Murder For Sale

by Hunter Liguore

About the Author: Hunter Liguore (she/her) is an award-winning author, professor, and historian. Her work has appeared in Science Fiction Writers of America, Strange Horizons, British Science Fiction and Fantasy Assoc., Uncanny Valley, Atlantis Rising, Fate Magazine, Unthinkable: A Queer Gothic Anthology, James Gunn Ad Astra, Irish Pages, Writers Chronicle, Writer's Digest, Spirituality & Health Magazine and more. YeeHoo Press has published The Whole World in Nan's Soup, in August 2021.

Excerpt

The phone call from my realtor, Dotty Sayer, this morning was unexpected, especially when she told me our dream home had just come available. I grew a little excited, but not much, having had similar calls over the last two years in search of the perfect home.

“No, Obert, this is your home—it hits everything on your wish list.”

Listening, I nodded as she went through some of the salient features: three bedrooms; two full baths; a sun porch; a kitchen nook leading to a deck; central air; nice yard; low taxes.

“Sounds too good to be true,” I said, calling my wife Alandra over, putting the call on speaker so we could both hear. “What’s the catch?”

“No catch. You can look at it—well, now; there’s no wait. Early worm gets the apple.”

We drove together across town to 2411 Wistable Terrace, still in sweatpants and t-shirts after our morning workout, with cold brew coffee in to-go mugs in tow. Alandra tried to bring up photos of the listing on her cellphone, unsuccessfully. We grew worried, but then got a text from Dotty saying she was already there and waiting for us, allowing us to write it off as being too new. With twenty minutes to go, we allowed ourselves to dream some.

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