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 35
Word spread rapidly about the school shooting. For most of Friday night and now for three hours Saturday morning I had watched coverage by both local and national TV stations. Since a little past dawn this morning, thousands of protesters had descended on Montgomery, Alabama demanding the legislature overturn the bill requiring all teachers to carry a pistol. They believed they had unassailable evidence the idea was fatally flawed, figuratively and literally. I couldn’t quite figure out why the protesters had chosen a Saturday, one where the legislators were not in session, to organize and present their complaint. But, I realized it was a natural human emotional response. The tragic death of anyone was enough, but couple that with the horrible circumstances of death at a place of learning and where innocent children should be safely exploring ideas, small and great, it was enough to spur even the coldest heart. My own heart was broken. All I had been able to think about was the sweet, adorable, and talented Emma and Ella singing about freedom at First Baptist Church of Christ just a little over a month ago. I couldn’t imagine what the Williams’ family were going through. My heart broke for all of them no matter what I believed about their religion and politics.
Just before noon, Mark called. “I thought you might like an update.”
“Thanks. I’m a little surprised you’d have much, other than what’s on the news. I didn’t figure you’d try to see Roger until after the funerals.”
“That’s your way Connor. You know I take my responsibility seriously. Sometimes, things can’t wait.”
“So, you have talked with Roger Williams?” I had no doubt that Mark would eventually talk with him. I had kept him up-to-date with the ongoing threats by Tommie Lee. I had figured Mark would have been a little more sympathetic to Roger’s grief.
“He just left. I was easy on him when I called late last night but told him it was imperative we speak. The man does have a unique ability to categorize things.”
“Some people call it cognitive dissonance.” I said.
“Don’t go psychological on me. Listen, I don’t have a lot of time. I’m about to head out to the James place down in Sand Valley. That’s where Tommy Lee was living.”
“I know.”
“Back to Roger. The bottom line is we don’t have enough to arrest him.”
“I know.” I said again, not knowing for sure, but I had already placed my bet. People like Roger Williams don’t get to the top without learning a few tricks along the way.
I could tell Mark was getting a little impatient. His breathing became more pronounced. “Roger denies everything about Natalie’s kidnapping and imprisonment. He has a theory. That Beanpole and Tommy Lee conspired on their own. Roger believes Tommy Lee so infected Beanpole, the always up until now faithful to Roger Beanpole. Its possible Tommy Lee learned, through Beanpole probably, about Roger’s lake house, and choose to use it to gain some leverage over Roger if the need arose.”
I couldn’t keep quiet. “It sure doesn’t explain who killed Beanpole.”
“I see it differently. Why wouldn’t Tommy Lee get rid of the weak Beanpole after you and Paige rescued Natalie and ruined their extortion plan?” Mark asked.
“You’re forgetting the abortion clinic’s address in Beanpole’s pocket. I know we can’t prove it, but it’s clear to me that those two, Beanpole and Tommy Lee, weren’t the kingpins. They were being bought and used. Roger Williams and maybe Alex, designed and executed this plan.” I said believing my words one hundred percent.
“I suspect you’re correct. But, you know it wouldn’t play out well before a jury. Natalie could only testify to being abducted and held by two men. One she could identify as Beanpole. The other she couldn’t identify. Roger’s testimony would only implicate Tommy Lee and his threats to extort money. Unfortunately, we simply don’t have anything tangible to tie Roger to the crime.”
I tried asking Mark if he had learned anything new in the Adam Parker investigation, but he virtually hung up with, “one subject per phone call. Talk later, bye.”
I walked to the kitchen and could hear talking out on the back porch. I looked through the side door and saw Natalie lying in the hammock and Paige standing beside her. I started to walk out and join the conversation when my cell phone rang again. This time it was Blair.
“Hey Blair. I’m not used to hearing from you on a Saturday.”
“Adam’s iPad is talking.” She said, and I jumped in before she could continue.
“Oh yea, thanks for taking it home and giving me a break.”
