This call could go one of two ways, and with Sariah already waiting for the other shoe to drop, she almost didn’t want to answer the phone. But ditching the calls of one’s superiors didn’t do much for one’s career. She opened the phone.
“Agent Cooper? I hear congratulations are in order.”
“Yes, sir,” Sariah replied carefully. “Agent Salazar did a wonderful job leading the team out here.”
“I call bullshit, Agent. You and I both know who really solved this case.” Agent Tanner chuckled a bit and Sariah felt her shoulders settle from being up around her ears to somewhere closer to their normal positioning.
“Actually, sir, I did have a lot of help. Officer Hadderly, one of the local uniforms, was right there in the thick of things. Couldn’t have done it without him.”
“Hmmm. I’ll keep that in mind, especially considering what I’m calling about,” Agent Tanner rumbled.
“Sir?”
“Well, you have to know that I’m not just calling to pat you on the back.” Her boss took a deep breath and then let it out as an extended sigh. “The DNA came back on the hand. It’s a match for the others.”
Sariah felt her stomach muscles clench in a combination of excitement and nerves. She was right. Had been right all along. Humpty Dumpty was back. She had two conflicting urges… to confront Salazar and tell him to suck it, and to break down crying. Instead, she listened intently as Agent Tanner continued.
“You were the one who found the link where no one else would’ve, so I’m putting you on this.”
“Sir, I’m so—”
“Don’t,” Tanner cut her off. “Don’t thank me. The other reason I’m assigning you is because everyone already thinks you’re either nuts or a suck-up. Word gets out that there’s a big team working the Humpty case and it’s a PR disaster. You’re going to be working this mostly on your own.”
That dampened Sariah’s enthusiasm a bit, but couldn’t snuff it out completely. “I understand, sir. But what do you mean by ‘mostly’?”
“Well, if the Ann Arbor precinct gives their okay, we may be able to borrow the officer you were talking about. You’ve worked together, and he seems to like you. That’s not nothing.”
Sariah took the implied criticism in stride. “No, sir, I guess it’s not.”
“But that’s not exactly what I meant.” Agent Tanner paused again. “I think we need to bring Joshua Wright in on this.”
“Agent Wright?”
“Former Agent Wright,” Tanner corrected her. “Since he worked the case and… well… everything happened that happened, I think he’s gone pretty far downhill.”
Sariah thought for a moment. “I heard he was up in New York, working as a bartender or something.”
“Or something. He’s the janitor for a bar, actually.”
“Wow,” Sariah breathed.
“Wow is right.” Her boss cleared his throat. “But no one knows that case better than he does. You’ll need to reach out to him.”
“No problem.”
“I can’t promise that, Agent Cooper. My guess is he won’t be too thrilled to hear from us.” Another deep breath, then Tanner finished up. “We can talk about it more when you get back. For now, grab that officer and buy him and yourself a drink. On me.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Good work, Agent Cooper.” And then the connection ended.
Sariah sat staring at the phone as the screen faded to black. Her world had just changed in a heartbeat, and for the life of her, she couldn’t tell if that was a good or a bad thing. She probably wouldn’t know until she was deep into working the Humpty case.
Shaking her head to rid herself of the shadows that now seemed determined to take over, Sariah lifted her head to look over at Had, who had finished up and was looking over at her, a sad smile on his face.
Sariah grinned back at him, suddenly determined to keep the happy mood around her while she could. There was no way to control what was coming up in the not-so-distant future. But right now?
Right now, she could take her friend out for a celebratory drink.
Tomorrow they could tackle Humpty Dumpty.
Afterword
Thank you so much for sampling the Nursery Rhythm Murders. We look forward to the full length novel, Humpy Dumpty: The killer wants us to put him back together again.
If you enjoyed Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary we would like to ask you to go back to Amazon and leave a review. We indie authors live and die by our reviews!
Want to catch more serial killers? Check out the next section...
Other Works by Carolyn McCray
* * *
Plain Jane – A Patterson–style thriller with a dash of Hannibal
If you enjoyed the twists and turns of Club Death, you might want to try Harbinger’s first novel the #1 Bestselling (Police Procedurals and Hard–Boiled Mysteries)…
In the words of New York Times best–selling author, James Rollins (Altar of Eden and Bloodline)…
“Wickedly macabre and blisteringly paced, Plain Jane marks the debut of a thriller for the new millennium. Brash, funny, terrifying, and shocking, here is a story best enjoyed with all the lights on. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”
More praise for Plain Jane: Brunettes Beware.
“This book is so creepy. I made the mistake of starting in one night before bed. Not only did the story line keep me turning pages, it freaked me out to the point that I didn’t want to turn off my light.”
The Book Goddess
Book Reviewer
“This one had me flipping pages until 2 in the morning. I knew when I saw the quote from James Rollins (one of my favorites) that I would get at least my money’s worth out of the book, but I had NO idea what laid in store for me.”
Mimi
Novel Ideas
To purchase or sample Plain Jane: Brunettes Beware simply click here.
* * *
All Hallow’s Eve – The one night it’s BAD… to be good
If you are in the mood for some more great serial killer catching I also have…
People are being martyred but not for their faith. Instead the deaths are part of a serial killer’s sick game as he chooses his victim by their name… then kills them in that Saint’s grisly manner.
What people are saying about All Hallow’s Eve…
“Scary and smart, All Hallow’s Eve is perfect for anyone who wants to read a horror story that makes them think. From the intricate psychopathology of the serial killer, to the hair-raising tension, to the skewering of pop culture, All Hallow’s Eve is simply a great read.”
