FAIR DISCLOSURE
A Jillian Hillcrest Mystery
By Joyce Strand
Jillian and ex-husband Chad are
enjoying a play at a local community theater when a scream interrupts the
production upon discovery of a bludgeoned volunteer. When it turns out that the
victim is someone Jillian interviewed for a job at her company, she becomes
involved in another crime, drawn ever deeper by a second murder, an irate
investor, the participation of law enforcement amateurs, an increasingly
unreliable assistant, and suspicious trading of her company’s stock. Meanwhile, Chad is pressuring Jillian to say
“yes” to a second marriage. Inspired by a networking expert firm in
the San Francisco Bay Area involved with a large hedge fund that exploited
insider trading through a nation-wide network.
JOYCE SAYS:
FAIR DISCLOSURE is a who-done-it mystery set in the business environment and investor greed. I enjoyed writing the following excerpt to define my protagonist, Jillian Hillcrest, the publicist sleuth who solves the mystery—despite her best efforts to simply fulfill her job responsibilities. In the excerpt, her ex-husband Chad proposes to her hoping to re-marry, given the couple’s rejuvenating relationship caused by recent events. He presents his proposal with humor and a touch of endearment, and we understand Jillian's character through his eyes.
EXCERPT:
Chad smiled when
he remembered the afternoon that he had proposed to Jillian—for the second
time. …They had driven two hours south to Monterey to spend a weekend together.
They had been there many times, because both of them enjoyed visiting the
aquarium, walking on the wharf, dining at one of the many great restaurants in
the area, and just soaking in the beauty of the small town by the bay.
The couple had walked out on the wharf, and the sea lions seemed
lazier than usual lying around the pilings and occasionally barking. The sea
gulls brazenly landed on the pier, begging for food, and squawking. The day was
idyllic—just right for a proposal with sunshine, blue sky, and calm bay. The
smells of clam chowder, cotton candy, sautéed garlic, and other unidentifiable
aromas from the nearby restaurants completed the ambience. It couldn’t have
been more perfect.
Chad was wearing his derby hat, long-sleeved white shirt, and black
gabardine vest and jeans. He had planned his wardrobe meticulously. His hats
were an important part of his personality, representing his sense of humor,
which Jillian appreciated and encouraged. He designed the rest of his outfit to
show that although he liked to laugh, there was more to him, and much more to
give.
When she stopped to admire the ocean view, he did indeed get down on
one knee, not an easy task for the lanky, more-than-six foot Chad. Although
startled, Jillian just rolled her eyes, accustomed to his often-outrageous
behavior to make her laugh. He removed his hat and looked up at her with big
hazel eyes and pouting lips. From his inside vest pocket, he pulled a package
that was bigger than a ring case.
“Jillian, please accept this as my pledge to be the originator of
your laughter, the finder of your best restaurants, the sharer of your good and
bad news, your chef, your travel companion, your bellwether, your lover—” Chad
hesitated, and looked doubtful, then continued, “maybe I should have started
with that one—lover, I mean.” He smiled and opened his eyes wide waiting for
Jillian’s agreement. When she said nothing, he continued “—your friend and
producer of happiness.”
Jillian looked down at him, accepted the package, and pushed him
down as he tried to stand up. She was enjoying the spectacle. She opened the
package, which was wrapped in aluminum foil, another reason she made him stay
on his knee. Who proposed with a package wrapped in aluminum foil? She first
came across a key, which she assumed was to his house in Alameda. When she
asked, “Alameda?” however, he shook his head.
“No, that’s to the cottage at Brynn’s winery. We get to go there
whenever we want. I bought a share in the winery.”
Brynn was Jillian’s boss, but only for a few more weeks. She was the
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Harmonia, and she and her
soon-to-be-ex-husband, Liam, had purchased a winery northwest of Sonoma.
Jillian and Chad had stayed in the cottage at the winery for the week following
Jillian’s kidnapping.
Jillian was pleased. “That’s awesome. If I decline your proposal, do
we still get to go there?”
Chad appreciated the sparring, and decided to play. “No.”
The next item in the package was a notification of season tickets
for two to the San Francisco Symphony, ACT Theater, and the Broadway series.
“What? No Giants or Niners tickets?”
Chad smiled. “Keep going.”
She continued. Of course, he included tickets to the next Niners
game. He commented, “Brynn and Liam are joining us.”
Then she came to the ring. It wasn’t a diamond. Rather it was a deep
purple amethyst—her birthstone—set in platinum silver. It was striking. “Chad,
it’s exquisite. And regardless of whether I marry you or not, I plan to keep it
forever. It’s beautiful.” She put it on the ring finger of her left hand.
Chad looked up at her longingly, “Can I stand up now? I think my
knee is cracking.”
Several people had stopped and were watching the scene, which
Jillian was enjoying immensely. “Oh, can you remind me again what is the
question?”
Chad laughed, stood up, and grabbed Jillian in a big hug, and yelled
as loudly as he could, “Will you marry me?”
Almost everyone within earshot started laughing. Jillian simply bit
her lip, shook her dark hair off her face, slowly stretched, and
yawned—creating additional laughter from the appreciative on-lookers.
FIND OUT MORE:
Website: http://joycestrand.com
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/JillianHillcrest
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboardAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/Joyce-T.-Strand/e/B006GSKEBK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Twitter: @JoyceTStrand
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.