"What did you say, Stone?"
"I said you are one crazy, impetuous, utterly adorable woman."
"And?"
"And if you do ever do something like that again, I'm not sure my heart will be able to handle it. It almost stopped beating when I saw you jump up on the porch. It hadn't dawned on me yet that you'd realized the gun was out of ammo. After the dust settles, how about if we spend a few days traveling up to Maine and New Hampshire, so you can really see the beautiful fall colors?"
I didn't get him to say those three magic words again that day. Even so, I knew he loved me and I loved him too. I readily agreed to a trip to New England with Stone—just the two of us, getting to know each other better. I decided I was ready to take the next step in our relationship, and I told him so. I couldn't just drive home to Kansas and forget him. That would be impossible at this stage.
"Ah, so I'm beginning to grow on you a little?" Stone asked.
"A little." I teased.
"Kind of like Harriet's coffee?"
"Yes," I agreed, laughing. "Exactly like that!"
The End
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THE EXTINGUISHED GUEST
A Lexie Starr Mystery
Book Two
Excerpt from
The Extinguished Guest
A Lexie Starr Mystery
Book Two
by
Jeanne Glidewell
THE EXTINGUISHED GUEST
Reviews & Accolades
"Jeanne Glidewell’s Lexie Starr mysteries are fast-paced, complex… and have just the right hint of romance."
~Jill Churchill, author of the Jane Jeffry and Grace and Favor series
I was just beginning to think that hiding under Mr. Dack's bed in order to eavesdrop on his phone conversation was an ingenious decision, when I heard him fold his cell phone in half and the room phone on his nightstand ring.
"Yeah?" I heard him say again. "No thanks, Stone. I had a late lunch, and way too many stuffed mushrooms and hot wings during happy hour. I think I'll skip supper and get a good night's rest tonight. I'll see you in the morning before I check out."
Uh-oh. I didn't like his comments at all. I looked out from under the dust ruffle just in time to see a pair of wadded up socks hit the floor. One sock was black and one was dark blue, so I gathered Boris might be afflicted with color-blindness. I'd read most people with the condition were male.
Next came the sound of a brass belt buckle landing on the throw rug with a dull, muffled thud. Then I heard the faint whir of a zipper being unfastened as Boris let loose a crude belch at the same time. Suddenly I felt a sick queasiness in my stomach, completely unrelated to the repugnant fart Boris cut as he sat down on the edge of the bed.
Just as I began to fear I was in for a very long night, I felt the beginning of a sneeze. I fought it as best I could, but it was a losing battle. I managed to stifle the sneeze to a dainty little "choo," which Boris would have definitely heard, anyway, had it not been synchronized perfectly with a loud rap on the door.
"Boris? Mr. Dack?" I heard Stone's voice outside the door. He sounded anxious, but his voice was the most welcome sound I'd heard in ages. When Boris opened his door, Stone said, "You have an incoming call on the kitchen phone. Crystal took the call but couldn't give the caller the private number to the phone in this room because she didn't know it."
"Okay. Give me a moment then," Boris said with irritation obvious in his voice.
"Uh, Mr. Dack, you don't need to put your shoes on to go to the kitchen, but you probably should zip your zipper. Crystal said the guy sounded really impatient."
A few seconds later, Stone was peering under the bed, grabbing me by the ankle and sliding me out across the shiny wood floor. I felt like a human dust mop. I could tell by the angry look of frustration in his eyes that he was very upset with me.
"We'll talk later," he said sternly, and hurried me out of Boris's room and pushed me into mine across the hall. He closed my door soundlessly, leaving me inside. I was trembling, more in anticipation of Stone's response to my eavesdropping than in reaction to my close call in Boris's room.
A few seconds later, I heard Stone say, "Really? The caller must have been extremely impatient. Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Dack, but I'm sure he'll call back. I'll give Crystal the number for the phone in your room when I inform her that you won't be joining us for supper. Good night, Mr. Dack. I'll see you in the morning."
