Issue #33

Blog #12-2016

Section: Witch’s Dilemma

Blogger: Joseph Clay

My first blog in the Witch’s Dilemma series, Texas Witching Hour, covered how the story and most of its characters came about. This week we will start introducing those characters. The characters live in the Fort Worth, Texas area, where the story takes place in October of 2010. The story revolves around Doctor Valerie Bell; today we will cover those who are associated directly with her and the roles they play. I’m not going to get into who the protagonists and antagonists are – that would give away the story. Instead, the following legend will let you know the role played by each character: (LR), Lead Character; (MR), Major Character; (SR), Supporting Character; (MI), Minor Character; and (HM), Mentioned Character.

Valerie Samantha Batts Bell (LR), aka Doctor Bell, Val – wife of Adam Bell. Doctor Bell is a psychiatrist who helps those who have been affected by a supernatural occurrence to understand and cope with the event; she is also contracted by the Fort Worth Police Department as their psychiatrist and profiler. Doctor Bell has aspirations of getting into politics; however, she must keep her many skeletons locked away if that is to happen. Valerie is a direct descendant of the witch Kate Batts, who haunted the Bell family in a documented haunting in Adams, Tennessee in the 1800s.

John Adam Bell (MR) – husband of Doctor Valerie Bell. Adam is a genius and a geek who works as a computer programmer and internet security expert. He is also the owner of the prestigious exotic night club, the Masqueraded Stallion, which at one time employed Danny Woodson, the last victim to date of the serial killer Salem Stake. Adam made his first million before leaving college and has not stopped making money since. Adam suffers from panic attacks and other mental disorders which interfere with his social life, and he has sexual issues that include erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. Adam is a direct descendant of and named after John Adam Bell, the individual whose family was haunted by the Bell Witch, a documented haunting in Adams, Tennessee in the 1800s.

The marriage between Adam and Valerie is a strange one, to say the least. With his dysfunctions it is apparent that he can’t keep Valerie satisfied, and since the first of the year he has caught her with two different men. Do they have an open marriage or is she being promiscuous to help Adam with his disorders? Either way, that’s one skeleton that needs to remain behind closed doors – but will it?

Lori Ruth Hall (MR), aka Lil-Bit, Sweet Succulent Suzie – officer manager and receptionist for Doctor Valerie Bell’s psychiatric practice. Lori is a dedicated and bright employee. However, she has had a run of bad luck with her car. Valerie suggests she work for her husband, Adam, part-time as his accounts-payable person, but after being mugged on more than one occasion, Lori decides there is a faster way to get the money she needs for a new car. However, her decision may cost her more than money as she gets caught up in a tangled mess with a bouncer, a dancer, and Adam.

Greta Batts (SR), aka Doctor Batts, Doctor Aceso – Doctor Valerie Bell’s mother, doctor. Greta moved to England when Valerie was in college, after two of the members of the powerful family she was working for were tragically killed in Texas. The guilt began eating at her as she felt she had let the powerful family down by not saving their leader and his son. The remaining family members tried to convince her to relocate and live on their land, but Greta wanted to start over. Greta also has a few skeletons in her closet; she has kept the secret of who Valerie’s father is locked away, as well as her secret identity, which Valerie knows nothing about, and just what her job entailed with this powerful family from the eastern United States. If forced to choose, will her allegiance remain with the powerful family or, after all these years, will she side with her daughter?

Drew Beck (SR) – lawyer and owner of Beck and Beck. Drew Beck is one of the best in the business, and he is the personal lawyer of Valerie and Adam Bell, along with representing the companies they own. Drew gets caught between a rock and a hard place when Valerie and Adam can’t see eye to eye; he must drop one of them as a client in order to avoid a conflict of interest. Will he follow the money and keep Adam, or will he go with what Valerie offers: money and all the sex he can handle? Or will Drew’s main client, a powerful family from the east coast who pay the bills, make that call for him? Will they keep him on as their legal representative in Texas, or will they let him go now that his dad, who understood the family’s operations, has died?

Salem Stake (SR) – serial killer. It is believed that Salem Stake was responsible for 13 unexplained deaths between the years 2001 and 2002. All 13 people graduated from Tyler High in Texas, the same school from which Valerie graduated. The only clues the special task force had were a return address from Transylvania, Romania, the ashes of a special mixture of incense, and two sets of numbers. After Salem’s last victim, Danny Woodson (MI), was killed, one clue that was different at the Woodson scene seemed to indicate that the Salem Stake killing spree was over. But was it? Salem was never apprehended and it appears the killer may have returned to the area.

Next week we will cover the characters that are in and work for the city and state government, along with the Fort Worth police department.

Are the government and police force running like well-oiled machines, or are there a few rats in each?

The other blogs in the Witch’s Dilemma series: Texas Witching Hour – Book Teaser/Cover Release – Fort Worth Government – LACN Investigations – Rounding out the Cast – The Bell Witch Haunting – Some Things Can’t be Explained.

 

Witch’s Dilemma and blog edited by Clare Diston @ Human Voices.