Short Story Mystery

Ride Into The Fog
By Linda P. Kozar

PART 1

“Don’t go!” Breathless, I grabbed at her sleeve and begged her again.
She stared straight ahead, oblivious to my touch. “I have to.”

“But it’s getting dark and there’s fog. You shouldn’t cross that bridge when it’s foggy. The road gets slick and you won’t be able to see two feet in front of you.”

She shook her head. “We’ll be fine. Besides, I want to drive at night when the kids are sleeping. It’s easier that way.”

Her shoulder-length red hair, matted in a rat’s nest of neglect, matched the baggy dress, twisted out of shape, like she’d slept in it. Skin freckled and rough, without makeup, my cousin Kelsey was a mess. Six kids and six years had taken a toll.
Surely this woman wasn’t the “Kels” I knew growing up. Back then, she was slender with cascading curls of long vibrant red hair and blue eyes, the kind you could almost see right through.

Voice low as a purr, she was determined. “I need to leave.”

“You think he’s with her,” I asked, “with that woman?”

She hesitated. Pulled a thread from her sleeve. “Yes.”

“Look, Kels—why don’t you just stay here with me for awhile? Leave him, move here and start your life over. He’s no good.”

She needed to hear it. What a loser--I never understood why she married him. Kelsey could have had her pick, but she chose a man who never worked, who abused her and treated her. . .

“Marcy, I know what I look like. I’m frumpy and out of style.” Her eyes fixed forward as if focusing on something. “My skin’s dull and I’m tired all the time. “ She rubbed her eye and I noticed her wrist looked crooked.

“What’s wrong with your wrist?” I asked. “It doesn’t look right.”

She drew her arm down and tucked it under her sleeve. “Guess I broke it lifting furniture or something. It healed though. I’m okay.”

Angry, I stomped. “Why? Why do you stay with him?”

She smiled from the corner of her lip. “I loved—love him. He was different then, romantic He bought me flowers, even when we couldn’t afford them. . .told me I was beautiful.” Her voice trailed off. “But now I’ve lost him.”

A silent pause followed. I grabbed at straws, “Good riddance. You may have lost him, but you have the kids. Even if he doesn’t love you anymore, he cares about his kids. He does care about his kids, doesn’t he?”

She leaned back against the car and looked up at me. What did I see in those eyes? Something.

Uneasy, she must have sensed my thoughts somehow and turned her face away to focus on the kids playing on the merry-go-round at my apartment complex.
Nodding her head in agreement, she answered, “Oh, he likes ‘em, I guess. He just doesn’t want to be bothered with raising them.” She slapped a mosquito off her arm. “It’s getting dark. We’d better go. Kids! Get in the car, we’re leaving.”

Tune in next week for Part 2 of Ride Into the Fog.

Monday Mystery Theater

The Case:

Bonnie is found dead on a beach. Upon investigating a nearby motel room, police arrest Clyde, its occupant, for her murder. Among the incriminating evidence are a partially-used bottle of sleeping pills, white paint and a brush.

The Mystery:

How was Bonnie murdered?

The Clues:

1. Clyde took liberties with a label.
2. Clyde was burned up at Bonnie; his revenge burned Bonnie up, too.

The Answer:

Think you know the answer? Fill in the comment box to submit your guess. Winner receives a free Heartsong Presents Mystery!

Popping Into Baker Street, Part 3

Special Features, Popping Into Baker Street, Part Three
Let’s keep it short and sweet today. Can you answer these questions about Sherlock Holmes? (Answers below.)

1. What is the name of Holmes’ nemesis?
2. Where does Holmes live?
3. What is the name of Sherlock’s brother?
4. Sherlock Holmes became a smash after the stories appeared in The Strand. Name another author that debuted in the same magazine.

Answers:
1. Professor James Moriarty
2. 221B. Baker Street, London
3. Mycroft Holmes
4. Charles Dickens and Mark Twain


Last week's question:
Trivia Question #2: Who was the hero of The Lost World?
Professor Challenger

MYSTERY AUTHOR!

Congratulations to Brenda for correctly guessing last week’s mystery authors as S. Dionne Moore! That’s two wins in a row for Brenda. (You’re on a roll, Brenda!) You win a copy of “Murder On the Ol’ Bunions.” We’ll get that in the mail to you as soon as possible.

Now for today’s Mystery Author:

Welcome Mystery Author!

What part of the country do you hail from?
I live in Kansas. And yes, there is hail. Lots of it.

