Paranormal Thriller
Date Published: 06-26-2023
Lexi never considered her gift of sight anything but a curse until she is
lured to a murder scene by a young, dead girl. Detective Evan Steele doesn’t
like working with others, especially ones who ruin his crime scene. Going
against his gut and logic, he teams up with a medium who challenges
everything he ever believed. Together they must stop the serial killer that
is terrorizing New Sainte.
Don’t miss Cherish Lively’s My Secret Obsession Podcast. If you enjoy
listening to novels, stop by the podcast and listen to Confessions of a
“Fallen” Good Girl.
EXCERPT
The layer of gray clouds reflected the flashing lights of the police cars lining the street. Lexi’s head whirled in rhythm with the swirling lights as her heart pounded. Each inhalation seemed to be filtered through a dozen surgical masks as dizziness overwhelmed her. Her grip tightened on the wheel as she came to a sudden stop in her driveway. She didn’t want to move, but she had to. She couldn’t deny the little girl who beckoned her.
Olivia Shaw ran to her, yet her little feet didn’t quite touch the ground. Lexi couldn’t describe exactly how the dead moved or how much of their earthly selves remained once they were dead, but there always seemed to be a process by which the dead came to terms with their death and finally receded into the afterlife.
Lexi wasn’t sure if she was screaming aloud or if her cries of horror merely echoed in her head, but as she ran across the driveway towards the little girl, she knew that she was the only one that saw Olivia.
“Help Amelia! She’s hiding!” screamed Olivia with her hands in fists by her side. She looked like a kid throwing a tantrum, but it wasn’t a tantrum. Desperation to help someone she loved fueled her pleas. The eight-year-old turned and raced back towards her house.
At first Lexi didn’t notice the police officers making their way towards her, but as she neared Oliva, a man in a suit stepped in front of her and motioned for her to stop.
Lexi’s focus on Olivia was totally obscured by the broad chest that suddenly blocked her way. She nearly stumbled as she came to an abrupt stop. She steadied herself by planting her hands on the man’s chest. His hands wrapped around her arms to keep her from fully plowing into him.
“Ma’am,” Detective Evan Steele said as he kept the woman steady. “Ma’am, you can’t go in there. Do you live here?”
Evan hated this part of his job. Death and murder were horrible business, but justice for the dead and the ones who lived on needed to be found. The woman before him was pale and clearly traumatized. Her fingers clutched at his shirt, and her nails scraped his flesh through the cloth.
“Ma’am,” Evan repeated. The woman shifted and refused to look at him. Instead, her gaze was locked on something behind him.
He glanced over his shoulder to see what held her attention, but he didn’t see anything.
“Let go of me,” Lexi panted. She tried to push off his chest, but his hands remained locked on her arms.
Fury exploded through Lexi and she shouted, “Let go of me!” She jerked free of his hold and only got a few steps before he stopped her again.
“Ma’am,” this time Evan’s voice was firm, authoritative. “You can’t go in there. It’s an active crime scene.”
“We have to help her!” Lexi screamed. “She’s afraid. She needs my help.”
Evan felt sorry for the desperate woman before him. The people in the house were dead. There was no one to help.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. We have the situation under control.”
Olivia’s screams for help echoed through the air. Amelia had to be safe. Olivia wouldn’t be so desperate if her sister was already dead. Lexi wasn’t a quitter, but she knew he wouldn’t let her by.
“Okay,” Lexi said, finally making eye contact with the man. “Okay.” God, what could she say to convince him to let her into the house? She couldn’t tell him that she saw ghosts and that one was pleading with her to help a little girl still in the house.
About the Author
Karen lives in Georgia with her wonderful husband and twin daughters. She
loves traveling the world. Whether it’s to the heights of Yosemite,
the white sands of the Caribbean, or even Down Under, she’s always
ready to pack a bag in search of inspiration. She enjoys creating worlds
filled with unique characters that will delight and raise goose bumps on her
readers.
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