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The Switch

“What the #@%# did you say?” There was a brief standoff at the top of the escalator following the challenge I issued, which in print would appear an innocuous question if not for the colorful expletive. But the tone—oh, man, the tone. And the posture, the body language, the daggers my tired eyes can still…

Honor Their Memories

Death. It’s part of life. And for those of us fortunate enough remain healthy as we negotiate the “golden years,” there is a price to be paid: the pain and heartbreak of losing loved ones, partners, and friends. This has been a difficult few days for me and many of my friends and former colleagues.…

You Have Not Been Hacked!

When someone creates a Facebook profile using your name and photograph, and they begin trying to friend all your friends, you have not been hacked. Rather, someone is pretending to be you. They’ve created a fake profile in your likeness with the intent of defrauding your friends. Public Service Announcement I have written this because…

After the Badge

After the Badge by Danny R. Smith was first published in Mystery Readers Journal: The Journal of Mystery Readers International (Volume 37, Number 4 – Winter 2021).   Unsolved murders can haunt those who’ve been tasked with solving them. Though I retired from L.A. Sheriff’s Homicide seventeen years ago, many of my unsolved cases trouble…

After Midnight

Very few people are killed by strangers while at home with their families or even enjoying an evening out with friends. But when you stay out all night—or into the wee hours—you increase the odds of becoming a victim of violence. The older I get, the more I have come to appreciate that.