In Silence Sealed (Sticks Hetrick Series, Book 8) by J.R. Lindermuth
Release date: February 27, 2018
Subgenre: Small town mystery
About In Silence Sealed:
Lydia, daughter of Swatara Creek Police Chief Aaron Brubaker, is accused
of murdering her boyfriend, Jason Russell, handsome but feckless
stepson of Clay Stoneroad, a famous writer who recently moved to a farm
outside town.
Daniel 'Sticks' Hetrick, now a county detective, is determined to prove Lydia's innocence. His job is made more difficult when the weapon her father insisted she carry is found missing.
Mysteries surround the Stoneroad family. Vickie Walker, a strange young woman—also recently arrived in town—insists Nan Calder, the writer's secretary, is her sister, a claim Calder denies. Then Diana Wozniak, reporter for a sleazy tabloid, is the victim of a hit-and-run accident, and police learn she attempted to blackmail the writer.
The sudden disappearance of Lydia and Vickie puts Hetrick and his friends in a desperate race against time to find them, unravel secrets, and apprehend the real killer.
Daniel 'Sticks' Hetrick, now a county detective, is determined to prove Lydia's innocence. His job is made more difficult when the weapon her father insisted she carry is found missing.
Mysteries surround the Stoneroad family. Vickie Walker, a strange young woman—also recently arrived in town—insists Nan Calder, the writer's secretary, is her sister, a claim Calder denies. Then Diana Wozniak, reporter for a sleazy tabloid, is the victim of a hit-and-run accident, and police learn she attempted to blackmail the writer.
The sudden disappearance of Lydia and Vickie puts Hetrick and his friends in a desperate race against time to find them, unravel secrets, and apprehend the real killer.
Excerpt:
“My dad would have a fit if he knew I came here,” Lydia Brubaker said.
Jason grinned. “What’s wrong with Vinnie’s? I kind of like the place, considering it’s where we spend most of our time.”
Lydia felt his hand on her thigh beneath the table. She leaned forward. “It has a reputation.”
“That’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
“It is when it comes to my dad.”
Jason gave her another of those boyish grins that were among the things she found so enticing about him. “I’ve never dated a cop’s daughter before. Is he strict?”
Dating? Lydia wondered if that was the right word for it. They’d been seeing one another for about two weeks now, meeting in bars here and over in Harrisburg and out at the diner on the highway where she’d always been the one paying for the beers and their food. Making out in their cars. Could any of this be classified as dating? Jason was attractive—well, sexy. No guy had turned her on the way he did in a long while. Still, it was more than a sexual attraction made her want to be with him. She couldn’t explain it, even to herself.
“Lydia?” he said again and she realized he was waiting for an answer to his question.
“He can be,” she said. “Mostly he’s a big pussycat when it comes to me. But there’s a limit to what I can get away with. For instance, being seen in this place.”
Jason laughed. “What’s he gonna do—ground you? You’re an adult, aren’t you?
“Of course. It’s just…”
He leaned closer, his brown eyes peering into hers. “You know, that’s something I don’t understand. You make a pretty good buck, yet you’re still living at home with your parents.”
“This from a guy who still lives with his mother.”
“My case is different. We just moved here. And I don’t have a job.”
His hands were both flat on the table again. Lydia regretted her remark. She reached across and squeezed one of those beautiful hands. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sure you’ll find something soon.
“My parents are pretty cool. They’ve insisted I stay with them and build up a good bank account before I go out on my own. Actually,” Lydia added and felt the heat of a blush she hoped Jason wouldn’t notice in the dim light of the bar, “I think they’re hoping I’ll meet somebody and get married rather than moving into an apartment on my own.”
“I’m sure you’ve already had plenty of offers.” He squeezed her hand back.
Lydia frowned. “None I’ve taken seriously.”
“I’d like to meet your folks.”
“Really? But I’m not supposed to socialize with yours. Like last week when I offered to come out to the farm and pick you up…
Jason shook his head. “You don’t want to spend time with them. They’re the original odd couple. Besides, I like it better when it’s only the two of us.”
