Chapter 5- Bury the Hatchet in Dead Mule Swamp

This chapter was fun to write in one way. I've always admired authors like Ngaio Marsh and some others who can handle a whole room full of characters, keep them straight, make something important happen, and befuddle the reader enough that a major clue is slipped in right under their noses.

Well, I certainly didn't take on that big of a challenge. All I tried for was to have a room full of people, and have the scene make sense. Since I personally have trouble dealing with more than one or two people at a time, it's hard for me to write about crowds.

Tomorrow night, my writers' group will help me decide if I succeeded! Meanwhile, here's a sample:

An excerpt from Chapter 5:

    “Caulfield’s...” she began tentatively, but was cut off by Adele who swept toward us.
    “This is one sad day for our community,” she announced loudly, shaking her head.
    From a couple of tables away, a man yelled, “Where’s the Sheriff? It’s 6:58.”
    “Damn mysterious, if you ask me,” said a woman I only knew as a one of the Lutherans.
    People had continued to drift in, and now the room was packed. I saw Cora and her son Tom, but they sat down on the far side of the room, and didn’t even see me wave.

I wasn't sure when I began where this chapter should end. But when I got there, today, it was obvious!