.”
Nick looked at Kate. She nodded.
Kate gripped her First Communion cross. Someone was watching her son in real time. Still, Continue Reading “DEAD LOAD (A Nick Stello Action Thriller) Chapter Five: The Weak Point”
What The Trowel Binds
I want Nick Stello, the protagonist of Dead Load, to be relatable. Yes, he has the familiar action-thriller backstory of a mysterious past catching up with him. But I wanted Nick to be an ordinary guy in the present. At least before the action begins.
To achieve this, I needed to pick an occupation that would absorb him. He needed to (and wanted to) forget the past. This required a certain kind of work he could credibly immerse himself in without appearing to be a workaholic.
I could have made him a fiction writer, but how many stories are about writers? (Spoiler alert: Too many. And that trope fatigues me to no end.)
No, I needed to pick a skilled trade. Craftsmen are like artists. We appreciate that because it means they take their work seriously. Sometimes too seriously, to the point where the Continue Reading “What The Trowel Binds”