“Sorry, but I forgot it last night. Left it in my car. I just got back from Walmart and it cheeped a notification while I was unloading my groceries. I normally don’t open it when it’s Marissa. But, curiosity killed the cat you know.”
“I never did understand that saying.” I said.
“I thought I’d see what a Professor does on a Saturday. Goes sightseeing I guess. She’s stopped for a break I guess.”
She was guessing a lot. “Uh, Blair, do you have some news I need to hear?” I was, as usual, getting impatient with trivia.
“Sorry to bother you.” Blair sounded as though I had hurt her feelings.
“I didn’t mean it the way it came out.”
“Anyway, just thought you might wonder as I did why Marissa is in Dayton, Tennessee.”
“Uh, that’s kind of odd. Maybe, maybe not. I might give her a call. Now, Ms. Blair, you’ve got me curious. Curious as a cat.” My attempt to lighten up and be funny normally didn’t work. But, the last thing I wanted to do was offend Blair. She was no doubt the best assistant I had ever had, including paralegals when I was practicing law.
After we hung up, I continued to ponder why on earth Marissa would be in Dayton, Tennessee? I filed it in the giant ‘irrelevant’ bin I kept mentally handy and walked out to talk with Paige and Natalie.
Since last Friday’s school shooting there had been a heavy cloud hanging over the entire area. Fog, rain, and wind had descended as though necessary to clothe everyone with sufficient sadness and grief for the six children and four teachers gunned down in what should have been the safest place in town.
By late Saturday the names of the ten dead had been made public. The combination of TV, radio, newspapers, Facebook and other social media, and plain old gossip, had created a brew of truth and lies that would perplex an army of trained investigators. One thing that appeared certain was that Tyler Ingle and Neil Perkins, both teachers and coaches at Boaz Intermediate School, were just as guilty of killing as was Tommy Lee Gore. No doubt their intent was radically different, but the net result was the same. Autopsies as reported in the Sand Mountain Reporter (and confirmed to me by Mark) revealed that only one of the teachers, Tamara Elkins, had been killed by the Smith & Wesson 357 Magnum that Tommy Lee had used. The other three teachers, Beth Harper, Omorosa Kaplan, and Dawn Osborn, had all died because of bullets from Tyler and Neil’s Glock 34’s—the weapons issued after they had successfully completed their training less than two months earlier. As for the children, both Emma and Ella died by the hand of Tommy Lee and his 357, as did Kyle Underwood. But, again, tragically, the other three children, Martin Fraiser, Jennifer Silvers, and Heath Johnson, all died from a teacher’s bullet.
I simply couldn’t wrap my head around the most horrible event in the history of Boaz, and possibly all of Alabama. It seemed the fact police officer Tinsley’s shot killed Tommy Lee amplified the tragedy. Of all the shooting by teachers Tyler Ingle and Neil Perkins, not one of their bullets had hit its target. Again, an autopsy had revealed the facts: Tommy Lee Gore had died because of being struck by one bullet from Tinsley’s Glock 9-millimeter. In a surreal sort of way, it was as though Tyler’s and Neil’s intent had been to kill their colleagues and wards. Of course, this wasn’t true but, that is what had happened.
Wednesday and Thursday there were eight funerals in our small town. No doubt a record. I missed all eight. Even though I didn’t know any of the teachers or students, I would have probably gone to as many of the funerals as logistically possible. Just out of respect. But, I was in Jackson County with Dalton testifying in the longest suppression hearing I had ever heard of. Even though I was a seemingly insignificant witness—I had located a key witness early on before Bobby Sorrells got involved—the only thing I could testify to was the make and model of the vehicle that was parked outside the man’s mobile home located at the edge of Skyline when I interviewed him. What really had kept me in Scottsboro was that DA Rhoades had asked Judge Holt to keep me for recall testimony.
