Harm and Hammer

(Note: Harm and Hammer is a short story that is also available in the larger collection, Daggyland #1, by the same author.)

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Once upon a time, Callie had a high-paying job in a glamorous city, where everyone knew her name. Her real name. Now she’s just another nobody living in the middle of nowhere, trying to stave off boredom.

Welcome to witness protection, Callie.

But one day, Callie falls in love with a most unusual musical instrument, and embarks upon an obsession that she hopes will chase away her guilt.

Every time she plays, she comes one step closer to forgiving herself—and one step closer to hell.

A tale of redemption lost.

This unsettling short story first appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.

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Chosen by author James Patterson for The Best American Mystery Stories 2015 anthology.