Mystery Date

**Hi all, welcome to another Writing Prompt Wednesday. Won't you play along? The guidelines are simple, and I'd love to read what you come up with.**



Trisha carried a plate of hors d'oeuvres into the dining room at the same time Phil came through the front door with his date. The heads of a dozen or so guests pivoted to look. Phil's date didn't quite fit his usual fare. She was over 25 and lacked the standard show of cleavage. For that alone, Trisha was curious. She set down the plate and walked to the door to greet them.

"Phil! I'm so glad you came." Trisha took his coat, but her attention was focused on his date. "Lovely to meet you..." she paused, waiting for Phil to fill in.

"Charlene," he said.

"Charlene," Trisha repeated. "Lovely name." Charlene's outfit, in contrast with her name, was quite bland. It was fine - dark grey slacks, cream blouse, and a cardigan - but boring. Then, as Trisha took Charlene's coat, the cardigan slipped to the side in the pull of static electricity and Trisha caught a glimpse of something decidedly not boring. Charlene quickly adjusted the cardigan, but not before Trisha saw the dark metal handgrip peeking out of a shoulder holster.

Now that, Trisha thought, is a conversation piece.