Mark Jr., a hard-working, single man and the new lawman in town, is suddenly propelled into a murder investigation of a young woman known to be a lady of the night. No one knows who she is, and now Mark must determine who killed her and why. Haunted by nightmares that nearly drive him insane, Mark begins questioning the town’s residents and slowly assembles a mysterious puzzle—one agonizing piece at a time. But then another mangled body is discovered, and Mark suddenly realizes the dead woman is the same one who came to him in an earlier dream. Mark has no idea that a murderer is attempting to open a gate to hell.
In this gripping Western thriller, a young lawman must stop a meat-hungry serial killer before he slaughters another innocent woman.
Mark Jr., a hard-working, single man and the new lawman in town, is suddenly propelled into a murder investigation of a young woman known to be a lady of the night. No one knows who she is, and now Mark must determine who killed her and why. Haunted by nightmares that nearly drive him insane, Mark begins questioning the town’s residents and slowly assembles a mysterious puzzle—one agonizing piece at a time. But then another mangled body is discovered, and Mark suddenly realizes the dead woman is the same one who came to him in an earlier dream. Mark has no idea that a murderer is attempting to open a gate to hell.
In this gripping Western thriller, a young lawman must stop a meat-hungry serial killer before he slaughters another innocent woman.
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Overview
Mark Jr., a hard-working, single man and the new lawman in town, is suddenly propelled into a murder investigation of a young woman known to be a lady of the night. No one knows who she is, and now Mark must determine who killed her and why. Haunted by nightmares that nearly drive him insane, Mark begins questioning the town’s residents and slowly assembles a mysterious puzzle—one agonizing piece at a time. But then another mangled body is discovered, and Mark suddenly realizes the dead woman is the same one who came to him in an earlier dream. Mark has no idea that a murderer is attempting to open a gate to hell.
In this gripping Western thriller, a young lawman must stop a meat-hungry serial killer before he slaughters another innocent woman.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781462026821 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | iUniverse, Incorporated |
| Publication date: | 06/13/2011 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 586 KB |
Read an Excerpt
Meat Your Maker
By Sandman
iUniverse, Inc.
Copyright © 2011 SandmanAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-2681-4
Chapter One
The summer was warm. The spring flowers had passed. The fields were green. The town was Medway, the year 1891. Not a lot of people in the town at that time. A new paper mill was opening in the town for East Millinocket. Medway was a nice place to live, very few houses, and close to the water and the mill. It was a short walk to work and everyone knew who you were. People back in these times knew what making a living meant. Long hours at work and a home to run after it was done.Medway didn't have much back then, a few people and one or two shops. One store was a Mom and Pop store and it sold just about everything you would need to run a house back then. The other store was a dry meat place run by a man that drank more than he dried meat. That was the towns biggest trouble back then. No really good people to do meat drying. Everyone was sick from the meat not being done right, then the store closed.
The middle part of summer a man from England showed up and opened a store for dry meat. The man knew what he was doing, and soon the town was giving him more than he could do. But some how the man got it done. The man's name was Jack. He was single and lived in the back of the store. He was a short man, about 5'5", no hair, and smoked a small pipe. He was quiet, didn't like to speak about his meat and didn't let anyone know how he did it.
The town didn't care as long as the meat didn't make them sick. Jack did like to fish and started to dry fish. The town's people liked the idea and he couldn't keep up with the locals. The boys around at that time would bring Jack their fish for some dry meat. Jack had a good little shop an kept to himself. When Jack had finished all his meat drying for the day you could see him sitting on the front porch enjoying a good smoke. He would sit in a chair with a book and pencil and seem to be writing.
The local rivers were alive with men running logs down the river heading to the local mills. Life in those days was much harder but more carefree. The only bad time was when the money started to show, lose woman and hard drinks soon arrived. The nice thing about Medway was that lose woman didn't seem to stay long. You would see them maybe once or twice then they would leave. All in all the town was quiet.
Mark Jr., the cop in town, was a young man that was thin an looked like a bean pole. Mark was liked by all the locals. He would go around once a week to check on everyone and see if they were ok. Mark Jr. had a horse, a painted pony. She was real good and fast. Jack said "Hi," to Mark Jr., Mark Jr. said "Hi," back to Jack. Mark Jr asked, "Everything ok? Have you had any trouble?" Jack said, "Just people wanting to know how I do my meats." Mark Jr. said, "Well, if you tell them then they're not going to need you to do it." Jack replied, "Right, that's why it's kept in my head."
