The Passed Prop

Chapter 3 – Inquiring Minds

Chapter 3 – Inquiring MindsHalloween night, Friday, October 31st, 2014

6:30 PM

Sheriff Melissa ‘Mel’ Crane looked at the body on the bier. Addressing her lead detective, Shane Harding, she told him, “It’s the community center janitor, Old Man Purcell.”

“Old man?” Shane raised his eyebrows.

“His real name is...was...Lawrence, after ‘Lawrence of Arabia, the famous soldier and diplomat who died earlier in the year that Purcell was born. He was no Lawrence of Arabia though; I’ll tell you that. He was only in his mid to late seventies but everyone around here called him ‘Old Man Purcell’ for as long as I can remember.”

“Who would have wanted Purcell dead?”

“Off the top of my head, I can think of several people in town who probably won’t be sorry that he’s gone, God rest his soul.” She sho