Esby and Julienne skirted the periphery of Piazza della Rovere toward the entrance of the Hotel Rovere. A lone dog with a short, black coat sat on the sidewalk. The dog was completely motionless,...

The sun’s rays blinded him while its heat radiated from the black asphalt under his feet and burned him. Esby walked, and as Julienne walked beside him, they turned the next corner and entered...

“You are one lucky man,” the street vendor said. He leered. Esby, looking closely at the man, didn’t feel lucky. He didn’t know what he felt. Maybe he still felt the effects of a...

Esby looked away just for a moment from the streams of cars with the image of her face appearing before his eyes. The digital watch strapped to his left wrist showed 7:15, its round...