Involved

by Robert Walton

Private investigator Max Steel was doing a simple job, checking to see if a husband was being faithful (they never are). But when the cheater winds up with two in the chest, Steel becomes the prime suspect. He did, after all, sleep with the man's wife. With time running out, Steel has got to come up with a better suspect for the cops--or risks having this case be his last.

If you like noir, then Involved is the story for you. It is dark and unpredictable, but a fun read that embraces the conventions of rain-soaked streets and whiskey-soaked private investigators.

Long-form short story, approximately 7,500 words

35 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Robert Walton spent 15 years covering policy, regulation and business in Washington, D.C., before deciding to make a change. He now lives in the Finger Lakes region of New York, in a small off-grid cabin.

In addition to a journalism degree from the University of South Carolina, he has a culinary diploma from the Art Institute of Washington and his documentary photography has been supported by the National Endowment of the Arts.

When not chopping wood for the stove or working on the land, he writes a range of short stories and experimental fiction. He also publishes a "literary comic" based loosely around his off-grid adventures, called & Ranch.