Stories of Tie Up Games

The following day, precisely at 10:30 AM, a soft knock interrupts the quiet hum of Erica’s office.
Her pen pauses mid-signature, hovering over the smooth parchment of an acquisition agreement. The knock is deliberate - polite, measured, and unmistakably Claire Messner.

Erica exhales softly and sets ...

I guess, I could. Well, I know I can.
But I'm not sure if this sort of material is allowed on this forum. We should make sure it doesn't violate policy.

Dear Caesar73 , of course, Erica will honor her debt. It's just the way she is, the way she was raised. Sophie is pressured by the US Attorney to build a case and if there actually is a leak in the DA's office, she needs someone not connected to her own operation to do the work. The plan? Is there ...

Sophie unfolds the story with precision, her voice low and steady, but the weight of her words makes Erica’s stomach churn.
The name Rafael Espinoza cuts through her like a shard of ice, each syllable sharp and heavy. She’s heard it before, whispered in the shadows of prior cases, always laced with ...

“You owe me one.”
The words are a whisper, almost swallowed by the clinking of cutlery and murmured conversations in the tucked-away Brooklyn café. Yet, they hit Erica Sinclair like a hammer.
Her hands tighten around the ceramic coffee cup, knuckles blanching against her skin. She keeps her ...

Bound by her honor to aid ADA Sophie van Rey in taking down a dangerous criminal with ties to a ruthless Mexican cartel, Erica is drawn into a high-stakes game where trust is a luxury and betrayal lurks around every corner. To succeed, she must infiltrate an organization where one misstep could cost ...

Dear Caesar73 , thanks a lot for your kind words. I'm quite sure that we will see Megan again in a future story.
You're looking forward to Erica's next adventure - "Erica Sinclair - A Matter of Honor" will start tonight.

Here's the teaser:
Bound by her honor to aid ADA Sophie van Rey in taking ...

Two days after the dramatic events at The Haven, leadership of the shelter is officially transferred to someone Erica and Megan had met just days ago on the basketball court in Riverside Park - streetworker Shane Burton.

Now, with the weight of the crisis behind them, Erica and Megan find ...

Dear @Caesar73, this sounds like the end is not the end. I'm excited to see how you continue this saga.

As the last of the statements are taken and the police carry the stolen goods away to photograph and list them up, Erica steps away from the group, pulling out her phone. She dials a number she had hoped never to call under these dire circumstances.

She gets transferred to Councilwoman Amanda Lee ...

Dear @Caesar73, thanks so much. I always try to deliver. Even with Peters, Slick and his goons in police custody, what's going to happen with the shelter? What about the initiative?
Let's crack on and find out.

“Send backup!” one of the officers barks into his radio, his voice sharp and urgent. He knows that this situation has the potential to turn ugly at the drop of a hat.
His partner takes the lead, moving cautiously, his pistol steady, eyes sweeping the room. The metallic click of a gun safety ...

Dear @Caesar73 , so now we know that Peters is deeper in this than it seemed. Still, the story ain't over yet...

This sounds like a great plot for an adventurous story.

Before she can say more, the sharp clatter of footsteps echoes down the stairs.
Then, suddenly, blinding white fluorescent light floods the basement.

Erica and Megan whirl around, blinking against the sudden brightness.
They are not alone.

Slick stands at the base of the stairs, flanked by five of ...

Dear @Caesar73 , dear @LunaDog , the tension is unbearable. Drum rolls. Let's crack on!

Stoop moves with the quiet, cautious steps of someone who’s spent too long learning how to go unnoticed. Erica and Megan follow, their footsteps softer than usual, absorbing the unease that clings to the air.

The dining hall is mostly empty, the long tables scarred with years of neglect, their ...

Dear @LunaDog, dear @Caesar73, as you have pointed out, this story is as much about the initiativ kids and Megan as it is about Erica.

Erica looks at her for a long moment, her expression shifting, a hard resolve settling in. She stands, her movements purposeful, like someone who’s just made a decision. She takes a slow breath, her eyes locking onto Megan’s.

"We can’t let this slide, Megan." Erica says, her voice firm ...

Dear @LunaDog, dear @Caesar73, Slick probably thinks he's untouchable and his reign of oppression will last.
I guess, he never noticed that little guy, Stoop, who hears things.

Dear @sofya, it looks like we haven't seen Camila for the last time. I'd very much like to read more about her.

Dear @LunaDog, I think after having faced hardened criminals like Tony Maze (in "Shadows of the Past") and the traffickers (in "The Velvet Room"), some pimple-faced guy like Slick doesn't impress, right?
Or maybe Slick decides to put his money where his mouth is.

Dear @LunaDog, this is wonderful writing. I can literally hear your protagonists speaking in their British accent. Lovely!

Erica left Megan with Chloe and the others, her mind already shifting gears as she strides into the game room.
The air feels heavy, thick with something unsaid, something wrong. She spots Slick immediately - sitting alone at a small, battered table, a chessboard laid out in front of him. He’s ...

Dear @LunaDog, dear @Caesar73, we will see, I guess...