Death in the Kitchen
Author
Thomas Woodhull
Author Bio
I was born in 1948. I am a lifelong resident of west Michigan and attended Aquinas College and Western Michigan University. After becoming a CPA I spent the remainder of my career in private industry, primarily the food processing and plastic injection molding sectors. I hung up my green eye shade and put away my calculator in 2011 after 40 years as an accountant. I’m keeping my computer, but now the screen will always be filled with words—I hope (no such thing as “writer’s block” in accounting) —not numbers.
A big baseball fan (Go Tigers!), I also love to read. Westerns, Mysteries, and Fantasy Adventure are at the top of my list, but I have enjoyed books in almost all the different genres. My favorite authors are Louis L’Amour, William MacLeod Raine, J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Agatha Christie. My other interests include model railroading, collecting baseball cards, and taking long walks. During this last activity I like to try and develop my plot outlines.
In my profession free hours were a somewhat rare commodity. Now that I am no longer working full time I plan to put my ideas for stories that have been kept on the back burner onto paper—digitally of course.
Description
A reporter is on a routine story assignment covering the activities of a local soup kitchen and its star volunteer. One of the perks is a free meal. Afterward he talks to a few people, takes some pictures, and leaves for his office. Suddenly he feels his throat constricting and begins to gasp for breath. Someone helps him to a bus shelter, but before any further aid can be given he dies. Accidental death due to an allergic reaction to the spice Tarragon in something he ate is the initial ruling. However his editor, also a close friend, knew he always checked for this before any meal and unfailingly carried his emergency allergy kit with him. When the police searched the body this item was not found. The administrator of the charity claims the spice was never ordered by her organization nor were there any records of its donation. Something is wrong. The newspaperman talks to a friend on the police force and convinces him to meet and discuss the situation.
Before this happens the detective is assigned a mugging case that seems to involve the same soup kitchen. He and his partner pay a visit to this establishment and to the former’s utter amazement its director is his ex-fiancé whom he thought was living in another state. Once the initial shock is over the two officers begin their investigation.
The following day the detective and the editor meet for lunch and who joins them—the director of the soup kitchen. The three of them finally come to a meeting of the minds; the reporter’s demise was not accidental. From then on the search expands and the number of suspects grows. Unfortunately the name of the detective’s former love appears among them, and his renewed feelings for her may be clouding his judgment. He manages to clear her name but finding the criminal among the remaining group grows more complex as the police continue their inquiries. People are not always what they seem, other illegal activities are discovered, a tragedy from the detective’s past is linked to the case, and is his feeling toward his ex-fiancé interfering with his efforts to find the killer.
But the main question remains. Who killed the reporter and why? Evidence from an unlikely source leads the police towards solving the mystery. But the elusive answer to this question may prove to be fatal!
Book excerpt
Mike Turner’s earnest study of the blank document on his computer screen was interrupted by the buzz of the phone sitting on the corner of his desk. He didn’t mind since at that moment, and for several of the preceding ones, he had been struggling to come up with a thought provoking opening for his latest article. However, the empty electronic page staring back at him was evidence of his lack of success. Tempted to ignore the persistent hum and flashing light, indicating an interoffice call, he finally reached over and grabbed the receiver saying with affected politeness:
“Please speak to me!”
A gruff voice replied: “I’ve been trying to. Where do you keep your phone in your desk drawer?”
“I don’t usually pay much attention to it since all my important communication comes by email. You know the system that shows up on the big movie screen looking thing on your desk.”
“Don’t get wise with me just get in here! I’ve got a hot assignment for you!”
Mike hung up the phone and headed for his boss’s office. The two men were diametrical opposites in almost every way possible. Mike was 35 years old, single, white and a graduate of Columbia University’s School of Journalism. His boss, Edward Washington, was 45, African American and married. He had worked his way up from the dock loading bundles of newspapers after school and had graduated from City College (attended at night after work). Mike was five feet eight inches tall, with a 160 pound athletic build maintained by recreation league basketball and softball, had receding brown hair, and an inquisitive, cheerful, almost devil may care personality. Edward was five feet ten inches tall, maintained a 185 pound frame by wrestling with his two teenage sons, possessed a full head of gray hair, and an intense no nonsense approach to life. Both men had a profound dedication to the principle of honest reporting and were the best of friends. Each had great respect for the other. But, this did not stop them from treating one another as if they had none.
Entering the City Editor’s office he slumped into the big leather chair in front of the desk and inquired:
“Okay, Ed, what’s the red hot assignment you’re waiting to drop on me. You realize I’m about to start that series of articles on the food processing industry in our fair state.”
“I know, I know, but the publisher has a special assignment that he wants done as of yesterday.”
“Well, don’t keep me in suspense, what is it?”
“He wants us to get an interview and follow up story on the local charity “Volunteer of the Year,” a man named William Caruthers. You heard of him. He’s a big real estate developer and business turn around consultant. Lots of dough and lots of connections and apparently he and the publisher are old college friends. This is the third time he’s won the award.”
“Oh, come on Ed, that’s a rookie’s assignment, a fluff article!
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