Maybe Bricks and Lotts had drinks together, maybe they didn't. But neither one of them wore lipstick the exact shade of Cara's, the shade he had seen on one of the glasses. In the days since, Studs Fedora had seen that shade of lipstick many times...up close. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #noir #studsfedora #lego #legotown #humor

Studs recognized the two thugs at the graveyard, and later realized they had been at the hotel. But somehow the thugs were waiting for them--how had they known where to find Studs and Cara? Then there was the little matter of the hotel itself... Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #noir #studsfedora #legotown #lego #humor

The scowl on Cara's face hurt Studs Fedora more than a bullet ever could...except physically. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #noir #studsfedora #legotown #lego #humor

The police had it all: Bricks Bennett, his hired thugs, the real estate deal gone wrong. There was only one piece missing from this set--Bricks' accomplice and partner in crime. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #noir #studsfedora #legotown #lego #humor

She burst through the door and flew into his arms, but the music didn't swell and the audience didn't applaud. Studs Fedora pushed Cara away and told her about Bricks Bennett's arrest...and how he had admitted everything. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #noir #studsfedora #legotown #lego #humor #snapjudgment

After leaving Bricks Bennett, Studs Fedora went back to his office. He wanted a drink; in fact, he wanted many drinks. But he needed to keep a clear head. Or did he want a clear head and need many drinks? He couldn't decide. Cara Lotts was coming soon, and they had unfinished business. After that he would have a drink. Studs looked at the door, then at the bottle. Then at the door, then at the bottle. Next Chapter #studsfedora #snapjudgment #legotown #lego #mystery #murder #h

In his lavish office, Bricks Bennet was every inch the successful businessman. He greeted Studs Fedora warmly and invited him to sit, shifting into effortless small talk. Studs sat through chatter about sports, the weather, and fancy cars, waiting for Bricks to run down. Eventually Bricks used up his banalities and asked what he could do for Studs. Next Chapter #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #studsfedora #bricksbennet #legotown #lego #humor

Bloch, the police detective in charge of the Lotts case, listened with a patient expression, clearly waiting for Studs Fedora to run out of breath. So Studs simply kept talking until Bloch surrendered and led the way to the video terminal. Next Chapter #studsfedora #snapjudgment #lego #legotown #mystery #murder #noir #humor

The next day when Cara went out, Studs Fedora did too. He eased gingerly into his suit and made his way to one of his least favorite places. Studs saw himself reflected in the mirrored sunglasses of the patrolman leaving the station, and he paused to get his head on straight. Then he took a deep breath, went inside, and asked to see a detective. Next Chapter #studsfedora #snapjudgment #lego #legotown #murder #mystery #noir #humor

Even drowning in Cara's embrace, Studs Fedora's mind was racing. The pieces simply would not fit. But then, like a ton of building bricks, it hit him...and he knew what he had to do. Next Chapter #studsfedora #legotown #noir #murder #snapjudgment #lego #mystery #humor

Cara told him to forget it. She said she cared about Studs, not the money, and then she showed him how much she cared. Studs Fedora promised to forget all about it...but he couldn't. Next Chapter #studsfedora #legotown #noir #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #lego #humor

The days crept by as Studs Fedora tried to put himself back together. Cara nursed him, and he nursed a bottle. And all the while he wondered...where had he seen those guys before...? Next Chapter #studsfedora #legotown #noir #murder #mystery #snapjudgment #humor #lego

Rolling ones since 2015. Last week, really. #dd #roleplaying #gaming #humor #cartoon

Reminiscences of games gone wrong. ...To Be Continued Annotations for the curious and/or RPG-challenged: The game system used here is D&D 5e (5th Edition). TPK: Stands for Total Party Kill. When all the player's characters are wiped out. I Storked it: I rolled a terrible roll at a vital time. From the host of Happy Jacks RPG Podcast, Stork, and the accompanying song "I Storked It". The plot of this adventure comes from the published Hackmaster game supplement, "Wrath of the V

Last night, the former governor of Florida announced (as though it was a surprise) that he intended to run for the office of President of the United States. Last night, the former governor of Florida doomed me to an existence of perpetual explanation. I don't care about the man's politics, or more precisely, I care but it's my own business what I think of them and it's your own business what you think. I won't argue with you over that. Republican or Democrat? Doesn't matter.

Studs Fedora peered down into the squalid alley behind the hotel. Amid the trash and detritus lay Merton Lotts. Studs stared at him a long time before calling the police. Next Chapter #noir #lego #legotown #studsfedora #snapjudgment #humor

Bricks Bennet moved off at last, and Studs returned to his surveillance of the Hotel. A nagging feeling grew in his mind that he could not ignore, and he went inside to the desk. The clerk told him which room Lotts had taken. Studs found the door ajar and pushed it open slowly. The room showed signs of a struggle, and a breeze stirred the drapes at the open window. It also stirred the hairs on the back of Studs Fedora's neck. Next Chapter #noir #studsfedora #snapjudgment

Lotts had been in the Hotel almost an hour when Studs heard his name called. He turned to find himself face to face with Bricks Bennet, his old college roommate. They told each other how great it was to meet, and how they had to get together. Studs tried to get Bricks to move along, watching the Hotel door all the while, but the guests who emerged bore no resemblance to Merton Lotts and Studs ignored them. Next Chapter #lego #legotown #studsfedora #snapjudgment #noir #humor

At last Studs Fedora tailed Merton Lotts out of the slums, but not to anyplace respectable. Lotts entered a fleabag known only as "Hotel", where rooms rented by the hour and people came to snap their parts together on the sly. Lotts went in alone; Studs stayed on the street and watched as a light went on in a top-floor room. He settled on the bench to watch the hotel entrance. Next Chapter #lego #legotown #studsfedora #snapjudgment #noir #humor

Next day Studs Fedora spent following Merton Lotts on his daily routine. The man worked in his office all day doing whatever businessmen did, but as night fell he left the beaten path, venturing into neighborhoods even sketchier than Studs' own. Lotts ignored the hustlers, the dealers, and the hookers, but paid careful attention to run-down or vacant buildings. Studs darted from shadow to shadow and tried to muffle the click of his heels on the plastic pavement. Next Chapt