Too Close To Home - (A Mystery Suspense Thriller)

Chapter One: The First Photograph

"Hurry up, Missy, or you'll miss the bus!" Sheila Howard called out to her daughter as she quickly filled her favorite coffee mug. She could hear Melissa Howard's footsteps as she hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Sheila glanced out of the kitchen window. It was a beautiful fall morning. The sun was rising brightly over the horizon and the the tree in the yard near the window was full of yellow, red and orange leaves. Sheila always loved this time of the year. The weather outside was slightly chilly, but not bitterly cold. For a brief moment she thought about how she and her husband used to sit at the small kitchen table and drink their morning coffee together as they'd wait for Melissa to come down to breakfast. He'd be reading some new headline story on his smartphone and asking Sheila the details about whatever current case she was working on at the time.

Sheila smiled to herself as she recalled the memory. The sound of her daughter's voice snapped her out of her trance and back into reality.

"I need lunch money, mom."

Sheila looked at her daughter standing in front of her with her right palm held out. Melissa had truly grown into a stunning-looking young lady. Her long, wavy blonde hair hung loosely around her slender shoulders in thick, shiny locks. She had emerald-green eyes that sparkled whenever she laughed and lit up in anger whenever she was frustrated. Her milky complexion was nearly flawless, especially for an adolescent in her teenage years, since they often had issues with acne or other hormonal facial skin blemishes. But Sheila couldn't even remember the last time her daughter had complained of a pimple or blackhead.

"Mom?" Melissa repeated.

"Sure thing, hon. Grab my purse off the table," Sheila replied as she screwed the lid of her red and white coffee mug on tightly. Missy handed her mother her purse and Sheila dug out a five dollar bill and handed it to her daughter.

"Thanks," Missy said, and laid a peck on her mom's left cheek. Then, she grabbed her jacket and back pack off of the wall hook in the hallway and quickly headed out of the front door.

"Yeah, thank me when you finally get a job!" Sheila jokingly called out after her.

**

Sheila pulled into the parking lot of the Graysville Police Department and cut her car off. She grabbed her keys, picked up her briefcase and coffee mug and then headed inside. The halls of the station were busy with everyone hustling and bustling about, as it usually was on any given Monday morning. Sheila greeted everyone she passed on the way to her desk with a nod, a smile, or a casual "good morning."

Graysville was a suburban city with only about 500,000 residents. About 18 years ago, she and her husband, Clyde Howard, had relocated there when he was offered a job at one of the most prestigious law firms in the area. They had bought their 4-bedroom ranch home with the intent of filling it with 2 or 3 children; however, a serious complication during Sheila's first delivery had resulted in an emergency tubal ligation and after Melissa, the couple had been unable to have any more children.

Melissa had been the best thing that ever happened to the happy couple and they enjoyed 13 years of happiness together. Until one day, when Melissa was thirteen, Clyde suddenly passed away from a heart attack he suffered during a court proceeding.

At the autopsy, it had been revealed that Clyde had an enlarged heart caused by a rare circulatory disorder. He'd had a life insurance policy that had paid for his funeral and burial, and had also left a significant chunk of money behind for his wife and daughter. But, Sheila missed him everyday and would have gladly given back every penny of the insurance money to have the love of her life back at her side.