Casey Mayes - A Killer Column

“We could always retire in Raleigh instead,” he said. “We’ve got some good friends who live here.”

“Don’t get me wrong; it’s nice,” I said as he pulled out of her development and onto the main highway that would soon lead us to I-40 West, going home, “but the mountains always call me home.”

“I’m glad, because I’d hate to leave our little place in the woods.”

I reached behind the seat and pulled out a legal pad and the special type of pencil I loved.

As I started creating a new puzzle, Zach said, “Hey, nobody said you could work all of the way home.”

“Would you rather talk about that job offer you got in Asheville instead?” I asked as I put my pencil down.

“No, do your puzzle, and I’ll drive.”

As I worked on a new puzzle, I kept wondering what he would do. A full-time job would dramatically change our lives, and not for the better, as far as I was concerned. But in the end, it was Zach’s decision, and I knew that unless I was dead-set against it, he’d make the best decision he could, for both of us.

WE WERE NEARLY TO STATESVILLE WHEN ZACH SAID,

“I’ve made my decision about the job.”

That was it? There wasn’t even going to be a discussion? “What did you decide?”

“Unless you are completely against it,” he said, his voice low and resigned, “I’m going to turn them down.”

“I understand,” I said, and then it caught up with me. “What did you just say?”

Zach laughed. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Savannah, I like the way our lives are right now. Why would I want to get behind a desk again? Things are good, so let’s not mess them up.”

I put my puzzle down and kissed his cheek. “That sounds wonderful to me.”

“I thought it might,” he said.

By the time we got near the Hickory exit, I thought about my uncles, and their great Alaskan adventure. I wondered where they were at that moment, and Zach surprised me by slowing down and getting off the exit. I glanced at the fuel gauge and said, “We don’t need gas.”

“No, but there are a couple of men who’d love to see you. Tom and Barton called this morning. They’re at Tom’s, and they asked me if we’d stop in and see them.”

“And you didn’t tell me?” I said, slapping playfully at his arm.

“They wanted it to be a surprise.” He just grinned at me as he added, “Surprise.”

I had to laugh. It would be good having my family together again. I’d come close to dying at that park, and there wasn’t anything in the world that made me more thankful for what I had than coming close to losing it all.

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Puzzles

NUMBERS HIDE AND SEEK

Find the pattern, and then discover the missing number!

PUZZLE 1

7, 11, 33, 37, ____, 115, 345, 349

PUZZLE 2

24, 96, 48, 192, _____, 384

SOLUTION 1

7, 11, 33, 37, 111, 115, 345, 349

Pattern:add 4, multiply by 3

Formula:7 + 4 = 11; 11 × 3 = 33; 33 + 4 = 37; 37 × 3 = 111; 111 + 4 = 115; 115 × 3 = 345; 345 + 4 = 349

SOLUTION 2

24, 96, 48, 192, 96, 384

Pattern:multiply by 4, divide by 2

Formula:24 × 4 = 96; 96 / 2 = 48; 48 × 4 =192; 192 / 2 = 96; 96 × 4 = 384

BLOCKHEADS

Discover the missing numbers! Two touching blocks on one level add up to the block above it.

PUZZLE 1

SOLUTION 1

PUZZLE 2

SOLUTION 2

Berkley Prime Crime titles by Casey Mayes

A DEADLY ROW

A KILLER COLUMN