Milk Carton Murders 31

SET UP: Last week Dave Robertson (my MC) tagged along with Inv. Pepper Black to question the Underwoods. Shelia Underwood seems a bit nuts and her husband answers the questions about their time as foster parents, his job at the carton plant at the dairy and Shelia being a case worker for the Friends of Foster Families over two decades ago. Dave finds out that Randy (who works with him at the newspaper) is their adopted son. He never knew as their last names are different. Dave figures Randy is going to be pissed at him come Monday for dragging his parents into the investigation of the 20 year old case of the three dead girls. This scene is Sunday when Dave goes with his dad to church, something he doesn't normally do, and low and behold Randy is there with his parents. We're skipping the almost brawl in the church isle. :)

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

Dave’s dad leaned over to him and whispered after they had been seated, “This is the first time I’ve seen the Underwoods in church in … well … I can’t remember how long, several years anyway.”

What do you think, Davy---came to atone for their sins?

Dave gave his head a shake to clear the thoughts. “I didn’t realize that," he whispered back, “but then again, I don’t always make it here with you.”

The mass was the usual Catholic format. Now if it was a Born Again worship service, Dave would expect Sheila Underwood to jump up and run to the front hysterically asking for forgiveness, to be saved, and Father Bart would whack her on the forehead to cast out her demons, but no such luck. The sermon was on keeping the children on the path to God–couldn’t get more appropriate than that. It was almost, dare he think, predestined that the Underwoods–the black sheep–would decided to come back into the fold on the day the sermon was about children. Did they understand at all that they had set those children on the path to God in the wrong way? Most likely not.

***

Poor Dave, huh? He can't decide if his dad did it, or the Underwoods, or heck, maybe even himself as his mind has blocked things from his past---and then there's that voice. Whew. 

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!

I'm being a NaNoWriMo rebel and using the goal stats to get my back title, as they say, Kindleized. Is that a word? If not it is now. It's an 1860s true crime called Bread & Butter: The Murders of Polly Frisch (co-authored with my friend, Ellen Bachorski). It needs a go over to fix some typos and punctuation. I see things now that I didn't 13 years ago when it was first published. Wish me luck and good luck to all of those doing NaNo!

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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.