A Night Of Entropy

By Stuart Murray

This story takes place in December, near Christmas day, in Ottawa, Canada. Emily, 17, has just completed her babysitting course. She also recently got her driver’s license. Her dad, the chief of police for Ottawa, has reluctantly allowed his daughter to take the family car to her first babysitting job.
A convicted killer who is nearing the end of his jail term is being escorted around the local mall by a policeman. As part of a new initiative from the jail warden, the killer is being assimilated back into society by doing some Christmas shopping for his family.The killer manages to escape custody and rushes out into the neighborhood, hungry and looking for a dark house to break into.

Emily and the escaped convict are on a collision course with grave consequences. The killer breaks into the house where Emily is babysitting. She is kidnapped. Being the daughter of the police chief makes Emily's situation even more dangerous. The killer hates cops and is looking for revenge for the last miserable 16 years spent in jail. It is revealed that the arresting officer, so many years before, was Emily's father.

Emily, at the mercy of her kidnapper, drives into the winter night, a sharp steak knife pressing into her ribs. Several opportunities for escape present themselves. The killer thwarts each one. Meanwhile, her father and mother, with the help of the provincial police, desperately try to locate their daughter. But the captor and the captive stay just out of reach.

The night of entropy eventually leads to a deadly showdown between the killer, Emily's parents and Emily herself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stuart Murray
• Release date: Sep 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370499823

Stuart Murray

I am a retired elementary teacher living in Ottawa, Canada. In my retirement I have co written four musicals for schools across North America. I have also written several one act plays on a variety of topics (including bullying prevention and dental hygiene) for elementary students and their teachers. I am currently videotaping "lessons" in Language Arts , Math and Science through "Lernsys" for the ever growing home schooling contingent in Canada and the USA. I love to compose and play music on my guitar. My bullying prevention song "You Gotta Keep Your Wits About You" is featured on the WITS national website in Canada for the elementary schools bullying prevention program. I love to write and my novel "A Night Of Entropy" was a true labor of love and one more bucket list item I can now check off. I am married with one daughter out of the nest and one still in it. I used to have Elmo the cat as my close companion, but he finally succumbed to old age and cancer a few months ago. And I am slowly getting used to my new knee!

Book preview

A Night of Entropy

Chapter 1

Open the door! Police!

Emily started, recognizing her father’s bellowing voice.

She was at a house party that she had been forbidden to attend. She’d heard through the grapevine at her high school about it during the week. It was mostly kids she knew in passing - acquaintances, not real friends. She had asked her father about attending.

His reply had been quick and to the point.

No. You don’t know them very well. It is not a good idea.

But curiosity drew her. She was tired of playing it safe. She had decided to attend.

A bunch of the kids sat around the living room coffee table. Some were snorting coke. Others were smoking up, eyes closed in their private bliss.

The door flung open.

No way, man!

Three lean, jean clad friends streaked through the living room. One ran upstairs, the other two around the corner down the hall. The household toilets flushed in unison.

Jason snorted his coke with long quick sniffs. His chum, Rob, swept the illegal substance onto the rug, and rubbed his hands on his pants. In despair, he ran his hands through his long blond curls. His eyes were wild.

Emily hid her beer beside the girl on her right . It was a beer she’d barely tasted, deciding she didn’t like the flavor. At seventeen, it was her first illegal drink.

Because of the cold day, the fireplace was lit. Ryan, the guy who had pestered her to come to the party, panicked and emptied his pockets. Into the fire he threw his joint.

The air quickly reeked of weed.

What a stupid thing to do, wise acre, muttered his best friend, Ahmed, in disbelief.

Ten teenagers flew out the back door.

Emily’s face turned white, as her eyes met her father’s glare.

_____________________________________________________________

The police had finished checking the remaining teens’ IDs. They had questioned them to see if they had any contraband. All of them looked like butter would melt in their mouths. With unconvincing innocence, they denied that they had any illegal substances. The trail of beer cans and bottles littering the living room floor suggested otherwise.

Chief Haig, surveyed the motley group.

Not one of you is of the legal age to drink, he growled.

Over the last few months, numerous neighbors had phoned in noise complaints to the city. It was always the same address; 3407 Albion Road. There had been an outcry in the community, and there was pressure on the chief of police to deal with the noisy parties. He was more concerned about the hard drugs.

No one is allowed to leave the premises. He jerked his head towards Scotty, a beefy constable. Seal off the entrances.

Two young policeman started to check out the doors.

And get the sniffer dogs.

And you, young lady, Chief Haig’s angry eyes bore into his daughter.

Stay here.

Gwen, the only person that Emily knew in passing, but well enough to know that she had a substantial