Claire Hart-Palumbo

When words really matter…

Author Claire Hart-Palumbo

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Claire grew up in rural Texas; a year of teaching in her hometown forced her to admit she wanted to be an actress. She studied at American Conservatory Theater and received an MFA from UT-Austin. During forty-plus years in professional theater, she has been an actress, director, and teacher primarily in Houston. In 2020, she moved back to her farm to teach and write remotely, while renovating a 170-year-old farmhouse where she lives with her cats.

CUE THE MURDER, Claire Hart-Palumbo, exerpt

The elevator door opened. Two EMS guys pulled a gurney out. The body on it was
completely draped.
“I asked what paper are you with? And why did you say you worked in this building?”
I dragged my eyes away from the gurney. “I work here for a children’s theater, part-time.
But I also work for Haute Houston Magazine, as a staff writer.” The gurney was pulled up to
release the wheels and allow EMS to push it through the lobby.
Geary grabbed my arm. “You work for David Delacroix?”
I looked at his hand and he released me.
“You must be a friend of his,” I said.
He grimaced. I was an irritation to him, obviously. “I don’t have friends in a suspicious
death investigation.” Yep, I ranked somewhere between a gnat and a bee on his irritation scale.
“No one calls my editor David, except his friends. I know.”
He seemed to loom over me. “Then you won’t mind if I call him and confirm your press
credentials. Especially, since I haven’t seen any.” I was pretty sure that the parking badge would
not work a second time.
I pulled out my wallet and withdrew David’s card. “Call him. That’s his personal
number.”
Geary took out his phone and dialed. Just as he got an answer, I turned and rushed toward
the gurney, halfway to the door. Grabbing hold of the rail, I pulled back the sheet.
“Stop her!” I heard Geary bellow. Several hands seized me but not before I saw the
bloody crumpled body on the gurney. Someone pulled the sheet back into position. They
released me as Geary came up beside me.

I heard him saying, “Yeah, I’ll tell her, David.”
“It’s Joe.” That was all I managed to get out before I fainted.

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