A Most Deadly Retirement — John Miles

A DEADLY CONVENIENCE

Most of the residents at the Timberdale Retirement Center have reason to rejoice. Cigarettes, junk food and other delights are available at all hours for those willing to trek through the nearby woods to the newly opened JiffyGrub convenience store. Violet Mayberry takes a 6:00 a.m. run to stock up on the smokes her son had confiscated, but never makes it back.

Bludgeoned. But by whom? Laura Michaels, the center's manager and social worker, is admonished to do something--at least stop the media, from sensationalizing the horror. But as more untimely deaths occur, it's clear that something terrible is happening at Timberdale, where retirement has become most deadly.