This local mystery thriller continues to be one of my personal favorites. I wrote it several years ago when I was involved in a local creative writing group. It is based on a story that really happened in a different state where I once lived, but of course the names, locations, and much of the rest of the story was fictionalized to localize it to this area. I hope you enjoy this short start of The SWOB Affair and decide to download it for your reading pleasure.
The SWOB Affair
by
Paul R. Meredith
Chapter I
It was just another day in Paradise.
The beach was littered with tourists and a few of the “locals” were soaking up
the sun’s rays. The temperature was comfortably moderated by a soft westerly breeze
off the Atlantic. It was truly Paradise in Ormond Beach…or was it?
The small group of writers who met
regularly at the Ormond Beach
Senior Center
had just ended their Tuesday afternoon meeting at four o’clock. The SWOBs, as
they called themselves, was simply an acronym that stood for Senior Writers of
Ormond Beach. They had concluded their discussions regarding recommended
changes to chapter nine of the mystery novel they were creating as a group
effort. Sharon Newlin had been especially active in her part of the project
over the past few weeks as the novel slowly took shape.
Sharon announced as she left the meeting
earlier than the rest of the small group, “I’m sorry to leave a few minutes
early, but I have to make a stop at Wal-Mart for some groceries and an oil
change before going home. I only have a sitter for the kids for two hours after
school.”
***
The phone rang at Paul Wilson’s home shortly after seven.
When Paul answered, a male voice spoke rapidly, “This is Gordon. Do you know
where Sharon
went after the writer’s meeting today?”
“I’m sorry; who did you say this
is? I didn’t catch your name,” Paul said.
“This is Gordon, Gordon Newlin. I’m
calling about my wife Sharon. Did she attend the writer’s meeting today?”
“Oh, yes, Mr. Newlin, she did. Why
do you ask?”
“Because I got home a little while
ago and she’s not here at the house. I’m trying to locate her. My children are
hungry for their supper. The kids and their sitter said they haven’t seen her
since they came home from school. I found your number in her address book. You
are one of the SWOB meeting members, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“So do you know where she went
after the meeting?”
“I’m sorry, but no, I don’t,” Wilson responded. “Hey,
wait a minute. Yes, I think I do remember now that she said she had to pick up
some groceries. I think she said she was going to stop at the local Wal-Mart.
She said something about getting groceries and an oil change. She left a little
before four.”
“Yeah, I told her to make sure and
get the oil changed. But did she say anything else? She should have been home
long before now.”
“No, not that I recall. Maybe she
stopped to see a friend or something. Have you tried calling around to check
with any of them?” Paul asked.
“I tried everyone I could think of,
but nobody had heard anything from her.”
“I wish I could help you, but she
will surely show up soon. I’m sure she must have stopped to see someone on the
way, or maybe she had some trouble with her car.”
“Yeah, I suppose. Okay, thanks.
Sorry I bothered you,” Newlin said.
At ten, realizing something very
weird was going on, Gordon Newlin called the police to report his wife was
missing. They asked him to come in to the station early the next morning and
make out the Missing Person’s Report.
“She’s never done this before,” Gordon told the detective at
his desk the next morning. “I had to take the day off from work to try to find
her.”
“Maybe she was upset and just
wanted to get away from you and the kids a few days for a break,” the detective
casually stated. “It happens all the time. Did the two of you have an argument?”
“No, we very seldom argue about
anything. And I know Sharon
would not just leave. She isn’t like that.”
“Did you try to call her on her
cell phone?”
“She didn’t have her cell phone
with her. She often forgets it. She left it at the house.”
“Okay, give me a description of her
car and the license number. I’ll get out an APB to all the units so they can
keep an eye out for it,” the officer stated.
A day later, on Thursday, Sharon Newlin was still missing.
Per police protocol, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office was notified that a
crime might have been committed. It wasn’t clear at the moment where
jurisdiction might fall. The missing woman lived in Ormond Beach but depending on where, or even
if a crime had actually been committed, any of the local police departments
could possibly be involved. Normally the authorities of the area where the
crime is committed take the jurisdiction in a case.
That morning, Ormond Beach Police Detective Sergeant James
Calloway received a call on his cell phone while he was on the city’s north
side. He flipped the case open. “Calloway.”
“We’ve found it!” the voice said.
“Found what?” he asked.
“The Newlin woman’s car. It’s in
the parking lot at the Wal-Mart store on Granada.
It’s on the far eastern end of the lot.”
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