I've decided to release the first of many excerpts of my current project Dark Jealousy.
Now, this is only the second draft, but this scene I'm confident that I'm keeping. Before we get into the excerpt let me tell you a bit about Dark Jealousy.
In Dark Jealousy, Sheriff Dawson is investigating the murder of a woman out in Willow Grove. She was found by the woodshed, nearly decapitated by an axe.
In this excerpt, Sheriff Dawson returns to the Ben Lomond Inn, to question returning character Horace Baker about his cousin William. In the excerpt there is a description of the Tavern located within the Inn. As well as a brief exchange of dialogue, that shouldn't give anything away.
I'm still in the process of writing Dark Jealousy so there are bound to be mistakes, and things
that will be changed in the final draft. Yet, I'm confident this scene is staying.
(The above photo shows the likeness of the Inn I envisioned but not exactly.)
Excerpt from Chapter Three, Dark Jealousy:
The Ben Lomond Inn was the only Inn in Willow Grove, and although shabby it had it’s charm and character. With it’s large veranda and pillars, it didn’t look like a dive, there was something about it you just admired. Willow Grove wouldn’t be the same without it – at least in my opinion. Inside you could tell it was a dive, the place was cramped, dimly lit, and smelled strongly of tobacco, whisky, and other unpleasant odours that stung and nipped your nostrils. It made me want a smoke, but I was here on official business.
(The above photo shows what it might appear to be inside, but again not exact) We marched right up to the bar, and to Horace who hadn’t seen us in over a year.
“Sheriff?” he asked, in his guff voice, and I nodded.
“Hello, Horace,” I said politely. “There’s been another murder in Willow Grove, and I’m afraid I need to ask you a few questions about your cousin, William.”
“Another one, eh?” he asked. “What has that o’fool gotten himself into?” His tone told me one thing, they might be cousins but Horace didn’t like William much, if at all.
“Catherine Baker is dead,” I told him. “Murdered by an axe just yesterday.”
“Catherine is dead?” Horace asked, and frowned. “Such a shame, me liked her. Her were a good woman – too good for that low-life scum of a cousin o’ mine.”
“We were hoping you could tell us a little about him,” I said, and Horace grunted.
“Him a low-life scum that’s who him is,” Horace said. “Always in me Inn gettin’ drunk and makin’ o’ scene. When him not doin’ that him is beatin’ that poor woman silly. At least him was until her left him ‘bout three months back.”
“So, the people of Willow Grove knew that William was beating on Catherine?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Horace said, his eyes growing wide. “But, what a man and a woman do in them home is them business.” I nodded, and Patrick was writing in the notebook.
“Do you think William was angry with Catherine for leaving him?” I asked, and Horace grunted then nodded.
“No doubt,” Horace said. “More so if them rumours reached him.”
“Rumours?” I asked. “What rumours?” Horace sighed, glanced around the Inn, and lowered his voice to almost a whisper.
(End of Excerpt)
(The above photo shows what it might have looked inside, again not exact)
There is the first of many excerpts from Dark Jealousy that I plan to release over the next few months. I hope you enjoyed it, and there will be more of these to come in the coming weeks.
Until Next time,
D.C.
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