Your Need To Read
Book Reviewer
“Beautifully written and masterfully executed. You will keep guessing until the end who could have planned such a horrific night! Do not read this while alone in the house!”
ParaYourNormal
Book Reviewer
“Carolyn McCray does it again. After her international best seller, Plain Jane, Carolyn brings to life another thriller that takes you to the edge and beyond. Not for the faint of heart, All Hallow’s Eve is macabre, yet still manages to be heartfelt. But with people dying in the manner of the saints, we knew the body count would be high, and Ms. McCray did not disappoint!”
ThrillersRockT
Book Reviewer
To sample or purchase All Hallow’s Eve, click here.
* * *
Club Death – Come for the Dancing. Stay because well, a madman has you trapped inside.
From Carolyn McCray, the #1 author in Police Procedural, Hard Boiled Mysteries, Action Adventure, and Men’s Adventure comes a new serial… Club Death.
33% mystery, 33% horror and 34% comedy, this series will give you plenty of thrills, chills and oddly enough, laughs.
Praise for Club Death…
The prologue immediately drew me in with the dark voice of a killer. From there, scenes unfolded introducing several different characters and a unique set up for a thriller that wil
l keep the reader turning the pages to see what happens next! Teens will root for the young people in the story and enjoy the HIVE and Keaton, the young entrepreneur with his business, while all readers should enjoy the interesting storyline!
Rita Herron
Author
Sleepless in Savannah
Click here to purchase or sample Club Death
* * *
9 th Circle – 9 Circles. Infinite ways to die.
From the wicked mind of Carolyn McCray comes another taut, fast paced hunt for a serial killer.
Praise for 9th Circle…
“The first episode of this serial grabbed my attention immediately, and I couldn’t turn my Kindle pages fast enough! The sharp sensory detail drops you into every scene, and the superb characterization adds unexpected layers to the storyline. Detective Robi Darcmel is simply fascinating, and the characters around him are the perfect foil for his brilliant peculiarities. 9 th CIRCLE is vividly cinematic. I can’t wait for the next episode to be delivered to my Kindle!”
Stephanie Bond
Author- Licensed to Thrill
Overview:
A madman terrorizes Seattle, attempting to recreate the nine circles of hell using the blood and bodies of the innocent… and not-so-innocent. Detective Darcmel, a gifted savant with Asperger’s Syndrome, is the only one standing in the path of this pathological killer. As the timer runs down on the fate of the entire city, it is the love of a little girl that can lead to either his salvation or utter destruction.
To sample or purchase 9th Circle click here.
* * *
About the Authors
Carolyn McCray
Carolyn has had a long and extremely interesting road to become a bestseller.
When she head to veterinary school those many years ago she had no idea decades later she would be writing controversial historical thrillers, gut wrenching mysteries and roller coaster-style action/adventure tales!
Born in San Francisco and raised in the beautiful Napa Valley, Carolyn always had an overactive imagination. As a child you could usually find her dragging the neighborhood children out to the haunted barn to make her Nancy Drew-style audio tapes. Oh and did she mention, there was an entire life-sized recreation of the nativity scene in the rafters? Yeah, that wasn’t just a little creepy.
Which of course was great practice for writing such blockbusters as Plain Jane: A Patterson-style thriller with a dash of Hannibal and 30 Pieces of Silver: An Extremely Controversial Historical Thriller.
With over 250,000 books sold, Carolyn now lives on a beautiful lake in the Pacific Northwest where the fog rolls in over the water, snuffing out all signs of life around her. Yep, she still loves the creepy!
Contact Info:
www.carolynmccray.com
[email protected]
* * *
Ben Hopkin
Ben Hopkin is a transplanted Texan. After being indoctrinated in the Lone Star State he was ripped from his ancestral home and whisked away to Los Angeles, where he was forced to appreciate fish tacos and sushi. While there, he worked as a professional actor, director, and producer, as well as teacher, which he loves most. He has now settled in Provo, Utah, with his wife and three children. Just in case there was any question, Provo is NOT a happy medium between Ft. Worth and LA, although his kids have made the transition from body boards to snowboards seamlessly.
Website: actingwithoutthedrama.blogspot.com
Twitter: @actingnodrama
Internet database
* * *
Acknowledgments
So many people contribute to any book that it is hard to list them all. However, I intend to try!
This book would never have come into existence without, of course, Jim. Ever cool. Ever there.
Ben, who faithfully edited the manuscript through its many, many, many incarnations.
Dee Dee, who has believed in me for so long it is almost impossible to remember a time without her. #andnothatsnotadissonyourage
Carrie, my editor, who knows of my love for sentence fragments and run-on sentences, yet who still patiently edits them to the point where they are readable!
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, places, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Mary Mary Quite Contrary
An Off Our Meds Project/published by arrangement with the author
FIRST EDITION
Copyright 2012 by Carolyn McCray
All rights reserved
Kindle Edition
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Any inquiries can be made to:
3524 South Star Lake Rd
Auburn, WA 98001
[email protected]
Table of Contents
Main Menu
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
EPILOGUE
Afterword
About the Author
Other Works by Carolyn McCray
Plain Jane – A Patterson–style thriller with a dash of Hannibal
All Hallow’s Eve – The One Night it’s BAD… to be Good
Club Death - Thrills, chills and oddly enough, laughs
9 th Circle – 9 circles, infinite ways to die
Copyright
Mary, Mary Quite Contrary Page 5
