Six Pack of Murder by Jean Lauzier

Murder happens –

And no matter the reason, there’s always a crime to be solved and a bad guy that needs to be caught. Within the pages of Six Pack of Murder, you’ll find good guys and bad along with those who strive to balance the scales of justice. Just beware; sometimes things aren’t as they appear.

Get your copy here.

*****

Since I wrote this, I naturally like it. Hope you do too. 

And the winner is...

Six Pack of Murder winners are...


Jake
Mary Preston
Dana Wilkerson Spille





Dark Descent winners are...

Rosalee Richland
JQ Rose
Marja McGraw


Congratulations and I hope you enjoy.  If you don't hear from me soon, please get in contact with me.

MWW Tour Stops

In case you missed any stops along the tour, here they are in order. 

Day One  The Romance of Mystery
Day Two   Mysterious Writers
Day Three   Marilyn Musings
Day Four  Rionna Morgan's Chanting of Muses
Day Five  The ExPat Returneth
Day Six  Earl Stagg's Blog
Day Seven  Anne K. Albert's Blog
Day Eight   Feeling the Fiction
Day Nine  Evelyn Cullet's Blog
Day Ten  Rest Stop
Day Eleven   W. S. Gager on Writing
Day Twelve   Patricia Gligor's Writers Forum
Day Thirteen  M. M. Gormell's Blog
Day Fourteen  Madison Johns' Blog
Day Fifteen   Modern Confessional

The Next Big Thing

 That's right, today's the day.  The "Next Big Thing" Blog Hop. Which is a really cool way to get to know other writers and their work. Such as...Evelyn Byrne who tagged me and is writing paranormal books you'll really love.

This "hop" consists of 10 questions.  

And away we go.....

1. What is the working title of your book?
 Now that is a loaded question. I have several things going right now.  Dark Descent and Dragons of Jade are both in the editorial phase. I'm hoping to have release dates on them soon.  I'm also working on two serials, I Wish... and Where the Heart is.

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
Dark Descent began as a prompt idea for a writer's group newsletter but it had to be short. Only thing, there was so much more to the story so it became a novel.  Dragons of Jade...I'm not sure where the idea came from. I just like dragons and wanted to do them differently.  I challenged myself to write a different genre and that's how I started on Where the Heart is.  I Wish... my brother challenged me to write. It started as a short story, just enough to win the bet with him but has grown also.

3. What genre does your book fall under?
Dark Descent - mystery/suspense
Dragons of Jade - fantasy
I Wish... western fantasy
Where the Heart is - contemporary romance 

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
There's no way I could even begin to figure this out. I watch so little televison I don't keep up with the actors.
 
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Dark Descent - Hannibal Lector meets Mayberry - There's a serial killer living among them, can Cande figure out who it is before it's too late for his next victim?

Dragons of Jade - Who's killing the dragons and what can a girl from Earth do about it? 

Where the Heart is - Can Marcus prove to Samantha they were meant to be together before she leaves again?

I Wish... - Wes gets his wish to live in the old west but will it be what he expected and will he be able to get back home in one piece or at all?

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
They will be published through White Bird Publications. It's a small press and I'm really enjoying working with them.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Dark Descent took probably 3 months to write, but those 3 months were spread over quite a long time.  Dragons of Jade was written as a NaNoWriMo project so only took 1 month. Naturally, revising has taken longer.  Where the Heart is and I Wish... have taken several months also.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Gee...another loaded question. I think anyone who enjoys Sue Grafton or Janet Evanovich will like Dark Descent when it comes out.  Those who like dragons should enjoy Dragons of Jade. Romance lovers will enjoy them all since each book has a thread of romance.

9. Who or What inspired you to write this book?
I really like playing in different genres. It's a way to learn new writing techniques and challenging oneself.

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
 I think the characters. I sometimes have to remind myself they aren't real people and I believe the reader will love them as much as I do. Plus, I like to add an unexpected twist or two whenever I can.


Well, that was fun. I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into my WIPs.  Next week, check out these great authors and their blogs for more answers.

Mitch Haynes

Dawn Demarco 

Ken Farmer

Jaleta Clegg  

Simon Lang

You can download episodes(.99 each) of Where the Heart is and I Wish...  from Amazon.  Also, my short story collection, Six Pack of Murder has the first chapter of Dark Descent included.  

