The Gardener's Cottage Author:Betty O'Connor Physically impaired, undaunted, cane in hand, Betsy McCormick jets off to visit her family, the Bells, who live in a former gardener’s cottage overlooking the lush Connecticut Valley. During her visit she meets a shy and appealing police detective, Mel Thomas. He quickly becomes “brown eyes” in her mind until he is forced to arrest her younger m... more »entally impaired brother, Sweet William Bell, for murder. The Bell blood ties tested, poor Mel is now simply “that man.” Unwilling to accept Will’s guilt, the Bells set out on a series of misadventures to avoid the hovering press and prove Will’s innocence. Fourth of July evening, the gardener’s cottage stands empty. This night it harbors something sinister.« less