Mystery, Noir, Short Story

The Platinum Cigarette Case: A Dirk Malone Story

Nancy's Notes 🖊️♬

Written for Fandango’s Story Starter #230.
Here’s my story, using Fandango’s line:
“a swift kick, the door splintered, revealing“

Image by Me & Grok

The dame walked in at midnight …. silvery-blonde hair, long legs and a ton of trouble.

“Mr. Malone, I need your help.” Her voice was like a honey-coated two-pack-a-day habit.

I leaned back, letting my chair creak. “They all do, sweetheart. What’s the problem?”

“My husband’s missing. Along with fifty grand and my platinum cigarette case.”

“The cigarette case bother you more than the husband?”

She smiled, sharp as a razor. “It was my great-Aunt Tilly’s.”

Two days later, I stood outside a sausage factory in Little Italy; the husband’s bookie had spilled his guts after some persuasion and a knuckle sandwich.

With a swift kick, the door splintered, revealing the husband hunched over a poker table, my client’s cigarette case gleaming beside his chips.

“Game’s over, pal.”

He reached for his coat. I was faster. The .38 felt good in my hand.

“The lady wants her property back.”

“She sent you?” He laughed. “That case is worth twice what she thinks. There’s diamonds in……”

A gunshot from the doorway cut him off. He crumpled like a cheap suit in Gimbels’ bargain basement. The dame stepped from the shadows, a small pistol in her gloved hand.

“Thanks for finding it, Malone.” She purred, pocketing the case. “Send your bill to my lawyer.”

She stepped over the body like it was a puddle.

I watched her go, thinking I should probably call the cops. But dames like that don’t come around often, and besides …. she’d already paid in full.

NAR©2026
#FSS

This is  “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” by Marilyn Monroe

Fandango’s Story Starter #230

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy Richy and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

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