Mystery Monday - Midnight Snack

A while back, I was given a prompt to write a story using only dialogue. This is the result. Hope you enjoy.

Midnight Snack

            “Finally, it‘s about time you got here. What’d you tell Bill?”

            “Just that you and Dave had a fight, that you were upset and needed someone to talk to. I told him not to wait up for me, that I might stay over. Of course, he was practically asleep on the couch before I left so that’s where he’ll probably be in the morning. He’s such  a bore lately. Where'd Dave go?”

            “He didn’t go anywhere. Come on. I’ll show you. “

            “Oh god! Is he dead?”

            “Yeah, he’s dead. But I warned him. I told him what would happen if he ever cheated on me.  He asked for it. You know, he didn’t even lie about it. Said she made him feel like a real man. Well, she won’t be making him feel anything ever again,I can tell you that.”

            “Did he tell you who she is? I mean, do you know who he was seeing?”

            “I didn’t even ask. Right now though, we got to get rid of him. I saw a couple gators when I jogged over Possum Creek yesterday. We can dump him there. It’ll be days before they find him, if they ever do. Wrap the shower curtain around him.I’ve got the truck backed up to the deck. We can just slide him right in.”

            “What are you going to tell everyone? Sooner or later someone will come looking for him.”

            “Yeah, all his buddies down at Joe’s.I’ll just say we had a fight, he left and didn‘t come home. It’s almost the truth. The Johnson‘s will confirm the fight and that he left.”

            “But he did come home. What about that?”

            “They were asleep by then. A 747 could  land in their yard and not wake them. Besides, he parked in the back when he came home. Thanks to the privacy fence Dave insisted on building, they can’t see back there. Now, let’s take out the trash.”

            “God, he’s heavy. How are we going ever going to get him over the bridge?”

            “I’ve got a plan. Don’t worry. Follow me in your car.”

            “Alright, I’ll meet you there.”

            “Don’t wimp out on me. I need you. You don’t want me going to jail do you?”

            “Of course not. You’re my best friend. I won’t let you down.”

*

            “Hold onto the shower curtain. I’ll ease the truck away and he’ll slide right out. Ready?”

            “Go real slow. Oh god, oh god, oh god. He’s out.”

            “Now to get him over the bridge. Here gator, gator. Time for a midnight snack. Grab his feet, pull him up and over the rail. Leave the shower curtain, I’ll get rid of that later.There’s a construction site not far from here. They won’t notice it in the dumpster. Good, now help me shove him over.”

            “I’m going to have nightmares for weeks.”

            “No, you won’t. I mean, you only helped a friend. It’s not like it’s your fault. Oh wait, it is partly your fault.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Did you really think you’d get away with it? That I wouldn’t figure it out? You’ve been wearing that same cheap perfume since sixth grade.  When Dave came home from his business trip last month, his clothes reeked of it.”

            “Come on, I’m not the only person who wears Temptation.”

            “True, but you were gone the same weekend. I called. Thought a girl’s night out would be fun. Bill told me about your business trip.”

            “I was in meetings all weekend. Honest. It really was a business trip.”

            “Maybe. I couldn’t prove it one way or the other so I started following Dave. The Blue Moon hotel on Tuesday and Thursdays at lunch. Then there was the day y’all didn’t even make it to the hotel. Last Wednesday wasn’t it? I always hated doing it in the front seat but you seemed to be enjoying it.”

            “I didn’t mean to…  I couldn’t help it. And he said it was over, that he was filing for divorce.”
            “It doesn’t matter. You were my best friend. There’s no excuse. No matter what he said.”

            “What are you going to tell Bill? He knows I went to your place. He’ll expect me back in the morning.”

            “You never made it to my place. Just cause you said I called, doesn’t mean I did.  Besides, once he finds out about you and Dave, he’ll be more angry than concerned.”

            “Please…  You don’t have to do this.”

            “Yeah I do. You were a good friend but it‘s too late. Now, you’re dessert for the gators. Bye Pam.”

            “I’m sor…”

            “Look out below. Open up boys, this one will make you feel like a real gator.”

 End

If you like this, you'll probably enjoy Six Pack of Murder. It's six short stories along with the opening of my soon to be released novel, Dark Descent. 

T is for... Samson

That's right, Samson. 

Samson is a Siberian tiger in my short story Tyger, Tyger.  Did you know tiger footprints are just as individual as fingerprints? I learned a lot about tigers while doing the research for this story.  More than I'll ever need to know but I really enjoyed writing this one.

