After finishing the Runaway, I have a new character that I’m excited to revisit in the future, and I focused on the next story for my patrons, a Mystery. When I pulled the votes, my eyes popped at the idea of getting another crack at my investigator, Kyle Rickman. The first time he graced my digital page was in December 2018 (click here to read Kyle’s first mystery). But as I thought about a crime for him to solve, my mind turned to another character who came into existence right here on Patreon, Jessica Calhoun. It didn’t take long to realize that my investigator and thief needed to interact.
With that epiphany, the broad strokes of the story instantly solidified. Given that Jessica was coming to play in Kyle’s story, I knew he needed to win this round. But how was I going to set the stage? After some thought and debate, I set the stage for their first of many interactions. Since both Kyle and Jessica are central characters in their own series, this story needed to highlight their skills. With that piece dropped into place, the story flew from my fingers.
With the story finished, I needed a title. And as I thought about it, my mind latched onto something I heard in my younger days. The phrase, opposite sides of the same coin, is an excellent way to understand dual. It’s also the perfect way to describe Kyle and Jessica. Sit down and get comfortable as we follow the first meeting of Kyle and Jessica.
A local company hires Insight Investigations to assist the police in apprehending a thief that broke into one of their laboratories…
“Get this door open!”
Kyle folded his arms across his chest and bounced his heel against the wall. He dropped his gaze to the tile flooring and took a deep breath through his nose. “Jacob, Atoxa sealed the entire floor.” He tapped the solid sheet of steel and smiled at the other officers, “Whoever Atoxa locked up isn’t going anywhere.”
The officer’s eyes narrowed. He marched to Kyle and grabbed the detective’s collar, pulling him toward his face. “You did not vow to protect this city, so please explain why we have to suffer your presence?”
“You’re right, I didn’t,” Kyle peeled Jacob’s fingers off his shirt and shoved him. “Fortunately, I have common sense.” He looked at his hand and rubbed his thumb across his fingertips. “And since people cannot walk through walls, we don’t have to worry about losing the thief.”
“That’s not the point!” The officer stalked back to the door, pounding it with his palm.
Kyle shook his head and pulled a radio to his lips, “What’s the status of the steel doors?”
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