The Boaz Scorekeeper, written in 2017, is my second novel. I'll post it, a chapter a day, over the next few weeks.
The Murray’s autopsies were released three weeks after Judge Freeman dismissed their case. However, Matt had been unable to obtain a copy until the last week of November. Cyanide poisoning was the cause of both deaths. The Marshall County District Attorney opened a formal investigation. I had a good working relationship with Detective Darden Clarke who shared with me that the Sheriff had seized a bottle of Restoril the day the bodies were found. Restoril was a benzodiazepine used as a sleeping pill. The bottle seized was Nellie’s and had been prescribed by Dr. Lester, her family doctor. Darden told me the DA was sending the Restoril to the State Lab for analysis to determine if the remaining pills contained any cyanide. He said even if they did and were the cause of Nellie’s death, it didn’t explain how Bill died from cyanide poisoning unless he had taken one of her sleeping pills. Darden said the only thing they knew for sure right now was that Bill and Nellie Murray died from cyanide poisoning. They were a long way from ruling their deaths a homicide even though suspicions were high.
Richard L. Fricks 