The primary aim of the "Novel Excerpts" blog category is to showcase my creative writing, specifically from the novels I've written. Hopefully, these posts will provide a glimpse into my storytelling style, themes, and narrative skills. It's an opportunity to share my artistic expressions and the worlds I've created through my novels.
The Case of the Perfectionist Professor, written in 2018, is my sixth novel. I'll post a chapter a day over the next few weeks.
Book Blurb
Late on New Year’s Eve in the small town of Boaz, Alabama, Snead State Community College teacher Adam Parker was found dead slumped over in his car. A preliminary investigation indicated the fifty-year-old biology professor died of a heart attack. Marissa Booth, Adam’s daughter and Vanderbilt School of Divinity professor, didn’t agree.
Four days later, Marissa hired the local private detective firm of Connor Ford to investigate her father’s death. She declared local police officer Jake Stone had likely murdered her father. She pointed Ford to a multi-month Facebook feud between Adam and several local people, including Stone and Boaz City Councilman Lawton Hawks. The controversy allegedly related to Adam’s research that contended that, in layman’s terms, long-term indoctrination caused actual genetic mutations that directly affected future generation’s ability to reason.
Over the next year, Connor Ford discovered multiple and independent sources of motivation to quiet and possibly murder the controversial professor. Ford learned that a civil lawsuit and widespread public outcry had effectively run Adam out of Knoxville, where he was a biology professor for over thirteen years. Ford also learned that Adam had become the number one enemy of Roger Williams, a self-made local businessman, and his son Alex, who is a Republican candidate for governor of Alabama. Adam had discovered Alex and Glock, Inc., the Austrian-based gun manufacturer, was exploring not only the possibility of setting up a large facility in Boaz but also supplying pistols for Alex’s highly touted and controversial ‘arm the teachers’ proposal.
Connor Ford has his hands full enough with these suspects. Add in his need to determine whether Lawton Hawks and Jake Stone are friends or foes of Roger and Alex, which accentuate the pressure no normal small-town private detective can handle.
Will Connor’s discovery there is a link between Dayton, Tennessee, and the 1929 Scopes Monkey trial and a rogue group of CIA operatives bend Connor and his two associates to the breaking point?
Read this mystery/thriller to find out if Adam Parker was murdered and how, and what role the long-standing controversy between science and religion had in destroying the life of a single perfectionist professor.
Chapter 16
During my drive back to the office, Marissa called and again thanked me for seeing her last Saturday on such short notice. The main reason she called was to apologize for not leaving a prescription bottle of Cymbalta she had been carrying around in her purse since her first trip to Boaz right after Adam’s death. “Right as I found it at Dad’s office, Dean Naylor had walked in. I had forgotten it until I changed purses Saturday morning. I think Cymbalta is prescribed for depression.” Marissa said and ended the call after a student walked in her office. She promised to call me later. I made a mental note to do a little research on Cymbalta.
I spent the next couple of hours trying to learn more about Alex Williams. Ever since Hannah had told me why Steven was counseling the Stone’s I had wanted to do a little research. I was proud I had listened to Pastor Caleb and implemented his advice to become less selfish. I don’t think Camilla and Emily, last night, realized the battle I was fighting as we sat in the den and made small talk. They didn’t see how this dog was gnawing on an invisible bone. I had a long way to go. Being less selfish required mind-work as well as leg-work. My mind had to be present and focused on Camilla and Emily when I was home. I had to figure out how better to leave my work at the office.
Alex Williams is a thirty-five-year-old local boy, born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He comes from a well-connected family, but to his credit, he has worked hard to become a rising star in Alabama’s Republican Party. He apparently is smart and focused. Alex is an accounting graduate from the University of Alabama and married with two elementary-aged children. Alex is a CPA and partner with the accounting firm of MDA Professional Group in Albertville. He spent the past eight years as the legislative representative for District 26, which covers parts of Marshall and Dekalb Counties. He is now running for governor, the top constitutional position in Alabama. Alex’s current political goal appears to be a long shot. Unlike what Hannah had said, that Alex is the Republican Party’s candidate for governor, in fact, he is one of four candidates. The June primary would likely determine whether Alex would return to full-time accounting or go forth campaigning until the general election in November.
A few minutes before noon I walked across to Pirates Cove for a glass of tea and saw Paige Todd and Natalie Goble sitting at a table to my right as I walked in. They didn’t look up so I kept on walking. After filling my ‘Detectives are Lousy Lovers’ thermos (thanks Camilla), I laid a $5.00 bill on the register, paying for a week’s worth of the best tea in town. I passed the two girls on my way out and was nearly through the door when I decided to go back and at least speak to them.
