Soooo, Parker had graduated. There had been Pomp & Circumstance. There had been stupid hats, and stupider robes. There had been pieces of paper with her name on them, granting her the equivalent of a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese and a Bachelor of Science in Economics, with highest honors. (Damn right, given she'd combined the two for her thesis ( Read more... )

Parker had finished up her Finals with one last burst of creativity that might net her another place on the Dean's List this semester; too soon to tell, or care, yet. She planned on being drunk for the next 24 hours, screw her ulcer. She deserved it.

But first, a call to Roma, and a policeman of her acquaintance from two years before. "Paulo, it' ( Read more... )

Having spent half the weekend in the U.S. Central Time Zone, then come home in the middle of the Greenwich Mean Time night, Parker's body was a little confused about where it was. Or when it was. Or whether they should be asleep or awake, and weren't finals starting in a week?

Three cups of coffee didn't help. Maybe phoning a friend would.

* ( Read more... )

"Can't figure what you'd want to know," Lyle Bowman said, giving Parker a curious look from his side of the cell in solitary confinement. The guards had said he was in there for his own protection, because he 'rubbed people the wrong way.' "I didn't do it. Don't know who did. Not much of a story there ( Read more... )

Parker had called ahead to the Bowman residence to make sure Martha Bowman was home; no problem, she'd said. Happy to talk about Bobby. You come on by, honey.

Which was how Parker came to be standing in the woman's kitchen, watching her feed imaginary dogs.

( And it just gets more disturbing. )

Classes got over at 4PM Oxford time. Which meant that Portalocity landed Parker in Douglas, Nebraska at 8AM local time. It was going to be a loooong day. First though was a blonde wig, dark sunglasses, and an Australian/English accent which two years in England had made creditable, if not perfect. Then ID that said her name was D'Anna Biers-- who ( Read more... )