The Secret Garden Of Martha Grim.
by Richard A. Lopez (c)1992

Page 8....


Willie Cole found that it was not hard at all to follow Martha's car, she actually drove the speed limit! He made no attempt to conceal the fact either. Though she tried to weave in and out of what little traffic there was on the county road, Cole was actually having fun toying with her. "No way you're losing me, bitch!" he said aloud. "I'm gonna hound your sweet ass till you give me what I want."

All the time he was pursuing Martha, Willie had failed to notice that he had picked up a tail of his own. Sheriff Roy Quinn had been shadowing Cole ever since he noticed him pull onto the main highway. Quinn didn't like the bastard, never had. He could never understand how such fine upstanding folks like Bob and Kate Cole could have such a shit for a son. Though Quinn had only known the Cole's for a short time, he had come to like them very much. Bob Cole was a very hard working man, All his clients liked him and he always had a kind word for everyone. His wife, Kate, worked at the county clerks office. Even at the age of fifty-two, she was a very attractive woman. At least Roy thought so. Though he would never let Bob know that, he had too much respect for the man. Still, he was always a bit jealous that he had not met her earlier in his lifetime.

But that was three years ago. Now, because some idiot didn't know when he'd had enough, Bob and Kate Cole were dead. Killed on the highway like some stray animal.
The kicker was that the guy that hit them, only suffered minor injuries. He was now doing seven years in the State penitentiary. Seven years for two lives, hardly seemed fair. He was a rich kid, from old family money and that is what saved him. If Roy had had his way, the runt would have been staring down the business end of his twelve gauge shotgun, saying his sweet goodbye's to this world.