I Didn't Do it

By W. H. Beswick

Abby has been re-elected sheriff in the small town of Digger's Cove. The only problems she has is hiring a new deputy, find who left 10 puppies on her doorstep and a rock star is moving into town. Then someone puts a yacht in the lake. Not a boat. A hundred foot yacht. Then thing become personal when someone from New York shows up. A short time later he turns up dead. This time Abby can't investigate because she is the number on suspect.

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. H. Beswick
• Release date: May 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798201493769

W. H. Beswick

Lives in Corvallis Oregon

Book preview

PROLOGUE

The would-be thief and soon to be dead man crouched down behind the bushes watching the house. The house was part of small farm that sat inside the city limits of Digger’s Cove. It was a ranch style house with an open space in front of the barn. Both house and barn looked well kept. Something was being built right between the barn and house. Some kind of two story building that would be eventually connect to the house. The front porch lights were still on as were the light on the bottom floor. He could see the shadows of people moving around inside. None of the bedroom lights on the second floor were on. It was well past midnight. He thought these small town people went to bed early. He could hear laughter and talking. Someone was having a good time. Certainly not him. He should have worn a thicker jacket. Probably a cap too. It had been warm but then the sun went down and it was now freezing. He kept eyeing the sleek green sports car parked in front. It really look familiar. Had it been in a movie? He just couldn’t place it. Whatever is was. It looked like a sweet ride.

Suddenly it began to rain. A mist at first. A few seconds later it was a downpour. The would-be thief groaned and muttered a few choice words. In mere seconds he found out his jacket was not waterproof. He was tempted to give it up on what he was here for. It would make him rich. Not as rich as he wanted but just enough until he figured out his next score.

He just needed them to go to bed.

It was a pity. That he didn’t leave. Five minutes later he was dead.

CHAPTER 1

Ben Olsen had what they called the gift of gab. As far back as he could remember he had been able to talk almost anyone into anything. It help that he had the kind of face that people thought they could trust. Soft brown eyes and hair with a quick smile. Not handsome but nice looking. He found most people were intimidated by very handsome or beautiful people with perfect bodies. His every day man face and build made people relax. The nice tone to his voice could actually make some people feel at ease. These gifts had gotten him through high school and yes, college. Granted he hadn’t graduated at the top of his class but he had graduated with what he called gentleman C’s. Thanks to a little creative editing on his resume he gotten several good jobs.

But the not paying attention in class and just being lazy had always led his being dismissed or a polite request for him to resign. Two places actually checked his references. That had been a real surprise.

It was after the fourth or was fifth job? He realized he would have to marry rich if he wanted to obtain the good life that he felt he deserved. He knew he had no chance to get the attention of a rich socialite, trust fund baby or woman who had already made it. Women like that were always on the guard for men like him. He found that out the hard way. The laughter of those kind of women he could still hear in his head.

Life could be so unfair and cruel.

What he considered the perfect wife for him. Had actually run a background check on him.

His exaggerated resume had caught up with him.

Ben doubted he would run into a rich singer or actress. Britney Spears’ Ex would be living off his alimony for the rest of his life. His new plan was to find a young woman who was on the rise. A woman who was completely focused her career and needy in some way. He would be devoted and loyal. Always at her side as she rose up in the corporate ladder. As she became rich and successful. So would he.

Then at the right time he would divorce her and live off the alimony he got in the settlement.

In Ben’s mind it was the perfect plan. He was not a long range thinker.

There was time he thought he found the perfect woman. Brilliant and talented but just a little insecure. He met her at a convention for professional businesswoman on the rise. Blonde, very cute and very focused on her career. She had just gotten out of a relationship. Which she refused to talk about.

Two months later, they were talking marriage. She had just been promoted to associate vice-president of very big company. His soon to be wife had a gift for numbers and solving problems.

Things in the bedroom could have been better. There was no passion. It was like she was just going through the motions. Her mind always seemed to be elsewhere.

You couldn’t have everything.

Everything was on track. His fiancé completely focused on her career which was fine with him. It just less pressure on him to cultivate their relationship.

Then from out of the blue everything was ruined.

His soon-to-be wife’s dad got sick. He was surprised she rushed home to be at his side. She had never really talked about her family or where she grew. He assumed there was bad blood. She took off without a good-bye.

Dad lingered on and on. She resigned and moved back home.

Major setback.

But in her rush she had left her laptop. A quick search he found gold. A ten point business plan for increasing the company profits along with laser point presentation. A list of stocks the company to needed to keep an eye.

Ben seeing this as gift. He used these to get her job and salary. Naturally he broke it off. She wasn’t as devastated as he hoped. She was almost relieved, hanging up before he finished the speech in front of the mirror. It didn’t matter. It wasn’t like he loved her. His only real regret was not being introduced to her artist friend. They had falling out. Any time he brought her up. She shut him down with look.

Ben hoped to use the new position to find a new possible wife. It turned out most of the women at this level in the company were already married or had no interest in marriage. That’s what Ben thought. It didn’t occur to him that smart women this high in the corporate world didn’t fall for his gift of gab.

