Excerpt from “A Splash of Scarlet” – Part 3

Did you know that there’s an entire mystery series set in a fictional version of Tipp City? It’s the Frank Harper mystery series, set in the fictional town of Cooper’s Mill. The books feature weather beaten ex-cop Frank Harper and a fictional Tipp City Police Department. There are five books in the series, and the sixth is coming out soon! Pre-order “A Splash of Scarlet” today by visiting www.gregenslen.com or use the QR Code. Please enjoy an excerpt from the upcoming novel, courtesy of the Gazette! More to come next week…

Part 1 was run last week, 2/5/25. Here’s a link. 

Chapter 1 – Gary (continued)

“I’m not a tourist,” the man said to Nick. “And like I said, you don’t want to do this. I don’t want any trouble.”

Ah, there you go. They always said that.

“Look at me, old man,” Trey said quietly. The man turned back around and looked at Trey. “You out of your element, as they say. So that means troubles comin’ for ya.” He pulled his hand from his pocket, showing his gun but pointing it at the ground like they did in the movies. That always quieted the tourists down.

Or made them cry. One time, a guy pissed himself, standing in a puddle he’d made.

The man looked at the gun in Trey’s hand but didn’t react. He glanced around at the others, then back to Trey. “So, you’re in charge?”

“That’s right, man. Can’t you see I got the gun?”

“I can see that,” the old man said.

“Enough talk, Trey,” Lacey said from behind the old man. Trey could see he was looking around, nervous. He always got nervous when Trey was working.

The old man put up his hands. “Listen, Trey, is it? Just let me walk out of here and nobody needs to get hurt.”

Trey looked at him, confused. Tourists didn’t talk like that.

“What?”

The white guy looked at him, his arms drifting down to his waist. “I said nobody needs to get hurt,” the guy said slowly, like he was talking to a child. “You’ve got the gun, so you’re in charge. Just walk away.”

Trey laughed. “Man, ain’t you looked around? You surrounded, and you’re in the hood. Don’t belong here.” Trey took a step towards the old man. “And yeah, I’m in charge. And you ain’t. Give me your fu—”

It all happened so fast that, for a second, Trey wasn’t even sure what was happening.

The old white guy ducked away from Trey and spun around, whipping something out from beneath his own shirt. In the darkness, before anyone could even react, Trey saw it was a gun, small but with a weird, long barrel. The old man aimed it at Nick and Lacey, and the weird gun coughed twice, barking like a dog. It made an odd flat sound that sounded nothing like a real gun. Trey saw Lacey and Nick fall backwards, stiff-legged, falling like trees. Nick’s knife clattered to the ground and skittered away.

It all happened in an instant. Like the man was an old gunfighter or something. Quick draw, like out of a movie.

Trey lifted his gun but again it all felt like it was happening in slow motion, like a replay from a basketball game. The old man was turning back, facing Trey and Tiny, when Trey’s hand exploded in pain. He dropped his gun and tucked his burning hand into his stomach. It roared like it was on fire. Trey’s gun, forgotten, slid away into the dark. Covering his hand, Trey saw blood had spattered his shirt and pants. He dropped to his knees.

Even as Trey went down, he saw the old man turn and lift the weird gun. The long barrel made the weird coughing sound again. Tiny grabbed his shoulder and fell. He didn’t even have time to reach for his knife, much less pull it out.

It all took less than five seconds.

The street went silent again. And moans. His boys were moaning, making sounds Trey hadn’t heard before. Then he realized he was groaning too.

“Nah, man,” one of the others whimpered. “Come on, man…”

Trey looked up. The old man was walking toward Nick, the gun on him. Nearby, Lacey was writhing on the ground, crying like a girl.

“Shut up, dumba**, or I’ll shoot you again,” Trey heard the old man say to both of them. “I told you kids to pound sand. This is on you.” The old man bent and took each of their knives. Trey hadn’t realized that Lacey had pulled his.

The man turned and pointed the gun at Tiny for a moment, then looked at Trey. The man walked over to his grocery bag, dropping the knives in, then checked on Tiny, kneeling and rolling him over while keeping the gun on him. Tiny’s shirt was stained deep red.

“Sh*t,” the old man said.

He stood, taking Tiny’s knife from the big man’s hand. Trey couldn’t tell if Tiny fought him for the knife or if the big guy was out. Tiny’s knife was a good-sized one with a dark blade. It had seen a lot of use.

Then the man came over to Trey and kneeled down next to him.

“So,” the old man said quietly. He sounded tired. “Like I asked before: you’re in charge?”

Trey shook his head, gripping his hand and squeezing it, trying to ignore the pain. “Man, you’re dead. We run with the Last Boys.”

More to come next week. "A Splash of Scarlet" is the sixth book in the Frank Harper Mysteries series. Frank's got a lot of problems, but he's also tenacious and headstrong and good at solving crimes. Just don't bring up Hurricane Katrina around him or hide his bourbon. Pre-order “A Splash of Scarlet” today by visiting www.gregenslen.com or use the QR Code.