Hello! My name is Gladys Spencer and I’ve been asked to do a guest blog about the wonderful town of Barrow Bay. I’ve lived in Barrow Bay my entire life, being born and raised here in this fine town. I married my husband who--
Benny: Gladys, no one wants to hear this. Get back to talking about the town.
Now, now Chief, I don’t believe anyone asked you what they wanted to hear about.
As I was saying, I married my husband, who was also a police officer, over fifty years ago. We were childhood --
Benny: You just can’t stay on topic can you?
Did you get your morning coffee this morning, Chief? Do you need me to go get another?
Benny: No, no. It would only end up on my lap.
Glad we’re clear on that. So, about my husband...
Lindsey: Gladys, Benny’s right. This is about the town, and not your husband.
Everyone’s a critic. No trust, I tell you. No trust. It’s just sad. Now, if all the people reading over my shoulder would let me tell you, I want to share how my husband saved the town.
Once again, I married my husband over fifty years ago, right out of high school. Back then this was still a little fishing town, and everyone was either fishing, or poor. Most times both. My husband was new to the force--
Benny: We didn’t have a force back then. We used the Sheriff's department.
Benny, who’s story is this?
Benny: An inaccurate one.
That didn’t even make sense. Go drink your coffee and stop annoying me.
Anyway, my husband was new to police work, and at the time, you could say that the force was a little… lose around the edges.
Benny: Vigilanties. They were well-dressed vigilanties.
Anyway! This was the 70s, and everything was different back then. We missed the hippy movement, but we had all been touched by the war in Vietnam. We’d lost friends, family, classmates, and most importantly, the next generation of fisherman, not that we were making money at that any more.
My husband, Sam, didn’t make it into the military due to a bad heart, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to do more for his country. Nancy’s husband, Ben, had just come back from the war with all his sniper skills and the two of them had grown very close.
At the time, we leaned more on the county for our protection, and the roads getting in and out of Barrow Bay were, well, horrible. To get anywhere we had to crawl around the mountains, hoping that nothing was around the next bend to stop us all together.
Hmm, no comment to that, Benny?
Benny: Nope. That’s the truth.
Thank you. So, calling in resources from the country took hours, and people were getting frustrated. Sam and Ben came up with an idea. They would form a police force. They set me up in our house, and started telling everyone to call me instead of the county and they would be out to help.
It was a horrible idea. I had two children to raise, and answering the phone at all hours of the night was the last thing I wanted, but then the day, or night rather, came.
It was midnight. Elise Blackburn called me. Her little daughter was struggling to breathe and they needed to get her to a hospital, but their car was still in the shop. They needed help. Sam jumped into action. He called Ben and they rushed over, both driving in case one got pulled over for speeding by an actual policeman. They drove as fast as they could and made it almost to the hospital before they were pulled over.
Sam jumped out and started talking to the cop as Ben started to transfer the struggling little girl into his car and keep going, but the cop stopped him. Telling Sam to get back into his car, the cop slid into his and turned on his lights, giving them an escort to the hospital. Sam, Ben and the cop stayed with Elsie as the doctors saved her daughter. They had made in with minutes to spare.
My husband was done. He took Elise’s hand--
Benny: No, he didn’t. You’re being dramatic.
Shh! I can tell this story the way I want. They asked me, not you.
He took Elise’s hand and promised that he wouldn’t rest until the town had a real police force. That no one else would have to live through what they did that night. That he would be the police chief and that they would be the best.
The cop, who had gone off duty right after they got to the hospital, asked what experience Sam had. They--
Benny: Gladys, your story’s unraveling.
Maybe it’s because I have to put up with you.
Anyway, he promised that he wouldn’t rest until they had their own police force. The cop asked him what his plans were. When they told him, the cop shook his head and said, “That won't work. You need a real chief.”
Benny: That was NOT what he said.
No, but I refuse to use vulgar language.
They turned to him, asking what he would do. He looked down, thinking for a second before he looked back at them.
“Hello. My name is Ben. I will give you the force you want.”
Well, my husband’s reaction was obvious.
“We already have a Ben. But you can be Benny.”
They came home and--
Benny: This isn’t about the town. And this does not qualify as saving it.
Ah, Chief, you haven't caught on by now? You are the town. We would be nothing without you. That night, Ben and Sam saved a little girl, yes, but they also found you.
They brought you home and you have helped us all.
And that’s how my husband saved the town.
*********************************************************************
Stir Up (Lark Davis Mysteries) by Annabelle Hunter
About the Book
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Independently Published (July 1, 2019)
Print Length: 178 page
Peace and quiet is underrated.
After her last brush with murder, Larklyn Davis is relieved to be spending her time with the talented new horse at her stables instead of tripping over body parts. While she’s trying to figure out why her newest horse has lost his mojo, she’s also puzzling over her relationship with the brooding, uncommunicative Detective Brecken Wilson.
But then, disaster strikes, and both Lark’s reputation and business are on the line. Once again she finds herself pulled into a murder case and in close proximity to the handsome Detective. Throw in a dashing veterinarian plus a matchmaking town and Lark’s life spins out of control. As clues pile up and all evidence leads back to her barn, Lark gets saddled up to solve another mystery.
Who knew life in Barrow Bay would stir up so much trouble?
About Annabelle Hunter
Annabelle Hunter is a stay-at-home mom and an avid fan of classic mystery shows and dressage. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two children, and too many animals.
Purchase Link - Amazon
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I loved the guest post by Gladys!! Hilarious!! :) Thank you!!
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