Murder on the Columbia Dredge

Pat Duggan

Description

What possible connection could there be between a dredge and an accountant from Seattle?
This book is set in the picturesque town of Newport on the Central Oregon Coast. It is a favorite tourist destination for those who live in both Portland and Seattle, although it retains its small-town atmosphere. Its residents enjoy the active commercial fishing harbor, as well as the unique attractions of an Aquarium and the Pacific Coast Center.
Each year the ocean currents move sand into the harbor entrance, creating a navigation problem for the fishing fleet residing in the port. In order to keep the channel open, the Columbia Dredge comes into Newport each year, to dredge the sand out of the channel.
Accountant, Hazel Davies, and Chaplain, Anna Kohl, unexpectedly find themselves entangled in a murder mystery, which has the detective in charge completely stumped.
Murder on the Columbia Dredge is the fourth mystery in this series.

Sujets

• Cozy
• Detective
• Mystery
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: eBookIt.com
• Date de parution: 06 décembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781456639969
• Langue: English

Extrait

Murder
 
on the
 
Columbia Dredge
 
By
 
Pat Duggan
 
 
Cover Artwork by Goddess Fish Promotions
Copyright 2022 Pat Duggan,
All rights reserved.
 
 
Formatted, Converted, and Distributed by eBookIt.com
http://www.eBookIt.com
 
 
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-3996-9 (ebook)
 
 
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
DEDICATION
 
This book is dedicated to my life partner, Barbara Copfer, who continues to provide support as I wrestle with the challenges of unraveling the plot. She encourages me both when it is going well and when I am struggling. I am always grateful for her support.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
 
As always, I must first acknowledge God who guides my writing. I never know how my story will unfold and I can only thank God for bringing it to its conclusion.
 
To Barbara, who, often unknowingly provides a key piece of the story just when it is needed. She is always there for me to bounce my ideas off her, providing much-needed insight.
 
To Barbara Copfer and Debbie Deardoff, who repeatedly step forward to help me when needed. They provide a new set of eyes by reading and editing my book to ensure the story flows and remains on track.
CONTENTS
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE
PART ONE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
PART TWO
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
PART THREE
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
PART FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER FORTY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
CHAPTER FIFTY
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
EPILOGUE
PROLOGUE
 
Hazel Davies and Anna Kohl were ready to take a well-earned break from work and the hustle and bustle of Seattle.
Hazel was an accountant for Smith, Johnson, and Fulton Accountants and worked as their senior auditor. It had been a busy summer with several new clients which had resulted in back-to-back audits all season without any time for a break. As a result, Hazel was feeling drained and more than ready for their planned break.
Hazel’s partner, Anna Kohl, was a chaplain at the local hospital. When she was on duty, she was responsible for the spiritual and to some extent, the emotional well-being of the staff, the patients, and their close family. Sitting with patients while they waited for test results was an obvious duty. However, her work also involved helping families to get answers while their loved one was secluded alone in a hospital room. Anna had access to all the closed doors and could obtain information for the family members waiting outside. In addition, the hospital staff, on the front line, often experienced untold stress in their job and sometimes needed a sympathetic ear to relieve their tension.
It was September 2012 and a late summer break before the winter was what they both needed. It was time to leave Seattle and head to the coast. Both Hazel and Anna loved the little-known town of Newport on the Central Oregon Coast and when Saturday morning arrived, they loaded their cases into the car and headed South on I-5. They had decided to take the shortest route down I-5 into Oregon. They traveled through Portland and continued south until they reached Corvallis. Here it was time to turn onto Highway 20 and head West on the road which took them into Newport.
This was a route they had traveled many times before over the years, as they never tired of visiting this peaceful coastal town. Newport was known for its sandy beaches and sheer cliffs, which drew discerning tourists to the coast, primarily from Portland. It was also the main fishing port on the Central Oregon Coast, providing every type of seafood harvested directly from the Pacific Ocean, ranging from crab to tuna and salmon. Tourists eagerly purchased their chosen delicacy directly off the fishing boats when they came into port.
The town boasted not one, but two lighthouses. The original one was the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse situated at the mouth of the Yaquina River and dating back to 1871. It is a unique structure as it was built as a house for the lighthouse keeper and his family, with the light situated on the roof of the building. The second lighthouse was built in 1873 only a few miles to the north on the Yaquina Headland. This is an imposing structure standing ninety-three feet high and providing a welcome light to sailors many miles out into the Pacific Ocean. As a result of the new headland lighthouse, the Bay Lighthouse was decommissioned in 1874 but thankfully was subsequently restored. It is believed to be the oldest structure in Newport; and boasts the only lighthouse with living quarters attached, as well as the only wooden lighthouse in existence.
It was early evening by the time Hazel and Anna had checked into their hotel room overlooking the Pacific Ocean. They decided to take the short drive down to the historic bayfront. They quickly found a parking space and decided to stop and visit the sea lions who resided on floating docks next to Port Dock One. These noisy creatures were known to residents and visitors alike as they could be found in the same location almost year-round, except for a couple of months, when they ventured out to sea to find a mate. After checking out the ‘locals,’ they took the short walk along the bayfront to the Local Ocean Seafood Restaurant, known for the freshest Halibut dinners on the coast. After dinner, it was time to take a leisurely walk along the bayfront and enjoy a little window shopping as they strolled past the many, and varied gift shops before they headed back to their hotel for an early night.
 
