The following is an excerpt from Moral Conflict: A Springville Murder Mystery - Book 2.
Please see following the excerpt for information on how to order this book or Conflict of Interest: A Springville Murder Mystery (Book 1)
James walked into Sam’s house just as Jeanne and Julia were setting out
the food for Sunday lunch—pot roast cooked slowly in a crock pot with carrot
and potatoes, his favorite. Sam and Kelly were at the kitchen counter filling
glasses with sweet tea. Everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves—they were
a family. Even though Julia only came to visit every other weekend, James felt
more at ease with this small group of people than he had in a very long time.
He simply did not want to believe that six months ago, on the night of the big
arrest, Jeanne had stolen gold coins from the Washington Valley Hunting Club.
Even though it was only a small fraction of the coins taken into evidence, and
even though the treasure itself was the fruit of ill-gotten bootlegging gain
from fifty-four years ago, and even though if anyone deserved to get a little
help and boost in life, it was Jeanne and Kelly, it would still be a crime.
James simply did not know how long he could go before he would have no choice
but to act on his suspicions.
Today, though, like yesterday and every day before that for the last six
months, he made the intentional choice that he would not pursue his intuition.
Today he would eat pot roast with his family, enjoy the rest of the day with
his daughter, and maybe crawl around Sam’s attic looking for some torn out
pages from a notebook—pages that might just explain why Matt and Julia were
killed fifteen years ago.
Three hours later, everyone but Sam was dirty and sweaty, sitting out on
the back deck drinking what was left of the sweet tea they had made at lunch.
Their efforts crawling around the attic had been all but fruitless, finding no
trace of the torn-out pages. The only thing they had found was an old yearbook
from Sam’s eighth grade year. Unfortunately, it was not the right year to help
their investigation. Kelly and Julia, however, had a wonderful time looking
through it and making fun of all the old pictures.
“Well, Cuz, I guess we stick to the plan we came up with yesterday?”
asked Sam.
“I don’t know what else to do,” replied James. “Unfortunately, unless the
mayor punts this murder to the county investigator, I have an investigation to
start in earnest tomorrow. Either way, I will try to drop the list off by the
museum. Maybe they can help us.”
“Oh yeah, I heard about the murder. I guess this one is not as sexy as a
buried treasure. There has not been much gossip about it on social media
today.”
“It’s still pretty serious, Sam. A man was killed at the park.”
“I didn’t mean…yeah...sorry, I shouldn’t have made light of it.”
Jeanne perked up at the talk of the murder investigation. “Any good
leads?”
“Not much. We’ll see tomorrow when I speak to the team, I guess.”
Just then, James’ cell phone rang. The caller ID said Mayor.
“Speak of the devil,” he said with a wry smile, “it’s like he was
listening to us.”
“Go for Hardy,” he said, answering the phone.
“Hey, James, it’s Harvey.”
“Yes, sir, what can I do for you?”
“Looks like we have another
situation, doesn’t it?”
“It does, yes, sir. I was just thinking about it and wondering whether we
were going to investigate it ourselves or turn it over to the county
investigator.”
“That’s why I’m calling, James.
County said they could take it if we wanted them to, but they were a little bit
overloaded this month and said they would be fine—probably even prefer it—if we
could keep it ourselves. So, if we want it, we can have it.”
“If you are asking, then yes, we want to keep it,” replied James.
“Then it’s ours. Good luck, James.
Solve it fast.”
“We will do our best.”
James hung up and turned back to Sam. “Well, that settles that. It looks
like we are investigating the murder.”
“Congratulations? I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say here,” replied
Sam with a smile.
“Just wish me luck, Sam.”
James and Sam rejoined the rest of the family, who were still looking
through Sam’s old yearbook and making fun of how awkward he looked at that age.
James continued to be amazed at just how comfortable and ‘at home’ everyone
seemed. If they hadn’t been all dirty and sweaty, it might have been a picture
suitable for Norman Rockwell.
The Sunday afternoon scene continued in its pleasant progression,
including having pizza delivered for dinner. After finishing the pizza, Julia
interrupted the conversation.
“Well, I hate to say this, but I need to head back to Hoover. Mom will be
expecting me home before eight, and I have school tomorrow.”
Getting up, she made her rounds giving everyone hugs and saying goodbyes.
James did the same and the two walked out together. Out in the driveway, Julia
prodded her dad just a bit.
“You know, Dad, Mom is going to ask me about you when I get home.”
“Yeah? Really? What are you going to tell her?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, she still cares about you…”
“I know. I still care about her, too.”
“…and she’s not seeing anyone.” Julia got into the driver’s seat of her
sub-compact sedan and rolled down the window. “You should call her, Dad.”
“Yeah. I probably should.”
James watched his baby girl pull out of the driveway and head for home
and his heart sank, as it did every time he watched her drive away. He was the
reason they were not together every day. He sighed deeply then he walked across
the street to his own house—the house he grew up in.
Standing at the front door, he looked around at the rows and rows of
houses that had been constructed on the property that used to be his family
farm. Then he turned around and looked across the street at the construction of
houses taking place on what used to be Sam’s family farm. In only a few months,
nearly a dozen houses had been built with some of them already occupied. All
that was left of both family farms were the small lots containing their
respective homesteads. All that remained of a once proud family business were two
older, 20th-century style houses standing guard before a small army
of new, postage stamp, pre-designed modern homes.
James sighed deeply again, realizing that it would never again be the
Springville of his childhood memories. In some ways, that was a good thing, but
in other ways…James just shook his head in sorrow.
“The world has changed, James,” he said to himself. “The world has
changed. You can either change with it or be consumed by it.”
Then he went inside.
For more on Chief James Hardy, Jr. and the Springville Murder Mysteries, please click on one of the following links
For Conflict of Interest
BN ebook Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/conflict-of-interest-joel-dison/1146063575?ean=2940186169482
Amazon ebook Link: https://a.co/d/9N8WYdQ
Amazon Paperback Link: https://a.co/d/d4rKHoQ
For Moral Conflict
BN ebook Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/moral-conflict-joel-dison/1146531480?ean=2940184487199
Amazon ebook link: https://a.co/d/cTm5nHk
Amazon paperback link: https://a.co/d/j2loVjc