A few seconds later the door to my room was flung open, and Stone stepped inside. He whispered in a forceful manner. "What in the name of hell were you thinking, Lexie? As soon as Crystal mentioned you'd borrowed her set of keys, I knew exactly what you'd done. I just knew. And frankly, it scared me half to death. There's no telling what a man like Boris Dack is capable of when he's backed into a corner. My concern about who murdered Horatio Prescott on the opening night of this inn pales in comparison to my concern about your safety and well being. I thought I'd made it clear I didn't want you to attempt anything so risky, just in an attempt to determine Horatio's killer. "
"And I thought I'd made it clear I'm an adult and can make my own decisions," I said, knowing it was a stupid and immature thing to say. Stone was only concerned about me, and he had a good reason to be. He wasn't trying to force his will on me for his own amusement. I knew I was still trying to adjust to the novelty of having a man around to look out for me and protect me from the consequences of my impulsive actions. I'd been on my own for nearly twenty years, and I was very set in my ways. I was born under the sign of Aries, after all, and impulsiveness was a curse I was born with, according to all the astrologers. And saddled with forever, I had no doubt. Acting spontaneously was not something I could just give up the way I'd given up cigarettes.
"I know you're an adult. I just wish you would behave like one!"
I opened my mouth to make a crude retort and then closed it immediately. This was the first time the two of us had ever exchanged cross words. It occurred to me then that Stone wasn't upset because I'd behaved childishly or against his wishes. He was upset because I had placed myself in a precarious position, a situation that could have come to a lot more ghastly conclusion than it did. What would I have done if Boris Dack had heard me sneezing under his bed and Stone had not been there to rescue me? What would Boris have done?
The Extinguished Guest
by
Jeanne Glidewell
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The Extinguished Guest
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with an excerpt from
HAUNTED
A Lexie Starr Mystery
Book Three
Excerpt from
Haunted
A Lexie Starr Mystery
Book Three
by
Jeanne Glidewell
HAUNTED
Reviews & Accolades
"Haunted is fast paced, complex... and has just the right hint of romance."
~Jill Churchill, author of the Jane Jeffry and Grace and Favor cozy mystery series
"I love Lexie Starr. She can get into more trouble without half trying than anyone else I've ever read. Jeanne Glidewell's books always make me laugh!"
~Alice Duncan, author of the Angels, Spirits, and Pecos Valley series
"Good afternoon, Ms. Sneed. I'm so sorry to learn of the death of your son. How are you feeling?" Mr. Wright asked with obvious insincerity. The sickeningly sweet voice he used to speak to her was almost nauseating to me. "We'll need to make some alterations in your legal documents."
"Who are you?" She asked. She pointed a long, gnarly index finger at him, and then at me, and asked, "And who's yo
ur wife here?"
"I'm your attorney, Ms. Sneed. I'm Sheldon Wright, of Hocraffer, Zumbrunn, Kobialka. and Wright," he said. Then he pointed my way with his thumb, and spoke in a disparaging manner. "And, trust me, this woman is not my wife."
"You're an attorney? Am I being sued?" Melba asked. "Have I done something wrong?"
"No, of course not. As you know, your son has recently passed. I'm here to update your power-of-attorney, and of course, your will. It's routine for my law firm to keep these documents current, just in case the unexpected happens," he explained. "We always put our clients first, because we need to protect your interests, of course."
"The only thing I'm interested in is finding out why I'm here and when I'm getting out," she spat out, literally. Bits and pieces of God knows what flew out all over the bed. Melba ran the back of her hand across her frothy mouth. I now was in danger of puking up my lunch.
I'd sat silently up to this point during Mr. Wright's conversation with Melba. I reached out now and patted the hand she hadn't swiped across her mouth as briefly as I could. "I imagine they'll be releasing you soon, my dear. I'm sure they'll let you out to attend Walter's wake this evening. You know, you really don't have to deal with all this legal stuff today if you don't want to. Next week is soon enough, after things have settled down, and by then you'll be in a better condition to deal with them."
"Okay," she responded. It was clear she was confused, and I was sure she didn't have a clue what she was agreeing to. Still, I couldn't resist tossing Mr. Wright an "I told you so" look. Two could play at his game, I thought.
"And who are you again?" Melba asked me. I realized then that nothing beneficial or informative was going to come out of this visit with Melba. I doubt she could have come up with her own name, much less mine, or Mr. Wright's.