The next morning, Hazel and Anna enjoyed a cup of coffee in bed while they watched the news on TV, before heading downstairs for breakfast. They browsed the breakfast bar, and each selected their breakfast of choice. They found a table by the window overlooking the ocean and sat down. It was time to figure out what they were going to do for the day. They quickly decided to stay close to town and save their usual trips up and down the coast for another day.
It was a cool day and showers had been forecast for the coast. Both agreed it would be a good day to visit the Pacific Coast Center, then maybe stop at the Newport Aquarium nearby. The Pacific Coast Center focused on various aspects of marine research, but the most popular attractions were the resident octopus and the tide pool touch tank. The Aquarium offered outdoor exhibits ranging from seabirds to sea lions and otters, but at the same time, they could retreat indoors if it rained.
After breakfast, they quickly gathered what they would need for the day, including a sweater and a jacket. Their many trips to Newport had taught them that a rainproof jacket was a necessity on the coast as the wind was often too strong for an umbrella.
They left the hotel and headed across the Yaquina Bridge toward their first stop, the Pacific Coast Center. This was always a favorite stop for Hazel as the exhibits reflected the ongoing research being carried out offshore by the local university. In addition to the work related to all aspects of marine life and the ongoing health of the ocean, Hazel was most interested in tsunami research.
Earthquakes and potential tsunamis were widely reported in California, but here on the Oregon Coast, most people did not give it a thought. However, through the research and exhibits here, Hazel had learned that there was in fact, a major fault line only about two hundred miles off the central coast of Oregon. It was known as the Juan De Fuca Fault and historically it shifted about every three hundred years. Geological history and records discovered in Japan on the other side of the Pacific Ocean indicated that the last shift on this fault line resulted in an earthquake in 1700 A.D. Whenever they visited Newport, Hazel was always keen to check out the latest research.
When they arrived at the Pacific Coast Center, Hazel immediately made her way to the research exhibits to find out the latest report from the undersea research along the fault line. Anna, on the other hand, liked to check on the live exhibits. Although the octopus was not her favorite marine creature, it was one of the major displays and she felt obligated to check it out. Next, she moved to the touch tank where the starfish and the sea anemones waved gently in the current created in the tank. Anna enjoyed watching the children as they tentatively touched the sea anemones and then giggled at the way they felt. After they had each checked their favorite locations, Hazel and Anna walked around the remaining exhibits to check all the different types of research being carried out by the University.
While at the Center, they ventured outside and walked across to the dock. This was utilized by various research vessels as a base for taking on supplies between trips out into the Pacific Ocean. When they had arrived earlier, Hazel and Anna had noticed an unusually large ship moored at the dock and they decided to take a closer