C.: Well, d.c. is working all weekend, so he wanted me to look at the beginning of one of his books that I have already read. He rewrote the beginning, though, after sending a sample of it to a publisher. I guess it is a good thing that the book had not been published yet. The name of the book is “The Magruder Mysteries’ Murder 8’; The Inert Ingredient.” It has yet to be released. I wonder if he changed the ending as well? I have all weekend off, so I will just settle down with a good book and reread what d.c. wrote, I am already in my even though it is four in the afternoon., pajamas. That sounds like a good way to spend my weekend!
INAUGURATION
Almost everything has an inert ingredient. Even the air that we breathe is 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. That leaves a full 1% of the air as inert ingredients.
The most prevalent inert ingredient in the air is argon gas. Although in minute quantities this gas is harmless, in larger quantities it can be fatal. The same is true of carbon dioxide, the second most prevalent inert ingredient in air. Both can cost someone his or her life if enough of either of these gasses is inhaled. Each gas is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Consequently, neither is easily detected. Some other inert ingredients are also dangerous enough to cost someone his or her life, even in minute quantities. Many are practically impossible to detect...
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As Jay Magruder walked into the parlor of the funeral home where his first wife’s body was diplayed for viewing, he found his oldest three children that Alice bore. Striking up a conversation with Alicia, his oldest child, was relatively easy. She knew the circumstances that led to her mother’s death, but she was too young to know the story of how her parents met.
Jay slyly mentioned that they two met when Alice as was a preteen, and he thought it inappropriate to try to have a relationship with someone so young. “Come on, Dad, you know what I mean. I am your oldest child, and I understand that my existence has something to do with the two of you getting married. You always say that Mom was your favoirtie ex-wife. So please tell me the WHOlE story of how the two of you met and fell in love. You often say theat she was your first real love. So, Dad, if you loved Mom so much, please tell me the story of how y’all met. And DON’T skimp on the details. I already know Mom’s version of the story. Now, I want to hear YOUR version of it.”
“Well, your mom was still in nursing school when we met. Actually, her being in nursing school is HOW we met. It all started with a mysterious corpse in the Harris County Morgue….”
PROLEGOMENON
Jay Magruder looked at his bag phone in disbelief. Why did his good friend call him on his only day off? What could possibly be so important as to disturb him during his only sabbatical after working for twenty straight days? What his friend had to say, though, disturbed Magruder more than the timing of the call.
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In 1999, a bag phone would seem to be out of date. Most people disdained the bulky, battery-operated mobile phones when lighter, more portable cell phones came into vogue. Third-grade detective James David Magruder was glad to have something, anything with which to communicate with the outside world, though. Even a promotion from the plain clothes police division to detective third class would not afford the young cop anything more than the bag phone that his department supplied him with, or so it seemed to his friends and coworkers.
However, there was another reason why the young detective chose this mode of communication as his one and only way to communicate with others outside of his immediate vicinity. His provider wouldn’t let him keep the same number if he switched types of mobile phones. Magruder kept the bag phone with him at all times. Only HE knew the reason why he did this, because he wouldn’t share with anyone else. AND a landline was out of the question.
If he installed a landline in his spartanly decorated apartment, it would make him more easily located. That could lead to his ultimate and painful demise, if the wrong people were able to find the young detective. He would not be protected by his coworkers if he was not working. It may also be detrimental to a young friend; one Jay felt was not deserving of such a fate. After he moved across the sprawling metropolis of Houston, Texas, Magruder felt more confident that he would not be found; because he had made it harder to do so by those that meant to harm him and his young friend.
Jay listened carefully to what his friend from the Harris County Morgue had to say on his antiquated equipment. As Magruder hung up his bag phone, he knew what he must do. He MUST protect the truth about how HPD’s most recent murder victim died. He had no choice, he felt. So, Magruder put his nine-millimeter pistol in its holster and strapped the holster to his shoulder. After covering the handgun with a sports jacket, Magruder drove his recently restored classic ‘64 and one-half Mustang to the Harris County Morgue. It was the only way he knew to protect the disturbing truth.
C.: WHAT! Alice is dead?! I must have missed that. Now, I will need to go back and read ALL of d.c.'s books. It's a good thing I have a long weekend. NOw, I can read the WHOLE story!
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