Convenient Disposal: A Posadas County Mystery (Posadas County Mysteries Book 13)

An odd thing to do, indeed. To most people, hatpins are vestiges of the past, used now only by elderly ladies who don't leave home without a hat. But recently the notion store in Posadas County has been doing a good business in hatpins to teenaged girls at the county middle school, who sharpen the points and carry the pin hidden in the inseam of their jeans.There had been a fight - over a boy - after a volleyball game, and the other girl, Carmen Acosta, had been suspended because of it. But her friends were still around, and Deena wanted something to defend herself with.Not long afterward Estelle is called to Carmen Acosta's home. She knew that of the domestic violence reports on the country records, at least fifty would include the name of the Acostas. When Estelle arrives, Carmen's father, Freddie, is in police custody and an unconscious Carmen is on the way to the hospital. Freddie claims to have come back from the convenience store just down the street, and found "the place tore up and Carmen in her bedroom, beat to a pulp." It is, of course, hard to believe that young Deena is responsible for this kind of mayhem; besides, Estelle has many other suspects to choose from, since the Acosta family holds the record for the number of domestic violence calls the police have received over the past fifteen years. The question is which of the other four children or which parent is responsible? Or is it someone else entirely.

Sheriff Estelle is called to teenager Carmen Acosta's home. When she arrives, Carmen's father, Freddie, is in police custody and an unconscious Carmen is on the way to the hospital beat to a pulp. There has been a fight over a boy, but it is hard to believe that the also young Deena is responsible. Estelle has many other suspects to choose from, since the Acosta family holds the record for the number of domestic violence calls the police have received. The question is, which of the other four children or two parents is responsible? Or is it someone else entirely?

Havill draws his readers into the life of this small border county in New Mexico. Estelle is not only an undersheriff, she is the mother of two delightful little boys, the wife of a warm and likeable surgeon, Mexican-American like herself, and the daughter of a wise old woman whose life has been spent south of the border. But the threats from Havill's fans would have been dire if he had dispensed with Billl Gastner, the dearly loved former sheriff. Bill may officially be retired, but he's quick to give Estelle the value of his experience when she needs it, and proud to have been chosen by the Guzman boys to be their surrogate abuelo-grandfather.

Sheriff Estelle is called to teenager Carmen Acosta's home. When she arrives, Carmen's father, Freddie, is in police custody and an unconscious Carmen is on the way to the hospital "beat to a pulp." There has been a fight over a boy, but it is hard to believe that the also young Deena is responsible. Estelle has many other suspects to choose from, since the Acosta family holds the record for the number of domestic violence calls the police have received. The question is, which of the other four children or two parents is responsible? Or is it someone else entirely? Havill draws his readers into the life of this small border county in New Mexico. Estelle is not only an undersheriff, she is the mother of two delightful little boys, the wife of a warm and likeable surgeon, Mexican-American like herself, and the daughter of a wise old woman whose life has been spent south of the border. But the threats from Havill's fans would have been dire if he had dispensed with Billl Gastner, the dearly loved former sheriff. Bill may officially be retired, but he's quick to give Estelle the value of his experience when she needs it, and proud to have been chosen by the Guzman boys to be their surrogate abuelo—grandfather. Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman can't help but feel that the recent beating of Carmen Acosta and the disappearance of Carmen's neighbor, Kevin Ziegler, are related. She's just not sure how. There had been a fight--over a boy. Carmen Acosta had been suspended for six days, Deena for only three. And Carmen's vengeful friends were still around. To most people, hat pins are vestiges of the past, used now only by elderly ladies who don't leave home without a hat. But Deena wanted something to defend herself with. Is Deena somehow responsible for Carmen's injuries? Estelle has many suspects to choose from, since the Acosta family holds the record for the number of domestic violence calls the police have received. Is someone in the family responsible? Or is it someone else entirely? County manager Ziegler had a good relationship with Carmen's family, and was well respected in the community. Did Ziegler have a darker secret? Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman investigates two separate cases that, to her, seem connected--but she doesn't know how. Carmen Acosta was brutally beaten after getting suspended for a fight in school with Deena, the two girls fighting over a boy. Not helping things is the fact that the Acosta family holds first place for the most domestic violence calls in police records. Meanwhile, county manager Ziegler has disappeared, and had a good relationship with Carmen's family, being their neighbor. However, with his disappearance, Reyes-Guzman must look into Ziegler's secrets "Former beauty queen and fledgling private investigator Madeline Maclin, has married her best friend, Jerry Fairweather, and settled into his old house in the small town of Celosia, North Carolina ... And now Madeline is involved in the mysterious death of Amelia Lever, an unpopular teacher at Celosia Elementary School ... And then there's Maddy's latest case. Nathan Fenton has hired her to help solve a riddle left to him by his Uncle Elijah, a man who loved to play games ..."--Jacket Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman is called in to investigate a scene of domestic violence, but she becomes suspicious of an outside assailant when the family's next-door neighbor disappears