One Sunday afternoon, years ago, Miranda took Oppenheimer II out for a walk. A big thunderstorm had just passed through, and at each intersection, while Oppenheimer II sniffed around, Miranda eyed the storm drains to …

It’s looking like snow. Jenny hopes it snows; snow dulls the old smells, makes it easier for Rina to work, plus maybe they’ll open the bookstore late and she won’t have to go in for …

Lionel and Tjinder are standing on The Driver’s side porch. Lionel is on the phone with Diz; Tjinder is shifting from foot to foot. He looks at their car in the driveway, and at his …

Shelley comes out into the front office, glances into the cabinet, and snaps her fingers lightly. Olivia: “[Eyebrows?]” Shelley: “[Head flick.]” Olivia gets up and follows Shelley into the back office. She looks over her …

Years ago, Ro Jin lived with his wife and three children in a little house on the canal. His wife Ro Fan was known as a great beauty, and also for her startling hands, long …

Shelley told Olivia to sit on the brown couch in the office, so Olivia is sitting there, rubbing the strap of her bag with her thumb, watching Marie stick Post-It flags on a take-out menu. …

Outside, the light has guttered down to the horizon behind the scrub pines, and the air is cool and soft like a sheet.
Inside, it’s warmer. A loaf of bread is sitting on the counter, cut …

The first thing she notices about the bar is that it smells funny. It doesn’t smell bad — but that’s what’s funny about it. There isn’t that fug of slopped beer and secondhand cologne. Everything …

Diz hands the hen back to me and holds his hand out to —
Okay, can I — I’m sorry, I need to just stop you here for a second.
Shelley freezes, hen under her arm lineman-style, …

Diz frowns. “Do you think we need The Nose?”
“I think we might need The Nose, and I think better safe than sorry.”
“Sure, but if we don’t end up using her and she has to” — …