“Natalie, Paige, how are you two?” I’m always amazed at my originality.
Paige looked up immediately, but Natalie seemed unimpressed and continued looking at her phone. “Hi Mr. Ford.” Paige said.
I leaned down a little closer to Paige and said, “do you think we three could talk sometime, maybe even today?”
Natalie heard me and used her foot to push an empty chair towards me. “Sit down Connor.” The way she said it made me think she knew how to deal with a grown man.
“This is really strange. Natalie and I were coming over to see you after lunch. You did invite us, don’t you remember?” Paige said.
“I do. Great, that’s sounds perfect. I’ll leave you two ladies for now. Just come over after your lunch. I look forward to seeing you.”
“See you in half an hour.” Natalie said, back now looking at her phone.
Good to their word, Paige and Natalie walked in the waiting room a few minutes after 12:30. Surprisingly, they took several minutes to inspect the design and decorum Camilla had developed and chosen. Sassafras wood was not endemic to North Alabama. What trees there were, simply were too small to saw six-inch boards. A local man, Nathan McDaniel, had been Camilla’s connection to the gorgeous lumber we had used. It was an Amish sawmill in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee that Nathan had dealt with that furnished the beautiful boards. Natalie also seemed intrigued by Mr. Jefferson. “Why do men abuse their power?” It was a question I hadn’t expected, right at this moment anyway. She continued, “I wonder if the black woman he fathered a child with had any choice in the matter?” I finally and gently managed to guide the two back into the conference room.
“Thanks again for coming. I have a few questions I would like to ask but first, ladies first. You said at Pirates Cove that you two had already decided to come over. What’s on your minds?” I asked.
“We wanted to make sure you were going to investigate Lawton Hawks. We think he’s someway responsible for Professor Parker’s death.” Paige said. She was a tall and slender red head, not gorgeous but not at all unattractive. She had green eyes that reminded me of Marissa’s.
“What makes you think that?” I asked.
“Over the past few months his and Adam’s, Professor Parker’s, Facebook conversations, continued to heat up. Plus, the morning of his death, we saw him coming out of his house.” Paige said.
“I saw him in class at 1:00 and there was something going on. He was clearly upset about something.” Natalie said. She was the prettiest of the two, although not as tall as her redhead friend. Natalie’s long, silky blond hair, blue eyes, and perfect hour-glass figure clearly explained why she was a Snead State cheerleader and had caught the roving eye of Alex Williams.
“I definitely will, especially after what you’ve told me happened at the Waffle House. I have a friend with the Sheriff’s Department, who’s investigating Hawks’ death. I’ll stay after him for information.” I said.
I could tell the girls were a little antsy. They kept staring at each other, like they wanted to say something but didn’t know how, or they were waiting on the other to do the asking. Finally, Natalie said, “Connor, I may as well go ahead and tell you. You’re certain to find out eventually. I’m pregnant. I think, we think, this has something to do with Professor Parker’s death.”
“Thanks Natalie for being so open and honest. I figure that took quite a bit of strength and courage to tell me. If you don’t mind, would you tell me why you think this way.”
“Let me answer that.” Paige jumped in as though to protect Natalie. “Professor Parker was the best teacher and man. He was my Biology professor last year. Natalie’s this year. He took such an interest in his students. He was quirky in so many ways, but there was no end to his commitment to his students. Here’s the key. He didn’t force his help on anyone. If you wanted his personal attention, tutoring, general advice, a sounding board, he was available. Most students wanted to just do the minimum to get by. Someway, Natalie and I connected with him. We got even closer after all the abuse started. Now, here’s the rub.” Paige looked over at Natalie who now was starting to cry. I could see tears emerging from her beautiful blue eyes. A few seconds went by and Paige said, “Is it okay if I tell Mr. Ford what happened, about your getting pregnant?” I finally saw Natalie nod in the affirmative.
“Paige, before you do, please know, you too Natalie, that I will keep what you tell me in the strictest of confidence.” I said.
“Thanks. The father of Natalie’s baby was, is, trying to force her to have an abortion. Can I tell Mr. Ford his name?” Again, Paige was looking over at Natalie.
“No, but I will. Alex Williams got me pregnant. He’s the father. And, he’s been pressuring me to have an abortion.”
“I hate he’s doing that. First, let me ask. Are you speaking about the local guy who is running for governor?” I asked.
“Yep, that’s him.” Paige said.
“Here, I could ask a ton of questions, but my job relates only to what had any affect up the death of my client, Adam Parker. But, please know, like I suspect he was with you two ladies, I am interested in your well-being and will do anything I can to help you, whether it has anything to do with Mr. Parker.” I said.
