The Final Reveille: A Living History Museum Mystery by Amanda Flower

Author:Amanda Flower
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: final revile, final revely, amanda flowers, mystery, mystery fiction, mystery novel, civil war, history
Publisher: Midnight Ink is an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.
Published: 2015-04-02T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty-one

The morning after the conversation with Wesley, I wanted to see the property that Maxwell planned to save with Cynthia’s fortune, and I wanted to do it without Chase. I’d agreed to work with him to solve Maxwell’s murder, but I didn’t have to tell him everything. Since I was keeping secrets, I could only assume he was too.

Vacant lots, empty homes, and struggling cash advance businesses dotted Kale Road. Several fast food restaurants languished on the street, but there was little else.

I rolled to a stop next to the largest vacant lot. An eight-foot-high chain-link fence surrounded the three acres. When I was a child, there had been two rundown apartment complexes there. They were eventually condemned because of asbestos in the buildings. They stood on the property until four years ago, when they were knocked down and the land was cleared.

I turned and drove down the side street. There was the gate entrance. The gate stood wide open. The lock was cut and dangled from the chain link. Maybe someone planned to rob the construction site. It seemed to me the only thing you could make off easily with was a rock or a pocketful of dirt. I drove through the open gate. The grounds looked like the surface of the moon. Ten- and twelve-foot-high piles of dirt and rubble were scattered haphazardly around a bulldozer, which appeared not to have moved in months.

It was hard to believe a mall would be successful in such a place and on such a forgotten street. It would have to take a strong will and a lot of money to make it happen. I had to respect Maxwell for wanting to bring construction here to revitalize a struggling part of the town. What a gamble it must have been.

As I sat surveying the bleak scenery, a black sedan with tinted windows pulled up alongside my car. The driver’s-side window powered down. The man behind the wheel wore an Oxford shirt and sunglasses tinted the same dark shade as his windows. “Can I help you?”

The no trespassing sign was clearly visible on the fence. Crud. I shouldn’t have even turned into here.

“Sorry,” I said. “I was just turning around.”

“Nobody is supposed to be in here.”

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“You shouldn’t be here. This is a construction site.”

“The gate was open, and I needed to go back the way I came. I thought this was a quick and easy place to turn around. Again, I’m sorry. I’ll be on my way.”

A look of annoyance passed over his face. “One of our demo guys must have left it open. I will have to report it.”

“Is this your property?”

He removed his sunglasses for a better look at me. “I’m the foreman.”

“Is construction starting again on the property?” I said, trying to act casual. “I live nearby and would love a mall so close to home.”

His face relaxed. “Do me a favor and tell your councilman that. Maybe then I can get my permits.”

“Did the town council shut down the work site?” I smiled.

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