"Burned," by Hugh Lessig, in Mickey Finn 5, edited by Michael Bracken, Down & Out Books, 2025.
This is Lessig's second appearance in this column. That's not so unusual, but it is also his second visit here this month. That''s pretty rare.
Being a single mom can be tough. Now imagine if your only child is a teenage boy determined to run off to find his father who vanished years before. That's the situation Jenna finds herself in.
A new neighbor moves into the apartment complex. "Brooks Badger. That sounds like a cartoon character, but it really is my name." For a while he seems like a good influence on Jenna's son, Henry. But she is suspicious (and honestly, so are you, right?)
Turns out Brooks has a secret or two in his past. Turns out Jenna does too. Don't underestimate her. A nice suspense story with its twists slowly revealed.
