The Laurel Highlands seem idyllic, but for Trooper First Class Jim Duncan and Fayette County assistant public defender Sally Castle, it's anything but peaceful.

Len Taylor lives for the 4-H, but he has a nasty habit. He's abrasive, abusive, and generally rubs everyone the wrong way. So it's not really a surprise when someone confronts him about it – except that the confrontation ended with Len stabbed through the throat with a hay hook. Now Jim Duncan and Sally Castle have to figure out whether a family feud, embezzlement, or poor volunteer management led to Len's untimely death – or was he just a victim of the brutal summer heat gone wrong?

This story was originally published at Mystericale.com in the April 2014 issue.