You can read Tyger, Tyger in my short story collection, Six Pack of Murder and find out if Samson is the bad guy or innocent victim. The electronic download (Kindle & Nook) is only .99 and includes 5 other short stories along with the first chapter of my upcoming novel Dark Descent, which is due to be released in June. Here's the Amazon link.

Happy reading...

N is for.... NUTELLA!!!

Yeap, I'm shouting Nutella.  But really, Nutella is a word you say kinda low, with reverence.  Say it with me...Nutella. Is there anything better on warm toast?  And what about straight from the jar while waiting for the toast to get ready?  Nutella on cupcakes...perfect! Nutella on brownies...perfect!

Caramel Nutella Crumb Bars anyone? I haven't tried 'em yet but they look good enough to eat the picture.

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies...bet they'd be great with cold milk. (You have to be member of website to see the 'how to' part of recipe but I'm sure you can figure it out if you don't want to join.  It's free and they have lots more Nutella recipes so might be worth the minute it takes to join.)

Spicy Bacon with Nutella...I'll probably pass on this but for all you bacon loving, Nutella lovers out there...

Cinnamon Nutella Hot Cocoa...makes me wish it was cold.

Bella Nutella is pure Nutella food porn.  I think I gained 15 pounds just gazing at the pictures. From cookies to cakes, pies to tortes, puddings and even drinks, this is the place to swoon. I've got it bookmarked for later drooling. :-)

Another thing that goes perfectly with Nutella is my Six Pack of Murder. You can get Six Pack at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, White Bird Publications or I'll be happy to send you an autographed copy, just email me for the details.

And lastly...

Mad as a Box of Frogs

 That's right...a box of frogs. This is an English saying that leans toward the crazy side of madness. But don't you just love it.  I can't wait to say it in conversation.  I mean, that's just mad a a box of frogs or she's mad as a box of frogs.  It just sounds so cool.  I'm definitely adding this to my list of things to say.

I also found a band called Box of Frogs. One site classified them as "blues" but I'm not so sure about that.  I do know I'm adding Box of Frogs to my musical like list.  I'd never heard of them until I was researching this post but apparently they were quite popular at one time. In fact, Box of Frogs was started by members of the Yardbirds.

Here's a link to the YouTube I discovered.  I've got a real eclectic taste in music so this fits right in. :-)

Marching Band Humor

Why did Mozart kill all his chickens?
They kept running around yelling, "Bach! Bach! Bach!"

***********************************************************************************

Speilberg thought of an idea for a action drama about famous musicians played by superstars. Sylvester Stallone, Steven Segall, Bruce Willis, and Arnold Schwartzenegger all showed up. Speilberg told them to pick what musician they wanted to be as long as they were famous.

"I'll be Mozart because I've always admired his classical music," said Stallone.
"I liked Chopin's piano music and I think I'll play his role," said Bruce.
"I think I'll be Beethoven because he wrote excellent music," Segall said.

Speilburg was excited because he loved this idea. When he asked who Arnold would be, Arnold said, "I'll be Bach".

***********************************************************************************

 Two musicians are driving down a road. All of a sudden they notice the Grim Reaper in the back seat. Death informs them that they had an accident and they both died. But, before he must take them off into eternity, he grants each musician with one last request to remind them of their past life on earth. The first musician says he was a Country & Western musician and would like to hear eight choruses of Achy-Breaky Heart as a last hooray. The second musician says "I was a jazz musician...kill me now!"

***********************************************************************************

"Haven't I seen your face before?" a judge demanded, looking down at the defendant.
"You have, Your Honor," the man answered hopefully. "I gave your son violin lessons last winter."
 "Ah, yes," recalled the judge. "Twenty years!"

***********************************************************************************

Why do bagpipe players walk while they play? To get away from the noise.

 

***********************************************************************************

 

Once upon a time, there was a blind rabbit and blind snake, both living in the same neighborhood. One beautiful day, the blind rabbit was hopping happily down the path toward his home, when he bumped into someone. Apologizing profusely he explained, "I am blind, and didn't see you there."