"Well, Mark Jr. said, "If that's all then I'll see you next time around Jack." Jack said, "Ok, see you then Mark Jr." Mark Jr. rode off to the next place down the path. The house he didn't care to stop at, but it was his job. Mary, the owner, was a mean woman that killed her husband for sleeping with a lady for rent. She had been real bitter towards all men. Mark Jr. rode down driveway and could see her with her shotgun walking to meet him. Mary asked, "You need anything Mark Jr.?" As she pointed the gun at him.
"No Mary, just doing my job and checking on all the locals." Mary hissed back, "I don't need any man looking out for me!" " Well then, I guess I'll see you next time." "One time to many for me." Mark Jr. replied, "See you later then." Mary grumbled, "Good, take your worthless man ass with you." Mark Jr. just turned around and started off. Mary aimed her shotgun in the air and fired two shots. He kept on going back down the drive. The next place down the road was his place. He put his horse in the barn and went into his house. He went out onto his back porch area and got himself a glass of his dads good corn whiskey.
He sat back in a chair as he watched the water run by his home. His house was a location where he could fish and hunt, most of the time off his back steps. The house was a nicely built log home that all the people had back then. He thought, with the new mill in East Millinocket starting up the town would start to grow. One of the townsmen, Jeff, was going to open a post office. Mark Jr. thought that would be nice. It would keep the locals from traveling ten miles to Millinocket just to mail a letter. Jeff was a funny man. He could run just about any type of business, but the man couldn't ride a horse worth a dam.
Mark Jr. was sitting there when suddenly he heard a bang in the woods behind him. He got up and ran towards the sound. It was Dad and the still again. Smoke rose round out of the place and Dad sat on the ground with a black face and his hair still smoking some. Mark Jr. ran up and yelled, "Dad, you ok?" Mark Sr. said, "Yup son, I'm ok. The still just heated up to much." "You know, one of these days that dam thing's going to kill you?" "You may be right there son." Mark Jr. put out the little fire before it blew the main still. Dad said, "Thanks, think I should go clean up."
Mark Jr. went back to his place to start a meal and get ready for the night. He thought to himself, Dad's lucky, he should close the still but, he wondered, where would everyone get their whiskey then? He cooked up some steak and home fries. The smell of the meat cooking filled the house. He sat down at the table and began to eat. The meat was soft and sweet. "Dam, Jack can really dry meat good." When he was full he washed up the dishes, locked up, and headed upstairs after loading the wood stove for the night.
The upstairs was nice a big room that hard large windows in each side to let in the morning sun and the moonlight. Town was quiet and everyone got a good nights sleep. Mark Jr. went to bed, the heat of the fire warmed the room. He still had the buzz off dad's corn whiskey making him sleepy. The night went by with little noises, the sound of frogs and wolfs in the air. He went to sleep and would be there until 7:00 a.m. the next morning when the sun made it's way through the windows.
He got out of bed and washed up. Then he went down to fill the stove and get some things for breakfast. Ham and eggs were the morning meal. After he'd finished eating, he'd placed his dishes in the sink and was about to wash them when he heard a knock at the door. He went over to see who it was. He opened the door and there stood young Kaci, a local girl that cleaned houses in town. He asked, "Well Kaci, can I help you with something this morning?" Kaci was about seventeen. She had black hair and a very nice body. She replied, "Patrick was going fishing this morning down by the wooden bridge and said he found some woman's body." "Where is Patrick right now?" "Down by the bridge making sure no animals mess with the body." Mark Jr. went out the door after getting his gun belt and colt pistol. He asked, "Do you need a ride back?" Kaci said, "No, "I've got to clean your Dad's house this morning." "Ok," he said. "Well, I'll go get the horse and be on my way." Kaci walked down the road and Mark Jr. watched as she went. Kaci looked back to see if he was watching and smiled at him.
He thought to himself, I'd sure like to date that girl. He got his horse set and headed down to the wooden bridge. Going through town he could see Jack getting ready to open for the day. He said, " Hi," as he rode by. Jack said, " Good morning." Mark Jr. got to the wooden bridge and Patrick was sitting on the rail with his pole in his hand. Patrick was Kaci's older brother, a tall, good looking young man with black hair. Mark Jr. said, " Good morning there Patrick. Your sister said you found a body?" "Yes, the body isn't in good shape. It's been there for a day or more."
