SHORTS FROM THE SHELF features short serialized fiction by author Shannon Muir, administrator of SHANNON MUIR’S THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF, that may be later released as part of e-book or print collections. The story line featured currently is “Blacke and Nu Beginnings,”  that will appear on Saturdays and Sundays over the next several weekends, and then a special daily run from March 21st to March 27th, 2020. This is Part Nine.

“Finding anything that might help? Cait asked Saundra, looking over her shoulder at her cell phone.

“The posts all seem usual for Vallie. She’s at this party, that date. Hmm, wait, actually I am noticing something.”

“Is it a pattern?” Marcel inquired.

“In the last four months, all her photos seem to be with the same guy. She’s always at events with him. But they’re not marked in any kind of relationship.”

“It’s not odd for someone to have friends that just happen to be male,” Marcel pointed out.

“It is when you’re Vallie,” Saundra said. “I think Cait would agree with me on that.”

“Ok, then. Is he tagged in any photos? If you don’t know him – sounds like you don’t – maybe we can at least see his public profile.”

“Looks like she’s tagged him all over the place, or the system did it for her. Let me click through on his name on one of these. Hang on,” Saundra told Marcel and Cait.

All three watched intently as the screen loaded his profile.