Sequestered with the Murderers by Dr. Tanner (books for 8th graders TXT) 📕

on August 11, 1996, at 10:17 am, to report a woman lying under a cluster of trees near Mystical Pond inside Mythical Rock State Park. The woman was unresponsive to the couple’s offer of help, and the couple thought she was dead.

Detectives Rowe Colbert and Sealy Clifton arrived on the scene at 10:43 am and were able to identify the woman from her driver’s license found inside her sweat pants’ pocket. Her name was Diantha Angeline Lloyd of 3319 E. Croton Street, Envyton County, Virginia. She was lying face up on the ground with her clothes in disarray. Her panties and sweat pants had been pulled off the right leg. Her tank top and bra had been pushed up, leaving one breast exposed. The color of her clothing was redacted.

There was blood on the ground around her head. When her head was moved, it was noticed that the back of her head had sustained blunt force trauma. On the ground, two feet from her right hand, were a bouquet of______ hydrangeas. The color of the hydrangeas was redacted.

It was noted that the area around Mystical Pond was a picnic area and not shrouded by many trees. The cluster of trees where the decedent was found under was down an embankment from the walking path. The site was still visible to walkers and joggers on the other side of the pond. It was also noted that not many people were in the park.

I had read all of the event’s details, actions taken, and the summary when a car zooming by jolted me. I then looked at my dashboard clock. It was 2:02 pm.

“Oh shoot!” I threw the report onto the passenger seat, then sprang out of my Jeep, pulling my bag with me. I used my remote key to lock my Jeep door. I ran to Joe’s house, then rang the doorbell twice without intending to do so. I pride myself on being a couple of minutes early to all my meetings. Being a few minutes early is one of my investigative formalities I do not take lightly.

“Oh well, I missed the chance to show Joe two of my formalities I deem most important—reliability and dependability,” I whispered.

CHAPTER 11

The rich dark brown hardwood of Joe’s front door stood out. The wood had a clear satin polyurethane finish on it. It had an intricate metal design on it depicting a phoenix with sweeping wings and a long graceful neck. It was gorgeous. The door was designed to turn heads as it had done mine.

Joe opened the door with a smile on his face.

“Hi, Vett. Welcome to my home. I hope you didn’t have a hard time finding the place.”

“Hi, Joe. No problems at all. Your directions were great. How are you doing today?”

“Just fine. Holt Junior is here. He can take off from his job anytime he wants to. He’s the boss. My wife, Abby, is at work. She couldn’t get off today. I don’t have any classes after the noon hour on Tuesdays, so this is a good day to meet. Duffy’s murder has been on all our minds.”

“Mine, too. It is a tragedy. Hi, Holt Junior,” I said as I entered a large great-room.

“Hi, Vett. How are you doing?”

“Just fine. I hope you are well.”

“I am. Thank you for asking.”

“Vett, have a seat on the sofa. Can I get you anything?” Joe asked. I could see the modern style decorated kitchen with heavy wooden beams in the ceiling at the back of the room. A counter with four bar stools separated the two rooms.

“A glass of water would be nice. I am a little thirsty.”

“While Joe was getting the water, Holt Junior asked, “Any problems getting here, Vett?”

“No, not at all. Envyton County is not at all far from Attribute. Beautiful country.”

“Beautiful country it is. I love living here,” Holt Junior responded.

“The water is room temperature. I hope this is okay,” Joe said as he handed me a bottle of water.

“This is perfect.”

After taking a swallow of the water, I said, “As I mentioned to Joe, Jackson has hired me to investigate Duffy’s murder. I’m hoping I can find out who murdered him soon.”

“How can we help?” Joe asked.

“My first question is, did either of you actually see Duffy in the men’s room. I’m trying to determine whether or not something happened to him before going into the men’s room.”

“I don’t actually remember seeing him in there, but he must have been. He could have been in one of the stalls while I was washing my hands,” Joe explained.

“I don’t remember seeing him either, but this is true of all the stops we made. I can’t swear to seeing him in the men’s room at the other stops either,” Holt Junior said.

“Did either of you know Duffy personally?”

“I wouldn’t say personally. Abby and I have been on many Brightness tours, about twelve, I’d say. Duffy’s been the driver on about five of them, I’d say. It was Holt Junior that talked us into taking our first tour,” Joe said.

“My wife, Ina Jean, and I have been on about fifteen tours. We love them. I had been asking Joe and Abby to join us for a few years. Then they finally went with us to Niagara Falls. They were hooked after that!” Holt Junior exclaimed.

“I love them too, though I have not been on many as you and your wife. What kind of work do you do, Holt Junior?”

“I’m a veterinarian. Ina Jean and I own Holt’s Veterinarian Clinic up there on Main Street. You passed it on your way in from the highway. I’ve owned it for thirty years now. My daddy wanted me to go to law school and open up a practice. That was something he always wanted to be, a lawyer. His parent didn’t have the money to send him to law school, so he went into the government field. Back in the mid-sixties to the mid-eighties, he was chair of the Envyton