"Perfectly all right," said the snake, "because I am blind, too, and did not see to step out of your way."
A conversation followed, gradually becoming more intimate, and finally the snake said, "This is the best conversation I have had with anyone for a long time. Would you mind if I felt you to see what you are like?"
"Why, no," said the rabbit. "Go right ahead."
So the snake wrapped himself around the rabbit and shuffled and snuggled his coils, and said, "MMMM! You're soft and warm and fuzzy and cuddly...and those ears! You must be a rabbit."
"Why, that's right!" said the rabbit. "May I feel you?"
"Go right ahead." said the snake, stretching himself out full length on the path.
The rabbit began to stroke the snake's body with his paws, then drew back in disgust. "Yuck!" he said. "You're cold...and slimy... you must be a conductor!"

Mad as a Wet Hen

Here's another interesting idiom.  And I'm not so sure it really is accurate.  I mean, I've seen wet hens before and they weren't angry.  Maybe it has something to do with the origins of the saying. Again, I'm not so sure on this but it's cute.

Seems like when hens get into the "I'm gonna hatch me some eggs" mindset it takes a lot to get 'em out of it.  Even if you gather all the eggs. So, what you do is dunk her in a bucket of water.  Now, it takes several times for this to change her mind and apparently after the third or fourth dunking she gets seriously ticked off. But at least she goes back to laying instead of sitting around.

So, while Mad as a Hatter tends to mean crazy, Mad as a Wet Hen mends very angry.  Don't you just love March Madness!

Picture by Linda Silvestri. 

Marching to the Beat of a Different Drummer

I don't know about you,, but I've always done things my own way.  At least when I can.  I've never followed the "in crowd" or done things just 'cause they were "cool" either. And that's okay. It's one of the things that makes us special, helps us stand out from everyone else.

I call it being an independent thinker and it's one thing I've tired to teach my kids.  As my dad used to say, "Just because everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you?" Naturally, I had to tell him it depended on why they were jumping off.  I mean, I can think of several good reasons to jump off a bridge...like Gozilla on one end and Mothra on the other and you're in the middle of what will soon be a battleground.  Best to get out of the way.

The saying "marching to the beat of a different drummer" comes from the writings of Henry David Thoreau, who wrote:


"If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away."

I think Thoreau and I might have gotten along.

What about you?  Do you march to the beat of a different drummer?

And just because it's March Madness, leave a reason to jump off a bridge in the comments and the best will win something special.

Mad as a Hatter

I love words...it's a writer thing. I like discovering their roots, where they came from and so forth.  I also love colorful sayings such as "mad as a hatter." But have you ever wondered why hatters were mad?

Seems like at one time, mercury was used in the making of hats.  Naturally, hatters were in contact with the toxic metal a lot so were basically poisoned.  Apparently the effects of mercury poisoning is trembling, shakes, wild, aggressive mood swings and unsocial behavior which gave the appearance of madness. 

Of course, the most well-known mad hatter is from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.  I remember reading the book as a youth and watching several movie versions.  While I haven't seen the latest version, I love the Disney's animated version they released in 1951. Gee...now I really do feel old.  Sigh...

I think I need to read the book again. :-)

Don't forget to play my version of March Madness.  Details here!

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

I like the month of March.  It's one of those unpredictable months for us in east Texas.  Not winter, not quite spring.  Yet we get a little of both and sometimes some summer.  For example, yesterday the temp made it up to 80. Driving around town, I had the windows down and the breeze blowing in my hair. Later I had a tangled mess to deal with but that's okay. Some days a lion, some a lamb.

Seems with all the storms happening the last couple days, especially in Missouri and Kansas that March is coming in like a lion. And while the going out like a lamb part is unknown at this time, we can hope that spring and its milder nature isn't far from us.

Here's some interesting "March" stuff.

March was originally the first month of the year and but when we went to the "Gregorian" calendar in 1752, January became first. March was named after the Roman god of war, Mars.

There are several weather related sayings for March.  

* In like a lion, out like a lamb. 

* As it rains in March, so it rains in June.   Maybe we should keep some notes just to see how this one works out.

* March winds and April showers? Bring forth May flowers

The Bloodstone and Aquamarine are the birthstones for March. The flower of the month is the Violet.

On March 1st Ohio (1803) and Nebraska (1867) became states.

Texas declared its independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836.

Florida, Maine and Vermont also became states in March.

Sam Houston, Alexander Graham Bell and Robert Frost were born in March, just to name a few.

 

So, what's your favorite thing about March?  Does March hold any special significance for you?

Don't forget to join my March Madness. 

