Giveaway "Secrets"/Original fiction
Note: I always check with the boss first when I'm not sure what I'm planning is within the rules, so thank you, ralst! :)
This is an excerpt from my latest book, a thriller called Secrets. I am grateful for all of you on passion_perfect, so I'd like to do a little giveaway here. From all comments of this post (from today until Sunday, Dec 1st, noon EST) I'll randomly chose one winner of an ebook copy, and two of a vinyl magnet with the cover art.
Summary: Disillusioned with the direction her life is going, Marsha Taylor wants to get away, to find out what’s left of her dreams. Picking up a hitchhiker along the way wasn’t her intention, but Jessie, a woman with troubles of her own, is hard to resist.
A mishap on the road forces them to make a stop in a small town called Diamond Lake. Residents are on edge since a brutal murder happened in the area not long ago. Everyone has their secrets…some of them are deadly.
Good luck!
Secrets
Marsha walked back to her car, feeling irrationally guilty. She was too easy. It would take her three more hours to get to Marlowe County. With the bus, it was close to an hour more. Jessie was not her responsibility. She shouldn’t be worrying about her at all, especially since her story had been obviously untrue. While Marsha hadn’t done so great on the job, she could still tell if someone was trying to sell her a load of bull. Only one thing had rung true--when she said, “You seemed like the safest choice.”
Marsha sighed. She needed time away from everything, a time-out from bad decisions and outcomes, professionally and privately. She needed to figure out where her life was going. Picking up a hitchhiker was not part of the plan.
She was back on the highway for five minutes, then ten. She told herself to get real. The next two weeks were supposed to be spent hiking, relaxing, bonding with nature and whatever was to be found if she dared to look deep inside herself. She could do without complications. No, Marsha desperately needed some time without any complications, because the past year had been filled with them. She had enough of her own issues without adding those of a stranger. After another couple of minutes, feeling torn and unsettled, Marsha turned around.
Jessie was sitting on the curb, not looking the least bit surprised, which added to Marsha’s frustration. She got up, leaning into the window with a charming smile.
“How could you possibly know?” Marsha asked.
“I know people,” Jessie said triumphantly.
“Meaning what?”
Jessie walked around the car and climbed in, tossing her backpack in the backseat.
“For all you know, I could be a serial killer preying on unsuspecting, should I say, ‘naïve,’ hitchhikers.”
Jessie regarded her intently, long enough to make Marsha uncomfortable. “You’re a good person,” she said.
“There are some people who would beg to differ.”
“Then they don’t know you.”
You do? “I thought you weren’t going to say a word until we’re there,” Marsha reminded her.
Jessie shrugged, unimpressed, already checking out the CDs in the glove compartment. “I kept your money, by the way. I figured we might get a snack along the way.”
“You’d like to drive too? Never mind,” Marsha said quickly when the look Jessie gave her was all too eager.
* * * *
It had been a long time since he’d last seen something interesting for breakfast. He debated his choices, unsure. He hated that feeling. Normally, he made his decision quickly, acting fast, no mistakes. He’d been unusually sloppy and distracted the last time. That couldn’t happen again.
Today, the menu looked interesting. He had to weigh the risk and the challenge. Looks could be deceiving. He had excellent people skills, could peel away the layers of a person’s facades, and expose their weaknesses. On occasion, he had peeled away some skin too. The memory made his heart beat faster.
There were four women in the room. He’d identified the waitress’s car easily by the pacifier in the window, children’s clothes in the back. She’d be missed right away. Too dangerous. There was the woman with the husband towering over her--no. He’d miss her if only for having no more punching bag and might assume that she’d run away from him. He drank his café au lait slowly, leisurely, regarding the woman who was sitting by herself in the corner. Not an easy treat, he was certain. Her stance revealed wariness. She was observing the room just as much as he was. The only difference was that she was trying to identify a threat. He was looking for a kill. She was alone.
The hitchhiker distracted him momentarily, another lonely girl, though she might be a little young, and also too easy. She seemed intense. Probably, she was on the run, no car. It would take time until somebody identified her, once they found her. If he wanted them to find her. He had a small time frame in which he could do some research.
The tall blonde woman left, leaving the other one behind. He’d been torn, waiting too long, been robbed of his choice. Either way, he had to act. The younger woman had walked outside, too, after paying for her coffee. Her slumped shoulders showed her disappointment as she sat on the curb.
“Would you like our two-for-one special?” the waitress asked him, and he gave her his most charming smile. You have no idea how lucky you are.
