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

of Diantha Lloyd’s murder investigation. She answered on the first ring.

“Hello, this is Detective Rivers.”

“Detective Rivers, my name is Vett Brayborn. I’ve been hired by a private source to investigate the Duffy Radley murder.”

“I know who you are. Sheriff Hobbs and Betty told me you stopped by the office last week looking for me.”

“I did. I have reason to believe that Duffy Radley’s murder and Diantha Lloyd’s murder are connected. I was hoping you would be willing to answer some questions for me today.”

“Lloyd’s murder is ten years old. Why do you think they’re connected?”

“Well, that’s what I want to talk to you about. Is now a good time to discuss this matter? I’m assuming you know all the details surrounding Duffy’s murder.”

“I do have the details about Duffy’s murder, but now is not a good time to talk about it. I had breakfast with my mother this morning, and I am in the process of driving her home. I prefer to talk to you in person. Are you in Envyton County?”

“I’m afraid not. My husband and I are in Roanoke at the Serenity Bed, Breakfast and Dinner for a three-day weekend vacation. He’s off playing golf this morning while I’m working on the case.”

“I know that place. I’ve stayed there before. Where are you from?”

“Danville.”

“Did you come into Roanoke via 220?”

“Yes.”

“There’s a little place off 220 about thirty minutes from Serenity called Hope Pines. You passed it on your way in. There’s a hotel there by the same name right off the highway. I have a 1:30 pm family reunion meeting today at my cousin’s house, which is in a subdivision right behind Hope Pines Hotel. I can meet you at the hotel in thirty minutes. That’ll give us time to talk and for me to make my meeting on time.”

I hesitated. I had told Gam I wasn’t going anywhere, and besides, how would I get past the police officer. Yet, I knew I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. Detective Rivers may have some information I could use, and she was willing to talk to me.

“How will I know you?”

“I’ll be in an eight-passenger white van parked prominently in front of the hotel. You‘ll see me. What color is your car?”

“It’s a black Lexus. You sure it will only take me thirty minutes to get there.”

“It may take less time since this is Sunday and everybody is in church.”

“Okay, I’ll see you in about thirty minutes.”

Since I didn’t have a hat or a scarf, I pulled a yellow tee shirt from my overnight bag, put it on my head, and then twisted the loose hanging part into a knot behind my head. After putting on a blouse, I put on one of Gam’s long sleeve shirts, my jacket, and then put on my sunglasses. I walked to the mirror and stared at myself.

“This disguise should fool the police officer,” I said. I looked nothing like I did last night when the police officers saw me. I quickly wrote a note to Gam telling him where I was just in case I was delayed in getting back before he did. I took my keys, which included a key to Gam’s car, out of my handbag.

“God, please help me get back to the room before Gam,” I prayed as I closed the room door.

I walked down the stairs out the front door to Gam’s car. The police officer was parked on the right side of the street earlier. Now he was nowhere to be seen. I quickly got in the car and drove off, then took off my head wrap. I assume the police officer had to go on a call and would return later.

On the road no more than five minutes, I noticed a white truck behind me. From my rearview window, it appeared to be two people in the truck—one driving and one in the passenger seat. The truck stayed about two car lengths behind me after I noticed it. It was making me nervous because when I slowed down, it slowed down. When I sped up, it sped up. Then it got right up against my back bumper. I thought it was going to rear-end me. It pulled back, then got right up against my bumper again. The driver did this for the third time, then I sped up.

“What is going on here?” I whispered as I continued to drive at a speed I was uncomfortable with.

The letter I received last night came to mind, and I wondered if the people in the truck put the letter in Haiden’s mailbox. Had someone followed Gam and me to Serenity? How did they know we were staying there? What were they planning on doing to me? It was clearly me they wanted. They had probably watched me get into Gam’s car and leave Serenity. Several times I looked in the rear-view mirror at them. I’m sure they saw me doing this or at least noticed my car swaying in the lane when I looked at them. They had been behind me for ten minutes when I took notice of my increased breathing pattern.

“Breathe slowly, breathe slowly, Vett,” I said as I loosened my grip on the steering wheel. I was at wit’s end. Then a plan hit me. I reached into my handbag and pulled out my phone. I deliberately slowly raised my phone and put it to my ear and began talking. In less than a minute, the truck pulled from behind me and drove alongside me. There were three people in the truck I took to be men—one in the back right passenger seat and two in the front seat. All three had on black stocking cap type masks with two openings for the eyes. As the truck drove by me, the man in the back seat pointed his thumb and index finger like a gun at me and kept moving it like he was shooting me. As I slowed down, the truck took off at high speed.