Murder at the Arlington: A Sydney Lockhart Mystery

Chapter 30

Grady drove up and down several dirt roads on the way to Hot Momma’s. “Lost?” I asked.

“Not lost. Need to find a safe place to park the car. This isn’t exactly the best part of town. We’ll have to walk a ways, but it’ll be worth it.”

Finally, Grady found a spot that was satisfactory. As soon as we stepped from the car I knew Lake Hamilton was nearby. The smell of river water, fresh and raw, filled the air. It was the smell of mud and catfish, digging worms and baiting trotlines. I instantly thought of my Uncle Jerome’s farm near Austin, where my parents would take us on weekends. I’d run wild for the entire visit. I would imagine I was the daughter of some Indian chief trying to prove my worth to the tribe I’d planned on ruling one day. My mother had to threaten me to within an inch of my life to get me to come into the house after dark. Otherwise, I probably would have slept in the barn with the cows. I’d come home with bruises, cuts, scrapes, and torn clothes. Scott would come home immaculate.

“You gonna stand here all night daydreaming?” Grady said.

We walked down the road until Grady found a well-used trail leading into the woods. Before we got too far from the road, a flash of light caught my eye — moonlight reflecting off a fender…