Sleeperstown

Chapter 1

Detective Nevinski was a small man with a rather large nose. Mrs. Hilton often commented to the ladies of her kittie party that there was no job better suited for the man, than a detective, because he liked to poke his nose in other people's business. And she was absolutely right. Detective Nevinski's nose would poke its way into everybody's conversations long before they realised the rest of him was also eavesdropping.


Unlucky for him, Sleeperstown was a rather dull little place for such a keen detective.


Everyone knew everyone and had lived there for generations. By nature and nuture, the people of Sleeperstown never had felt the urge or ambition to venture to the city in search of fame or fortune. They knew of only one girl who had run away with a passing muscician to become an actress. She'd changed her name and even appeared on television. In a year or two though they had found her dead on a drug overdose. That seemed to keep everyone more inclined to stay in Sleeperstown and live out their quiet little lives. They went about their chores and parties and work as they had for decades.


Until, a young, fairly rich couple from the city took Sleepstone Manor for the summer. Marissa and Rick Applecombe had not been married long but young love had already given way to mistrust and neglect. Their friends and a shrink or two had suggested they go away to a place where they were unknown to rekindle their now lost love. Neither was too happy with the suggestion because both still had one thing in common - they're love for entertaining and being entertained. Needless to mention the obvious, Sleeperstown had no social calendar to speak of. They consented in the end to run away from concerned, often inquisitive friends and family. They consented to keep everyone's mouth shut.

Sleepstone Manor had been shut a very, very long time. Only the elderly and senile could remember the previous inhabitants and they had very dark tales to tell.