Sunday Snippet Pepper's Story 01

Welcome to my Sunday Snippet. Since hubby and I went on a date to the drive-in last night and I totally forgot to get on the Weekend Writing Warriors list, I decided to post from another story. Don't want to cheat some of my Milk Carton Murders followers of a segment, you know?

This snippet is related, however. This is Investigator Pepper Black's story, the same cop, many of the same characters, and the same town as in the Milk Carton Murders. It predates MCM so as not to revel anything. I did it in April for Camp NaNoWriMo and Blogging A-Z (a different letter every day). I did the whole story daily on my blog. You can read the entire murder mystery here.

A body is found along a hedge row in the rural town of Lamont. Some creative punctuation is used to keep it to 10.

***

She had been a beautiful woman in life. If it wasn’t for the polka dot scarf around her neck it would be obvious her head was no longer attached to her body.  An adze lay only a few feet away embedded in a partially hewn log. Sheriff Clayton Nazzaro walked over to the hedgerow where the coroner, Herbert Wilde, was crouched down near the body.

“So, the murder weapon you think, Herb?” asked Clayton, with a tilt of his head towards the log.

“I’m not guessing on that one until I get her back to the morgue,” said Herb, “and not until your forensic guys have that adze removed—no mistaking who she is though.”

“Nope. Jack Webster’s daughter,” said Clayton. “Worked up at McCormick’s boat rental last I heard—quiet girl. What do make of the clothes?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say I’ve ever seen her dress this flashy. Skirt seems a might short for her, and the blouse a bit too revealing.”
 

***

If you would like to read snippets from other great authors the links to them are above. Thanks for visiting and any comments.

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Milk Carton Murders 25

Hal, Dave's dad, was accused of the 20-year-old murder of one of the girls who was found by the creek-- one of the many foster children that passed through Dave's house as a child. Hal agrees to go to the sheriff's station to try and explain his side. He makes sure Dave grabs two boxes to bring along. And just what are in those boxes anyway? Sheriff Clayton Nazzaro and Investigator Pepper Black are asking Hal a few questions. Some of the Q&A in the last few snippets has gotten a bit heated and confusing. (A little creative punctuation to meet the 8.)

“Everybody take a breath,” said Nazzaro, “and Hal, why don’t you try starting from the beginning instead of jumping in at the middle expecting us to understand what you’re talking about.”

“Well that’s why we brought the boxes, Clayton,” said Hal, as if the sheriff was blind. “All the files of every child we had are in it—you can’t expect me to remember everything from that long ago, I’m sixty-five for Christ sakes.”

Nazzaro winced, and shook a finger in Hal's direction. “That's not that old, Hal, and there’s nothing wrong with your mind—I know—my mother is your canasta partner.”

“What’s in the other box?” asked Pepper.

“Just random photos from over the years I found in the attic when I went up there to look for my pinewood derby car,” said Dave.

“In the middle of all we have been doing this last week, you were thinking of your Boy Scout car?” asked Pepper, dumbfounded.

***

The link to the other Weekend Writing Warriors is here. You're bound to find something to pique your interest.

The Sunday Snippet writer's on Facebook are here. Between the two there is something for everyone. Thank you for any comments you leave me. Much appreciated!

*** 

BLURB:

When three small coffins are unearthed near the Wiscoy Creek during a routine dredging operation, it’s the last thing DAVE ROBERTSON, of the Lamont Weekly Times, expected. Pinned to the skeleton’s clothing are pictures from milk cartons of missing girls.

Dave is stunned to find that one of the girls is Sally―a foster child his parents had cared for through the Friends of Foster Families (FFF) program. Cold case files reveal the girls disappeared over 20 years ago. Knowing his house was the last place he saw Sally alive, he can’t help but suspect his dad.

How can he write the biggest story of his career if his father turns out to be the killer? If the voice in his head would shut up and let him remember, he might figure it out before he loses his mind and his dad is charged with murder.

Full blurb and snippet recap here.

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Recycle Bin Gardening

No Weekend Writing Warriors/Sunday Snippet for me today folks. 

I have remodeling projects going on and must take advantage of the one day hubby is home. Plus it's the end of most of my veggies and I have piccalilli relish to make, zucchini to freeze, pickles to do, and super sweet corn to bag and freeze. So I wouldn't have time to respond on other blogs to my snippet comments and it would be rude of me not to reciprocate. I may hop around though on breaks. :)

Here are some pics of my veggies in full bloom. We put our garden in recycle bins, sort of a combo between container gardening and gardening by the square foot. Most are pulled now except all the peppers, eggplant and the zucchini is still growing. Vegetable scrapes, after processing, go to a local for their pigs. Won't those piggies be happy!








Fall crops are still in the beginning stages as some veggies love the cool weather better like leaf veggies and my brussel sprouts.

