{"id":8017,"date":"2021-03-09T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-09T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.logikalsolutions.com\/wordpress\/?p=4687"},"modified":"2021-03-09T05:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-03-09T11:00:00","slug":"dead-in-a-dumpster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interestingauthors.com\/blog\/uncategorized\/dead-in-a-dumpster\/","title":{"rendered":"Dead in a Dumpster"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Leah Norwood Mysteries, Book #1<\/div>\n

Cozy Mystery<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Date Published:<\/b><\/span> September 23, 2014<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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When Leah Norwood finds the body of Isabel Meeks in the dumpster behind her store, she can\u2019t believe the police consider her a suspect. Sure, she didn\u2019t like Isabel, but then again, neither did anyone else. Isabel had a condescending attitude and a bad reputation. As manager of the antique store, Patina, she had made a lot of enemies.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

There is Patina\u2019s assistant manager, the handsome and charming Trent. Isabel was blackmailing him. There is Patina\u2019s owner, the aloof and influential Anthony Thorpe. Isabel was smuggling drugs through his store. And there is the entire drug dealing Cantono family. Isabel had lost a box containing heroin from one of their shipments. That is just to name a few and didn\u2019t even include the stranger who was seen arguing with Isabel just hours before her death.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The police have too many suspects and too many soft alibis. Leah needs to prove to the sexy new chief of police that she had nothing to do with Isabel\u2019s death.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Leah loves a good mystery. Can she find the killer before the police arrest her for murder?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Excerpt<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We walked to the end of the hall and then turned left. This hallway was shorter and only contained three doors. Captain Reddish opened the first one. I followed him in and then stopped abruptly. I\u2019m not sure exactly what I was expecting. A conference room, maybe, or another office. What I got was an interrogation room. It looked a lot like something you would see on a television police show. It was a small square room with a table in the middle and two chairs on either side. There was no mirrored window, but I did see a camera mounted in one corner.<\/p>\n

My heart started pounding, and my mouth went dry. What the hell was going on? I wondered. Was I going to be interrogated? And if so, why? Suspects were interrogated not witnesses. I had told the police everything I knew last night. I thought today was just a formality. I tried to swallow but choked a little and coughed instead. I looked at Reddish. He took a step toward the table and tossed the folder in front of one of the chairs. He motioned toward the chair opposite and said, \u201cHave a seat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hesitantly, I took a step forward but stopped when he said, \u201cI\u2019m going to get some coffee. Would you like anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

I shook my head, and he walked out the door leaving me alone. I decided if he was offering me coffee, it couldn\u2019t be that bad. Breathing deeply, I sat down. Maybe they didn\u2019t have any conference rooms or empty offices. My nerves settled down as I stared at the folder a minute wondering if I had time to read it before Reddish got back. It had Isabel\u2019s name on it. I glanced briefly at the camera on the wall and decided not to risk it.<\/p>\n

A movement by the door caught my attention. I glanced over as Alexander Griggs stepped into the room. He looked at me and gave me a half smile. The indentation on the right side of his mouth deepened just a little. His intense green eyes pinned me to the seat. My heart started pounding again. Only this time, it wasn\u2019t out of fear. I tried not to fidget as he walked over to the chair next to Reddish\u2019s and pulled it out. What was it about this man that affected me so? He placed the chair parallel to the table and sat down. \u201cHow are you, Ms. Norwood?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine,\u201d I replied and was pleased to note that my voice was steady and clear.<\/p>\n

Reddish returned with two cups of coffee. He didn\u2019t seem surprised that Griggs was present so I assumed he was expected. Reddish closed the door, handed one of the cups to Griggs, and sat in the chair opposite me before opening the folder. He took out a piece of paper and then looked up at me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a few more questions for you, Ms. Norwood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay,\u201d I said cautiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou stated that the last time you saw Ms. Meeks alive was when you went to confront her about the delivery truck. Is that correct?\u201d<\/p>\n

I paused a minute. I hadn\u2019t used the words confront her, although that is what had happened. Swallowing hard, I tried not to sound defensive. \u201cI last saw Isabel alive when I went to ask her to have the delivery truck moved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk her?\u201d Reddish said looking at me.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, maybe, I didn\u2019t actually ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see. So what did you do?\u201d<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t like his tone, but I answered anyway. \u201cI told her that the delivery truck was parked in my space, and she needed to have it moved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to Mr. Thorpe, you threatened to call the police.\u201d<\/p>\n

I looked at Reddish and then at Griggs. Both men looked back at me with no expression on their faces. It was like looking at two stone figures. I wasn\u2019t really sure what was going on, but I was beginning to get a little nervous. Was I really a suspect? I took another deep breath before answering.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I threatened to call the police. Isabel was refusing to have the truck moved so I told her that I would report the driver as trespassing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you didn\u2019t,\u201d Reddish said, his tone dry.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t need to. Mr. Thorpe had Trent get the driver to move the truck.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reddish consulted his notes. \u201cSo even though the truck was moved, you were still angry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I was angry,\u201d I said carefully. I was beginning to think I might need to stop talking. They hadn\u2019t read me my rights, but I didn\u2019t know how much of what I said could be used against me at this point. Did I need to ask for a lawyer?<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that why you threatened her?\u201d Reddish asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d I squeaked. \u201cI didn\u2019t threaten her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to a witness, you were angry and threatened the victim. Specifically, you said \u2018I think it\u2019s time for someone to teach Isabel a lesson, and I\u2019m just the one to do it\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Candace. Of course, Candace told the police what I said. She probably told the whole town. I sat back in my chair, stomach churning, mouth dry, fear racing through me. I looked at Reddish again. He just sat there waiting.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, so maybe I threatened her,\u201d I whispered, \u201cbut I didn\u2019t mean that I was going to kill her. I was angry. We all say things when we\u2019re angry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you didn\u2019t plan to kill her, then what were you threatening to do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d I said looking back and forth between Reddish and Griggs. This couldn\u2019t be happening. What was I going to do? I wasn\u2019t a criminal. I didn\u2019t even drive over the speed limit very often. \u201cI was thinking something along the lines of letting all the air out of her tires.\u201d<\/p>\n

Griggs snorted, but when I looked at him, his face was remote. He didn\u2019t say anything, just took a sip of his coffee. Reddish watched me, eyes narrowed, a shade of distrust on his face. He nodded decisively and went for the kill.<\/p>\n

\u201cMs. Norwood, do you own a gun?\u201d<\/p>\n

Shit. It was definitely time for a lawyer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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About the Author<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

B. L. Blair writes mystery\/romance stories. Like most authors, she has been writing most of her life and has dozens of books started. She just needs the time to finish them.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

She is the author of the Leah Norwood Mysteries and the Lost and Found Pets Mystery Novellas. She loves reading books, writing books, and traveling wherever and as often as time and money allows. She is currently working on her latest book set in Texas, where she lives with her family.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Contact Links<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Purchase Links<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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