March Madness

That's right, it's time for March Madness.  Thing is, I really don't care for basketball.  So, I've decided to play my own version of March Madness, without the basketball. And in this game, you're the winner.

Here's the prizes:

5 Amazon gift cards for $25 - one every week
5 Paracord Survival Bracelets - handmade in your choice of colors - one each week
Books - not sure which ones yet, but they'll be good
Chocolate - how could we not include chocolate

Grand Prize Surprise (I'm not telling - will be drawn on April 15.) 

Complete an item on the list below to earn entries in the drawing.
 For single entries:
* Leave a review on Amazon
* Leave a review on Goodreads

For double entries:
* Share a link to this post on Twitter
* Share a link to this post on Facebook
* Share links to upcoming blog posts during the month of March on Facebook and/or Twitter.
* Follow me on Twitter and/or here on the blog.

For 5 entries, purchase an e-copy of Six Pack of Murder by Jean Lauzier (That would be me.)

For 10 entries, purchase a paperback copy of Six Pack of Murder.

To collect these entries, just email and let me know you left a review and where.  For the Twitter and Facebook entries, you can "tag" my name in your Facebook post and automatically see it.  For Twitter, include #SixPack in your tweet so I'll be sure to see it.

Be sure to email me your receipts so I can add the correct number of entries in the drawings. For those of you who have already purchased Six Pack of Murder, you can earn entries by doing the things in the above list too.

Let the madness begin...  Here's a "bitly" link to this post for your convenience.   http://bit.ly/xT9FYV

Read & Win

Here's something for all you paranormal romance readers.  Win a Kindle Fire or iPad from a friend of mine. Evelyn is a critique partner and if you like paranormal, then you'll love these.  Check out the link above for details. And for those of you wondering, yes, that is a real guy on the cover, and no, he's not airbrushed.

Stroll Down Memory Lane

Hi, my name is Jean and I'm a readaholic. I love to read.  Mystery, fantasy, romance, science fiction, horror, westerns and even the classics.  And yes, I spent many nights with a flashlight, under the cover, reading my favorite book.  Well, favorite book at the moment.

Remember reading under the covers, the air hot and stagnant? Getting so caught up in the story that you don't hear Mom sneaking up on you?

Okay...I'll get to the point.

Last night we gave our daughter a Kindle "fire" for her birthday.  She loves to read and this seemed like the perfect gift.  She loves it. :-)  But as I watched her with it, I realized something.

The Kindle Fire takes away the need for flashlights under the covers.   Thankfully she is older now so has had the flashlight-cover reading experience but I wonder what kids will do years from now.

I guess we'll just have to do the "when I was a kid, we didn't have all those techno gizmos, we had to read under the cover with a flashlight" thing. :-)

Things that make you go hmmmmm....

This past week, I've have friends and family ask me for my autograph.  It's a really strange feeling. And just what does one right inside?  Best wishes? Hope you enjoy?  Thanks?  I mean, you want the inscription to be something personal, and that's easier when it's friends but what about when the person is a stranger?

Any suggestions?

Now for shameless self-promo. :-)

Six Pack of Murder is live!  You can get your copy on Kindle and Nook for .99.

I'll also be at my first book signing this Saturday.  At the Curves in Glimer Texas (from 10 - 1)  and I'd love for you that are close enough to be there.

Six Pack of Murder

It's been a while since I stopped by and updated things here but I really have been busy.  Not only did we move the end of Nov., first of December, we did Thanksgiving at our house.  Then there was Christmas and all that entailed. Can you believe 8 Christmas parties in one month? Throw in a sick hubby, a new cat  and a litter of kittens.  Lots to keep up with.

In the midst of all that, I managed to edit Six Pack several times, discuss cover options, settle on a cover I really like and get everything submitted to the publisher.

Now, here's the really exciting part...


Six Pack of Murder will be available on Nook and Kindle the 17th of this month.  That's only a week away.  It will also be available in paperback through Amazon and any chain store can order it for you.

Or, if you'd like and autographed copy, you can contact me and I'll be more than happy to send you one. My publisher emailed me yesterday that copies were being mailed to us today so I'll have copies here really soon.

When I get the direct links, I'll post them for those of you who'd like to purchase through Amazon.

Oh, an excerpt from Dark Descent is included.  Dark Descent is in the revising stage and our goal is to have it available by July.

Announcing...

