First lines of the novel I was unable to write today:

"The murder sent ripples of rumor through the tiny town. Marina's body, found on a Saturday morning in front of the drug store in the middle of Main Street, prompted whispered allegations and accusations — turning neighbors against one another, and quieting families at dinner tables.

The Pleasant Valley Police Department called in help from state authorities. Classmates planned rallies outside of City Hall, demanding answers.

Marina's parents, Sabina and Jose, courageously held press conferences, calling for an arrest. It was an election year, and the Attorney General descended upon Pleasant Valley, standing in front of the cameras and beside the Carrillos. At $49 a night, he set up shop at Lynn's Motel — where the staff was friendly, and the small bar offered a space to discuss the case with locals.

Marina's killer, meanwhile, remained at large."

— Damien Willis
November 4, 2018