The Sting of Death: An Aunt Hill Mystery

By Duane Goins and Shanna Preikschat

Janet lives an ordinary life as a school bus driver and babysitter to her grandchildren. But one day when she enters a bus used by a co-worker, who had not shown up for work, she finds a dead body. That loose cannon of a detective just wont listen to her that she had nothing to do with the crime and even tries to drag her daughter into the mess too! Worse yet the real killer decides to come after her when the evidence starts to show in her favor. Can her life get any crazier than this?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503537873

Duane Goins

Shanna Preikschat was born Shanna Carrigan (Okay, so we all make mistakes and I happened to marry the biggest one!) in Joliet Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. As her Texan Great Grandfather Alfred Carrigan would call her, “That damned Yankee”(didn’t he have a great sense of humor?). She is the third oldest of eleven children all still alive (fortunately despite driving each other crazy, the murders are all fiction and we haven’t killed each other off yet). Shanna’s father read her stories and her mother, father and grandparents told many stories of when they were growing up adding to her love for reading. She has made a change of careers a few times, the latest of which is store greeter (or as I call it “stand up comedian”) and now is attempting literary murder (I’ve also been accused of killing my audience). She was raised Catholic and attended Catholic School (and now as a result I’m allergic to plaid). She later became one of Jehovah’s witnesses. A fan of mystery stories she decided to try her hand at it and in addition add a spiritual element to her writing. After reading other mysteries that seem to occur in the same small towns with the same main characters she decided to try something different to add variety and entertainment to her series (And at the same time I get to lampoon the people who tried to make my life miserable, so if you see yourself as one of the characters, IT’S FICTION I CAN WRITE WHATEVER I WANT, SO DON’T FLATTER YOURSELF!) She currently resides in Chicago Heights, IL (still stuck in the Chicago Suburbs) and plans to add more books to the series (unless I run out of aunts, and that ain’t happening soon).

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Janet was looking out the window while washing dishes. Spring was still taking its time getting here but at least today gave way to weather to get some outside work done after such a snowy winter. Her youngest son was outside helping his dad move the bee hives to the corner of her lot. He had just graduated high school and was now working, next a girlfriend? An apartment on his own? And how does he stay so skinny like his father? Yes the nest was getting empty, just herself, her husband and her elderly father would remain. Just then her phone rang. Janet looked at the caller ID, there goes the weekend off, but then the money sure helps. She dried her hands off and hit the talk button on her smart phone.

Hi Delores, what’s up?

I was wondering if you could take a charter, it’s for the Rockside Weasels to their meet this afternoon Peggy had to go to the hospital; she got a bee sting and had to be rushed to the hospital you know how allergic she is.

Sure, I’ll take it. Where are they playing?

Glen Valley High school, game starts at 4:00p.m.

I better leave now. I’m on my way to the bus barn.

Janet called out to her son Jan. "Hey Buzz! I just got called out to make a run, let your dad know I might not be back until late. And tell Grampa I have a pot roast in the oven for dinner. Ask if he could take it out at about 5 o’clock"

K, mom.

Janet changed her shirt, although the I am the Queen stamped on the front always gave her more confidence; she didn’t need the reaction she usually got from the boisterous jocks on the wrestling team. The jeans were still clean she would just wear those. She brushed her long blondish brown hair into a ponytail and wrapped an elastic band around it to hold it back. Then she got in her burgundy Lexus SUV ok, it wasn’t a Lexus it was an old Dodge Caravan but a girl can dream can’t she? She backed out of the drive and headed west on Connolly Avenue a shady suburban street. Some of the houses were from the original subdivision built in the early 1900’s others were not quite as old but still mid 20th century mostly single story with two to three bedrooms some with obvious additions; except for the next door neighbor. Their brick ranch with stained glass front door and attached 2 ½ car garage was built in 2006 and stuck out, well, like a McMansion in a KOA campground. Five minutes later she was at the bus barn and getting on to the bus.

Hey Janet! said a woman coming out of the office. She had red hair with a burgundy coloring to it which clashed with the orange low cut top she was also wearing.

Hello Hillary! (As she usually was, if her pants were any tighter a person could read the date on any coin in her pockets.) Janet thought. Like the jeans

Oh, these old things? I’ve had them for years. By the way I thought Peggy was taking the team to the game.

Peggy had to get rushed to the hospital, she got a bee sting and she’s very allergic. Janet’s evil side was working overtime again. ‘That explains it, she put her jeans on one day for school and couldn’t get them off and now they’ve meshed with her skin too bad no one told her denim cellulite is out of style.’

I’m sorry to hear that

‘Yah, I just bet you are.’ she thought.

Well, gotta get going. See you later.

Oh, by the way can you bring me a jar of honey Monday? Is it still five dollars a jar?

