The Road to Price: Price Mysteries Book 3

By Marcella Whitley

The Road to Price

Judith Price, famed puzzle creator and developing deductive investigator, is back on the road, picking up a case in the shadows of the city of Wheeling. Her husband, Daniel is away, attending a conference for writers and chasing down research for his next project. Judith has been on her own all month. The Sheriff, happy with her performance on the last project, suggests that the puzzle-master look through the blotter, for a case she would like to pursue.

Only a few pages into the blotter, Judith recognizes a name she hasn’t seen since grade school two decades before. Laura Driver. As soon as she saw the name, she knew it was the case for her. It was a blast from the past, discovering a former classmate and debate opponent, someone she had fairly forgotten about in the intervening decades. Though they had been adversaries in primary school, the two had a repartee that outshone most close friendships.

Reading the details of the case, Judith Price knew that there was something wrong. Ms. Driver faced a single charge of vehicular manslaughter. But the accident in the question was, by all accounts, a simple fender-bender, the kind both parties usually handle through insurance claims. It was clear that an injustice was about to happen, but not while Judith had anything to do with it.

The case was remanded to trial, but the jury selection hadn’t started. Maybe Judith could figure out the case before the jury sat. But that process begins on Tuesday morning, and there isn’t much time.

She can’t waste another minute. And neither should you.

“The Road to Price” is the third installment of the Judith Price Mysteries. Don’t miss a single volume.

Don’t Delay. Download This Book Now.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Guava Books
• Release date: Mar 17, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386098546

Book preview

Introduction

In the life of a detective, even an amateur –turned task force special agent, there is more downtime than pursuits, more paperwork than fireworks. Even when a case does pique the interest, most of the footwork are drudgery. Judith Price - noted puzzle creator, and now a developing deductive master, was the anomaly in such a world, loving every minute detail of the police reporting process, grinning like the Cheshire cat when offered a deeper challenge. After two weeks, though, that much optimism and perkiness were simply more than Sheriff Voorhees could stand. He stood at the door of his office, called her in, and after she passed him and sat down, he closed the door behind him, and circled his desk, eyeing her with a new emotion. Annoyance.

For Judith’s part, the exuberance about the mundane has been her way to cover for her sheer boredom. Twice now, she has taken on mysteries and saved the day. Six months have passed, and her skills are as sharp as her wit. But the menial is becoming routine, and Judith is looking for something more, something that will test her abilities.

The only question is who wants such a challenge more - Judith herself, or the Sheriff, Alan Voorhees, whom she is slowly driving insane with her witty banter and uncontrollable optimism?

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The Road to Price is a micro-mystery, set in two acts; that explores the intellect and creativity of noted puzzle-builder Judith Price. Her skill at creating and understanding puzzles and wordplay are her tools of trade. Follow her on this story, finding out the power of language and meaning, and bringing a real criminal to justice.

Act One, Scene One: The Scene of the Crime

The accident occurred at 7:21 am, on the Letterman Throughway, north of the city. Physical evidence at the site suggested the late model green SUV plowed into the back of the burgundy sedan, the speed of the impact someplace north of twenty miles per hour, but experts all agreed not at a speed that would be lethal for any parties. The first responders checked the driver