Buried in Briny Bay

Chapter One
“Somebody’s gone and murdered somebody.” Roxie Turner sat down on a stool and stared at her sister. “Don’t forget you heard it here first.”

Trixie stopped frying burgers and turned. “I TiVo’d ‘As the World Churns.’ Did you have to ruin it for me?”

“I’m not talkin’ about TV.” Roxie leaned forward. “They found a body in the landfill. Jack texted me from the site with the bulletin.”

“Boy he sure gave you a lot of details. Why didn’t you alert the media?” Trixie turned her back on Roxie as she pulled the burgers from the grill. “Honestly, Rox, you’re so gullible. Remember, Jack was also the one who told you a spaceship had landed in the Bulldog Stadium.”

Roxie slapped her hand down on the counter. “Trix, you know good and well he did that after I’d been abducted. Shit, nobody here’s ever gonna believe aliens locked me and that California foreigner in a shed to do experiments on us. Thank God we got saved before that. Jack was trying to make a funny to get back at me. He doesn’t know how much that whole experience marred me for life.”

“Being told about the spaceship or having your brains screwed out by that guy in the shed?” Trixie cackled as she wrapped the last burger in paper and put them in a paper bag. “But, I have to admit I’m sure you experimented. Number nine-hundred-forty-one!” she screamed out across the diner.

“I did not have my brains screwed out,” Roxie said in a hoarse whisper. “Though I will say I was pleasantly euphoric afterwards despite the aliens’ intent. Until the full impact of what happened hit me.”

Trixie smirked. “Yeah, you mean when that guy packed up and left here as fast as he could run?”

“He was as frightened as I was.” Roxie turned her nose up in the air. Trixie doubled over laughing. “Boy howdy, I would say having sex with you must be a frightening experience.”

“What’s with the nine-hundred-forty-one anyways?” Roxie asked, apparently refusing to comment on her remark.

Trixie placed her finger to her lips and nodded in the approaching man’s direction. As he paid for his order, he took the bag. “I’ll be back the next time I’m through here.”

“Call ahead to make sure we have a booth.” Trixie shot Roxie a warning glare. As soon as the door closed behind him, she turned back to her sister. “That’s why the big numbers. Ever since that contest for the vending company got held in our town, and that bigwig reporter published an article about Briny Bay and the Happy Daze Diner, people actually come here just to eat.”

Roxie crossed her arms. “Wrong. They come here because they think this is going to be the new Rozwell.”

“They’re not that crazy.” Trixie leaned on the counter. “Only you are.”

“Call me crazy if you like, but the guy who kidnapped us looked exactly like one of the guys in ‘Men in Black’.”

“Now that’s just plain silly.” Trixie walked over and grabbed a mug and picking up the coffee pot, poured herself a cup. “If memory serves me right, they were the only ones who weren’t aliens.”

“What better cover?” Roxie motioned at the cup. “Let me have some java too, leaded if you don’t mind. I need the caffeine.”

Holding Roxie’s cup, Trixie swiveled as a breeze blew through the front door. She grinned. “Well, hello, tall, dark and legal. Come on over here, Jack, and tell Trix all about that there body you found in a mound of last week’s leftovers.”

Jack strutted over to the counter. That was her brother. He played the part of the Southern lawman to the tee, all the way down to the way he hitched his pants. Trixie bit back a laugh. “Open up fella, we haven’t got all day.”

“I have bad news.” Jack perched on a stool, one foot still on the ground. “But first I have to ask you two a few questions.”

Roxie chuckled. “I guess we’re suspects, right?”

Trixie placed Roxie’s mug down in front of her. “Come on sis, stop acting like this is a mystery. Your hit man finally offed Georgia. How much did you have to pay him?”

Jack’s mouth was a grim line. “So, Roxie, what do you know about her death?”