FOURTH BOOK IN THE JOE MCFARLAND / GINNY HARRIS MYSTERY

With a big storm on the way, Susie Ray left her boyfriend at home and drove to the local Kroger’s for supplies. She was surprised at how crowded Kroger’s was. Why does everyone need to stock up on milk and white bread whenever snow is forecast? Some secret winter recipe I don’t know about?

Ray was at the checkout counter 15 minutes later, and a young and pimply-faced boy pushed her shopping cart to her car. She popped the trunk.What happened next was not a recipe for a cozy wintery day at home. The bagger yelled, jumped back and dropped the bag of groceries. Ma'am! Ma'am! You gotta come here! Quick!

Oh, my God! shrieked Ray as she looked in the trunk. Clearly visible was a woman, partially wrapped in a blanket or bedspread.

Is she dead?

I th-th-think so, responded the ashen-faced boy.

By then a few other shoppers had gathered around Ray’s trunk.

Excuse me. Please. I’m a nurse. Let me take a look.

Enough people stepped aside so that the nurse-shopper could get close to the trunk. She removed her right-hand glove and checked the carotid artery of the woman in the trunk. No pulse. She’s dead. Someone call 9-1-1.

Already did, said one of the onlookers. Cops and an ambulance are on their way.

And so is the detective team of Joe McFarland and Ginny Harris.