Give Em Pumpkin To Talk About (Pumpkin Patch Mysteries Book 1) Read Free

asked after her family and said he was happy to speak with her.
    “That case has been in my file for so long that I’ve almost given up on it,” he admitted. “There was never any evidence that Tommy and Bess didn’t just decide to leave that night and never come back. I apologize if that idea is painful for you.”
    “Except, as I remember, their truck and car were still in the driveway.”
    “That’s right, Ms. Tucker. It got to all of us that we couldn’t find anything, no clue where they’d gone. There was some talk of aliens abducting them. That’s how weird it was. George Burris is a writer from the local newspaper. He said something to that effect. I think he’s retired now, but he might have a few answers.”
    Was he really referring her to a newspaper writer for answers?
    “I was at the farm today and met a man who claimed to have been there since they disappeared. He said his name was Jack. Did you question him?”
    “Jack. Sure, I know him. He wasn’t a person of interest, if that’s what you mean. He was just a boy at the time. We had no reason to suspect him.”
    In other words, no.
    “I’d like to see the file you have on the investigation,” she told him in clipped tones. “Can you have that ready for me tomorrow?”
    “I can, Ms. Tucker, but I have to charge you thirty-five dollars for the copies. I’m sorry as I can be. The county needs to be reimbursed for their paper and such.”
    “That’s fine. I’ll be down at ten to pick it up.” She thanked him and hung up. Her hands were shaking.
    Sheriff Morgan wasn’t much help. She’d known the case was old and probably hadn’t even been looked at in years. But maybe fresh eyes would help. Maybe she could make a difference and finally know what happened to the two people who’d been so important in her life.
    Sarah stared out of the hotel window. Suffolk was a nice city. She had good memories of growing up here. Her parents had moved to Richmond within six months of her grandparents’ disappearance. It was as though the whole world had changed at that point, at least for her. Nothing had ever been the same.
    She and her family had never gone back to Misty River. Sarah had assumed her mother had been in contact with the sheriff, but there were never updates that she’d shared.
    With a plan in mind to change that veil of silence about that day, Sarah got ready for dinner and met Hunter at the car.  She explained as much as she could to her friend. It wasn’t an easy conversation.
    They were having dinner at Al Forno Pizzeria. Sarah had already eaten there once and had recommended it for that night. Hunter introduced her friends when they arrived.
    Dr. Peggy Lee, a forensic botanist, had bright red hair shot through with white. She was average height and weight and had inquisitive green eyes. Hunter told Sarah that Sam had given up on going to medical school to work with Peggy in her garden shop.
    “Don’t let her fool you,” Peggy said with a smile. “Sam is only at The Potting Shed when he has to be. He’d spend all his time outside on the landscaping side of the business if he could.”
    Peggy introduced her husband, Steve Newsome, who worked for the FBI. He was a bit on the ordinary side—brown hair and eyes. Not someone you’d notice in a crowd. Sarah thought this might be part of his job working for the federal agency—being invisible in the shadows.
     “I’m so glad you called, Hunter,” Peggy said when they were seated at a table. “You wouldn’t believe the crazy things that happened to us in Duck while we were there on vacation. Everyone went mermaid crazy. They even thought a man was murdered by mermaids!”
    “Sounds crazy,” Hunter said. “Did you see a mermaid?”
    “No,” Steve explained. “But other people did. When we left, there were people who’d just come to search for mermaids.”
    They all laughed as they enjoyed some wine.
    “Maybe Steve can help you find out what happened to your