He tried to talk up to her artist friend. She was the most beautiful woman had ever seen. Put out this vibe. She shut him down so hard it was like being punched in the gut. He got the feeling she wanted to kick his ass.

Up until three months ago, Ben had been cruising on the ten point plan and the list of stocks. Now the plan was done and there were no more stocks on the list. His lack of business skills had people asking questions. At the level he was at in the company. It was very cut throat. As they say in the business world. The sharks were circling him. Ben needed to do something. There was no one to borrow an idea front. He needed a new plan or he could use the report his ex-fiancé had been working on. Apparently she was working on a plan where someone could siphon off money from company and not be caught. He didn’t understand why she was working on this. If she was right someone could walk away with millions. She had to confer with some of the computer geeks to confirm her suspicions. His almost wife had a gift for numbers but was not that gifted with computers.

The problem was the plan was confusing and had been finished. Ben was considering going to the dark side.

CHAPTER 2

Abby the county sheriff for Digger’s Cove was sitting behind her beat-up desk in her favorite position. Nikes in the bottom drawer of her desk, leaning back in her very comfortable chair. A large cup of coffee close at hand. Six peanut butter cookies with chocolate and cashews lined up on a napkin. Her tan sheriff’s shirt and badge were the only signs that she was the sheriff. She wore jeans and rarely carried a gun. There was a sheriff’s cap sitting on the corner of her desk along with a pair of red framed sunglasses. Her curly blonde hair hung loose just passed her shoulders. Blue eyes and a sprinkle freckles gave her that girl next door look. She could be in better shape. Abby wasn’t fat by any means. She could just tone up a little. Her girlfriend liked her just the way she was. That’s all mattered to Abby.

The sheriff was half studying an application. She occasionally glanced at the resume on her desk. There was an attractive woman with short blonde hair sitting across from her. The white blouse and black skirt looked new. She was wearing makeup too. This amused Abby. This was Digger’s Cove. A very small town in Oregon that in many ways was cut off from the rest of the world. She was sure her county was the smallest in the country. Nothing happen here.

Which was how they liked it including Abby.

There was only one road into town. The population was mostly farmers, ranchers and small business owners. There were quite people that commuted to Cornwall for work. Most worked at the university.

The first thing you noticed about Digger’s Cove. Was there was no cove. There was lake. A good sized lake. It good for fishing and such. There ducks and geese but God help you if you shot one. They all nested on the far side of the lake. Small boats and such were allowed with a permit. High power speed boats and surf riders were forbidden. People especially the fisherman like it to be quiet on the lake. There second thing was the almost total lack of new cars in the town. Almost every car in town was from the 50’s, 60’s or 70’s. There were a couple for the 20’s and 40’s. These had been handed down through the generations. Lovingly taken care. Almost every car was in perfect condition. In Digger’s Cove it was noticed if you didn’t take care of your house, car and yard.

The beauty of old cars was you could work on them yourself. It was not an uncommon sight to see men and now women working on their cars parked in the driveway. Usually with onlookers giving advice or just passing the time with friends.

The other thing that make it harder to stay in touch with the outside world. Wireless phones didn’t work in Digger’s Cove. There was no Wi/fi. They had cable which them access to the internet and all the latest movies and such. There was one movie theater and a Drive-In theater which was very popular with the kids for obvious reasons. It had been used as location for a few movies. Sometimes the locals would rent their cars for movies but kept a very close eye them.

There was now a local TV/radio station. It played all kinds music including new stuff. All the movies and TV shows were from the same decades as the cars. It was run by a husband and wife along with their daughter. They come up with the idea together. It had been just talk until Abby’s girlfriend Merry Jo heard and invested in the idea. It wasn’t the first business Merry Jo had invested in. She was a very successful sculpture. Who occasionally had too much cash on hand? Most people didn’t understand this concept. Abby understood but played dumb. She probably understood the business side of Merry Jo’s art more than her girlfriend did. That part of her life was over.

Thank God.

The owners of the station had an older son but like some many of their young people left Digger’s Cove after graduating high school.

Interesting fact. A lot of them came back after a few years. Some came back because they inherited the family home. Some stayed. Others with the help of local realtor Jolene O’Reilly, who was more than happy to help them sell the house for a lot of money. Apparently according to Jolene she had a waiting list of people who wanted to live in Digger’s Cove.

Abby picked up a cookie and slowly munched on it. A sip of coffee, a smile at Barbara Upton. First question. Does Walt know you are here?

No. Barbara said. Is that a problem?

Not for me. It is not like he can do anything about it. Let’s see. Two years in Afghanistan. Reaching the rank of sergeant. Three years as a state cop. Excellent performance evaluations. You seemed to be on the fast track to move up to investigator for the state.

That was the plan. Barbara said.

Was? Abby looking at her with cocked eyebrow.

Plans change. I would think you know that.

I do indeed. Abby turns, puts her elbows on the desk and looks at Barbara. "This is Digger’s Cove. I am the highest law enforcement office in the county. A very small county. I am as high as