“All of this, my pregnancy, Alex Williams, the abortion, all has to do with Adam Parker. At least, that’s what I fully believe.” Natalie said, her crying had stopped, and she appeared to be regaining her composure.
“If you want, why don’t you and Paige tell me what you want me to know. At some point I may have a question or two to clarify things.”
“It started, you know, the sex, back six or eight months ago when I would babysit for the Williams’. I had known Alex all my life. His wife and my mother have been friends for years, having taught together in Vacation Bible School every summer. I even worked on both of Alex’s campaigns. I can’t explain how it got started, but it happened after a meeting at the Bevill Center when he announced he was going to run for governor. I was one of the last to leave and had walked to my car. For some reason it wouldn’t start. I was parked by Erica’s car, that’s his wife. She tried to get me to let her give me a ride. I told her I would call Jake, my step-father. I finally convinced her I was fine and for her to go on home; she had both kids with her. I then tried Jake but couldn’t reach him. About that time, I saw Alex come out of the Bevill Center walking towards his car. It was on the opposite side of the parking lot. I hollered for him. Long story short, we talked for like an hour or more, right there beside my car. It was the first time we had spent that much time alone. I have to say it was an intimate moment. It was dark, and he was funny and seemed really interested in me although he had a lot of important things going on. Again, I don’t know how it happened, but he leaned into me and kissed me. And, I liked it. Thirty minutes later we were in the back of his big Suburban down a little logging road in Sand Valley. It was my first sexual experience since the ninth grade. I need to pee, where’s your bathroom?” I gave her instructions and she left the conference room.
“Mr. Ford.” Paige said as soon as Natalie stepped out.
“Please call me Connor.”
“Okay. Connor, just so you know, Natalie fell in love with Alex Williams, but things changed when she got pregnant and especially when he started trying to force her to have an abortion.” Paige said, standing up to straighten and stretch. “Do you have a bottle of water?” Again, I gave the needed instructions, including asking her to visit our break room.
“Connor, Professor Parker was trying to encourage me not to have an abortion. I was caught in a very bad spot.” Natalie said as she was walking back in from the restroom.
“So, he knew about your pregnancy. By the way, how far along are you?”
“A little over three months.”
“Back to my earlier question. What makes you feel Adam’s death is connected to your pregnancy?”
“Well, I guess it should be obvious, but I had told him, Professor Parker, pretty much everything. We were that close. Seems weird doesn’t it? Anyway, after I told him that my mother and step-father also wanted me to have an abortion he contacted Alex. He, Professor Parker, never told me the full details, but my step-father, Jake, did. He said that my dear friend threatened to expose Alex, including going to the police. Jake can get quite agitated when he’s upset. I knew I hadn’t been raped. I knew Alex hadn’t committed any type crime. Not to say that screwing your baby-sitter while you’re married is the best thing to be doing.”
Paige walked in with three bottles of water. “It wasn’t the screwing so much that got Adam so upset. It was the forced abortion. Did you tell Connor what Alex is doing?”
“I was about to.” Natalie replied, taking a seat and opening her bottle of water. “Alex has offered me and my family money to make this thing go away, as in make this baby go away.”
“And, Adam, knew this. You had told him?” I asked.
“Yep, it got to where there were few secrets, if any, between us.” Natalie said.
“I have to ask this and please don’t think I’m being judgmental. Did anything inappropriate go on with either of you and Mr. Parker?” I asked.
“Lord no, heaven’s no. He was truly a father figure to both of us. As in a real father, not like either one of our fake fathers.” Paige said. It was clear she had a low opinion of her father. I wasn’t sure which father she was speaking of since I knew that her mother’s current husband, Jerry Todd, had adopted Paige a few years ago (thanks Garrett).
“Okay, I’m sorry, but I had to ask. If you will, tell me more about this proposed agreement, to exchange money for you having an abortion.”
“It’s not a proposal. It’s a done deal. Well, everything except my abortion. I’m holding out. Half the money has been paid. The remainder is due when the deed is done, when the baby is sucked out of me.” Natalie said and again began to cry.
For the next hour we continued to talk. The more they said the madder I got at Alex Williams and Jake Stone. It became clear to me that Jake had seen Natalie’s pregnancy by a well-connected visionary, one who needed to protect his political reputation, as a golden opportunity to profit financially. Jake, the man who had spewed his Biblical hatred against abortion all over Facebook, was a hypocrite. It seemed he simply had never fully thought out the abortion issue. When he could profit from it, he was all for it.
It was nearly 4:30 when Paige and Natalie left the office. I was still trying to figure out exactly how this sad chapter in Natalie’s life was a contributing factor to the death of Professor Adam Parker.
The Pencil Driven Life 