Dead in a Park
by B.L. Blair
Series: Leah Norwood Mystery, #2
Genre: Mystery/Romance
Cover Designer: Nicole Spence/Cover Shot Creations
Cover Designer: Nicole Spence/Cover Shot Creations
Release Date: November 12, 2015
When Leah Norwood finds the body of Donald Collins in the city park, she doesn't know he is a distant relative. Young Donnie was a jewel thief and a career criminal. Hidden in the lining of his suit jacket was an exact replica of a ring that has been in Leah’s family for over a hundred years. After her home is burglarized, the sexy chief of police is convinced the ruby ring has something to do with the murder.
Leah wants to find out what happened to Donnie, but why would someone kill for a hundred year old ring? She discovers a connection between Donnie and the drug-dealing Cantono family, between the Cantono family and a jewelry appraiser, and between the jewelry appraiser and one of her own employees. Chief Griggs might be onto something. All clues lead back to the family ring.
Leah loves a good mystery. Can she find the killer before the killer finds her?
Chief of Police Alexander Griggs stalked toward us. There was really no other way to describe the smooth, long strides that ate up space. I hate to admit it, but he took my breath away. He isn’t exactly gorgeous or handsome, but there is a power about him that draws the eye. He is about five eleven, with broad shoulders and narrow hips. There isn’t an ounce of fat on his lean, hard body. Dark hair cut short in a military style covers his head. His face is attractive in a timeless way, and he has a small indentation on the right side of his mouth that drives me crazy. His eyes are a deep, intense green. I had met Griggs when I found the first body back in December.
For a while, I had been a suspect in that case so naturally I did everything I could to clear my name. Griggs had never thought I was guilty, but they had to check all possible suspects and I was high on the list. We had spent three weeks dancing around each other. He was one of the two men I thought might be interested in me. On Christmas Eve, he had pinned me to the back wall of my shop, kissed me senseless, and told me not to leave town. And that was the last time I had seen him.
“What have we got?” he asked Megan in his deep, smoky voice. He has a great voice.
Megan gave her report, and Griggs turned to me. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied my face. I tried to keep it blank, but I don’t think I was very successful. He smirked and said, “So you found another body?”
The anger shot through me so quickly I almost lashed out. He had ignored me for two months and now thought he could be cute? It wasn’t like I went around looking for bodies. Isabel had been in the dumpster behind my store. I had found her when I was taking out the trash. And Anthony Thorpe had been inside his own store. Okay, so I did go looking for him, but I hadn’t expected to find him dead. I willed the anger down but couldn’t keep the glare off my face.
“Actually,” I said in a reasonably calm voice, “Harry found the body.”
Griggs frowned in confusion until I pointed at the dog. He looked at Harry and then back at me. “When did you get a dog?”
“Five weeks ago. He was a birthday present from the Westons.”
“It was your bir —” He broke off and bent down to rub Harry’s head. The traitor wagged his tail and barked happily at Griggs. I didn’t say anything.
“You had to name him Harry?” Griggs asked as he stood.
“Eric named him Harry,” I replied sharply. Suddenly, Griggs grinned. My heart skipped a beat. He also had a great grin.
“Harry because he’s so hairy?” he said.
Also in the Series
B. L. Blair writes simple and sweet romance and mystery/romance stories. Like most authors, she has been writing most of her life and has dozens of books started. She just needs the time to finish them.
She is the author of the Holton Romance Series and the Leah Norwood Mysteries. She enjoys reading books, writing books, and traveling wherever and as often as time and money allows. She is currently working on her latest book set in Texas, where she lives with her family.
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