This is a fanfic for a book called Night of Shadows by Edward Gorman. It is a very good book, and I have found no fanfic for it so I wrote some on ao3. There is no audience there so I decided to add it here as well.

It is not necessary to have read the book. Most is self explanatory, but I'll provide some cursory information as well as some warnings. (Contains spoilers).

WARNINGS: past suicide attempt, suicidal ideation, major character death, referenced alcohol abuse/alcoholism

The book is set in the 1880s and is about what might be the first female police officer in history. The character that this fic follows is another main character and basically get caught up in a scam. He is also an alcoholic. His best friend is dying of heart disease, and he tried to commit suicide by hanging himself in a jail cell, which is why they are in the hospital. He also uses a small calendar to mark his sobriety, as he's trying to stop drinking. I think that's all that's relevant, but I can answer any questions! 

Thanks for giving this weird fic a try!