The Pumpkin Seed Massacre: Ben Pecos Mysteries, Book 1 by Susan Slater

Author:Susan Slater
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: small town, serial killer, amateur sleuth, new mexico, political corruption, indian casino, indian pueblo, first book in mystery series, american indian mysteries, native american protagonist
Publisher: Columbine Publishing Group, LLC

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Douglas Anderson, Sr. sat at his dining room table, unfolded the newspaper and read the headlines: “Biological Serial Killer Found! Report Shows Hantavirus in Mice Around Since Early ’80s.” He pushed the pot of coffee toward his son and smiled broadly.

“This couldn’t be better.” He patted the paper. “Science has triumphed. Half the mice in the state will be killed and it’ll be a boon for exterminators, but we’ll get back to building that casino.”

Douglas, Sr. felt safe and a little smug. They had really only suffered a minor setback. The casino could open by the first of the year. And all this publicity for the virus kept dissenters from paying attention to them. Public hearings last summer brought out protestors but their numbers were dwarfed by the assenting crowds from the pueblos. It had been the old Tewa governor who had stood in their way. Luckily, Governor Yepa saw the potential in joining a six billion dollar a year industry. Some tribes take in a million dollars a day and funnel much of that money back into tribal projects.

State officials had suggested they start slow with the lower end Class II gambling, bingo and lottery, but that would have been a waste of energy. No, it had been best to go for the top. Laws were still murky on how much local government intervention there should be. They had gotten in on the ground floor. They would set precedent. They would upgrade the economic status of the pueblo and help them overcome an unemployment rate of 30 percent.

“Are you thinking of sending a crew back into Tewa?” Junior asked. Doug, Sr. pointed to the paper. “I think it’s time. We were only waiting for some answers. In fact, maybe it’s time for that hoopla we couldn’t have earlier.”

“A party?”

“Why not? Do it up big. The governor of New Mexico, legislators, a real who’s who of Santa Fe. Nothing spared.”

“Sounds great.”

“Yes. We could use a little fanfare.”

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