Murder, Horses, and the Return of Bartholomew Skeleton
A glimpse into the suspenseful world of Ivy Snow
There’s something uniquely satisfying about a mystery that unfolds against the backdrop of horse country.
The world of The Ivy Snow Mystery Series blends equestrian life, suspense, family secrets, and just enough danger to keep everyone looking over their shoulder. Today, I wanted to share a short excerpt that drops readers directly into one of Ivy’s worst nightmares.
When convicted bigamist and criminal defense attorney Bartholomew Skeleton escapes from prison, Ivy is forced to confront the very real possibility that the past is about to come crashing back into her life.
What follows is Chapter One of Death at Heart’s Desire.
CHAPTER 1
A disembodied voice filled the room with words that shook me to the core.
“Convicted bigamist Bartholomew Skeleton has escaped from the Rockville State Penitentiary.”
My coffee mug slipped from my hand and smashed to pieces on the kitchen countertop. I must be hearing things. I caught my breath and listened intently for the next words.
“Skeleton, one of Philadelphia’s most prominent criminal defense attorneys, escaped the minimum security prison while serving a five year sentence. Skeleton was married simultaneously to former Olympic equestrian and magazine publisher, Ivy Snow, and world champion Saddleseat horsewoman, Marion Fallon. He was last seen on work detail in the south field of the facility’s farm at about five p.m. yesterday. If anyone knows the whereabouts of Bartholomew Skeleton, please contact the Pennsylvania State Police. This is Jane Jefferson reporting for WPSA-FM News.”
I stood frozen. It couldn’t be. My worst nightmare.
I lived in dread of the day that man got out of jail, knowing that the first thing on his agenda would be revenge. My mind echoed with Bart’s last words as they took him into custody.
“I’ll get you for this, Ivy… you bitch!”
Being the complete narcissist that Bart is, he could never accept the fact that he landed in jail because he committed a crime. Oh no, he blamed me because I had the audacity to turn him in.
What should I do?
I looked around at the floor to ceiling windows that graced every room at Little Paddocks. Except for the alarm system hooked up to the doors, our farmhouse was a virtual sieve. Anyone with any amount of determination could break in. I glanced at the closet that held my gun safe.
My only firearm is a Beretta 12 gauge used for sporting clays. I know I should have a handgun, but I never got around to buying one. Now I would have to move fast to protect myself and the twins. Not that I thought Bart would harm them, but there was always the chance they could get caught in the crossfire.
The phone was ringing in the background. I finally snapped out of my trance and picked up the receiver. Detective John Garrett’s rich, deep voice came over the line, instantly sending a wave of relief through my body.
“Hello Ivy, I suppose you heard about Bart. Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes. Well, no. I just heard about it on the radio and I’m still trying to get over the shock. How did this happen, John?”
“Prepare yourself, Ivy. It’s really bizarre. From what we can piece together, Bart was out working in the fields, as he does most days, when he met up with Samantha Gethen, who picked him up in her Subaru Forester, and they simply drove away.”
“Who is Samantha Gethen?”
“She is the wife of Reverend Jeremiah Gethen, chaplain at Rockville.”
“What? What does she have to do with Bart?”
“She helped him escape, or maybe it would be more accurate to say they escaped together. Apparently, they concocted a plan while she was ‘ministering’ to him as part of her husband’s Finding Religion program at the prison.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me!”
“No, I’m afraid not. Bart must have sweet talked her into believing he was in love with her.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. I know how persuasive he can be in that department,” I said, still trying to recover from his betrayal of me.
“As crazy as it sounds, Mrs. Gethen met up with Bart while he was on unsupervised farm detail and he simply got in the car with her and off they went.”
“So much for minimum security prisons.”
Bart can turn on the charm, alright, but to talk a preacher’s wife into helping him escape from jail… wow. Actually, nothing Bart does should surprise me. He’s got balls of steel.
“What are the police doing about it?”