Mark Jr. asked, " Well, where is it Patrick?" " Come here and see." Mark Jr. got off the horse and hooked him to the rail. He walked over to Patrick and Patrick pointed to the body laying down on the side of the road. Mark Jr. looked and said, "Dam! What happened to her?" " I don't know, but it's a lot worse as you get closer." They went down the bank to have a closer look at the body. " Dam!" Mark Jr. said. "What the fuck happened to her?" Patrick said, "Think we got one sick, twisted, son of a bitch in town. "You think someone from town could do this?"
Patrick said, "No, I hope someone from town didn't do this." Mark Jr. looked closer at the woman. The flesh on her hands, lower legs, and face was still there but the body was stripped to the bone like someone was cleaning a deer or something. Mark Jr. said, "Can you ride a horse Patrick?" "Yes, why?" "Go tell my dad I need the wagon, two shovels, an old blanket to pick the body up with, and some gloves." Patrick said, "Ok," and went to the horse and rode back into town. Mark Jr. looked around to see if the killer had left any clues. He saw a suitcase, the woman must of had it with her, sitting in the grass near the body. He walked over and picked it up.
He could tell it was the woman of the night that was in town a few days ago. He came back to the rails and set the bag down to see if he could find her name. He opened the case and said, "Well, she wasn't killed for money." He found about two hundred in small bills. Business must have been good. He looked at the money and said, "If she was killed for something, what was it?" He could hear the sound of the horse and wagon coming. He closed the case and his dad pulled up with Patrick sitting on the other side of him. Mark Sr. asked his son, "What do you have here?" "Dad, it's a dead woman of the night." "Dam!" Mark Sr. said. "We're going to have to take her to the unknown grave yard. The locals aren't going to let you put her in the good graveyard."
Mark Jr. said, "Yup, I'm going to need some help digging the hole." Patrick said, "I can help." Dad said, "Sure, me too son." Mark Jr. said, "Ok, bring the blanket and gloves. We'll get the body." The three men went back down the side. Dad looked at the girl and said, "Sorry son, you and Patrick will have to do this," And he began to throw up from the smell. Mark Jr. and Patrick went to get the body. Mark Jr. covered the body with a blanket and him and Patrick rolled the body into the blanket. Mark Jr. tied the body up so it wouldn't smell so bad and then they could move it to the wagon. Mark Jr. and Patrick placed the body in the wagon and the three men headed for the unknown graveyard.
Mark Sr. asked, "So, you think someone killed her for money?" Mark Jr. answered, "No, she still had money on her. She was cut up like you would a deer or animal for food." Mark Sr. said, "Dam, you think someone ate her?" He pulled over and threw up again. He said, "Hope it's not anyone from town," Mark Jr. said, "Sure hope not, but I'll be looking around for some clues." Mark Sr. got back on the wagon and they headed to the grave area that was just outside of town so the town people didn't have to see it.
Mark Sr. pulled the wagon off the main road to a lonely road. Not many people used this road. The grass was over grown. The road came to an opening. A set of dark pines, almost too dark from the unwanted souls that laid there. The ground had six other markers. Three men and two women. The grass was short because of the pine needles dropping and killing the grass. The ground was sand making it good for digging holes. Mark Jr. told them to put her in the corner near the big pine. Mark Jr. and Patrick got out to start the hole digging. It was going well.
Mark Sr. said, " I think we have someone here watching us." Patrick said, "That's just Annette, my mom." They could hear her laughing and speaking to herself. Annette was a weird woman that had gone nuts from a run in with a horse and wagon. She was ok to look at but wasn't washed up so she smelled pretty bad. Mark Sr. asked, "What's she saying?" Mark Jr. said, "It sounds like red meat nice and sweet." Mark Sr. said, "Shit! It isn't bad enough that we're here, she has to say things like that?" "Red meat nice and sweet." Mark Jr. said, "Annette, we see you over there! Head back to town now." They could see her make her way towards town still saying, "Red meat nice and sweet." Patrick said, "Man, mom is nuts! You think she knows about this?" "No," Mark Jr. said. "She's just one fruit short of a basket. Ok, this should be just right. Let's unload the body and be done." Patrick and Mark Jr. unloaded the woman and covered her up.