“Maybe. Another time,” he told her, tossed some coins on the table for his coffee and got up to leave. The hunt had begun.
This is an excerpt from my latest book, a thriller called Secrets. I am grateful for all of you on passion_perfect, so I'd like to do a little giveaway here. From all comments of this post (from today until Sunday, Dec 1st, noon EST) I'll randomly chose one winner of an ebook copy, and two of a vinyl magnet with the cover art.
Summary: Disillusioned with the direction her life is going, Marsha Taylor wants to get away, to find out what’s left of her dreams. Picking up a hitchhiker along the way wasn’t her intention, but Jessie, a woman with troubles of her own, is hard to resist.
A mishap on the road forces them to make a stop in a small town called Diamond Lake. Residents are on edge since a brutal murder happened in the area not long ago. Everyone has their secrets…some of them are deadly.
Good luck!
Secrets
Marsha walked back to her car, feeling irrationally guilty. She was too easy. It would take her three more hours to get to Marlowe County. With the bus, it was close to an hour more. Jessie was not her responsibility. She shouldn’t be worrying about her at all, especially since her story had been obviously untrue. While Marsha hadn’t done so great on the job, she could still tell if someone was trying to sell her a load of bull. Only one thing had rung true--when she said, “You seemed like the safest choice.”
Marsha sighed. She needed time away from everything, a time-out from bad decisions and outcomes, professionally and privately. She needed to figure out where her life was going. Picking up a hitchhiker was not part of the plan.
She was back on the highway for five minutes, then ten. She told herself to get real. The next two weeks were supposed to be spent hiking, relaxing, bonding with nature and whatever was to be found if she dared to look deep inside herself. She could do without complications. No, Marsha desperately needed some time without any complications, because the past year had been filled with them. She had enough of her own issues without adding those of a stranger. After another couple of minutes, feeling torn and unsettled, Marsha turned around.
Jessie was sitting on the curb, not looking the least bit surprised, which added to Marsha’s frustration. She got up, leaning into the window with a charming smile.
“How could you possibly know?” Marsha asked.
“I know people,” Jessie said triumphantly.
“Meaning what?”
Jessie walked around the car and climbed in, tossing her backpack in the backseat.
“For all you know, I could be a serial killer preying on unsuspecting, should I say, ‘naïve,’ hitchhikers.”
Jessie regarded her intently, long enough to make Marsha uncomfortable. “You’re a good person,” she said.
“There are some people who would beg to differ.”
“Then they don’t know you.”
You do? “I thought you weren’t going to say a word until we’re there,” Marsha reminded her.
Jessie shrugged, unimpressed, already checking out the CDs in the glove compartment. “I kept your money, by the way. I figured we might get a snack along the way.”
“You’d like to drive too? Never mind,” Marsha said quickly when the look Jessie gave her was all too eager.
* * * *
It had been a long time since he’d last seen something interesting for breakfast. He debated his choices, unsure. He hated that feeling. Normally, he made his decision quickly, acting fast, no mistakes. He’d been unusually sloppy and distracted the last time. That couldn’t happen again.
Today, the menu looked interesting. He had to weigh the risk and the challenge. Looks could be deceiving. He had excellent people skills, could peel away the layers of a person’s facades, and expose their weaknesses. On occasion, he had peeled away some skin too. The memory made his heart beat faster.
There were four women in the room. He’d identified the waitress’s car easily by the pacifier in the window, children’s clothes in the back. She’d be missed right away. Too dangerous. There was the woman with the husband towering over her--no. He’d miss her if only for having no more punching bag and might assume that she’d run away from him. He drank his café au lait slowly, leisurely, regarding the woman who was sitting by herself in the corner. Not an easy treat, he was certain. Her stance revealed wariness. She was observing the room just as much as he was. The only difference was that she was trying to identify a threat. He was looking for a kill. She was alone.
The hitchhiker distracted him momentarily, another lonely girl, though she might be a little young, and also too easy. She seemed intense. Probably, she was on the run, no car. It would take time until somebody identified her, once they found her. If he wanted them to find her. He had a small time frame in which he could do some research.
The tall blonde woman left, leaving the other one behind. He’d been torn, waiting too long, been robbed of his choice. Either way, he had to act. The younger woman had walked outside, too, after paying for her coffee. Her slumped shoulders showed her disappointment as she sat on the curb.
“Would you like our two-for-one special?” the waitress asked him, and he gave her his most charming smile. You have no idea how lucky you are.
“Maybe. Another time,” he told her, tossed some coins on the table for his coffee and got up to leave. The hunt had begun.