Patricia Gentry's "Hidden Things of Darkness"

It's time to highlight another story from the new Foxleaf Anthology. Today's spotlight is on Patricia Gentry. Since retiring, Patricia has worked as a substitute teacher in Jackson County, Tennessee, and pursuing her writing career.

Patricia has published two books about a young woman surviving in the North Carolina forest, Poppy's Child and Poppy's Child: A New Beginning. For the anthology, she decided to try something different from the young adult fiction she had previously done. Her contribution is a traditional mystery story, "The Hidden Things of Darkness."

The story opens with young forest ranger Willy Schaefer finding a dead body... and soon, all the secrets of Willy's small town begin to unravel...

Here is an excerpt!

Gordie had been mayor for over fourteen years. No one else wanted the job, as it paid very little. He was nearly fifty years old, bald, and overweight for his five- foot- ten stature. He had done well in keeping Hixom a clean town, with businesses eager to settle in the area. He had also been responsible in helping Willy obtain the scholarships needed to attain his dream career of becoming a forest ranger. Willy could not understand why Gordie lay there with his hands bound behind his back in plastic ties and the back of his head blown away. Carefully, Willy moved back away from the body, trying not to disturb its surroundings as he made the call to the sheriff on his cell phone. It was almost daybreak, and he knew Sheriff Halfacre was already about.

“Halfacre here,” came the response.

“Sheriff, it’s me, Willy. I’m down by Richman’s Swag. Can you come right away?  I’ve just found Gordie’s body.”

“Gordie’s body? He have a heart attack or something?”

“No, you’d better come and see for yourself.”

Read the rest, and a lot of other things, in the Foxleaf Anthology, edited by yours truly... check it out HERE!