"I'm Lexie Starr, Melba. Your son was working for my partner and me when he mysteriously died. The police have determined that an unknown assailant killed Walter, so I'm trying to help the detectives discover who that person is. I also feel I should make sure you're being treating adequately. I feel a bit responsible—"
"Aha!" Melba exclaimed. "So you're the one who's responsible for all this?"
"Oh, no, Melba—"
With Melba's last remark, spittle had sprayed all over my shirt. I couldn't wait to get home, remove my clothes, and boil them.
"So, Ms. Starr, are you responsible for all this?" Mr. Wright asked. Now he had the same "I told you so" look on his face I'd worn moments earlier. "Why exactly do you feel so responsible? Is it guilt? Negligence? Or what? Are you here to try to talk Ms. Sneed out of her money? What exactly do you have to gain personally from being here, trying to pretend you honestly give a damn about what happens to Melba?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" I nearly shouted. "I honestly do give a damn, you jerk! Walter was working for me when he was killed. I was at the house when it happened, but I had no idea what was going on in the parlor while I was in another part of the house. That's what I meant by feeling responsible. I had nothing to do with his death, I have nothing to gain from it, and I certainly don't want a dime from Ms. Sneed. Like I said before, I was very close to Walter. I would give anything, and do anything, to bring his killer to justice."
"Of course you would," he said snidely.
"At the very least I feel I owe it to Walter to look after his mother," I told the attorney. "Which is more than I can say for the folks at Hocraffer, Zumbrunn, Kobialka, and Wright. I think I should have the authorities check you for an alibi and a monetary motive. You seem terribly concerned about Melba's will, and what will happen to her money if something happens to her. I might also see what I can do to have you disbarred."
"Humph! Fat chance, lady!" he said as he laughed in disdain. He knew he hadn't technically done anything unjust, remotely illegal, completely immoral, or anything else he could be disbarred for doing. He had pissed me off, and that's about the size of it. Pissing people off was merely part of the job description of a lawyer. There weren't a zillion lawyer jokes for no reason.
"Watch me, you pompous ass," I hissed.
With that final declaration I stormed out of the room. I knew I didn't have a chance in hell of getting the man disbarred. Cats would eat with chopsticks before I could pull off a trick like that. But at least my threat gave the creep something to chew on for a while.
Haunted
by
Jeanne Glidewell
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Haunted
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Also by Jeanne Glidewell
SOUL SURVIVOR
A Novel of Suspense
On a sunny Kansas afternoon, six-year-old Skylar Robbins experiences her first flashback and claims to have once been Radha Joshi, a young woman who lived in India.
As Skylar's nightmares and flashbacks worsen, her child-psychologist and past-life regressonist are convinced Skylar is recalling a genuine former lifetime with a tragic end.
Hoping to find relief for their daughter and to patch up their marriage, Zoe and Trey leave everything behind for Bombay.
In India, the situation intensifies as the truth about Radha’s disappearance and mysterious death unravels.
"...suspense with intricate plotting, creative flashbacks, a touch of mystery and romance. A memorable read."
~Publishers Weekly
To purchase
Soul Survivor
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Jeanne Glidewell, a 2006 pancreas and kidney transplant recipient, and her husband, Robert, reside in the small Kansas town of Bonner Springs. She is a mentor for the Gift of Life Program in Kansas City, mentoring future transplant recipients. Promoting organ donation is an important endeavor of hers.
Prior to moving back home to Kansas, Jeanne and Bob owned a large RV Park in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Besides writing, she enjoys fishing, traveling, and wildlife photography.
Her second Lexie Starr novel is titled The Extinguished Guest and is available for downloading. The third, Haunted, and fourth, With This Ring, will be available in the fall of 2013.
Jeanne has also written a mainstream fictional novel, Soul Survivor, which is also currently available for downloading.
She's a member of Sisters-in-Crime and Mystery Writers of America and is working on the fifth novel of her Lexie Starr cozy series.
Jeanne enjoys hearing from her readers. You can contact her through her website: www.jeanneglidewell.com
Table of Contents
Cover
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Excerpt from THE EXTINGUISHED GUEST – A Lexie Starr Mystery, Book 2
Excerpt from HAUNTED – A Lexie Starr Mystery, Book 3
Meet the Author
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Leave No Stone Unturned (A Lexie Starr Mystery, Book 1) Page 18