To celebrate the upcoming release of Deadlock(June 25th!), my publisher has arranged a Scavenger Hunt! Follow the links at the end of each stop and collect clues along the way! At the end of the Scavenger Hunt, enter your clues to be entered to win the grand prize: a Nespresso Espresso maker and coffee goodies to keep your all-night hacking (or reading) sessions going strong. You might find a few bonus giveaways in hidden links throughout the Scavenger Hunt, too, including print copies of Deadlock!
To get you started, here is the first chapter of Deadlock! I’m so excited for you to meet Lindsey and Jace.
Chapter 1:
I’m going to kill my sister.
Lindsey Morris gritted her teeth into a smile for the photo her jolly Aunt Martha snapped, the silent threat in her head becoming more of an inevitable truth with each passing moment. God knows, it wasn’t unlike her twin sister Lena to flake out on her, but their parents’ fortieth anniversary party was something the two of them had been planning for months. All for Lena to leave Lindsey holding the bag. Again.
Relieved from picture duty at last, she left her parents and hustled in her towering heels across the banquet hall to check on the champagne, dodging cousins and uncles and aunts. She hadn’t seen some of them in years. If a certain sister hadn’t left her running this entire show, she might have had time to stop and catch up with each of them.
All of it had come together nicely, though. Her parents were beaming in front of a life-size poster of one of their wedding pictures, forty years having done nothing to dim their happiness and love for each other. Lindsey snapped a picture of her own before slipping out the door into an echoing hallway to dial Lena. As expected, her sister’s voicemail greeting chirped in her ear.
“Hello?” A long pause ensued, during which Lindsey’s blood pressure spiked. “Gotcha! Sorry, you don’t get to talk to me right now. If you want to talk to me later, better make it good.”
Lindsey waited for the tone. “I don’t want to talk to you. I want to strangle you. Dammit, Lena, where are you?”
Hours passed before she could get away to the blissful solitude of her apartment, where she hoped a glass of wine and a Simpsons marathon might make her feel a little better. But even Bart and Homer’s animated antics weren’t enough. Her anger had burned away to sad ashes, and she couldn’t get her parents’ disappointed faces out of her mind. It would serve Lena right if none of them ever spoke to her again, as drastic as it sounded, but something about Lena made one eager to trust her and believe her when she made the promises she never kept. And the anger Lindsey felt when that inevitably happened could just as easily be turned on herself for enabling her twin, for never enforcing any consequences when Lena flaked out.
But how many times had she tried? How many times had it worked?
Then her glass was empty, and she poured another, sitting alone on her couch and staring at the way the light from the TV played hypnotically through the crimson depths as she swirled the liquid in her glass. Everything she was doing to make herself feel better was having the opposite effect. The fact she had no one to vent her frustrations to made it worse. Bad-mouthing her sister to their parents wasn’t an option, especially today—they were probably on the plane for their anniversary trip to Cabo San Lucas.
Lucky them.
“I need a vacation, too,” Lindsey told her wineglass. It was the only one there to listen. Then, sighing, she set it down on her coffee table and picked up her phone, shooting ramrod straight when she saw that she had somehow missed a text from Lena twenty minutes ago. She’d probably been in the kitchen scavenging.
Sorry. Ran into some trouble. Give Mom and Dad my love. I need a favor. Go to this address and ask him for help. Please. It will all become clear.
An address followed, which Lindsey’s eyes scanned without seeing. Her brain had shorted out on the word “favor.”
“Are you freaking kidding me?” she asked her phone, gripping it with a force that threatened to shatter it.
Lena in trouble was nothing new. Ever since high school, on through college, and even after, she’d been getting herself or someone else into shit she couldn’t always talk her way out of. Thinking Lindsey would simply forget about tonight and rush in to help her was simply par for the course, but Jesus, it had to stop sometime, didn’t it?
One thing was for sure. No way was she going to that address, wherever it was. To some strange place to ask someone she didn’t know for—what, even? Who was she supposed to be looking for? She wasn’t about to let Lena make her look like an idiot on top of everything.
No one else could get her off her warm cocoon on the couch to face the biting cold. She didn’t know what she might find at her sister’s apartment; she didn’t care, but she was going all the same. Lena probably wouldn’t be there, but maybe it wouldn’t be too difficult to nose around and find out where she was. Then she would go find her, even if she had to hop on a plane to do it.
There were some things she desperately needed to say to Lena’s face, and it was well past time.
She rushed through her apartment, throwing on a coat and shoving her feet into boots, her pulse pounding in her ears. No one else on earth could push her buttons like this. Lindsey hadn’t trusted Lena since college, her twin’s antics during that particular time of their lives having been the final straw.
