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Bette Cox Fiction, Nonfiction, and Inspirational Writing

The Simsville Inheritance

Avery Alderson has inherited an entire town from her Aunt Myrtle. What on earth will she do with it? Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 29 - Silver's feeling grayer

Silver kept going through his meticulous shorthand, making sure he had everything recorded that was important. Since he was the unofficial Council secretary, everyone expected him to be scribbling away in every meeting, whether it was the current situation or something ordinary.

He had returned to his own office at the Cryer, made himself a pot of tea and settled into his chair to think.

Charlotte's kidnapping had been disturbing but at least she was home, safe and sound. Some cash gone, unfortunately, but it was little enough exchange for the girl's return.

What was more disturbing was how it was done, from her first disappearance to the money being collected. Not exactly professional but not exactly amateurish. It seemed like someone with inside information about the girl's family and their ability to pay.

Everyone in this little town kept a low profile; they certainly didn't flaunt their financial status in any way to draw attention to themselves. So how did this guy know her folks had that kind of resources?

Continued...

To contact Bette Cox:

1231-1 Via Ponticello
Florence, SC 29501
(843) 665-7620
E-mail bettecox@bellsouth.net

Bette Cox

Elizabeth G. "Bette" Cox grew up in Florence, in the heart of South Carolina's Pee Dee region. She attended the University of South Carolina at Florence, now Francis Marion University, and in 2006 received a Certificate as Oral Historian from UCLA-Davis. This site is dedicated to her first love, writing.

Bette's Blogs

Talk With Bette - Information and opinions. If it interests me, it'll interest you.

S. C. Family Memories - Remembrances of growing up in South Carolina

Speaking of Heaven - Ideas and mental images about heaven.

Esther's Petition - Bible studies and meditations from Scripture.

Tapister - Threads of current news weaving an end-times tapestry.

The Defending Blade - Full-length novel with historical background; uploaded in serial form.

"You're the Dog Lady!"

Dogs and cats, rabbits and lizards - pets have always been part of my family's life. Most have been welcome, pure-bred or mongrel.

Back in the 1970's I had a bit of an adventure with six half-grown pups. Our mini-farm was thirteen miles from town, out of sight of any other houses and with lots of room for pets to roam. We had just the right number, a couple of hounds to satisfy the dog-lovers among us and several cats to satisfy us cat-lovers.

Then one day six half-grown pups showed up. Dropped off without permission, they sported perky ears and humongous paws. Mastiffs?! I thought as they pranced around my feet. No, probably labrador mixed with something else. They were friendly, lively and very hungry. Our resident pets took cover under the station wagon and atop the tool shed, barking and growling to beat the band. The visitors didn't seem to mind. Their curiosity took over and nose to ground they went snooping around the car to see what the fuss was all about.

After a couple of days the uninvited visitors had outgrown their welcome. No bush or tree or blade of grass had gone unscathed and I began to understand why their former master had made us this "gift." Our own animals couldn't eat their dinner outdoors any more, the cats seldom ventured down out of trees and reluctantly I realized it was going to be my task to solve this problem.

The next Saturday the children and I spent the morning rounding up the herd, one of the kids opening the back door of the station wagon a little as I grabbed a pup around the middle and squeezed him inside the car. If we weren't careful, while pup number two was going in, pup number one was coming out!