Six Pack of Murder

One of the decisions I've made recently is to let a small press publish a short story collection. Naturally, the stories are mysteries and from the title you can tell there are six of them. Six Pack will be available for e-readers and in paperback.

We don't have a release date yet but are aiming for the first part of December.  I'll be sure to let everyone know when I have a fixed date.

The edits have been done, I've a few minor things to fix then that will be off to the publisher.  We are working on cover art now too.  I'm really excited about that.  We brainstormed some great ideas and I can barely wait to see the finished piece.

I'll be doing some things here in the way of promotion such as a contest or two so check back often for news.

The Cell

Not long ago I discovered chainbooks and have been writing for them when I have a chance.  One of the things I really like is I can play in different genres without having to finish a whole story.  I can have part of an idea, play with it a bit then let someone else finish it. 

Here is part of one of those ideas.  You can read the rest of it HERE then if you'd like, add the next chapter to it.

The Cell

I hurried down the aisle, past the shoes and artificial flower stuff. By the time I reached lay-a-way, my jaws ached from clenching them so tight and I was doing the 'from-the-knees-down' kinda run that every woman who's waited too long to go knows about. Finally rushing into the restroom, I made it to the first open stall, barely closed the door and settled it into a sitting position without doing something I'd not done since first grade. I'd been new in school, my first day. I still remembered how they kids laughed and teased. After that, I taught myself to delay the need to go for hours at a time. Course, not drinking a lot of liquids helped but I'd never had an accident again. Oh, I'd cut it close a time or two but nothing serious.

Momma had always said "a bean's a bean but a pee's a relief" and while sitting there enjoying the relief, I took a moment to read the graffiti on the stall walls. Nothing much there, just the usual 'for a good time call Glenda at' with a phone number along with a couple 'I love' and the boy's name kinda thing. Above the toilet paper holder someone had scrawled a really crude poem about farting. I snickered a bit since I was alone.

That's when I saw the cell phone. Just laying on top of the toilet paper holder. It was one of those cheap, twenty dollar phones you buy to placate the kid who thinks she'll die if she doesn't have a phone to text her friends. I knew cause I'd bought the fifty dollar version. And for another fifty dollars a month I had unlimited talk, text and web. Not a bad deal really when you compared other plans. And believe me, I had.

I picked up the phone, pushed the green send key and watched the screen come to life. The airtime info showed just under fifty thousand minutes available and twenty-nine service days. Someone had just reloaded it and would probably be angry they'd lost it. But hey, my own phone was about to run out of service days and since things were a little tight in the cash flow area, I figured this was a gift I couldn't refuse. And like momma had said many a time, "finders keepers, losers weepers."

I finished up my business, stuck my new cell phone in my pocket and left the stall. After a quick washing of the hands, I strolled out of the restroom. No one had been looking for a lost phone in the restroom and no one stood at the service desk asking about a lost phone so I snagged an empty shopping cart that appeared to be abandoned and headed to the grocery section to get some ice cream to celebrate my good fortune.

After settling on fudge swirl along with some chocolate sauce to top it off, I used the self-checkout machine and headed across the parking lot to my car. Sliding the cell phone from my pocket, I deposited it in a cup holder then started the engine. I'd just sifted into reverse when the cell sang "you've got mail." After shifting back into park, it only took a moment to open the message and read, Time to play a game. Strange message since that wouldn't be possible on this version of phone, no games. It was one of the things that kept me from buying this model to begin with. I shrugged and then deleted the message.

I'd just returned the phone to its spot in the cup holder when it sang its "you've got mail" announcement again. Sorry, wrong number, no game playing here. I picked up the phone anyway, opened the message. Yes, you! Drive out of parking lot, turn right on Gibson Road. Go to the Sonic. Order a cherry limeade then wait until you hear from me. The phone sang again. I opened the message. Don't think about disobeying Carol. I sucked in a deep breath and dropped the phone. It slid between the seats and down beside the gas pedal. Glancing around the parking lot, no one seemed to be watching me. There were a couple of shoppers going toward the store and a guy with a cart full of stuff coming down the aisle but no one close by or that paid any attention to me.

"You've got mail" came from the phone by my foot. I jerked away bumping my elbow on the door. Maybe if I ignored it. But, whoever was on the other end, they knew my name. How could it be possible? I reached down, picked up the phone. Dread washed over me, my stomach churned. I touched the view button and swallowed hard. Go NOW or you won't live to regret it. Wrong, I regretted picking up the phone already.