Title:
Valentine’s Day is Murder
Author: Carolyn
Arnold
Genre: Cozy
Mystery
Jimmy finally takes a
vacation--and a chance on love--only to be abducted. His female companion
originally thinks he had cold feet about their relationship, but Sean and Sara
know there’s more to it. Jimmy isn’t the type to just up and disappear, let
alone leave a lady stranded.
Setting out on their private jet,
Sean and Sara reach the tropical paradise of Ocho Rios, Jamaica with
sightseeing as the last thing on their minds.
With a gold coin being their
initial tie to Jimmy’s kidnapper, Sean and Sara even speculate about the
involvement of pirates. Yet as the hours pass, and there’s no word from Jimmy’s
captors, Sean and Sara will need to figure out the real motive before it’s too
late.
With help from their friend,
Adam, back in Albany, the pieces come together and not a moment too soon.
Strap in for an adventure that
will take you to the beautiful island of Jamaica and have you wanting a piña
colada.
Amazon – http://ow.ly/G4Yl6
Amazon UK – http://ow.ly/G4Ynv
Barnes & Noble – http://ow.ly/G4Ype
Author Bio
CAROLYN ARNOLD is the bestselling
author of the Madison Knight series, the Brandon Fisher series, and the
McKinley Mysteries. Her love for writing dates back to her teen years, but her
passion was reignited in 2006 when a fellow employee said "tell me a
story." Since then Carolyn has never looked back.
Her writing has since
been compared to New York Times Bestsellers such as JD Robb, Mary Higgins
Clark, Sue Grafton, Michael Connelly, Tess Gerritsen, and more.
Carolyn was born
in 1976 in a rural town of Ontario, Canada, and she currently lives with her husband
and two beagles in a city near Toronto.
For more information on the author
visit https://carolynarnold.net/
Chapter 1
Under the Jamaican
Moonlight
For a man who had given up on love, dining under the Ocho
Rios’ moon reaffirmed that all things are possible. Jimmy Voigt sat across from
Meredith, a woman who, just a couple months back, had been a stranger. She
carried the black evening dress she wore elegantly, its straps loose and
dangling over her shoulders. In the candlelight and a beautiful setting such as
this, it was hard to resist her. A portion of him didn’t even want to try.
“Thank you for taking me with you,
Jimmy.” She smiled at him, wistfully, as she lifted her wine glass for a toast.
“To us.”
His lips twitched but he wasn’t
sure if the full expression showed—he was terrified of falling in love. He went
through with the expected response though. He clinked his glass to hers and
watched as softness blanketed her features.
It was the perfect end to a perfect
day.
They were both up with the sun and
had met by the pool. They had spent the early morning strolling along the
shore. With toes in the sand, they had shared whispered jokes and silly stories
while the sea air cleared out any stench of the city and melted away stress.
Tropical breezes also carried wafts of plant life and flowers.
“The Dunns River Falls was quite
the experience.”
“You’re telling me.” He left out
the fact that his knees had barked most of the way up. He found himself caring
what she thought about him, which was a first since Clara.
While he had tried to put Clara
from his mind, his ex-wife had a way of entering his thoughts at random
intervals and at the most inappropriate times. He had loved her with his soul,
but that hadn’t been enough. Maybe it was why he held back now. He feared that
if loving someone with his entire being hadn’t been enough before, why would it
be now? Yet, he had to shake the self-flagellation.
“The best part though, I must say,
was snorkeling. The colors of those fish. Absolutely stunning.” Meredith took a
sip of her wine.
Jimmy’s eyes fell to her slim
fingers. When they held hands, they intertwined perfectly with his.
He needed to put the past behind
him and leave it there. Sara had told him to open his heart, but he was
starting to think it was secured behind reinforced steel doors. Still, he
appreciated how far he had come—and not simply in literal mileage, but also in
the emotional distance he had traveled to ask Meredith to accompany him to
Jamaica. Really though, what fun was an island without a companion? Still, he
wasn’t going to rush things and had ensured they had separate rooms.
Taking a long draw on his wine, he
appreciated its flavor. He pursed his lips.
“You look mighty deep in thought.”
Meredith laughed.
“Truth be told, I was.” If he
allowed his mind to swallow him whole, it would. Enough of the scrutiny and
inward reflection. He was determined to enjoy this moment in time—another wise
piece of advice from Sara.
He reached across the table for
Meredith’s hand. As hers molded to his, he had to admit that he felt better
than he had in a long time. On some level, he felt more complete. If he had
listened to his initial excuses, he wouldn’t be here with her. It was with that
thought he realized she no longer wore the ring. He pinched his fingers around
where it used to be.
She withdrew her hand and placed it
in her lap. “You just noticed? I haven’t worn it since just before Christmas,
but it was time for me to move on. I have a feeling it is for you too.”
Meredith’s husband had cheated on
her after twenty years of marriage. She couldn’t forgive him. It was an offense
Jimmy wasn’t sure he could have pardoned either.
Again, the internal talk would have
him believe his situation hadn’t been the same. That somehow he’d suffered less
the way his marriage had ended. All Clara wanted was more of him, yet it was a
sacrifice he wasn’t able to make. He had continued to put the job first, and in
the end, that’s all he had. Still, it had resulted in the same outcome as it
had for Meredith—two hearts that had once been bound were ripped apart.
“I know you’re probably right.”
Jimmy tried to smile. He hoped at least a glimmer of it came through. “I’ve
been happy here with you. It’s been nice having a friend.” He knew it came out
all wrong by the way her face fell and her eyes pinched.
“Yes, it is.” She cleared her
throat as she took the napkin from her lap and put it on the table. “If you’ll
excuse me for a moment.”
As she walked away, he felt like a
schmuck, with a capital S. Why couldn’t he just put his reservations aside?
What did he have to lose? His pride? He was certain his heart hung back,
despite periodic suspicions to the contrary. All he had to do was breathe in,
and breathe out.
His hand went to his neck and he
stretched it side to side. It was then he felt a pinch and everything went
black.
No comments:
Post a Comment