Grave New World – A Jane Ladling Mystery Read Online Gena Showalter

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Suspense Tags Authors:
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Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57502 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 288(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
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Intrigue lit the reporter’s eyes. “Oh, yes. I’ll be there.”

Conrad handed over his card and stood, then helped Jane to her feet.

“I have three of these already,” Ashley pointed out.

Conrad appeared unbothered. “Then it should be easy to find my number when needed.”

They made their way to the exit, not saying anything until they were buckled in his SUV. From behind the wheel, he said, “Waynes-Kirkland is the one who mentioned seeing Ms. Katz enter the Treasure Room.”

Interesting. “Do you think Abigail and Mason are hoping Ashley takes the fall? Maybe they sent her that text to invite her to Hannah’s. Though they would also need to invent a good motive for Ashley to kill Hannah. Though creating her own story to promote her book is a good one.”

“I don’t have answers yet, but I’ll learn how the mayor is involved. If he’s involved.” Conrad pressed the ignition button, firing up the vehicle’s engine. “I’m even more eager to schedule an interview with him and his lawyers to see what shakes out.”

She remembered the mayor’s interview during the last case. He’d refused to speak, and his team of representatives had revealed nothing.

“We’re missing something,” Conrad said. “I sense it.”

“My gut agrees.” But what hadn’t they considered? Jane ran through her list of suspects and possible team ups. Abigail. Mason. Abigail and Mason. Maggie. Maggie and Abigail. Jacob. The mayor. The mayor and Jacob. What of Jacob and Maggie? Or Jacob and Abigail. Or Jacob and Mason. Or Jacob, Abigail and Maggie. Perhaps all six had worked together. Or some unknown individual was involved. Jane rubbed her temples in an attempt to soothe the sudden headache.

“Where to now?” she asked as Conrad eased onto the street.

“The station. I’ve gotta make some calls.”

A thought occurred to her. “Do you know if Hannah’s having a public funeral?”

He shook his head. “The family chose to have a private service at her home.”

So no way to horn in. Drats! Although…

“You don’t need to attend,” he said, as if reading her mind. “You have a novel to write and off-the-wall theories to concoct to set me on the right course.”

True. She also had a wedding to plan. Mostly, Jane had a game of cat and mouse to win.

Jane spent the rest of the day deep in thought, sleuthing, wedding planning and book plotting, still unable to create the perfect ending for her story. Conrad had set her up in the small area that was once reserved for the sheriff’s assistant, a position cut long before Sheriff Moore had walked these ancient halls.

With the slew of murders that now plagued the town, the city council had approved a new hire. Since Conrad hadn’t yet filled the position, Jane claimed the desk for herself. She even eked out chapter two of her book, but oooooh goodness gracious. She had to extract every word with a pair of invisible pliers. Why was writing so hard? And why did Donnie Eggerson have no online presence?

The phone rang on and off. She answered calls from her fellow Aurelian Hills citizens, fielding everything from the supervisor of Dashwood Farms, complaining of teenagers tipping the cows again to an illegal lemonade stand. How she loved helping. Bonus, the ringing phone saved her from having to write more. But mostly helping was the right thing to do.

She offered amazing advice, jotted down notes, and kept deputies from invading Conrad’s space with non-case related issues. A lull in the calls came. Hmm. What else could she do to legitimately avoid writing—er, to help the love of her life? Jane snapped her finger. Why not pretty up the third floor?

Her phone beeped. Oh! A text had come in.

Beaudyguard: Your book is amazing.

Jane beamed, then slumped, Conrad’s advice fresh in her mind.

Jane: Amazingly good or amazingly bad?

Beaudyguard:…

Beaudyguard:...

Beaudyguard: I want more talking trees. But also a legit reason for talking trees.

Jane was just about to ask him to explain himself when she realized she’d missed a few other texts.

Juniverse: Hiya sis!

Jane’s brow wrinkled. Her baby half-sister, June Moonrose, was the oldest of her mother's children with Arthur Moonrose. Arthur wasn’t the love of her mother’s life, which was the reason her marriage had lasted almost twenty years, sidestepping the Ladling Curse. Or so Jane had once thought. And nope, she had never been, not once, jealous that the name Moonrose paired perfectly with a cemetery. But until recently, Jane and June had rarely spoken. Why continue to reach out now? Because of the wedding?

Like all things that had to do with her sister, Jane pushed this into the background.

Tiffinator: Have you seen my corner rounder? It’s nowhere in the cottage.

As if Jane even knew what that looked like.

Jane: I’ll keep an eye out.

Fionality: I hear you’re running the police station now. Jane, this is so wonderful! I have a feeling our crime rates are about to drop to 0%


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