Holly Grove: What Happened to Jenny Bell?

By Alton Ellison

Officer Joe Duncan was fulfi lling a lifelong dream of being a big-city
police offi cer. Offi cer Duncan had graduated from the academy
at the top of his class and was immediately off ered a position in
the Chicago Police Department. As with everything, nothing lasts forever.
After a few years, the luster of the big city was gone, and Joe was now ready
to move on. He talked a lot about leaving Chicago and going home, but no
one could have prepared him for the way he would leave or at least why he
would leave.
On a cold Chicago night, the lives of Joe Duncan and Bill Wood would
be changed forever. Both men were injured in a shootout at Big Sals Bar.
Bill Wood died from his injuries a few months later, but both would witness
something that neither would ever forget. Th e ghost of a small blond-haired,
blue-eyed little girl named Jenny Bell would appear during the shootout and
eventually enter Joe Duncans life on a daily basis, appearing in his patrol car
on any given day. Th is little girl would eventually convince Offi cer Duncan
to return to her small town and solve her murder mystery. At the time,
the people in Holly Grove only considered her death an accident until Joe
Duncan came snooping around and asking questions. What he found was
astounding to himself and to the people of Holly Grove.
After Joe Duncan had fulfi lled his promise to Jenny, she left and never
appeared to him again. Or maybe she did?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 9, 2012
• ISBN: 9781479745067

Alton Ellison

The work of Alton Ellison has never been published, but he has worked on several books throughout his life. He resides with his wife, Terry, in Union Grove in Chilton County, Alabama. Alton and Terry have two sons and daughters in- law, with five grandchildren. This particular book was a vivid dream that occurred for several nonconsecutive days. It has taken over ten years to write, beginning in 2001. Th is particular work is complete fi ction, and any similarity of places and persons is purely coincidental. Alton is also working on a fi ctional Western called Common/Uncommon: Th e Life and Times of Frank Common.

Book preview

Copyright © 2012 by Alton Ellison.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2012920754

ISBN:   Hardcover   978-1-4797-4505-0

   Softcover   978-1-4797-4504-3

   Ebook   978-1-4797-4506-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Contents

Chapter 1: Big Sal’s

Chapter 2: The Shooting

Chapter 3: Going Home

Chapter 4: Tommy and Grandmother

Chapter 5: Mount Curry

Chapter 6: The Truth

Chapter 7: The Shack

Chapter 8: The Trap

Chapter 9: Back to Normal

Chapter 10: Mrs. McDonnell

Chapter 11: The Funeral

Chapter 12: Joe’s Blind Date

Chapter 13: The End

This book is dedicated to my wife, Terry Kay Culp Ellison,

who encouraged me to continue writing.

Introduction

A crime of negligence has been committed in a small Southern town at the turn of the decade 2000. A beautiful little girl is dead. Her brother is falsely accused of the crime and years later commits suicide. Jenny Bell is a blonde haired, blue-eyed little girl who refuses to go to the other side until her crime is solved and her brother cleared. Jenny appears to a Chicago police officer that just happens to be from her area in Alabama and has a strong desire to go home. She appears to him in his patrol car and is successful in persuading him to come back home to solve the crime. In the meantime, Officer Joe Duncan has become involved with a very sinister person and will have to deal with that also.

Chapter 1

Big Sal’s

Another cold day in Chicago, but it seems to be cold in this city every day. I sure do miss Alabama. I wonder, what are we going to get into today?

Hi, Bill. How you feeling today?

Not so well, had another rough night. How about you?

Well, I just can’t get use to all this concrete and asphalt. I miss Alabama, the blue sky, the bright stars, and trees. I miss trees, Bill. You never see stars in this city. I guess it’s the streetlights. Hell, Bill, this city doesn’t even have grass! Alabama is fresh smelling, wide, open, and quiet Where I come from, you seldom hear a siren. When you do, everyone in town is concerned. They know something is wrong. We have voluntary fire departments all over Baker County. Bill, these people are volunteers. They respond all hours of the night and don’t get a penny. That’s what I miss about Alabama. Nothing in Chicago is free. I mean nothing.

Joe Duncan and Bill Wood were about to start their tour of duty in the big City of Chicago. Both were plainclothes Chicago police officers. Bill was a native, but Joe had moved to Chicago from Alabama, a natural country boy who missed his country home. Joe was caught up in stories of big-city life and big-city money. After three years with no glamour and no big money, he was about to make another move with a job offer that would move him back to Alabama. But Joe had another problem he had not discussed with anyone yet. A little girl named Jenny Bell kept haunting his dreams. What happened next was unbelievable. Joe Duncan had a vivid dream of a little girl appearing in his patrol car. Little did he know.

I tell you, Bill, I’ve had it with this city. I’m ready to get outta here.

Come on, Joe, you’ve been saying that for the last three months. Things are going to get better, you wait and see.

I don’t think so, Bill, I think it’s time for me to decide if I need to leave the force.

Well, you can’t right now. We have a call to Big Sal’s. Ten-four, 300. We are on our way.

Bill, how many times have we made this run?

I don’t know, Joe, but I guess we are about to again.

I tell you, Bill, I wish they would close Big Sal’s Bar. We have entirely too much trouble there. I’m getting bored with this silly stuff, Bill.

OK, Joe, how about dinner tomorrow night at my place, Cindy prepares a mean lasagna, say around seven?

That’s all you got to say? I’m about to leave the force, and you want to have dinner. Can’t make it anyway, Bill. I have other plans.

Oh! Really, Joe, would it happen to involve this certain blonde I know?

No, not at all, I’m to meet a guy about a job.

Are you kidding?

No, Bill, I’ve told you that I’m through with this city. I want to go back to the country.

Joe, you got to be kidding, you want to go back to Alabama?

Maybe, why not, it’s not such a bad idea, isn’t it, Bill? You got to promise me you will visit Alabama when I get settled in.

OK, Joe, when you get settled in. Cindy will be very disappointed. She was looking forward to your visit.

Apologize to Cindy for me, will you, Bill?

Sure, Joe.

300, we are on the scene and exiting the patrol car. Joe, watch yourself in here. I know this is routine, but you never know.

Sure, Bill. I’m always careful, and nothing is routine.

OK, Sal, what’s wrong tonight?

Hey, Joe, Bill, don’t look so disgusted. I don’t call you guys unless it’s important. There’s a guy at the bar, been harassing my customers. I think he was a little unhappy with the way the game is going.

Sure, Sal, it’s always the game or the husbands or the wives.

No, Joe, it’s nothing like that. He just drank a little too much and wanted the Bears to win.

Sure, Sal, but one of these days it’s gonna be something bad. You remember I told you that.

OK, pal, what’s your problem?

You bastards better leave me alone, I ain’t bothered anybody.

Well, the owner says otherwise. What’s your name?

Warren! I paid my money to see the game, and I’m going to see the game. Who the hell are you?

Where you from, pal?

I’m not your pal, you better leave me alone!

Bill, ask Sal if he is ready for this guy to leave.

Sal?

Yes, I want him out of here tonight.

OK, let’s go.

Get your damn dirty hands off me, now.

"I’m Officer Joe Duncan of the Chicago police force, and you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. If you give up the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney