Chapter 1 :)

Ok, so I decided that I'm gonna post chapters from this story that I'm writing on here although I will hopefully still make other posts as well. I hope y'all enjoy it, and please feel free to give me your honest opinion of it. Seriously, critiques will make it better, so don't hesitate to let me know if you see something wrong or just something that you don't like.


                                      Chapter 1

The weather was going from bad to worse as J.D. Slazenger flipped through the morning newspaper between sips of hot coffee in his cozy home right off of Mackay Blvd. Miss Drake his housekeeper pretended to look busy with darning his socks while casting frequent glances towards his cup of coffee. Which he was sloshing onto the just vacuumed carpet each time he turned a page of the newspaper.
“Well I don’t expect we’ll be having much activity around here today,” mumbled J.D. “No sir I don’t expect so, not in this weather,” replied Miss Drake. The clock struck nine, then ten, then eleven without much change in their positions or activities. Then suddenly they both jerked to action as the front doorbell rang, he sat up straight  in surprise and smoothed his clothing while she hurried off to answer the door.
         J.D rose from his chair as Miss Drake led a man, dressed in rather tattered clothing with a pipe in his mouth and an unsavory aroma hanging about him, into the room. “Mr. Slazenger?” questioned the man, “Yes, please sit down,” returned J.D. as Miss Drake hurried off to fix the man some coffee and refill J.D.’s cup. “My name is Bill Hoffman sir and I ain’t sure this is really the place I should come or not but I just wanted to report some strange happenins been a goin on around my place.” “I would be interested in your happenings and I will do what I can to help you out,” J.D. said calmly. “But some things are better left to the police, I enjoy puzzlements but if it’s just plain crimes I’m not interested,” he added in reply to the man’s exuberant though nearly toothless grin.  “Oh no sir this ain’t no crime at all, leastways I don’t be a thinking so,” his words trailed off and he started to look thoughtful. “Well then why don’t you just start from the beginning and tell me everything,” prompted J.D. “All right sir if that’s what you be a wantin me to do.” Bill took a deep breath and began, “Last November see I bought myself this shack down near glade river. Nuttin fancy ya know just a place to live, but I done got a little bit attached to my shack ova the past year and planned on stayin there for a while. That is until a couple a days ago when this man lookin all fancy in a bright suit and tie done walked up my front porch and knocked on my door and offered me 50,000 dollas for my li’l shack. Well I didn’t a know what to do so I told him come back in a week then I’d have a answer for him.” Bill glanced over at J.D and found he was staring straight out the window with his eyebrows furrowed and his teeth chomping down hard on his bottom lip.
“Well anyway,” continued Bill,  “yesterday I was a steppin out on my front porch when I saw a man just creepin around behind my shack. So I told him to get off a my property. Then I noticed he was a wearin’ a suit, and me bein a law abiding citizen I got a bit concerned he might be a, well a official a some kind so I apologized to him and he looked up at me then a darted off towards a car parked on  tha  other side a tha road. And ya know what? It was tha same car as the man what offered me tha money was a drivin. That was when I decided I best get me a professional to help me out,” He stopped for breath.
“I see,” said J.D., “I would be interested in looking into your story. You say he offered 50,000 dollars for your house?” “Yes sir,” “Could you describe your house to me?” “Well it’s a got 6 windows wit da glass busted out and a front door with a lock and  a metal roof with what’s left of a stone chimney.” said Bill proudly. “I see, and what are the walls made of?” questioned J.D. “Wooden boards with insulation in tha middle and theys in right good condition too,” Bill said, beaming. “Aha,” said J.D. nodding his head.  “well do you own a telephone Mr. Hoffman?” “No sir I don’t” “Well would you write your address down and I’ll think on your case then come by and see you soon?” “Oh yes sir but how abouts I just tell you my address then you can write it down,” He said sheepishly, looking quizzically at the pencil J.D. held out to him.  “Certainly,” replied J.D. and wrote down the street and address number Bill recited to him. “One more thing Mr. Hoffman,” J.D. added as Bill rose to leave. “If that man should come to see you before we talk again no matter what he says to you do not make any deals or promises with him, this is imperative,” said J.D fixing his eyes on Bill who nodded heartily as he pushed his old hat down on to his head and hurried towards the door. “Thank ya sir” He said slipping out into the hallway.
         J.D went to the window thrust his head out took several deep breaths then returned to his seat. Though Miss Drake couldn’t help but notice that he did not pick his newspaper up again for the rest of the day.