Missing Niblick

By Robert C. Waggoner

During a golf tournament the initial foursome of ladies discover a woman sitting, tied up on a tee off bench, with a golf club sticking out of her head. It's obvious she's dead, but who killed her and why would someone want to murder a seemingly lovely young woman.
The motive is a total mystery and suspects are almost nonexistent. Stacy Foreham, a fresh criminology major, is a police officer who is first on the scene. The two detectives', who are assigned the homicide, with their rednecks showing how macho men can be, make the mistake of revealing how sexist they are. However, Stacy has the brain power that the lead detective lacks.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert C. Waggoner
• Release date: Jul 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301170876

Robert C. Waggoner

I now reside in the USA in Eastern Oregon. Due to health reasons, I don't write much anymore. I'll continue with a few short stories and all will be free to my readers. I'm privileged to have had thousands of readers download my stories. I thank you all. Happy reading and sure hope you have and will enjoy my writing. Robert [Bob] Waggoner

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Missing Niblick

by Robert C. Waggoner

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013 Robert C. Waggoner

Novella

Missing Niblick

Robert C. Waggoner

The Discovery

It was women's day at the Old Bandon Golf Links. In addition, it was the Spring Women's Open golf tournament. One thing unique was the requirement you had to live in either Coos or Curry County to play. A local tournament if you will.

The course was designed and built back in 1926 and it remains mostly the same since that time. It's the western most golf links in the USA. It sits along the Pacific Ocean near a sea stack with the name of Face Rock. A creek meanders down the middle of the links. You can leave your sand wedge home as no sand traps are found anywhere, but on the nearby beach. Any old timer will tell you to bring a lot of balls as the narrow holes were cut out of gorse, or Scotch broom, and tall grass.

It was Saturday morning, the 12 of March, when the first foursome teed off. The four women were regulars at the club. It was only if a heavy rainstorm was happening that the four regular 'dew sweepers' didn't play both Saturday and Sunday. They all refused to play with their husbands, but relented to let the men follow them on the weekends.

Gladys Wainleft was the pseudo leader of the group. She was the most vocal and stood a head taller than the other three women. Betty Flowers was just the opposite of Gladys. She was short, reserved, but could hit the ball straight as a string. Odds were good if you were to bet on a winner and chose her name. Lois Long was of average build, but had a phobia of being the best golfer in the county. She'd taken lesson after lesson, but still couldn't get her handicap down below 10. The last in the foursome was Veronica Stevens. She was the wife of the local attorney and mayor, William Stevens. She changed golf clubs every time a new design came out.

It usually happens only once a year and March is the month when the Bandon beach area ceases to experience the usual on-shore moist air. Nary was a breeze blowing that Saturday morning as Veronica, having won the toss, teed up her ball. A picture perfect backswing and the ball split the fairway. Nice shot, said Gladys.

Gladys took a few too many practice swings kind of showing off her power. She addressed the ball, another nice backswing and follow through resulted in a high hook that sent her ball across the old broken down wire fence into the gorse. The ball was as good as lost. What few people were around the first tee groaned at her misfortune? She teed another ball and sent it down the middle. Both Betty and Lois went right center and back of Veronica and Gladys.

As the number one tee and club house sits on top of the rise above the creek, it makes the second shot down into the valley below blind. As the number one green sits with its back next to the creek, most golfers lay up short with a lofted iron. And that is exactly what the foursome did was layup, pitch on and putt.

The second hole is straight away with a driver and short iron. All four members pared the second hole. The third hole continues east up the creek. It too is a driver or three wood and a middle iron to a small green.

Number four is a little uphill with a narrow fairway. Most golfers use a long iron and then a short iron to the green. Veronica used a 2 iron off the tee. Approaching her ball, she estimated the distance at around 120 yards and a full 9 iron would be the club of choice.

It was her turn to hit when she discovered that her 9 iron, or Niblick, was missing from her bag. She said, Where the hell is my 9 iron? Is someone trying to play a joke on me? All three golfers walked over to see what she was yelling about. Gladys said, What do you mean you can't find your 9 iron.

Exactly that. The club is not in my bag. No, I didn't leave it behind us as I haven't used a 9 iron today, she said vociferously. I think one of the men hid the iron from me while my bag sat in the club house."

We can't wait for you to go back and get it, said Betty. Just choke down on an eight and punch the shot into the green. You can do it.

As it turned out, Veronica birdied the hole and the others made par. They had to turn back west to play number 5. The tee box was hidden in some popular trees to protect the players from incoming shots to number 4.

Gladys was leading pulling her cart. She turned the corner and saw a person sitting on the bench. That person was alone with both arms stretched across the back. The other women saw the same picture: a woman sitting in the middle of the bench, arms outstretched with an object sticking out of her head. All four golfers stood staring at a person not thirty feet away. She never moved. Gladys moved slowly forward looking at the person. She said, Her hands are tied to the back of the bench. Another rope looks like is tied around her throat. I think she's dead! she exclaimed.

Dead! all three said at the same time. "

"Yes, and it looks like a golf club is sticking out of the top of