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    The Setup
    The Setup
    The Setup
    Ebook52 pages39 minutes

    The Setup

    By Chris Towndrow

    ()

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    About this ebook

    New York state. 2019.
    A nondescript box room.
    Two men sit, back to back, on simple chairs. Handcuffed.
    There’s been a police raid on a suspicious business address and most of the staff have been taken into custody. Due to a snafu, there weren’t enough cars to take everyone, so these two men have been put in a holding location onsite.
    Waiting. Time drags. They get talking. They get angry. They tell tales. They form an uneasy bond.
    Until a truth comes out. And another. A confession.
    In strides a cop. Looks like it’s all been a setup.
    Or has it?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherChris Towndrow
    Release dateMar 14, 2021
    ISBN9781005369637
    The Setup
    Author

    Chris Towndrow

    Chris Towndrow has been a writer since 1991.He began writing science fiction, inspired by Asimov, Iain M Banks, and numerous film and TV canons. After a few years creating screenplays across several genres, in 2004 he branched out into playwriting and has had several productions professionally performed. This background is instrumental in his ability to produce realistic, compelling dialogue in his books.His first published novel was 2012’s far-future, post-war space opera “Sacred Ground”. He then changed focus into Earth-centric, near-future sci-fi adventures, and the Enna Dacourt pentalogy was completed in 2023. In a similar vein, “Nuclear Family” was a venture into post-apocalyptic fiction.He has always drawn inspiration from the big screen, and 2019’s quirky romantic black comedy “Tow Away Zone” owes much to the films of the Coen Brothers. This spawned two sequels in what became the “Sunrise trilogy”.His first historical fiction novel, “Signs Of Life”, was published by Valericain Press in 2023. With a number of excellent reviews, this Western romance has been his most popular title.In 2023, Chris returned to his passion for writing accessible humour and will devote his efforts to romantic comedies. Three such scripts are currently in development.Chris lives on the outskirts of London with his family and works as a video editor and producer. He is a member of the UK Society of Authors.

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      Book preview

      The Setup - Chris Towndrow

      The Setup

      The Setup

      A short cop drama

      Chris Towndrow

      © 2023 Valericain Press

      Jack had lost track of time. He would have calmly checked his watch, but it was impossible. His arms were behind him, one looped through the metal support for the chair back, and they met at the wrist, where the handcuffs held him fast.

      If he’d had a fancy smartwatch—built-in talking person and everything—he could have asked it the time. Hell, he could even have made a call on it, but then the cops would have confiscated it. Besides, they were impersonal, soulless things, not like his watch.

      The cuffs weren’t the problem—only his dumb impatience. When he balled someone out about this later, he wanted to know exactly how much of his life he could hold them accountable for wasting.

      The whole thing was a shitshow.

      It didn’t help that he was roomed with someone he’d taken a dislike to over the past week. They knew each other’s names but little more. Jack didn’t belong here, treated like a common criminal, but the other guy—Frank? He had as good a chance as any of being the reason for the cops raiding the complex.

      He just wanted out. It was past two o’clock, and his stomach would soon take issue with a missed lunch.

      It seemed Frank did, too, because the man’s patience snapped. ‘Hey! Hey!’ he yelled.

      Jack winced. They were seated back to back, so Frank’s voice was like a bullhorn in his ear.

      He sucked in his ire, keen not to get off on the wrong foot—especially not knowing how long they would be corralled in this windowless brick outbuilding.

      ‘The eardrum is thinner than a potato chip packet,’ he said calmly. He could have yelled for the guy to shut the fuck up, but he wanted to try diplomacy.

      ‘Huh?’

      ‘The eardrum is a sensitive membrane. If I wanna lose it, I’ll go see the Grateful Dead.’

      ‘Dick,’ Frank breathed.

      Jack didn’t dignify that with a comment, only a deliberately vocal exhale.

      ‘Hey! Hey!’

      Jack shook his head. He hoped the cops would throw the book at the guy—when they finally returned.

      He replayed the events of… what was it, maybe a half-hour ago? He hadn’t seen Frank trying to make a run for it—so perhaps the guy had nothing to hide. Jack didn’t—at least, nothing criminal, or indeed nothing related to a few weeks temp labour at a car breakers.

      Mercifully, Frank gave up trying to deafen him.

      Jack’s mind wandered. He inspected the walls, the detritus on the floor lit only by the yellow glow from the single overhead fluorescent.

      There was a small gap under the wooden door. A chink of light shone in from outside.

      He tested the cuffs. His shoulders bumped Frank’s.

      ‘Seriously, you Harry Houdini suddenly?’ Frank rapped.

      ‘Maybe I’m not into bondage like you.’

      ‘That’s offensive. My dominatrix would whip a guy for comments like that.’

      ‘Ha fuckedy ha.’

      ‘Hers are rubberised for comfort though….’

      Jack was lucky Frank couldn’t see the smile he’d caused.

      He turned his head towards the door and mock-wailed, ‘I confess! I confess! Get me out of here!’ If it was good enough for Frank….

      Frank scoffed. ‘Just making conversation.’

      ‘I’m sorry, but you’re not the littlest pissed at this?’

      ‘Sometimes, you can fix a situation. Sometimes you’re life’s bitch.’

      Jack rolled his eyes. ‘Oh, whoop dee doo—I’m chained

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