Yes, she was her sister. Yes, Lindsey still loved her as such. Gossip sessions, shopping trips, friendship…those areas had always come easily. But real trust?That ship had sailed years ago, when Lena had pulled what was probably her cruelest stunt of all—at least that Lindsey knew of. The skeletons that could lurk hidden in Lena’s closet were enough to give her cold chills. The two of them had the same face, and Lena probably had enough enemies that Lindsey should look over her own shoulder when she walked down the street.
In the back of the Uber she called because wine and rage and driving didn’t mix, she white-knuckled her purse straps all the way to her sister’s apartment, going over everything she wanted to say in her mind in case Lena was there. Confrontation ordinarily tied her tongue up in knots, and no doubt it would this time.
She had to have her words straight in her head or they would slip right out. But niggling in the back of her mind was the fact that their parents would never get over an irreparable rift between them, no matter the cause. It was enough for her to rein in on a few of the epithets she wished to hurl at Lena’s perpetually smug face. But not many.
If Lena was off having a grand adventure with plans to show up next week thinking all was well—she added the epithets back in.
Long ago, Lena had given Lindsey a key to her apartment so she could water her plants while she was away. The plants had died anyway—Lena didn’t even take care of them herself after she got home from wherever she’d been. But Lindsey had hung on to the key, and it had come in handy more than once. She stalked directly to her sister’s door, lifted her fist to beat on it, thought better of it—she might not even answer—and fit the key into the lock.
The sight that greeted her as she flipped the nearby light switch caused her heart to stutter and her breath to catch, momentarily choking her.
Her sister’s apartment was trashed.
Scavenger Hunt: Where are Lindsey’s parents going for their anniversary trip?
Next stop, Melynda Price
Deadlock releases June 25th! You can pick it up in paperback from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever books are sold. Add it on Goodreads!
Hi there, the whole thing is going nicely here and ofcourse every one is sharing data, that’s really excellent,
keep up writing.
“Great information about maintaining a healthy ecosystem within my pool—it’s important not to neglect it!” Visit Swim and Spas Winnipeg Pool Supply Store for more.”
https://circumlocution.amebaownd.com/posts/59161691
This was a valuable read. The article highlights how important it is to find a pain management plan that fits individual needs. I found more on this at Pain Management .
????????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??????? ?????????? ???????, ?????????????? ?????? ?????????, ??????????? ?????, ????????????? ????? ? ???????? ??????????? ?????????. ? ?????? ?????????? ???????????? ?? ?????????? ????????? ? ?????? ??????? ????? KPI, ? ????? ???????? ?????????? ? ???????????? ??-???????????????. ??????????? ? ??????? ???????? ?? ?????? ?????? ? ??????? ??? ??????????? ??? ????? ????????? ???????.
Grateful someone finally tackled myths surrounding popular misconceptions surrounding safe swimming practices during peak hours!” Seek clarification anytime via articles offered from links like these: ###ANYKEYWORD###! pool accessories Winnipeg
??? ?????? ??? ????????? ??? ??? ??? ?????????? ????????? ???? ?????. ??? ????? ????????????? ??? excessive category ????????, ?? Greece call girls services ????? ???? ????? ??????.
https://bl2p.at
Hello, yes this article is in fact pleasant and I have learned lot of things from it on the topic of blogging.
thanks.
Ask how many sessions are typically recommended. Shockwave Therapy
Your recommendation to revisit the care plan regularly is crucial because dementia is progressive. We provide periodic review templates that families can use on memory care .
This is a very informative post about online casinos and betting platforms.
I especially liked how it explains the importance of choosing a trusted site before signing
up.
Many players often ask where they can find reliable gaming
platforms with fair odds and smooth payouts. From what I’ve seen, checking platforms like vn22vip helps
users compare features, bonuses, and overall experience.
Thanks for sharing these insights — they’re helpful for both
beginners and experienced bettors.
The suggestion to talk directly with current resident families is great. I’ll use assisted living to shortlist communities, then reach out to families for honest feedback.
I appreciate the practical focus on contracts and policies. I’ll be sharing this as a resource link on senior care .
??? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ???????? ???? ?? ??????????. ?? ???? ?????? ??? ??? ????????? ???????, ??’ ???? ??? ??????????? ?? vip escorts Athens agency .
Thanks for the useful post. More like this at Taxi Camino de Santiago Arzúa .
Mention that chronic overuse injuries can be frustrating to manage. Shockwave Therapy
I appreciate that you didn’t just focus on price, but on overall fit. That’s exactly the approach we promote on assisted living near me .
North County San Diego summers are no joke—prompt AC repair is essential. This resource helps: Plumber
Junk removal services in Escondido can handle everything from electronics to debris piles, which is huge for homeowners. Junk Hauler
Kaizenaire.com is ?o?r go-t? resource ?n Singapore for t?e
mo?t current shopping promotions, exclusive deals, ?nd
m?st-attend occasions.
?ith y?ar-?ound sales, Singapore cements
?ts location as a shopping paradise f?r promotion-obsessed Singaporeans.
