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    Summer's End
    Summer's End
    Summer's End
    Ebook80 pages1 hour

    Summer's End

    By Carl Purcell

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    About this ebook

    Jonathan King is an aging Seattle private detective looking for a little rest and relaxation in the country. He wasn't looking for love, but on his first night in the small farming town of Madison he meets Summer Bell, the first woman to make Jonathan's heart beat in an age. But the next morning, Summer is found dead in her home.

    An outsider and the last person seen with Summer alive, Jonathan is the prime suspect. Jonathan knows he can prove his innocence, but can he triumph over fear and corruption while dodging a hot headed deputy sheriff and a hard line FBI agent? With nothing but his cunning and the shirt on his back, time is running out for Jonathan to bring Summer's killer to justice and clear his name.

    Summer's End is a novella length mystery from Australian author Carl Purcell, co-writer of the critically acclaimed Australian comic series "Winter City."

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCarl Purcell
    Release dateSep 5, 2016
    ISBN9780994192622
    Summer's End
    Author

    Carl Purcell

    Carl Purcell is an Australian, Sydney based author. He has written two contemporary fantasy novels and is the co-writer of the popular Australian comic series Winter City, which began in 2012 and met with critical acclaim. His work has also been featured in the Australian speculative fiction magazine Aurealis.Carl loves to hear from people who have been reading his work. The best place to contact Carl is by his blog, found at: http://carlpurcell.blogspot.com.au/

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      Book preview

      Summer's End - Carl Purcell

      Summer’s End

      By Carl Purcell

      Text copyright © 2016 Carl Purcell

      All Rights Reserved

      Written by Carl Purcell

      Edited by Jim Parsons

      Cover Art by Robin Ludwig

      Smashwords Edition

      ISBN: 978-0-9941926-2-2

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Contents

      The Story

      Afterword

      About The Author

      My old partner Quinton is always telling me I need a break. Take a few days off, go see the country, relax, he says. One dreary late-September day, after eight weeks working as a consultant on an insurance fraud job, I decided to take his advice. When the case broke, I packed myself an overnight bag and hit the road, heading for nowhere in particular. In my experience, the best-laid plans always go awry and fate waits just long enough to let you think things might be going your way before the other shoe drops and you're left standing in the cold and rain, wondering where it all went wrong. This is especially true of vacations and family reunions. So I didn't drive with anywhere in mind; I just found a long, inviting stretch of highway, drove until sundown, then took the first exit that looked like it led back to civilization.

      That's how I ended up in a podunk town called Madison, Washington. Madison is a one school, one library and one note town with an apple farm on one side, an old growth of woodland on the other and more empty space in every direction than a seasoned boxer's grin. It was the kind of town they make TV dramas about, a place where nothing happens that's so bad it can't be wrapped up in twenty minutes plus commercial breaks. There’s more chance of catching HIV in a convent than something bad happening in Madison. Quiet, isolated, full of good natured folksy people, and exactly the kind of place I wanted to spend the weekend.

      I drove into Madison just before dusk. Only a handful of people were on the street, making Madison look like the next best thing to a ghost town. They stopped and watched me drive by the same way you watch a one-eyed pigeon walk into a jewelry store. Small town people have a sixth sense for outsiders. But I could take a few stares in my quiet weekend paradise. I found a place to park off Main Street and decided to take a walk to get my bearings.

      Fourteen minutes later, I'd seen everything Madison had to offer and decided it was the place for me. I still needed somewhere to sleep but I could sort that out later. The deep grumbling from my stomach told me I had more pressing concerns than lodging. I walked back to a diner I'd seen called Maxie's – a place some would describe as quaint and I would describe as sufficient – to get dinner. I took a booth near the door and caught the eye of a nice-looking blonde waitress in a candy-stripe apron. She gave me a smile – the kind that turns young men into fools - and sauntered over.

      What can I get you? She spoke better than I expected from a small town girl, pronouncing each word clearly, taking her time as if she was savoring a kiss with each syllable. Her name-tag said Summer Bell and her perfume smelled of vanilla.

      I don't know, I said and took a cursory glance over the menu on my table. A burger, I guess. Whatever's popular.

      Curly fries?

      Yeah, and a milkshake.

      What flavor?

      I don't suppose it comes in tequila?

      Sorry. She giggled. Waitresses in the city have heard that one a million times. I guess it was still new out in the country. There's chocolate, banana, strawberry, vanilla and apple.

      Apple?

      Yeah. It's kind of a local flavor. You can get apple everything in Madison.

      I guess it would be rude not to try it then. Sure, one apple milkshake.

      Red or green?

      Really?

      Nah, I'm just kidding. She winked and turned away. Won't be long.

      I watched her go, mesmerized by the way she walked. Just looking, I could tell she was something special. That girl could break hearts and put them back together in one breath if she wanted. God help boys everywhere if she started using her powers for evil.

      I sat back and dropped my hat into the seat beside me. For the first time in months, my shoulders felt a little lighter. I let my guard down and surveyed the diner, getting a look at the locals and trying hard to make it look like I didn't keep glancing over at Summer while she worked. Behind the counter, I could see a couple of older guys working fryers in the kitchen.

      A couple of young girls, munching on fries and giggling to each other, reveled in the freedom of a night on the town, away from the eyes of parents. Other than them, the diner was empty. If they were my kids, I wouldn't let them out of my sight after sundown, but I guess things are different outside the city. In the city, the scum always floats to the top and oozes misery down on the rest of us. Maybe there was no scum to float in Madison. Not likely. But for whatever reason, people didn't seem so afraid. Everybody was at ease. Everybody was happy. It was enough to make a guy consider moving. But I'd be a fool to start getting ideas like that into my head now. If there was no scum, I'd be out of a job.

      After a couple minutes of people watching, I saw Summer heading my way with my milkshake and the food followed shortly after.

      If you need anything else, just let me know. The kitchen is closing soon, so, if you want anything hot, you should order it now.

      Thanks, I said. But this will be fine.

      Alright. Well, you enjoy. She turned to go again.

      Hey wait, kid.

      Yeah? She stopped and turned back to me.

      You've probably noticed but I'm not from around here.

      "Mister, you'd need a ten-foot

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