Just then Lydia was jolted forward as someone bumped against the back of her chair. “Hey, watch it!” she shouted, twisting around.
“Sorry, hon,” a seedy looking older man holding two mugs of beers in his hands said in apology. “I don’t think I spilled none on you.” He nodded at the two of them and continued on his way, weaving a staggering path toward another table to the rear.
“Oh, great,” Lydia said. “Now I know we have to get out of here. That guy’s one of the auxiliary cops. If he tells my old man he saw me here I’m toast.”
“Drunk as he is he probably won’t remember where he was by tomorrow,” Jason told her. He glanced at his watch. “It’s early yet. What say we have another beer before we leave?”
Jason grinned. “What’s wrong with Vinnie’s? I kind of like the place, considering it’s where we spend most of our time.”
Lydia felt his hand on her thigh beneath the table. She leaned forward. “It has a reputation.”
“That’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
“It is when it comes to my dad.”
Jason gave her another of those boyish grins that were among the things she found so enticing about him. “I’ve never dated a cop’s daughter before. Is he strict?”
Dating? Lydia wondered if that was the right word for it. They’d been seeing one another for about two weeks now, meeting in bars here and over in Harrisburg and out at the diner on the highway where she’d always been the one paying for the beers and their food. Making out in their cars. Could any of this be classified as dating? Jason was attractive—well, sexy. No guy had turned her on the way he did in a long while. Still, it was more than a sexual attraction made her want to be with him. She couldn’t explain it, even to herself.
“Lydia?” he said again and she realized he was waiting for an answer to his question.
“He can be,” she said. “Mostly he’s a big pussycat when it comes to me. But there’s a limit to what I can get away with. For instance, being seen in this place.”
Jason laughed. “What’s he gonna do—ground you? You’re an adult, aren’t you?
“Of course. It’s just…”
He leaned closer, his brown eyes peering into hers. “You know, that’s something I don’t understand. You make a pretty good buck, yet you’re still living at home with your parents.”
“This from a guy who still lives with his mother.”
“My case is different. We just moved here. And I don’t have a job.”
His hands were both flat on the table again. Lydia regretted her remark. She reached across and squeezed one of those beautiful hands. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sure you’ll find something soon.
“My parents are pretty cool. They’ve insisted I stay with them and build up a good bank account before I go out on my own. Actually,” Lydia added and felt the heat of a blush she hoped Jason wouldn’t notice in the dim light of the bar, “I think they’re hoping I’ll meet somebody and get married rather than moving into an apartment on my own.”
“I’m sure you’ve already had plenty of offers.” He squeezed her hand back.
Lydia frowned. “None I’ve taken seriously.”
“I’d like to meet your folks.”
“Really? But I’m not supposed to socialize with yours. Like last week when I offered to come out to the farm and pick you up…
Jason shook his head. “You don’t want to spend time with them. They’re the original odd couple. Besides, I like it better when it’s only the two of us.”
Just then Lydia was jolted forward as someone bumped against the back of her chair. “Hey, watch it!” she shouted, twisting around.
“Sorry, hon,” a seedy looking older man holding two mugs of beers in his hands said in apology. “I don’t think I spilled none on you.” He nodded at the two of them and continued on his way, weaving a staggering path toward another table to the rear.
“Oh, great,” Lydia said. “Now I know we have to get out of here. That guy’s one of the auxiliary cops. If he tells my old man he saw me here I’m toast.”
“Drunk as he is he probably won’t remember where he was by tomorrow,” Jason told her. He glanced at his watch. “It’s early yet. What say we have another beer before we leave?”
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About J.R. Lindermuth:
J. R. Lindermuth is the author of 15 novels, including six in the
Sticks Hetrick mystery series set in a fictional rural community near
Harrisburg PA. A retired newspaper editor/writer, he is now librarian of
his county's historical society where he assists patrons with research
and genealogy. He has published stories and articles in a variety of
magazines, both print and on line. He is a member of International
Thriller Writers and is a past vice president of the Short Mystery
Fiction Society.
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