Bhatia, P.I.
Novelette 9,122 words Recommended by 2 award/anthology sources
"It’s a few minutes before seven on a cold October evening and I’m just reaching into the bottom drawer of my desk for the Old Monk and my well-thumbed copy of The Big Sleep when I hear footsteps hurrying up the stairs. A new case, has to be. I sigh, give the drawer a regretful look and shut it again. I sit up, awaiting the knock."
Quasar links out; the story lives on Lightspeed, where the author gets the click.