Yes its five for the eight ounce jars. I’ll have it Monday. Janet wondered what Hillary was up to. She was not on the schedule today. Oh, well, she was always buttering up the boss I have better things to do thought Janet.

The alarm went off. Janet opened up one eye and reached over and turned off the alarm clock. She got out of bed and went to the dresser to get her clothes out. She walked out the front door; the sun was just under the horizon. It was so nice to see such pretty oranges and pinks, instead of the dull gray that had colored the sky for the last week and a half. The van started right up and she backed the van out of the drive and headed to the bus lot. When she came into the office to clock in, Delores looked up.

Peggy didn’t show up for her charter Saturday and no one could get in touch with her all weekend. I’ll need you to take her route today. Said Delores.

Ok, Janet grabbed the keys and signed out the bus. As she approached the bus she started getting a strange feeling of apprehension. She wasn’t sure why but for some reason things didn’t seem right. As she opened the door and stepped up to her seat she noticed something that looked like a wig lying on the floor between the last two seats on her side. She walked over to the mass of hair and saw it wasn’t a wig, but Peggy’s lifeless form twisted and swollen. She reached down and checked her wrist for a pulse. None could be found. She rushed out of the bus and into the office panting and wheezing. ‘I really need to get more exercise’ she thought.

"Oh God! Oh God! Delores! Call 911! Peggy is on bus 613 and I think she’s dead!

Delores immediately picked up the phone and called. Janet couldn’t hold back the tears.

I need the police right away! One of our drivers is in a bus and she might be dead. Yes, Drive Rite bus company, 1678 Golden Aspen Road. Yes, the person that found her is here. She’ll be waiting in the office.

The police squad car arrived and Officer Darryl McCarryl a slender African American in a neatly pressed navy blue uniform stepped out.

Where is the body?

It’s the third bus to the left number 613.

I’ll check it out but we may have to impound the bus. It will be up to Detective Schaunessy He’s on his way. Officer McCarryl put on a pair of disposable gloves and entered the bus. He checked the body for a pulse and came out. He looked around stepping over anything that could be a clue. It appeared the victim’s purse had been emptied or fell leaving the contents scattered on the floor. A pink and purple Dora the Explorer back pack was between the two back seats. It was partially unzipped, some dirt, rocks and dried leaves, and a few dead bees were spilling out of it.

It looks like she is dead. Could I speak to the person who found the body?

It was me said Janet. She was one of our drivers. Her name is Margaret Mason. We usually call her Peggy.

The detective may want to question you when they get here. I’ll just get some general information from you right now.

Officer McCarryl was getting Janet’s name and contact information down when a white Chevy unmarked car pulled up. Detective Willard Schaunessy a tall man with thick grey hair got out of his squad and walked up to McCarryl and Janet.

What do you have so far?

I was just getting the witnesses information. One of the bus drivers was found dead in that bus over there, number 613. Ms Corgan was the one who found the body.

Did you see any wounds on the body? said Schaunessy. He was wearing a tweed sport coat and brown trousers which appeared a bit worn and slightly wrinkled.

Just some red puffy spots, looked like bug bites. Said McCarryl Might be bee stings Janet said between sobs. She was stung last week and is allergic to bee venom. Had to be rushed to the hospital

"Actually there were quite a number of the marks on her looks like she was attacked by a swarm, and they looked like they were recent. Of course the autopsy will tell us more"

Oh no, actually swarms are very docile.

And how would you know so much? questioned the detective.

I raise bees. I have two hives at home.

Then if they are so docile, how the bees would become agitated and go on the attack? asked Darryl.

"If one of the bees is killed it sends out pheromones which are like a scent message and it causes them to go on the attack. Of course, Peggy being so highly allergic might have panicked at the sight of even one bee and could have set them off.

Both of the policemen walked toward the bus, just as Schaunessy reached for the door handle McCarryl spoke up, Aren’t you going to put on gloves?

Schaunessy stopped and went back to his squad car and retrieved a pair of blue latex gloves that looked like they had been used.

Maybe you should use a new pair?

I don’t think it matters, it’s not like it was a murder anyway.

We won’t know that until the autopsy will we. Replied McCarryl. ‘No wonder the rest of the force called them defectives,’ he thought.

Schaunessy reached back into his squad and took a new pair out of the box on the passenger side seat. Both men entered the bus. Scattered on the floor was some containers of cosmetics, wallet, a few coins and a long white tube was laying next to the bracket holding the second to the last passenger seat in place.

What’s this? said McCarryl as he reached for the tube. Looks like an epi-pen.

What’s an epi-pen?

It’s a disposable syringe which is used to treat allergies. She must have dropped it before she could use it.

"With all