Feel free to visit the other great writers. Weekend Writing Warriors is here. The Sunday Snippet writer's on Facebook are here. See you next week!

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Milk Carton Murders 24

Last week Dave was having a bit of a meltdown when his dad, Hal, was accused of the 20-year-old murder of one of the girls who was found by the creek-- one of the many foster children that passed through Dave's house as a child. Dave's voice in his head is more intrusive and he is answering it out loud--something he had never done before the bodies were found.  Hal agrees to go to the station to try and explain his side. The Sheriff allows Dave to bring him in his own car. We are a little ahead in the scene after Dave has composed himself, and speaks first below.

As always, words in italics is the "other" voice in Dave's head.

“Thanks Sheriff, I just want to make sure he has his coat and his medicine. I don’t want the stress raising his sugar level.”

“And don't forget the foster files box,” his father said.

“Are you sure that’s a wise idea, considering?” Dave asked.

Considering you would be handing them evidence to hang daddy Hal with?

“You’re right,” mumbled Dave, “it could convict him.” Dave stopped himself---his father's quizzical look snapped his mind into focus.

“Pay attention, son," Hal said, "you know the answers could be in that box and I’m not going to be able to have this make any sense without it.”

***

The link to the other Weekend Writing Warriors is here. You're bound to find something to pique your interest.

The Sunday Snippet writer's on Facebook are here. Between the two there is something for everyone. Thank you for any comments you leave me. Much appreciated!

*** 

BLURB:

When three small coffins are unearthed near the Wiscoy Creek during a routine dredging operation, it’s the last thing DAVE ROBERTSON, of the Lamont Weekly Times, expected. Pinned to the skeleton’s clothing are pictures from milk cartons of missing girls.

Dave is stunned to find that one of the girls is Sally―a foster child his parents had cared for through the Friends of Foster Families (FFF) program. Cold case files reveal the girls disappeared over 20 years ago. Knowing his house was the last place he saw Sally alive, he can’t help but suspect his dad.

How can he write the biggest story of his career if his father turns out to be the killer? If the voice in his head would shut up and let him remember, he might figure it out before he loses his mind and his dad is charged with murder.

Full blurb and snippet recap here.

***

 And in other news: Although I am in the edit phase of the MCM, I do have my cover. So this week you all get to see what it is. TA DA!

My cool cover design is by Brigid Gorry-Hines. You can see some of her other amazing covers on her Facebook page, Cover Creations. I like the black and white, sort of mud from the Wiscoy Creek on milk, you know? Also, I think the B&W adds to the cold case aspect of the story,  I'm quite pleased with Brigid's concept.

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Milk Carton Murders 23

Last week, Hal (Dave's dad) was about to be arrested by Investigator Pepper Black for the 20 year old murder of one of the girls who was found by the creek. Sheriff Nazzaro shows up at Dave's house after the station is called to send a squad car. Dave and Pepper exchange heated words and Hal evades Nazzaro's blunt question, "Do you mean you killed her?"

As always, the words in italics is the "other" voice in Dave's head.

“Am I under arrest?” Dave’s father asked.

“No, Hal,” Nazzaro answered, “but that doesn’t mean you won’t be if you can’t explain yourself better than this—right now, I hate to say, I have to agree with Pepper. It sounds like you’re confessing to murder or accessory to murder; I can’t ignore it.”

Dave put his hands to his head and rubbed back and forth to try and make his migraine go away, to make it all go away―to have the voice stop. “I can’t believe this―I won't,” he said, louder than he intended.
   
You’re as chicken shit as ever, Davy―always hidin' from the truth.

"Just shut up!" Dave yelled. 

"Now David," his father said, putting a hand on his  shoulder, "don't be disrespectful to the sheriff― you were raised ... I raised you better than that."

***

The link to the other Weekend Writing Warriors is here. You're bound to find something to pique your interest.

The Sunday Snippet writer's on Facebook are here. Between the two there is something for everyone. Thank you for any comments you leave me. Much appreciated!

*** 

BLURB:

When three small coffins are unearthed near the Wiscoy Creek during a routine dredging operation, it’s the last thing DAVE ROBERTSON, of the Lamont Weekly Times, expected. Pinned to the skeleton’s clothing are pictures from milk cartons of missing girls.

Dave is stunned to find that one of the girls is Sally―a foster child his parents had cared for through the Friends of Foster Families (FFF) program. Cold case files reveal the girls disappeared over 20 years ago. Knowing his house was the last place he saw Sally alive, he can’t help but suspect his dad.

How can he write the biggest story of his career if his father turns out to be the killer? If the voice in his head would shut up and let him remember, he might figure it out before he loses his mind and his dad is charged with murder.

Full blurb and snippet recap here.

Read More