It was Friday, a week after the shooting, and I was determined to attend Emma and Ella Williams funeral. Of course, I didn’t personally know them, but I certainly had a connection. Having heard them sing at the Independence Day celebration at church was enough of a motivator to draw me to First Baptist Church of Christ at 2:00 p.m. I usually avoided funerals, but the circumstances surrounded the deaths of these two adorable twins could only be summarized as ‘truth is stranger than fiction.’ Surely, no novel writer could have created such a heart-breaking tragedy. The bottom line, I’m sure, was I wanted to see Alex Williams, and see for myself how on earth he could possibly survive the ceremony knowing that in every cause and effect scenario imaginable, his actions had resulted in the death of his two precious daughters.
Camilla had attended Beth Harper and Dawn Osborn’s funerals since they both were customers of Serenity Salon. She had cautioned me to brace myself for an emotional sadness like I had never experienced. It seemed Pastor Caleb, according to Camilla, was the master of funeral psychology. She said if you come away from one of his funeral sermons not pleading to Christ for salvation, you were a mindless rock.
As we drove to the church (all local funeral homes were too small to manage the expected crowd) Camilla shared with me how she had gotten to know the twins the last three weeks at children’s choir practice. I had almost forgotten that after we had heard the girls sing at the Independence Day celebration, Camilla had followed through with her interest and desire to work with young singers. She had spoken with music director Steven Knott and he had put her to work the next Wednesday night, shadowing Jada Silvers as she led the middle school aged choir. What added to the overall tragedy was that Jada’s daughter Jennifer, was one of the six students killed in last week’s shooting.
Camilla had shared how she had heard the twins, between songs and at breaks, talk with excitement about returning to Boaz Intermediate School and the fifth grade. They had just, on August 1st, celebrated their eleventh birthdays and were looking forward to sharing with their friends how they would be singing at their father’s gubernatorial celebration in Montgomery if he won his election in November.
I can’t imagine how she did it, but Jada Silvers, as a tribute to Emma and Ella, sang “No Chains on Me,” by Chris Tomlin. This was the last of two songs sung by Emma and Ella at the Independence Day celebration. As everyone in attendance stood in honor of the two sisters, I could almost see them running across Heaven, in a field of Daisies, happy, smiling, and shouting in perfect tone and pitch:
Like a rolling stone, like a runaway train
No turning back, no more yesterdays
My heart is free, no chains on me
God, You raise me up, up from the grave
The cross before, I’m on my way
My heart is free, no chains on me.
As Jada Silvers repeated the chorus I could almost hear Alex Williams thoughts. They were all about regrets. Regrets over ever meeting with Gaston Glock and attempting to motivate him to bring his company to Boaz. Regrets over proposing legislation that led to the requirement that all public-school teachers be armed with a Glock. Regrets over choosing to woe and win the hearts of two young girls, Gabby Taylor and Natalie Goble, who both became pregnant with Gabby having an abortion and Natalie’s baby avoiding the same fate by one day. Most of all, I heard Alex’s biggest regret: not spending more time doing anything and everything the girls had wanted to pursue. Now, his family was a wreck.
After Pastor Caleb delivered on Camilla’s warning, and Jada had sung another song, this time, the Chris Rice song the twins had sung at the Fourth of July celebration, I heard a blood-curling scream coming from under the balcony. As Jada had taken the stage and stood behind the podium I had seen Erica get up from the front row and exit the auditorium to the right of the choir loft. Alex had followed her out. Half way through “O Freedom” was when the scream burst through the church walls as though they were paper-thin.
I imagined Erica was so overcome with grief she had to leave, and that Alex was simply trying to comfort her. Just as the scream died, I saw Hannah Knott and the pastor’s wife go out into the hallway. As they opened the door I heard Erica say, at full blast, “you bastard, you have killed my daughters and destroyed our family. I hate you forever.”
I didn’t envy Pastor Caleb’s job as he tried to end the service. From what I could tell, Alex didn’t return to the auditorium as did Erica, choosing instead to avoid being seen.
Camilla and I decided not to attend the graveside services at Hillcrest Cemetery. The sadness and grief were simply more than we could bear, and we felt the family should be given some privacy as they said their final goodbyes to Emma and Ella.
The Pencil Driven Life 