Southern Exposure (A Jake Stellar Series Book 7) by Riesel Rodney

Author:Riesel, Rodney
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Island Holiday Publishing
Published: 2021-02-26T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

After leaving Bert Poe's place we made the drive over to the River Park Senior Living facility in Little River. We spoke with Jean Strong's boss and a few of her coworkers. No one had anything bad to say about her. I hate when that happens. They described her variously as hard working, dedicated, responsible, a nice person, fun-loving. What's more, they all agreed, she never had a bad word to say about anyone. Not one person said she seemed like a homicidal maniac that might sleep with her husband's tenant, and then murder her husband. Why can't it be that easy?

“Lunch?” said Lint, as we drove back into North Myrtle Beach.

“Why not?” I answered. Then my cell phone rang. “Detective Stellar.”

“Hey, Jake. It's Tom Powers.”

“Hey, Tommy. What's up?”

“I don't have a report ready for you yet, but I just took a quick look at the Vogle kid. He has blisters on his fingers and palms.”

“From a burn?”

“No, friction, like from swinging a sledgehammer, or using a shovel. There's even a few minuscule wood slivers embedded in the epidermis of his palms and fingers.”

“Could it be from rowing a boat with wooden oars, Tommy?”

“It sure could.”

“Okay, thanks.”

“Something else.”

“What's that?”

“There was water in the lungs. The boy drowned.”

“Okay, thanks, Tommy.” I hung up my cell. “Vogle drowned. Also, he has blisters and wood splinters on his hands. Looks like it could be from rowing a boat.”

“Rowing a boat how far?” Lint asked. “The kid only lived down the street.”

“But we didn't find the boat down the street.”

“He must have rowed away from Levi's pier to a hiding spot. Maybe he was supposed to meet someone at that hiding spot.”

“Yeah, like the person that killed him and dumped his body in the creek.”

Lint nodded. “But how'd that person get the body back to the dumping spot?”

“Good question.”

“I've got an even better question.”

“What's that?”

“Where we eating?”

“How about the Hickory Tavern?” I suggested. “It's right up here on the left.”

“Bertie and I were just there last week.”

“How was the food?”

“Didn't eat. We just had drinks. Menu looked good though.”

I hung a left at the light and drove into the main entrance of the Coastal North Town Center. I took two more lefts and parked in front of the tavern. There were only four other cars in the lot.

“Ya think they're open?” Lint asked.

“Probably just opened at eleven,” I replied.

We walked up to the door and I pulled it open, letting Lint walk in first.

“Table or bar?” said Lint.

“Better get a table,” I said. “The last thing we need is some asshole spotting us at the bar and ratting us out.”

“When I first started here, we could have sat at the bar and had a couple drinks.”

“Yeah,” I said, “and three wives and one suspension later, they frown on it.”

“Wow, that was uncalled for.”

I laughed. “But funny.”

Lint chuckled. “I have to agree with you, I guess.”

The hostess sat us at a table near a window that looked out on US-17. We each ordered a Coke.

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