Well, that was fun! And it got me 652 new words! Another 1K and I’ll hit my NaNoWriMo goal for the day. (Caveat, I’m typing this yesterday–Tuesday. I’ll need another 1667 words today. 😆 ) So…the #1lineWed THEME for today is **TELESCOPE**. Since I’m writing mob Wolves instead of astronomers or pirates. So with that in mind, I set down to do a little free writing and voila! New words. Not sure where this scene fits into the whole, but I’ll find a place. FYI, Fiona was rescued by the Boru Wolves (named for their mob boss, Brian “Boru” O’Hara), and Maura is the Assistant District Attorney gunning for Ronan O’Connor. 😉
****
Fiona was lost. And a little afraid. There were so many people pressing around her, all talking loudly and jostling. She tried to understand the huge map handing above her head. Buses. Trains. Which was which and where did they go. She stepped back and stumbled as she knocked into a warm body.
“Oh, mercy,” she cried, whipping around. “My apologies, surely!”
The woman she’d rammed straightened and seeing the tears in her eyes offered a smile. “No harm done.” She gazed about the area. “You’re not from around here, are you.”
“I’m not, no. An’ t’tell the truth, I’m a wee bit lost.” Fiona offered a shy smile. “Truth be told, I’m a lot lost.”
“No worries. Where are you trying to go?”
And wasn’t that the question. She’d been angry at Bowie and had slammed out of the apartment. She’d walked all the way to the bay and then foolishly caught a bus. She couldn’t remember the name of the street where Bowie’s flat was located. She racked her brain.
“I think I’m lookin’ for Telescope Hill.” The lady curled her lips between her teeth. “Ya ken go ahead an’ laugh. I’m stayin’ with…friends an’ I’m an absolute dolt for not knowin’ the address nor how t’get back there. They were talkin’ about a place called Telescope Hill an’ I know it’s close. If I could get there, I can find my way to their flat.”
“Could it possibly be Telegraph Hill? Over in Dorchester Heights?”
Fiona considered. “Maybe? There’s a park and a white tower.”
The woman nodded. “That sounds like Thomas Park.”
“There’s a pub nearby.” Fiona suddenly brightened. “Tis painted green.”
The woman laughed. “I’m sorry. That could describe half the bars in Boston.”
“I’ve only walked past it. My friend…he hangs there with his mates. I think it’s called Clancy’s?”
The woman narrowed her eyes and gave Fiona a penetrating look. “Your friend hangs out at Clancy’s?”
The change in the woman’s demeanor scared her a bit and she eased back a step. Her instincts screamed for her to run but the woman grabbed her arm. For someone who looked all beautiful and gentrified in her business suit and briefcase, she was certainly strong.
“Let me go,” she whispered, eyes wide with fear..
Maura inhaled to regain some control the moment she realized she’d scared this girl. “It’s okay,” she assured. “I won’t hurt you. My name is Maura Brannigan. What’s yours?”
“Fee. Everyone calls me Fee.”
“I bet that’s short for Fiona, yes?” At the girl’s nod, Maura discovered she was more curious than concerned. The girl looked healthy, just lost and scared. The fact she was probably fresh off the boat, so to speak, could mean any number of things. “Come with me. I’ll buy you a coffee and we can talk. Then I’ll make sure that you get home safe and sound.”
They stepped into a nearby coffee shop. Maura ordered for them both then settled at a table in the far corner, with plenty of empty tables around it.
“Are you safe?” she asked as the girl took a sip of her vanilla latte. She got big eyes in response.
“Dear Mary but that’s good,” Fiona breathed. She ducked her head and looked up from under a curtain of wavy red hair. “Yah,” she whispered. “For the first time in forever, I’m safe.” She sighed. “I got mad and took off, like a bloomin’ igit.” She chewed her bottom lip. “Bowie’s gonna be so worried.”
Maura pulled out her cell phone. “Do you know his number?”
Tears sprang once more in Fiona’s eyes. She shook her head. “Total igit.”
Knowing she had no choice, Maura punched in a number she should not know by heart, and she ignored the way that heart lurched when a gruff male voice answered, “O’Connor.”
“Are any of your boys missing a sweet little redhead?”
****
And there you have it. Writers, any of your characters in need of a telescope? Readers, do you ever stargaze?
Silver James 
Hah! I love how you incorporated the word of the day. Perfect. And I love the scene. You go, girl.
I know without looking that I haven’t used the word tele… Wait. Actually I know one place where I had to have used the word… Okay, found it. This is from Fear Itself, my first book, so the writing isn’t great. But you asked for it…
“Curiouser and curiouser,” she breathed. She certainly felt as if she had gone through a looking-glass. Instead of calling the police, like she should, she was thumbing through scientific tracts and feeding bourbon to a strange man—a man who in his own right should be sitting in front of a telescope instead of breaking into her home.
Scanning the last sheet of paper, she felt a tap on her shoulder and noticed a tumbler suspended in front of her face. “Gin and tonic,” he said.
“Astrophysicist and mind reader?”
“Not exactly. Once I noticed your supply of tonic and limes, I made a hypothesis that it was your drink of choice. I may have mixed it a bit strong, but I think you’ll need it.”
She took it gratefully and leaned back in her chair.
“I’ll admit, you’ve got my interest piqued, Dr. Montgomery. Hang on a second and I’ll ask you to begin.” Setting her drink down, Alex walked across the room to retrieve an antique box from its place on her bookshelf and a digital voice recorder from within her desk. She removed a cigarette from the antique box and held the box out to him. “Can I offer you one?”
He crossed the room to accept her offer and soon was comfortably ensconced on the sofa once more—his shoes removed and his long legs stretched along its length.
“You seem like the most relaxed person I’ve seen in months,” she mused.
“There’s a reason for that.” He nodded toward her recorder. “Perhaps you’d like to turn that on now.”
Ahahahha! I’m thinking “telescope” as in sniper rifle and you totally turned that on its ear! Okay, after you finish the fantasy, you need to rethink this one, even if it’s a firstie! I’m intrigued!!!!
Can’t wait to read whole tale
🤞 that I get it out before the first of the year. I’m making daily headway so that’s a good thing! 🙂