“We put out an all points bulletin, we’re setting up roadblocks on all the major highways, and checkpoints at the airport and bus station. That’s all we can do for now, but Ivy, I’m worried about you. I’m calling Sentinel Security to come out and tighten things up around there. Also, I’m bringing out my Luger. That 12 gauge you have won’t be much help if Bart suddenly tries to break in.”
I sat down on the counter stool and tried to process it all. I never felt so isolated. It was as if I could hear the walls breathe. Little Paddocks had always been a safe haven for me. Now I felt trapped.
My thoughts turned to Jayson and Jaycee. Thank heaven the twins were in New York with Sloane. She was treating them to a Taylor Swift concert to celebrate their fourteenth birthday. I needn’t worry about them when they were with Sloane. She’s got superior survival skills.
I punched in her number on my speed dial.
“Hi Sloane! How’s it going?”
“Great, Ivy. The kids and I are having a wonderful time. Just ate hot dogs from a vendor’s cart at Rockefeller Center. They got a big kick out of it. Said there’s nothing like it in Wellington, Pennsylvania. No kidding! What’s up with you?”
“Brace yourself, Sloane. I have big news. Bart escaped from prison yesterday.”
The silence on the other end of the phone seemed to last for an eternity. I thought maybe I’d lost the signal. Finally she spoke.
“This is very bad, Ivy. You’ve got to protect yourself. You know Bart. He’ll be determined to make good on his threat for revenge. He’s coming after you. You know that.”
“John’s on his way over to tighten things up around here.”
“Maybe you should ask John to stay with you until Bart is caught.”
“Ah, we’re not exactly in that place in our relationship.”
“There’s no time like the present,” she said with a smile in her voice. “Don’t worry about the kids. They can stay here with me until this thing is over.”
“Jaycee hasn’t said anything about having visions of Bart, has she?”
“No, she hasn’t.”
“Good. Keep a close eye on her, Sloane. Her psychic ability can kick in at any time. If she gets real quiet on you, that’s the first sign.”
“I’ll call you right away if anything happens. What have you told the kids about Bart? You know, about his not being around or never hearing from him?”
“I told them he’s in the witness protection program.”
“You told them what?”
“I told them he had turned state’s evidence against some mobster who wanted to hire him as his defense attorney. I told them he had to assume a new identity to protect us all.”
“Wow, Ivy. What a story. The kids bought that?”
“Yes. You have to remember they were much younger when all this came down. They would have believed anything I told them. The witness protection story is now just a part of their lives. They never question it. As a matter of fact, they think of Bart as a hero, when they think of him at all.”
“But what are you going to do when they learn the truth?”
“I don’t know. That’s where this genius idea of mine falls apart. I was in such a state of confusion when I concocted that story. I didn’t give enough thought to how they would be affected if Bart were to come back into their lives. I guess I’ll have to cross that bridge when I come to it.”
Sloane Parker frowned. “Well, you better start thinking about it now before all this hits the fan.”
“I know, you’re right. Oh, Sloane, I’ve got to go. I see someone coming up the drive. It must be John and the security company.”
“Be sure before you open the door.”
“Okay, kiss the twins for me.”
“I will… and Ivy, please be careful.”
The Sentinel Security guys set to task laying out their plans for increased coverage. John put his hand on my elbow and guided me toward the kitchen.
“Ivy, I need to talk to you,” he whispered in my ear.
I felt my heart starting to race. Was it his close proximity, or anxiousness about what he had to tell me?
He turned around to face me, his eyes burrowing deep into mine. He kept his hand on my arm.
“Ivy, there’s been a development in the case.”
I took a deep breath.
“Samantha Gethen’s dead body has been found floating in the Ashland River.”
And just like that, Ivy’s world begins to unravel.
One of the things I enjoy most about writing The Ivy Snow Mystery Series is weaving suspense into the familiar rhythms of equestrian life. Horse farms, family dynamics, old secrets, and danger all have a way of colliding when Ivy Snow is involved.
I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into her world, and I look forward to sharing more from the series soon.
- The Barngoddess