Last Time: The next small flare-up on Martindale's agenda was to change the burned out light bulbs in the employee lounge. The task required three one-hundred watters. He'd stop by the stockroom and grab them before he headed to the break room.

While en route, he would also snatch his silver Stanley lunch pail from out of his locker. It was time to tie on his own feedbag as well, and Martindale never missed the opportunity to relax from his daily grind. He would not get the chance.

Section One - Part One: Boiler Room also available for your reading enjoyment.


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"Justin Martindale report to GM Shaw's office," came the call over the plant's intercom system. Then, the page was repeated a second time for clarity, "Justin Martindale report to General Manager Shaw's office at this time."

The speaker was Tammy Newcastle. She was still familiarizing herself with the loudspeaker. Until she began her employment with the company two weeks earlier, she'd never used one before. Her vivacious looks, and gregarious personality had taken her far in her career. Her technical prowess remained an altogether different matter.

Justin Martindale left the light bulbs on the shelf in the stockroom where he'd gone to retrieve them.

'What in the world could be the urgent need now?' he fumed to himself saying, 'If it isn't one pressing issue around here it is something else!'

Martindale liked his job. He just felt he was being pulled in ten thousand different directions all at once. His underling, Brad Connors', inopportune vacation certainly placed a damper on his time. The absence also made Martindale feel overwhelmed with all the maintenance upkeep the facility demanded.

Closing the stockroom door behind him, Martindale departed the area. He headed for the GM's office where he'd been called to without further delay. General Manager Julius Shaw was not somebody to keep impatiently waiting. He did not display much tolerance for such trivial pursuits.

Martindale rounded the corner of the plant's main building where the GM's office was located. He noticed Sheriff Daniels' patrol car parked in the Visitors' Parking lot.

He thought, 'That's mighty peculiar. I wonder what brings the good Sheriff out to the plant this morning?'

It wasn't Sheriff Daniels habit to appear at the Castillo Metalworks often. There weren't too many incidences that arose to warrant his need to be there.

Martindale entered the complex. He found the GM's office off on the right wing of the building. Unannounced, he entered the room.

It was Sheriff Daniels who spoke. As was his custom, he got right to the point, "Good morning, Justin. I need you to account for your whereabouts last night, especially as they pertain to your new girlfriend Peggy Morris. She was found dead an hour ago by Travis Brinson, in the alleyway behind the Marr's Hardware Store."

Martindale slowly shook his head in disbelief, "Travis Brinson? You mean, the physically challenged midget?" he asked.

"Care to tell me what happened, Justin?" Sheriff Daniels calmly inquired.

"There's not much to tell, Sheriff," Martindale began. He explained, "Peggy came over to my house. She told me she was leaving town. We fought, but, I did not kill her. I swear, I didn't. I didn't even know she was dead."

"Don't say another word, Justin. At least, not without your attorney present," Julius Shaw, the dark-skinned General Manager, cautioned him.

"I need you to come down to the station with me for questioning, Justin," Sheriff Daniels stated, "you can contact Richard Mutellini from my office."

Fillies were Martindale's only folly.

The Astatula Gazette newspaper could not wait to get a hold of this breaking news! Soon, Justin Martindale would be famous, or is that infamous? With all the fake news currently in circulation these days, one could never be certain.


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Cast of Characters:

Cody Schroder - Blond munchkin and central character of the book.

Sheriff Brock Daniels - Long time Sheriff of Astatula and Cody Schroder's father.

Justin Martindale - Maintenance Man for Castillo Metalworks. Becomes the prime suspect in the murder of Peggy Morris.

Peggy Morris - Justin Martindale's girlfriend. Victim of foul play.

Brad Connors - Maintenance worker for the Castillo Metalworks. Currently on vacation.

Tammy Newcastle - Secretary for General Manager Julius Shaw.

Travis Brinson - Found the dead body of Peggy Morris in the alleyway behind the Marr's Hardware Store.

Richard Mutellini - Justin Martindale's Defense Attorney.

Julius Shaw - General Manager of Castillo Metalworks.

Chapter Word Count: 621

Book Word Count: 1,193