Murder at the Country Club by Judy Moore

Author:Judy Moore [Moore, Judy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Judy Moore
Published: 2018-01-21T22:00:00+00:00

* * * * *

Abby spent the hour after she returned to the station at her desk, typing in her notes. It had been a productive day. She planned to check in with Wilson to see if anything had come through on the fingerprints, but first she took out the long list of text messages sent and received from Mandy’s phone and began examining them.

It quickly became apparent that she would need help. Turning on her laptop, she Googled “text acronyms” and came across several lists. She printed out the one that seemed the most comprehensive

She flipped through the pages, went back several weeks, and began there.

There were messages to and from girlfriends, her brother and, of course, Josh. They seemed smitten with each other, and Abby couldn’t help feeling she was invading their privacy by reading them.

“MUSM! 88” Abby translated that message from Mandy to Josh to read Miss you so much, hugs and kisses.

Josh e-mailed back, 143 4EAE. Translation: I love you forever and ever.

Josh’s many e-mails to Mandy were particularly romantic BCOY – Big crush on you. CUIMD – See you in my dreams. MWAH – Kiss.

Everything appeared very sweet and innocent between Josh and Mandy. But after awhile, Abby started noticing more and more texts from Josh’s friend, Derek. Over thirty in all. They began innocently enough, asking her if she’d seen Josh, if she could ask Josh to call him, if she and Josh wanted to meet him for lunch. But through the days, the texts intensified both in number and meaning.

“dump josh. u need a real man.”

“wl. when are u dumping josh?”(What a loser. When are you dumping Josh?)

“can’t believe ur still dating him. he’s a iwiam” (Can’t believe you’re still dating him. He’s an idiot wrapped in a moron.)

“we should be together”

And the last one, Saturday, the day before the murder. “im tired of waiting.”

Mandy’s responses were friendly at first.

“thx, but I like josh.”

“tsnf.” (That’s so not fair.)

“enuf”

“leave me alone.”

“pls stop texting me.”

Then she stopped returning his texts altogether. Mandy also started sending text messages to her brother David when the messages came in from Derek.

“he just sent another one.”

“he won’t leave me alone.”

“i can’t stand it anymore.”

“stalker texted again”

David’s responses became stronger as time went on:

“just tell him ur not interested.”

“waj ignore them” (What a jerk. Ignore them.)

“dont talk to him.”

“he’s asking for it”

“he better watch it”

In one of the texts, David asked her if she had told Josh. She texted back that she didn’t want to because Josh and Derek were close friends from childhood. They lived down the street from each other.

Abby put away the pages of texts and stared pensively out the window for several minutes. She wondered if Mandy ever told Josh about Derek.

Her cell phone rang, interrupting her thoughts.

It was Officer Maddox. The search of the woods next to the course had yielded an unexpected find – a large marijuana garden with nearly thirty plants.

The pot field was less than seventy yards from Josh’s house. And there was something else.

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