So, today I selected a passage from Chapter Eight of Dark Jealousy. The Potter's farmhand, Daniel Roberts has been missing, and Sheriff Dawson and the others have been called out to Taylor Lake in Willow Grove, to investigate a body found at the waters edge. In this scene is Sheriff Dawson, his Deputy Patrick Jackson, Ben Sheppard and Dr. Sylvester Knox, the Coroner for Saint John.
Excerpt Chapter Eight: Dark Jealousy:
There they were laying just at the water’s edge. They were face down, so at this point we had no idea if they were male or female. At least not from this distance. I turned to Ben, and looked him in the eyes.
“You found them just like this?” I asked, and he nodded.
“Me did,” Ben said. I glanced at Sylvester, yeah I admit I was stalling. I really didn’t want to go by the water. I knew though it was only a matter of time. Sylvester was eyeing the body with a sort of delight. If there was one thing about Sylvester he enjoyed his job.
“What do you suppose we do?” I asked, and Sylvester smiled.
“We go over there, and turn them over,” Sylvester said. “With any luck, we’ll be able to identify them.” I was afraid he was going to say that, and I didn’t fancy it. But, I had a job to do, so I nodded once, and walked towards the waters edge. Luckily, I didn’t have to get too close to the water as only their face was submerged in the water. I took note of the clothing they wore, and glanced over to Sylvester.
“I think it’s a man,” I said, creeping closer to the water, ignoring my impulse to run. Sylvester was right beside me. When we reached the victim, he helped me roll them over onto their back. Even with the flesh bloated from the water exposure, there was no denying who the man was. I swore loudly. Patrick placed his hands on his hips. “Well now,” he said. “This is mighty unfortunate.”
Daniel Roberts was staring back at us, his eyes as vacant as glass. He was dead alright, and he had been dead for days. Sylvester looked at me, and shook his head.
“Do you think he’s been here all this time?” he asked.
“I think he might have been,” I said.
“Guess it wasn’t him,” Patrick said. “How you think he died, doc?” I backed up from the water.
“On an educated guess,” Sylvester said. “I’d say he drowned.”
“Yeah but was it suicide, accidental, or murder?” he asked, and I sighed as I placed both hands in the pockets of my trousers.
“This was murder,” I said.
“How can you be sure, boss?” Patrick asked, and I sighed again.
“Logic,” I said. “If it was suicide, he would have walked straight out into the lake. If it were accidental, he’d have been further into the lake. No, Daniel was held down in the water until he drew his last breath, or my name isn’t Stephen Dawson.” I looked down at Daniel, and shook my head.
End
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