Death and a Life in Emerald Cove
Cast

Copyright© 2014 by Jay Cantrell

Chicago Cast

Bryant Hawkins —

Former Chicago Police detective

Jan Elliot — Former Chicago Police detective

Angel Jimenez — Bryant's teenaged neighbor

Dave Jimenez — Bryant's neighbor

Maria Jimenez — Bryant's neighbor

Emerald Cove Cast

Steve Curtis — City council president

Leona Curtis — Steve's wife

Linda Roberts — City council administrator

Bill Roberts — Linda's husband

Chuck O'Bannon — Pub owner and former Boston police officer

Jonah Attenborough — City prosecutor

Allyson Granger — Assistant city prosecutor

Lou Granger — Allyson's father

Charmaine Granger — Allyson's mother

The Victim and Her Family

Mary Beth Brockleman — College student murdered in Emerald Cove

Susan Brockleman — Mary Beth's mother

The Gallia Five

Jonathan Mayfield — College student in Cincinnati, Ohio

Richard Currence — College student in Huntington, W.Va.

Trevor Adams — College student in Columbus, Ohio

Joey Straight — College student in Marietta, Ohio

Mark Shrekengost — Laborer in Bedford, Pa.

Outside Police Officers

Holly Garvin — Huntington, W.Va., Police detective

Barry Chumley — Gallia County, Ohio, Sheriff's deputy sergeant

Ed Strelzcyzk — Cincinnati Police detective

Mike Mitchell — Ohio State Patrolman

South Carolina State Police

Ron Wilson — Captain of the local barracks

Bea Harrison — Crime scene and forensic tech

Emerald Cove Police

Regina Post — Detective First Grade

Jim Andrews — Detective Third Grade

Aaron Marks — Detective Third Grade

Mickey Garrett — Detective Third Grade

Carlos Morales — Detective Second Grade, forensic tech

Scott Lewis — Community and media relations liaison

Adele Coleman — Duty sergeant

Stan Williams — Duty sergeant

Others from Emerald Cove

Anna Kozlov — Angel's best friend

Erik Kozlov — Anna's father

Beth Kozlov — Anna's daughter

Rosa Delgado — Cook at O'Bannon's Pub

Mira Delgado — Rosa's granddaughter

Cassidy Bell — Teenage theft suspect

Herman Tallmadge — Convicted sex offender

Ohio Cast

Ryan Lucas — America First Posse member

Derek Parsons — America First Posse hitman

Kelley Lucas — Lucas' wife

Caroline Lucas — Lucas' daughter

Ronnie Lucas — Lucas' son

Sanford, S.C., Cast

Melinda Pahl — Suspected sex offender

Victor Yoxley — Suspected sex offender

Danielle Pahl — Melinda's daughter

Ashlynn Pahl — Melinda's daughter


Author's Note

As my writing has grown more ambitious, moving from short stories of about 20 chapters to novel-length offerings, I've discovered the necessity to have two stories going at the same time.

That allows me not only to move away from a story to flesh out sections that have proven troublesome, it keeps me from getting bored with the characters in either effort. I believe it was boredom that forced me to cut short many of my earlier efforts before I took the characters all the places I could have.

"Death and a Life in Emerald Cove" began as a sidelight to "A Flawed Diamond." I continued to work on it after I started posting "Diamond" and as I worked on the next novel-length story I'll post at Stories Online in a few months.

"Emerald Cove" is different from anything I've written. I am certain some of my more devoted readers will be disappointed with certain aspects of the subject matter. The story doesn't revolve around a happy group of friends. It doesn't have a light and funny romance. It has very little levity.

"Emerald Cove" is about a burn-out Chicago detective, a man with no real friends, let along funny ones. The story is dark, even in its lighter moments.

I have been advised by my longtime editor, BlackIrish, that some of the chapters should have advisory tags. I've decided that I'm not going to do things that way.

Although given the low readership (or at least the low reader retention) of my previous Author's Notes this probably isn't the best place either.

There is no description of sexual activities between the characters in the story. However, there are graphic descriptions of non-consensual sexual activity during several courtroom scenes and there are scenes involving child sexual abuse. The descriptions are not designed to be titillating. They are descriptions of criminal activities.

I do not portray sexual assault and child abuse as anything less than I view them: sickening acts perpetrated by sub-humans.

If you draw sexual excitement from these activities, it is probably better that you close this story now. Likewise, if such descriptions trouble you to the point you cannot function, this is not the story for you.

I truly hope both groups I have described will heed this warning and act accordingly. I also truly hope you will return to my homepage in a few months when my next story is posted. It is more like my usual fare.

The typical disclaimers apply: This is a work of fiction, any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental; I hold the sole copyright of this work and will defend that copyright if this story should appear, in whole or in part, on any site without my knowledge and consent.

There are also the non-traditional disclaimers that usually accompany my work.

Emerald Cove, South Carolina, is a fictitious city. Other places in the story, Gallipolis and Cincinnati, Ohio; Huntington, West Virginia; Sanford, South Carolina, are real.

This story is in no way meant to be an accurate portrayal of life in any location mentioned in the story. I am particularly rough on the citizens and public servants of Gallia County, Ohio. I have not visited Gallia County in two decades. The last time I was there, it was a lovely place. I simply needed places to set the story and I chose places with which I am familiar.

It is not my intention to defame or denigrate any public official in any location described in the story. If anyone is offended by the way I have portrayed places in this story, please accept my sincere apology.

I am not an attorney. I took the same license with courtroom testimony that television and other writers often take. I did not follow strict rules of testimony or evidence, instead choosing to make the scenes more interesting than actual courtroom testimony often is. As a newspaper writer, I have covered numerous trials. There is little excitement in them. Instead, it is mostly a dry recitation of fact.

In real trials, there are no "Perry Mason" moments when the real killer breaks down in tears and confesses. There are no surprise witnesses and few revelations that are unknown to either side. The rules of evidence and testimony prevent such things.

Where I could, I have pulled excerpts from actual trials, edited and fictionalized, to lend authenticity to a subject I know little about.

If you are an attorney and you take umbrage at the way the scenes are portrayed, please accept my apologies.

I am not a psychiatrist or a psychologist. The thoughts and rationalizations I describe for certain characters are not intended to be construed as those offered by medical professionals. I used my interpretations on the subject matter as fodder for the character's thoughts.

If I haven't scared you away by this point, I hope you'll enjoy "Death and a Life in Emerald Cove."

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