First Line: Crab Apple Valley Baptist Church sat high on a grassy knoll overseeing the sinners scattered along the valley floor.Former Charlotte policeman Barry Clayton has a new job that he doesn't want. With his father caught in the talons of Alzheimer's, Barry quits the Charlotte police force ...
GRAVE UNDERTAKING (Amateur Sleuth/Former Policeman) – VGMark de Castrique – 2nd in seriesPoisoned Pen Press, 2004 – HardcoverFormer policeman Barry Clayton now manages the family funeral parlor, in a small North Carolina town, for his father with Alzheimer’s. But when he oversees the moving of a...
He had me by a couple years—probably in his mid- to late thirties—and his clipped accent pegged him north of the Mason-Dixon line. “What did I do to come into your sights?” I asked. “Surely the FBI and Homeland Security have bigger fish to fry.” “You foun...
He stared straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge my presence. “You two have to get out of here immediately,” I said. “Is there a problem, sir?” The dealer spoke to Uncle Wayne with the hint he could make the problem go away. ...
gossip of Hollywood. She had problems of her own. Ten o’clock and no word from her father. To make matters worse, her husband Allen missed their seven o’clock call, and Josh refused to go to bed because he hadn’t said good night to either Daddy or Paw Paw. She finally got ...
Homicide Detective Curt Newland made the accusation as he, Nakayla, and I watched the second ambulance roll down the mountain bound for Mission Hospital. Two of the Japanese students had fainted when they realized a real body dangled from the bridge. Nakayla and Angela had...
Hewitt Donaldson whipped his Jaguar into the Waffle House parking lot before either Nakayla or I could answer. “A little sparring makes me ravenous.” I wanted to point out that it was nearly two in the morning. I wasn’t ravenous, I was sleepy. But Hewitt was in control. &n...
His own inactivity created growing frustration and restlessness, but he had few options. His surgeon had urged him not to drive until he was further along in healing. Unfortunately, the doctor gave those post-operative instructions in front of Kayli, and his daughter had h...
Around nine, I told the duty nurse I’d be working on my own for a few hours in rehab. Then, I slipped on my pants and Hawaiian shirt, and for the third time in two days, I made a break from the hospital. Nakayla nearly ran over my good foot as she tried to save me from stepping down from th...