THE THRIVING BED OF DAFFODILS

 

Photo Copyright: Al Forbes

This story was written for Sunday Photo Fiction–September 25th, 2016. Each week the host, Al Forbes, provides a picture prompt. The challenge for each member of the group is to write an original story or poem with no more than 200 words, not including the title and inspired by the prompt.

To read the other stories written by group members, just click on the link below, then on the little blue frog in the blue box.

The link to the other stories this week is as follows:

https://sundayphotofictioner.wordpress.com/2016/09/25/sunday-photo-fiction-september-25th-october-2nd-2016/

Genre: Realistic Mystery Fiction

Word Count: 200 Words

THE THRIVING BED OF DAFFODILS by P.S. Joshi

Detective Gilbert loved cold cases and seeing if he could solve some before he retired. He did it on his own time so no one objected. He’d solved a few. With the introduction of DNA testing, it became easier.

He was especially interested in the disappearance of wealthy young widow, Margo Hitchens. First, her husband had died suddenly in an auto accident. The car found abandoned and burned yielded no clues to identify the driver.

Gilbert suspected Margo’s stepfather who would inherit both her share and his if she couldn’t be found. He drove out to the estate but wasn’t allowed on the ground.

He thought,  My hands are tied.

He was suspicious of various landscaping projects carried out on the property, especially a thriving bed of daffodils. The department head finally gave permission for the grounds to be excavated due to  pressure from other family members, part owners of the grounds. Detective Gilbert had sought their help, explaining his suspicions.

Digging began on a Tuesday. Shortly someone shouted, “We’ve found a body.” It was later identified as a former servant. Margo’s body was eventually found in a rose bed nearer the house. Case solved.

* * *

[Additional note: The servant was thought to have been the driver of the car that struck and killed Margo’s husband. It was also thought he’d been paid well by her stepfather.]