Death And Deception At The Codwall Inn

by Denise Johnson

About the Author: Denise Johnson has written several mystery, horror, and science fiction short stories appearing in Kings River Life and Blood Moon Rising magazines, as well as several anthologies including Determined Hearts: A Frankenstein Anthology; Black Buttons Vol. 3: A Family Affair; Buried; Murder of Crows; WhoDunit!; A Warm Mug of Cozy; and Portal: The Inner Circle Writer’s Group Children’s Anthology 2019. “The Cold Truth” was published earlier this year in 518 Pub’s antho.

Excerpt

It took all of five minutes for my frustration to swell.

“Ellie, what kind of place is this? There are no locks on the doors,” I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in the air.

She hurried over to examine the entrance to our room. “This is an odd place.”

I glanced around the tiny room. I’d already taken a nasty hit from the closet door handle, an ancient latch and hook made out of iron, no doubt. I caressed the hard lump on my forearm that was beginning to reveal a tinge of black and blue.

“Can’t we just leave?” I pleaded. “We can give them their gift now. Claim an emergency or something.” I peered at Ellie over my readers.

As her head shook no, ringlets of auburn curls bounced. “Are you kidding? I haven’t seen Dixie since we worked together at the District Attorney’s office.”

Ellie proceeded to change into casual wear for the walk we’d agreed upon earlier. There wasn’t much else to do. The Codwall Inn was the it place to host a wedding. Featured in every wedding magazine in the U.S., the inn was dubbed a “quaint venue for exclusive intimate affairs,” according to one of the latest articles highlighting it. Ellie snipped the story out of a bridal magazine and placed it on my desk upon receipt of the invitation.

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