Body Over Troubled Waters

May 15, 2021
A school psychologist covering three schools finds a trio of crises on her hands. Recently returned from maternity leave, Skye Denison-Boyd needs all the help she can get serving the entire student body at Scumble River's elementary school, middle school, and high school. Her intern, Piper Townsend, is a godsend, but she also relies on security officer Scott Ricci to provide extra support. Too bad the district's superintendent, Dr. Shamus Wraige, decides the district doesn't need a security officer; instead they need an attendance and residency investigator, who just happens to be Wraige's son, Tavish. Unfortunately but predictably, Tavish is useless in dealing with Skye's first crisis: an active shooter at the high school. Once Skye's handled that volatile situation, the next blow lands closer to home. Her godfather, Charlie Patukas, has been arrested for alleged dirty dealings at his motel, the Up A Lazy River Motor Courts. Skye has to hand off that emergency to her sister-in-law, attorney Loretta Steiner-Denison, when the third horse in her trifecta of woe crosses the finish line. Dr. Wraige is found dead in his home, pierced by the tip of an arrow held by a statue of Cupid. Thanks to the superintendent's unpleasant personality and unorthodox sexual preferences, suspects abound. But Skye wants to get this one wrapped up quickly because, as any school psychologist knows, you just can't get any work done with a homicidal maniac running loose. As misfortunes multiply, each one loses some punch. Next time, maybe fewer but choicer aggravations?

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