Ed Gein: So, my PI's operative just found out a guy she knows casually has been implicated, at least as a lead in a sexual assault. Because she is personally close to a lot of cops, she knows who's got the case, and she doesn't trust him. If she wanted to look around, make sure her newspaper delivery guy gets what Philip Marlowe would call "a fair shake" how would she get started? She couldn't just bop down to the stationhouse.

erika, a conversation - casual but not casual - at their local watering hole? Get some of the gossip on the case, see what people are saying, drop a few not so casual questions? Ping at least one of the guys she's close to, enough to where he calls her on it, and that enables her to speak her mind up front?

Can she have a non-cop friend there? Someone who works as a secretary/filing person/data person (like a Buffista who works at the station)? They could get at files or at least find out basic info for her. I always like showing how much support staff knows about what's happening--more than they often get credit for.

Both good suggestions...I'll probably use both of them at different points.

Chapter 15 done, sent, completely unedited except for a spellcheck.

My psyche hurts.

In mememe news, I've been doing the readthrough on the wip, and I've been pleased to discover how well it hangs together so far. Oh, I discovered a few cases of Word of the Day Syndrome, a place or two where I need to rewrite in Chapter Five because of something I only figured out about Anna when I got to Chapter Ten, etc. But it's all small stuff. It's a good story, and I'm doing a reasonably good job of telling it.

The books got here.

Yay! And answered in email.

And reading writing books has had the salutory effect of bumping my muse loose on the original thriller. A couple of procedural points and I should be able to pick up on that.

question to the hivemind: How easy it to dislocate a bone in the wrist? I'm thinking of having the heavy who's menacing Ann on the train grab her wrist and her having to yank herself free. I'm looking for something that will cause enough damage that it can't be shrugged off but nothing incapacitating.

connie, I think bones in the wrist are more prone to spring fractures than dislocation. Depending on the bone it can be painful, but not necessarily incapacitating. However, in order to heal it normally needs a cast.

That would be perfect.

In what other field of endeavour can you happily contemplate the battery of a human being, dwelling in loving detail on the particulars?

Well, OK, but I don't know how to get started in a career as a dominatrix.