"Well," Mark Sr. said. "It's time to head back. Patrick, you want to be dropped off at the bridge again?" Patrick said, "No. Is my sister still cleaning house for you?" " Yes she is." "Then I will go over and walk home with her." "Sounds like a good plan." The three went back to Mark Sr's. place. Kaci was just coming out and getting ready to go home.
Mark Jr. said, " Patrick, here's some money for helping with that body." He handed him five dollars. Patrick was thrilled. "Thanks!" Mark Sr. paid Kaci and the two headed back home. "Well Dad, thanks for the help and see you later." Mark Jr. headed to his house.
Annette must have returned to town. He could hear Mary yelling at her and shooting the shotgun in the air to scare her off. He was sitting on the back porch eating some fruit and wondering who could have killed this woman and why he or she did that to the body. He was drinking some of his dad's corn whiskey. He knew he had to try to do something, even if she was a lady of the night. He made out a report and put it in the file room with the other paper work.
He got his horse and headed into town to the local store. He rode by Mary's house. She was out front and yelled, "You better tell that nut to stay away or I'll load her ass with bird shot." He yelled back, "Ok Mary, I'm going to be over there today so I'll tell her." He went to the store where a few locals were out front sitting, passing the day away. Lennie's was that type of store with a nice big front porch where the local's could sit and smoke. Mark Jr. said, "Well, good morning everyone." The owners, Peggy and Jimmy, were out front sitting with Patrick and Kaci. Jeff was playing a game of checkers with Patrick and the group was speaking about the killing that morning. Peggy said, "Hi Mark Jr.," and asked, "Can we help you this morning?" Peggy was in her forties, a good looking woman and short. Her husband, Jimmy, was two years older and a tall, thin man. They both would give the shirts off their backs for the people of the town and helped everyone.
Mark Jr. said, "Yes. Did the woman that was killed ever show up in the store this week?" Peggy said, "Yes, she was in two days ago getting some food. We told her that she should move on because she wasn't welcome in this town. She told us she was on her way to East Millinocket to try to get a lonely mill worker as a husband." "Would you like some coffee? Just made a pot," Jimmy offered. Mark Jr. accepted and asked Peggy if the woman had said anymore. " No, but it was a sad thing, she wasn't a bad looking lady." Mark Jr. said, "I think you will most likely see more of them with the mill going up in East Millinocket." He thanked Jimmy for the coffee and went out to watch Jeff and Patrick play checkers. Kaci said "Hi," to Mark Jr., and he said, "Hi," to her.
Mark Jr. asked, "Well Jeff, when you opening that post office of yours?" "It's going to start in the morning when the mail wagon shows ups. It will be nice. It's on the way to the church or just down from the new school so every one will have to go by sometime in the week." Mark Jr. asked, "No more home service at all?" "For the first two years. Then we'll start it when I can put more people on." "I wish you luck with the place." Jeff thanked Mark Jr.
"Well," Mark Jr. said. "Got to check with others and find out if they saw anything." He got on his horse and started off "See you people later." Everyone said, "Goodbye." He rode down the road and headed up to Jacks place just a mile from the bridge. As he came to the store he could see Jack sitting out front on the porch. He rode up and commented, "It looks like you're slow today Jack." "Yup, not much to do today." Mark Jr. asked, "Did you hear about the young woman that was killed?" "No. Was that what you and your Dad were doing this morning?" " Yes." Mark Jr. replied. "She was in pretty sad shape." Jack asked, "Was she a local woman?" "No, she was a woman of the night." Jack said, "It wasn't that one that was in town the other day?" "Yes, it was that one." "She was in here too, wanted to sell some meat. I'm not looking to buy anything. I sell meat, I told her." "She buy anything?" "No, and neither did I." Mark Jr. said, "Well, I'm going to check around to see if anyone knows anything." "Ok Mark Jr. See you later then." Mark Jr. headed to the bridge, where he'd found the body, and paused, sitting on his horse, to look at where the body had been found. He said, "If she was killed here there would be a lot more blood. It was like someone had dropped her there after he or she killed her."
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Meat Your Maker by Sandman Copyright © 2011 by Sandman. Excerpted by permission of iUniverse, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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