CASCADE COURIERTimber Falls Cloaked in Mystery as Rainy Season Beginsby Charity JenkinsSheriff Mitch Tanner had his hands full when just hours before the rainy season began Bigfoot was spotted on the edge of town by our local bread delivery man. This is not the first Bigfoot sighting hereânor the lastâbut the real mystery is the disappearance of Dennison Ducks decoy painter Nina Monroe! The sheriff refused to confirm reports that foul play might have been involved, but one source said Ninaâs boss, Wade Dennison, was very upset when she didnât show for work this morning. Nina has been in town for only a month and little is known about her. But never fear, this reporter will get to the bottom of itâ¦.
A former award-winning journalist, B.J. Daniels had thirty-six short stories published before her first romantic suspense, Odd Man Out, came out in 1995. B.J. lives in Montana with her husband, Parker, two springer spaniels, Zoey and Scout, and a temperamental tomcat named Jeff. She is a member of Kiss of Death, the Bozeman Writers Group and Romance Writers of America. When she isnât writing, she snowboards in the winters and camps and boats in the summers. All year she plays her favorite sport, tennis. To contact her, write: P.O. Box 183, Bozeman, MT 59771 or visit her Web site at www.bjdanielsweb.com.
Charity JenkinsâSheâs set her sights on confirmed bachelor Sheriff Mitch Tannerâand the newspaper story sheâs working on could get her killed.
Mitch TannerâThe rainy season in Timber Falls is always bad, but this year it starts with a murder.
Nina MonroeâThe duck-decoy painter lied about who she was and why she was in townâand now sheâs gone missing.
Wade DennisonâThe owner of Dennison Ducks is hiding something. But is it murder?
Daisy DennisonâShe became a recluse when her baby daughter, Angela, was stolen from her crib twenty-seven years ago.
Angela DennisonâTwenty-seven years ago Angela was stolen from her crib and never seen again.
Alma BromdaleâThe nanny had been sleeping soundly in the room next to Angelaâsâ¦
Desiree DennisonâFor years sheâs had to live in her missing younger sisterâs shadow. The last thing she wants is Angela to turn up now in the flesh.
Jesse TannerâIs it just a coincidence that Mitchâs outlaw older brother shows up in Timber Falls now?
Ethel WhitingâShe knows the Dennison family better than anyone in town. Maybe too well.
Sheryl BendsâDid the painter hate Nina Monroe enough for stealing one of her duck designs that she could have killed her?
Bud FarnsworthâThe production manger at Dennsion Ducks has a chip on his shoulder and a mean temper.
Kyle L. RogersâThe P.I. doesnât know it, but he was hired to make sure the kidnapperâs identity stays a secret.
This book is dedicated with much appreciation to JoAnn Brehm. Thank you for sharing your stories about life in Oregon and the long rainy season.
Oregon is a beautiful, diverse state and one I found both fascinating and a little mystifying. Especially in the deepest, darkest woods on the rain shadow side of the Cascades, where it takes little imagination to believe that Bigfoot watches from the shadows.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
Tuesday, October 27
Darkness pressed against the window. Beyond the glass, something moved at the edge of the tangle of growth.
Under the glow of the desk lamp, Nina Monroe feathered the paint along one side of the wooden duck decoy.
Sheâd forgotten she was alone in the isolated Dennison Ducks decoy plant. Nor had she noticed how late it was. Her mind had been on her future.
For the first time in her twenty-seven years of life, her future looked good. Not just good. Dazzling. Almost blinding. Sometimes she had to pinch herself it was so hard to believe. Soon she would have everything sheâd ever wanted. Soon she wouldnât be painting duck decoys in the middle of nowhere, that was for sure.
A voice in her head warned her not to count her chickens before theyâd hatched. The voice was that of her old-maid aunt Harriet and she shut it out, just as she had all of her life. Aunt Harriet the doomsayer.
After tonight, Nina would finally have what she deserved. It had been a long time coming. She smiled at the thought of blowing this dinky boring town knowing sheâd never look back, never even give Timber Falls, Oregon, another thought. She felt dazed by the possibilities. And filled with righteous indignation that it had taken so long for justice to finally be done.
Sheâd picked Halloween. A perfect time to unmask the true villains. By Halloween, sheâd be long goneâbut not forgotten. She would have it all, the moneyâandâthe revenge. Who said revenge wasnât sweet?
A noise at the window made her look up. From the darkness appeared a distorted face. It filled the window, the eyes like empty sockets.