A. M. Potter - Bay of Blood

World-renownedpainter Thom Tyler is murdered in Georgian Bay, Canada. Theconsensus is that Tyler had no enemies. Why would anyone murderhim?

DetectiveSergeant Eva Naslund goes to work with a homicide team from OPPCentral. They find no useful blood, print, or DNA evidence. Theyturn to financial forensics and criminal psychology. Tylerspaintings are worth millions, yet hes deeply in debt to banks andhis art agent. Just as the investigation opens a new lead, courtesyof Tylers friend, J.J. MacKenzie, MacKenzie is murdered. The teamis back to ground zero--with two murders to solve.

KUDOSfor Bay of Blood

Potterhas written the quintessential Canadian murder mystery with aliterary flourish and all the elements of a riveting read. ~Lesley Choyce, author of The Republic ofNothing, Sea of Tranquility, The Book of Michael, among others

Thereare many clever details in Potters Bay of Blood with closeparallels to Tom Thomsons life and death (1917). However, Pottertakes his readers on a fascinating 21st-century chase, with bellsand whistles never dreamt of one hundred years ago: cell phones,female detectives, Russian operatives, and shady Toronto artdealers. ~ Sherrill Grace, University Killam Professor Emerita,University of British Columbia, author of Landscapes of War and Memory and Inventing Tom Thomson

A genuinepage-turner! Detective Eva Naslund grapples with few clues and manysuspects, all of whom seem guilty of the murder of her friend, aninternationally famous painter. Page after page, Potter revealscaptivating character twists and Naslunds creative forensicskills. ~ Bertrum MacDonald, Information Management Professor,Dalhousie University

This elegant, insightful murder mysteryis a credit to its genre. The mystery unfolds with an homage to themagnificent landscapes that inspired Canadas legendary Group ofSeven. Clearly the work of a seasoned writer, this expertly-craftednovel is the first to be published from journalist and foreign newscorrespondent A.M. Potter. Fortunately, he has more up his sleeve.~ Suzanne Barcza. Litbrowser.com, Author of Likely Stories

A moderndetective story set in the timelessness of a small town. Layeredlike paint, the details and characters create a complex picture.This candid vista of human nature is laid bare against the Canadianlandscape. ~ S.M. Collins. Author of To BeHuman Again

In EvaNaslund, we discover a sleuth who is sympathetic, vulnerable, andsmart. Bay of Blood is an exciting new entry in the world ofdetective fiction. I look forward to volume two. ~ Ken Haigh.Author of Under The Holy Lake

Bay of Blood is a whodunit with soul. DetectiveEva Naslund is a gem. Shes both logical and intuitive, both toughand approachable. ~ Patrick Tilley, retired RCMPDetective.

Balancing captivating descriptions of a close-knit,waterside community full of eccentric characters with blow-by-blowscenes of violence, grief and careful police work, Potter keeps usin the story right to the end with his excellent writing andresearch skills. If you love feeling the danger of murder lurkingbehind every page, Bay of Blood will keep you reading well into the night. ~ James White.Author of Cisco

A highlyrecommended, satisfying read. Each new deviation in thismultiple-murder story gradually reveals the character of theoriginal victim, leading to a clever, well-rounded and totallyplausible solution. I look forward to more revelations in thefuture. ~ Jane Bwye. Author of Breath ofAfrica

Bay ofBlood

A. M.Potter

A Black OpalBooks Publication

SmashwordsEdition

Copyright 2019 by A. M. Potter

Cover Design byA. M. Potter

All cover artcopyright 2019

All RightsReserved

EBOOK ISBN:9781644370964

This ebook islicensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not bere-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to sharethis book with another person, please purchase an additional copyfor each recipient. If youre reading this book and did notpurchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then pleasereturn to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you forrespecting the hard work of this author.

EXCERPT

Its a rare case. Its personal. For thefirst time in her career, Detective Eva Naslund knows thevictim

Naslund felt sure Thom was dead. Herfriend wouldnt simply walk out of the bay, laughing off thenorthweste rly

She eyed the skiff again. If the blood washuman, theyd need a full forensic team.

DEDICATION

To Stan &Em. They gave me the tools.

Ars longa,vita brevis .

Art is long,life is short.

Chapter

Col poys Bay, Georgian Bay, Ontario, July8th :

P redawn stars salted the sky. Thom Tyler pushed his skiffoff the dock, paddled hard to point her nose into the wind, andimmediately raised the sail. Off he tore, skimming across the watertoward White Cloud Island.

To the east, the sky shed its blackness. Apale red flush crept across the bay. H esettled in the cockpit. A few moments later, his neck-hairs bristled. He sensedhostile eyes burning into his head. Shifting nonchalantly, heleaned portside to inspect the shore. All quiet. Just the inkyoutline of Mallory Beach. Still, he was sure someone wasthere.

A car engine started. Very strange, he thought. There werenever any cars about at this hour. He saw no lights. The slowlyrevving engine headed north. Wassomeone trackinghim?

Forget it, he told himself and facedforward .

He turned his mind to sailing, easing outthe mainsheet to spill some speed. Still, he flew over thewater. He could smell the north: theclean sharpness of boreal forests. However, in the back of hismind, he felt uneasy. He sensed something out there waiting forhim. His neck twitched. The strange car fueled his anxiety.Something was waiting for him.

Chapter

Wiarton, Bruce Peninsula.Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Station , July 8th :

Got a little run for you,Naslund.

Detective Sergeant Eva Naslund looked upto see the detachment chief standing at her desk. Ted Bickellspants were perfectly pressed. The creases looked like they couldslice someones throat.

A boat just washed up near CapeCommodore, Bickell said. Caller reported blood. Lots of it. He paused. But Imsure you can handle it.

Naslund nodded. Fair point. Shed hadnothing but B&Es for the past two months.

Bickell handed her a slip of paper. Donnie Rathbone. HW1, 100220.

Not an emergency, he said. Nospeeding.

She shrugged. On a day like today, sheddrive anywhere in the Bruce, fast or slow, the farther from StaffSergeant Bickell, the better. As she drove east, the morning sun tinted Colpoys Baya deep golden red. The limestone cliffs above Mallory Beach notonly reflected the sun, they shimmered like suns themselves. Aconvoy of high white clouds raced across the sky.

Fifteen minutes later , she pulled off Highway One at aweathered blue bungalow with an unobstructed view of Georgian Bay.A run-down barn flanked the house. Across the highway,parched-looking Christmas trees stretched inland as far as shecould see. Itd been a hot, dry summer. As she stepped out of herunmarked car, the wind whipped her pants around her legs. GeorgianBay was running high, churned by a powerful northwesterly. TheGeorgian was usually restless. It was essentially an inlandsea. On calm days therewas often a sea roll, even if only long and slow. Today there was awave train. Line after line of breakers roared ashore.

She knocked on the front door. The man whoanswered was tall and fit, bearded, about fifty years old.