Participating ?n art workshops ?n galleries stimulates
creativity in creative Singaporeans, ?nd remember t? remain upgraded
?n Singapore’? most ?ecent promotions ?nd shopping deals.
Aalst Chocolate ?reates premium artisanal delicious chocolates,
cherished ?y sweet-toothed Singaporeans f?r t?eir rich tastes ?nd neighborhood workmanship.
SPC materials petroleum products ?nd convenience shop items ?ia, adored b? Singaporeans f?r t?eir
fuel performance programs ?nd on-t?e-go snacks lah.
TWG Tea delights ?ith luxury loose-leaf teas ?nd blends, favored ?y
tea lovers for stylish product packaging ?nd gourmet experiences.
Eh, Singaporeans, m?ch better book marking Kaizenaire.com lah, check typically f?r fresh discount rates mah.
Here is myy webpage – singapore shopping
Thanks for the insights—junk removal services can be a big help for moving, downsizing, and estate cleanouts. Furniture Removal
HVAC replacements should come with energy-efficiency guidance like SEER and proper sizing. This post explains what to ask: HVAC Contractor
I got this web site from my pal who informed me
about this website and now this time I am browsing this web page and reading very informative articles or reviews at this time.
We had water come up through our floor drain during a storm. I wish I had known about storm drain cleaning and main line sewer maintenance from companies like Septic Tank Cleaning .
Great coverage of kitchen drain issues – grease buildup is definitely our problem. I’m going to have Portable Toilet Rental come out for a full kitchen sink and line cleaning.
Thanks for sharing these tips They are useful for anyone trying to choose the right facility storage units
For residents needing just moderate help, giant facilities can feel like too much. Smaller homes strike a better balance between support and normalcy. assisted living andrews tx offers good guidance on finding that balance.
Sobre cultura e lazer nos jardins e paulista, a abordagem de o que observar antes de escolher uma unidade ajuda a organizar a pesquisa sem perder de vista planta, categoria e localização do Sarutaiá 45 Jardins.
Sarutaiá Jardins
I absolutely love your blog and find a lot of your post’s to be exactly I’m looking for.
Does one offer guest writers to write content for you personally?
I wouldn’t mind writing a post or elaborating on some of the subjects you write with regards to here.
Again, awesome blog!
The way you highlighted social engagement in Independent and Assisted Living is so important. Loneliness is a big issue for seniors. I saw similar advice on respite care , which stresses the value of community in senior living.
The best facilities make the whole process simple from start to finish storage facility
https://fabble.cc/promocodestore
It’s interesting how Independent Living is more about lifestyle and amenities rather than medical support. This article reflects what I’ve learned while researching on senior living about active retirement options.
100 non-promotional bar blog comments. Bar
What’s Taking place i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this
I’ve discovered It positively useful and it has aided me out loads.
I hope to contribute & assist other users like its aided me.
Good job.
I’m grateful you included advice about maintaining family connections after placement. I’ll look for communities on senior care that support video calls and frequent visits.
Seniors often worry about losing control of their daily lives. Your explanation of how Independent and Assisted Living still allow choices about meals, activities, and schedules matches what I’ve seen described on senior care .
This article will help the internet users for setting
up new website or even a blog from start to end.
The point about moisture control is really important. Damp wood and poor drainage can make a property more attractive to termites. Termite Control Services
Sobre registro de incorporação, a abordagem de para morar deixa o breve lançamento mais claro sem inventar preço, vagas ou cronograma de Nex One Bandeira Paulista.
One Innovation na planta Itaim
The best small homes feel like extended family, not facilities. That emotional safety can slow the decline in some residents. We got comfortable with this idea after reading assisted living .
Write useful guest posts for bar and hospitality blogs. Bar
Clearly presented. Discover more at Cómo llegar a Arzúa en taxi .
I ordered from 24 hour Nangs Delivery Hampton Park remaining weekend, and the start became terrific quick! Great carrier!
Sobre unidades hmp no sarutaiá 45, a abordagem de como comparar alternativas cria critérios melhores para escolher sem perder de vista planta, categoria e localização do Sarutaiá 45 Jardins.
24m2 Sarutaiá 45
I found the details about structural vulnerability very informative. Support areas definitely deserve extra attention. Termite Control Services
We have been helping Canadians Get a Loan Against
Their Vehicle for Repairs Since March 2009 and are among the very few Completely Online Lenders In Canada.
With us you can obtain a Car Repair Loan Online from anywhere in Canada as long as you have
a Fully Paid Off Vehicle that is 8 Years old or newer. We look
forward to meeting all your financial needs.
Sobre Faria Lima, a abordagem de para morar cria critérios melhores para comparar sem inventar preço, vagas ou cronograma de Nex One Bandeira Paulista.
Nex One pré-venda
The step-by-step approach you laid out makes the process less overwhelming. I’ve bookmarked a few promising facilities from memory care levelland tx and will follow your steps with each.