Start Talking!

This morning after feeding the dogs and Lucky, I made our smoothies, and then I walked eight miles with Leslie, because I didn't walk the walk, while we were down in Port Aransas. After that, I went over to the Lodge, to borrow a roll of toilet paper from Kinky, while Tony did his chores outside.

I ended up eating a delicious slice of 'Hummingbird' cake, which Kinky guaranteed me that no hummers were harmed, while I visited with Frank, Jerome and Kinky. I told Kinky about me writing a mystery novel, and he thought it was a great idea! Thirty minutes later I left the Lodge. Unfortunately, when I returned home, I realized that I had forgotten the T.P.!

This afternoon we had to go to Kerrville for supplies, and to get Buttermilk inspected. We got back to the ranch around two-thirty with six rolls of toilet paper, and two sacks of groceries. After we had put up the groceries, I returned a few phone calls and then I told Tone that I was going to go outside to my writing cabin, and start writing my first mystery novel.

I spent over two hours on it, and here is a sneak preview of the first chapter of my new fiction mystery Duck! And please remember it is a rough draft.

I stared in disbelief at my older sister, Cindy, my older brother Ronnie, and Ray, Cindy’s husband. The island was swarming with cops, cadaver dogs and for one of the very first times in my life, I didn’t know what to do! My husband, Tony, was down on the dock being interrogated by two detectives, that were not very friendly Texans.

Two days ago, when we came down to Port Aransas for a mini-vacation, to be with our friends, Rick Reichenbach, affectionately known as ‘the Friendly Lighthouse Keeper,’ and his sweet girlfriend, Leisa Lea, I would have never dreamed that my family, all five of us, would become possible murder suspects this Halloween morning, 2009.

I felt like it was all my fault for inviting Cindy and Ray, and Ronnie down here, and getting them into this ugly mess. As I looked around the kitchen of the Main House, Cindy, Ray and Ronnie were talking on their cell phones, so I picked mine out of my purse, and reluctantly punched in my friend’s phone number. I dreaded making the call, but it was the only thing that I could do in the situation that I was in.

The phone rang twice, then I listened to his all too familiar message, “This is Kinky Friedman. Start talking.” I hung up immediately. Then I punched in Kinky’s cell phone number. He picked up on the second ring, “Start talking.”

“Kink, it’s Nance. Where are you?”

“I’m leaving Fredericksburg right now, and should be back at the ranch in about an hour. The Texas Book Festival was fun, and I signed a lot of books. Are you and Tony back at the rescue ranch?”

“I wish!” I said. “Unfortunately, we are still on the island, and you’re never going to believe what has happened down here...”

“What’s wrong? You sound really shaky, Nance. Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not okay. I’m really scared. My family and I are still on the island with the lighthouse. This morning before sunup we heard five gunshots! Rick and Leisa are missing and the cops and a couple of cadaver dogs are roaming all over the island. They have interrogated Cindy, Ray, Ronnie and me, and they are talking to Tone right now, down on the dock.”

“Who called the police?”

“I did about two hours ago, because Rick was supposed to take us to Port Aransas at eight-thirty, so we could go home. Just a second, Kink, Tony just walked inside. Tony did they tell you anything?”

“Yeah,” Tone said, shaking his head. “They are on their way up here right now, to talk to us.” Then the screen door opened, and the two Detectives, Fay Maclachlan and her partner, Jim Callahan walked inside, wearing upside down smiles, which was not a good sign.

“Kinky, I have to go right now! Bye!” I punched the off key, and then slid my cell phone into the inside pocket of my Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch blue jean jacket.

“Mr. Culbertson, Mr. and Mrs. Roche, Mr. and Mrs. Simons we’ve got us a little problem here, and we are going to have to ask y’all to stay put on this island, until we find Mr. Reichenbach and Ms. Lea. Do y’all have a problem with that?” Callahan asked.

“No sir,” we all said, shaking our heads.”

“How long do we have to stay here?” Ray asked, as my cell phone started vibrating.

“Until we find Mr. Reichenbach and Ms. Lea dead or alive. Like I said. We are going back to Port Aransas now, and we will be back in the morning.”

“Is it okay if we go to the island to buy groceries?” Cindy asked.

“Yes,” Maclachlan said, as she handed each one of us her card. “But don’t leave Port A. Remember, y’all are considered possible murder suspects until we find your friends. By the way, we called the Salty Dog Bar a few minutes ago, and the owner told us that Ms. Lea never showed up for work or called in. Feel free to call me. Goodbye for now.” Then the detectives turned and walked out of the Main House.

As soon as we heard the police boat leaving, everyone got out their cell phones. While Cindy talked to their sons, Adam and Tom, about taking care of their two adorable Boston Terriers, Maizy and Tipper, Ray phoned his Principal at Bowie High School, in Austin, to tell him about being stuck here, and needing help to find a substitute teacher for him, and Ronnie explained to his wife, Nita, about what had transpired here, and not being able to come home, I talked to Kinky. “Kinky, we had a great time here, until this morning...”

“What did the detectives tell y’all?”

“They told us that we have to stay here on the island, until they find Rick and Leisa dead or alive and that we are considered to be possible murder suspects!”

“I’m sure that everything is going to be fine, and I think it is too early in the game to call in Rambam or Kent Perkins.”

“I agree. Ben is still at the rescue ranch, so I am going to call him about staying at the ranch for a few days to take care of the dogs and animals. Then I am going to call our good friends and volunteers, Todd and Jan Bauer, Carol Vail, and Charlie and Ellen Copper, in case we need backup. Kinky, I need to get off of the phone now, because my phone is running out of juice, because I forgot to pack the charger.”

“Okay, Nance,” Kinky said. “Take care and try not to worry. I’m sure everything is going to be fine. And call me...”

When I was done talking to Kinky, I went outside to the porch to talk to everyone about the sorry dilemma that we were in. We talked about our concerns for Leisa and Rick and Squirt, Leisa's cute little dog, and wondered what possibly could of happened to them. Then our conversation shifted to our worries about being stuck on this beautiful island, and the possibility of going to jail for a crime that we didn’t commit.

Filled with anxiety, I went back inside, and poured myself a tall glass of my fine boxed wine, ‘Franzia Chillable Red,’ and then I cranked up my iPod on our Bose iDock, that we had brought with us, and then I sat down at my computer to check on my blog.

Too Be Continued In My Upcoming Fiction Mystery Book, Duck! I hope you like it so far! I plan to spend an hour a day writing this, and hopefully it will be done by February!

Y’all have a great evening!