Spring has sprung, and with it, smiley faces. When yellow crocuses bloom all over town in the shape of an emoji during April’s first warm days, reporter Nero Storm is sent out to discover their meaning and origin.<br><br>Nero has little to smile about himself, what with dysfunctional family drama and a tragic love life. The previous fall, it seemed as if he might have finally met the man of his dreams in dog daddy, ride share operator, and charity organizer Z. Though the two spent but ten morning and evening car rides together, sparks flew. Unfortunately, at the end of that time, Nero witnessed a crime, and Z disappeared.<br><br>Now, as the rest of the world looks forward to a new beginning promised by spring, Nero is left to wonder. Are the smiley face flowers a message for him, and will he ever see Z’s smile again for real?

21 Smiles

“Well, several faces can be linked to you through location, right? Your old apartment, the TV station, Summer Storm’s…”


Just the name of the bistro made me cringe. “Me and a lot of other people,” I said, regarding Carmen’s theory. “My old building is sandwiched between a dry cleaner and a deli. There’s another apartment complex ten steps away, and a ton of homes right along the same street. If the faces are a message for someone, there are thousands of potential recipients right there. That four-way stop…there’s a bar, a bookstore, several restaurants, a TV station that employees hundreds of people, not just me. Oh, and a salon.”


“Where you used to get your hair cut, before you started butchering it yourself.”


I had to cop to that. “Fair enough. But there are lots and lots of homes and lots and lots of businesses where lots and lots of people who aren’t me go or reside everywhere there’s face.” I had to say that, too.


Chapter 9