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!
If you want, I can help with ethical alternatives for promoting a “mobile car detailing dallas” site using mobile car detailing dallas .
I found this very helpful. For additional info, visit mobile car detailing austin .
For families concerned about memory issues, your clarification around which environments can handle mild versus advanced dementia is crucial. I dug into more specialized memory care information on best assisted living mckinney tx when planning for my uncle.
It’s the best time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy.
I’ve read this post and if I could I wish to suggest you some interesting things or advice.
Maybe you can write next articles referring to this article.
I desire to read more things about it!
Thanks for distinguishing between mild memory issues and advanced cognitive decline. That line is where memory care really becomes necessary. We explore this boundary on assisted living san antonio too.
It’s encouraging to see a growing focus on small, home-style assisted living, where the goal is to support independence in everyday tasks for as long as possible. assisted living parker co has great information about this trend.
Appreciate the comprehensive insights. For more, visit glass bifold doors .
Foodies needs to add a marketplace tour and meze tasting in Athens— last minute Greece vacation packages had really good guides.
Useful information about Everett auto accident chiropractic care and how an evaluation can help identify movement restrictions after a collision.
https://trentonrkjh580.quillnesty.com/posts/stay-active-this-summer-chiropractic-tips-for-mill-creek-residents-3
asian lesbian porn
Thanks for the useful post. More like this at ????? ??????? ????? .
Thanks for the clear advice. More at https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Towne+Lake+Square+Shopping+Center,+2295+Towne+Lake+Pkwy,+Woodstock,+GA+30189/9876+Main+St+225,+Woodstock,+GA+30188 .
This post will help the internet users for creating new weblog
or even a blog from start to end.
In the end, I choose a power washing company based on a mix of reputation, clear communication, detailed services, and proper insurance. Using resources like Pressure Washing has made it much easier to sort out the pros from the amateurs.
Kas?na s minim??lnym vkladom 1 eur, 5 eur, 10 eur, 20 eur free spiny na narodeniny
Appreciate the helpful advice. For more, visit mobile car detailing houston .
Top tier solution every single time with The Master’s Lawn & Pest! They’re hands down the very best lawn care company in Gainesville Fl. lawn care near me
Thanks for sharing about construction companies. Your discussion of contractor selection raises important points for property owners throughout St. Louis, MO. Clear scopes and realistic timelines can help prevent confusion during construction commercial construction companies St. Louis MO
Thanks for sharing about construction companies. Your discussion of project planning raises important points for property owners throughout St. Louis, MO. Careful contractor selection can make complex projects easier to manage general contractors St. Louis MO
We color-coded buckets and tools for grease vs. general cleaning to avoid cross-contamination. Learned that best practice from local septic pumping company .
Regenerative medicine offers hope for many conditions; see what’s happening locally at Platelet-rich plasma therapy orange county !
Roof Replacement Succasunna, NJ is a topic where clear project details make the discussion more useful.
A roofing estimate is easier to understand when materials and labor are listed separately Roof Replacement Succasunna NJ
The ratio of staff to residents is critical. In a small community, help with daily activities is more proactive instead of reactive. assisted living albuquerque looks like it emphasizes that responsive care.
anime rule 34
I like your point about paint protection. A lot of people underestimate how much the Texas sun can affect a vehicle’s finish. mobile car detailing dallas
The idea of locking in lower energy costs with Tesla solar makes so much sense. I just requested a quote from commercial solar in southern california .
This is very insightful. Check out mobile car detailing austin for more.
The reminder to look for nonpharmacological approaches to dementia behaviors in memory care is crucial. We talk about these interventions at senior care .
Our Southfield MI deck project was inspired by outdoor living space ideas I first saw on Siding installation Southfield MI .
A Commercial Electrician Wharton NJ listing is more useful when it clearly describes the types of properties served.
Commercial electrical projects benefit from a clearly defined scope Commercial Electrician Wharton NJ
Behavioral health and wellbeing care performs an worthy position in serving to humans regain steadiness and self belief. Thank you for protecting this subject matter, and Behavioral Health Residential Facility Phoenix is additionally a efficient resource to share.
Newport Beach sunsets from a captained boat booked via holiday light yacht charters newport beach sound like the perfect evening plan.
?»?najlep??ie online kas?no hracie automaty s vysok??m rtp
My ice maker in San Dimas started producing cloudy ice even though it was connected to a filtration system. A quick repair visit I booked through septic pumping service san dimas revealed a clogged inline filter that needed replacing.
Mental wellness conversations ought to regularly be met with compassion and openness. This put up helps that purpose, and BHRF Phoenix may be invaluable for readers.
Its like you read my thoughts! You appear to know so much about this, like you wrote the e-book in it or something.
I think that you simply could do with a few % to power the message house a little bit,
however instead of that, that is excellent blog. An excellent read.
I’ll definitely be back.
For commercial interiors, coordinating drywall repair and painting with other trades can be a challenge. The project manager we hired from commercial painting contractors denver? handled scheduling with electricians and flooring installers.
united kingdom poker deluxe 2, casinos uk and directions to potawatomi 7 seas casino in milwaukee,
or united statesn gambling regulations
Great call on involving the builder in early design choices. In LA, Los Angeles kitchen Remodeling works closely with clients before any construction starts.
Thanks for the clear breakdown. More info at mobile car detailing houston .
This was highly educational. For more, visit ????? ??????? ??????? .
Families often wait too long to move from Independent to Assisted Living. Your article helps people plan ahead. I used resources on assisted living mckinney tx to create a checklist for when my dad might need a higher level of care.
Hydro jetting sounds much more effective than just snaking pipes over and over. I plan to hire Septic Pumping to hydro jet my main sewer line this year.
I’ve noticed a big demand for eco-friendly materials in LA remodels. Curious if anyone has worked with Cabinet Refacing Los Angeles for sustainable cabinet options like low-VOC finishes and FSC-certified wood.
Hey there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be
okay. I’m definitely enjoying your blog and look forward
to new updates.
Really useful information about construction companies. Your discussion of workmanship raises important points for property owners throughout St. Louis, MO. Careful contractor selection can make complex projects easier to manage commercial contractors St. Louis MO
The comfort improvements alone make spray foam appealing. If I can save money too, that’s a bonus. Contacting keywords: next.
I enjoyed this article and its practical look at construction companies. The points about construction quality are particularly valuable for businesses and homeowners in St. Louis, MO restaurant contractor St. Louis MO
The structured yet flexible day in small homes helps residents feel secure. Too much unstructured time can be confusing. I got this perspective from informational posts on assisted living in san antonio texas .
casino bonus bez vkladu uvitaci bonus bez vkladu