No, I didn’t mean… Oh, never mind. Is your Heartsong mystery set in Kansas?
Yes. It takes place in a very small town. In fact, they don’t even have their own gas station.

What’s the name of your main character?
I can’t tell you that. It would give it away. I will say that she starts out with one name but changes it partway through the first book.

Okay. Well, is there anything unique about the town?
Only that it snows more than any place in Kansas.

Anything else?
It’s the only place in the world where you can get a Redbird Burger.

Do you have any favorite authors?
Yes, Agatha Christie, G.K. Chesterton, and Arthur Conan Doyle.

What is your favorite literary genre?
I would say it was Mainly Mystery.

Thanks Mystery Author.

Put your guessing hats on. This author told me that she (or he) plans to give away all three of the first books in this series to this week’s winner! I hope we get more entries this week. I would hate to feel like I’m talking to myself…

Short Story Mystery

Water Under the Bridge by Susan Page Davis

Part Three

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Officer Johnson was late for lunch. “So, Billy, what have you been up to?” he asked his son.

“Me? Nothing.” Billy was playing a video game.

“I thought you boys went swimming this morning.”

“Uh, we did.”

“Really? See anything down at the lake?”

Billy swallowed hard. “Couple of ducks.”

His father eyed him narrowly. “We got an anonymous tip at the police station about nine o’clock.”

“Oh?” Billy tried his best to keep his voice level.

“Yeah, somebody called in and said he saw two guys dump some guns and stuff in the water under the bridge. He gave us the number off their boat.”

“Did you catch ’em?” Billy asked.

“Yes, we did. We figure they’ve been responsible for all the break-ins this summer. I was surprised you boys didn’t show up when we were down there recovering the loot.”

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“No, we got tired of swimming and went over to Larry’s house,” Billy said. “Did they confess?”

His father nodded. “Too bad you missed it. They said they dumped the loot and scooted because someone yelled that they were under arrest. We had two divers in the water for an hour. Guess what else they found?”

Billy couldn’t say anything.

“There’s a hole in the bridge support,” Mr. Johnson said. “We called the Department of Transportation. They may have to do some repair on the bridge.”

“Really?” Billy’s voice cracked a little.

“Uh-huh. You know what was really funny?”

Billy shook his head.

“The guy who called in the tip sounded just like John Wayne.”

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The End

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Tune in next week for a brand new Short Story Mystery.

Monday Mystery Theater

The Case:

Aging millionaire Elmore Channing III hobbles out to the front lawn of his elegant mansion. Dolly, his beautiful young mistress, is walking toward her car. “Please come back, Dolly,” the sick old man pleads, “I’ll do anything. I’ll even marry you!”

Dolly stops and turns toward Elmore. “Well, it’s about time!” she says as she follows him back to the mansion. “I want to get married soon!”

That night the millionaire dies in his library. Days later, Dolly is found in a distant motel with $50,000 hidden in a sack. She is arrested for murder.

The Mystery:

How and why did Dolly kill the rich old codger?

The Clues:

1. The millionaire’s library was a “safe” place.
2. Dolly wanted to give back a little to gain a lot.

The Answer:

Think you know the answer? Fill in the comment box to submit your guess. Winner receives a free Heartsong Presents Mystery!

Popping Injto Baker Street, part 2

Special Features, Popping Into Baker Street, Part Two

Arthur Conan Doyle wrote plenty, and not all of his work featured the indomitable Sherlock. He wrote the mysterious work called The Mystery of the Cloomber and even a treasure called The Lost World about an expedition to South America to discover a world where dinosaurs still lived. Sound like the basis of a few movies to you? But no character received the adoration of Sherlock Holmes who debuted in A Study In Scarlet.

The stories were published in The Strand magazine. They certainly made money for Doyle, but he considered them ‘commercial.’ He went so far as to publish ‘The Final Problem’ in 1893 where Holmes and Moriarty plunged to their deaths. Sherlock Holmes dead?Readers were so incensed that 20,000 cancelled their subscription to the Stand.

Doyle wrote a play about Sherlock. William Gillette, the actor commissioned to play him asked for permission to revise it. Doyle said, “You may marry him, murder him, or do anything you like to him.” Poor Doyle, chained to the character he created so brilliantly!

Trivia Question #2: Who was the hero of The Lost World?

Answer to Trivia question #1: William Gillette instituted the drop stem pipe for Sherlock because it made it easier for the actor to speak his lines clearly.