Missing Hearts: A Cozy Murder Mystery Short Story

By S. Y. Robins

A quiet country village in the heart of Derbyshire, England is shocked when visitors to the local moors and stone circle begin to go missing. A search by police and the local search and rescue team turns up no trace of them. A group of strangers have arrived at the sleep village and a new tenant has taken over the farm above the old stone circle. Are they suspects? Have they brought the problems of the city into the country with them? Benjamin, the barman at the local pub and his girlfriend, Janey, find themselves drawn into a plot to bring hell to earth at the expense of thirteen hearts. Hopefully they can foil the plot before blood is spilled. Perhaps even their own.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lovy Books Ltd
• Release date: Dec 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386353010

Book preview

1

Benjamin Stanley had been hard at work all morning sorting out and changing barrels in the beer cellar. He eventually emerged from the cellar hatch behind the bar to be greeted by the smiling face of George Ethelthwaite.

Are you planning on serving some of that stuff or are you just going to shuffle it around in the cellar? George snickered. He was leaning over the bar from a stool. His long green poacher’s jacket was still wet on the shoulders from the brief rain shower outside. Short and wiry, with balding grey hair, Benjamin could never figure out how George managed such a capacity for beer without gaining an ounce.

Shut it George, or you’ll end up at the bottom of these cellar steps and you’ll have gone down 'em head first. Benjamin replied. At twenty five years old, tall blonde and fit, George knew that Benjamin was easily capable of following through on his threat.

Aye, but you’d worry there’d be nothing left down there once I’d come round and start drinking my way to freedom. George laughed.

I’m guessing it’s a pint of best then George. Benjamin laughed. He slid a glass under the beer tap and pulled a thick creamy pint and placed it in front of George. That’s your house freebie George. It’s a fresh barrel. No point in wasting it down the sink right?

Too right. George replied licking his lips. First of the day and I’ll give it my expert eye lad.

As George savoured his first pint of the day and Benjamin carried on smartening up the bar for the day, the small Derbyshire pub began filling up with customers.

Blenkenson was a quiet village set in the rolling hills of Derbyshire and apart from the hanging of a witch sometime back in the middle-ages, the only real attraction there, apart from the wonderful walks and scenery, was of course the pub. The Cow and Calf was famous throughout the area for its selection of hand pulled ales and the excellent food. It was a magnet in summer for tourists. Most of the walkers that ended up at the Cow and Calf had usually made their way down from the ancient stone circle some five miles to the north on a desolate and lonely part of the moor.

Looks like the summer crowd are starting early Ben. I hear most of the rental cottages are all booked up too. Strange is that. They all seemed to fill up at the same time this year. Usually it’s just dribs and drabs isn’t it? George said.

Bring ‘em in I say. More the merrier. A bit of help from the landlord would be nice but you know how that pair are? Benjamin replied.

Oh aye, you do better when they’re away lad. Leave ‘em in Spain. We’d all be happier George chortled. If they paid me like a landlord I’d be happier doing the work of one. Benjamin replied.

Fred and Mildred Jones were the owners of the Cow and Calf and seemed to spend more time away from it than running it. For now, they were in sunny Spain looking for somewhere to retire to. As their locals pointed out often enough, they might as well have already retired as they spent more time abroad than most retirees could dream of.

Benjamin moved comfortably around the bar serving the ever increasing group of walkers that were filtering into the pub and George settled himself at the end of the bar observing the