by Diana Orgain | Mar 31, 2021 | Maternal Instincts Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss Chapter one? From Motherhood is Murder Chapter Two Continued… OUTREACH The boat swayed, the motion brought my mind back to the present. I still needed to call Mom. How could I find a network? I extended my arm and did a ridiculous dance trying to coax more than two bars out of the phone. I quickly dialed home. All I could see in my mind’s eye was Laurie’s pretty round face with her rosy cheeks and toothless grin. Thank God I’d pumped before leaving the house this evening. I only hoped they wouldn’t keep us here too much longer. I was missing Laurie like crazy. I twisted and suddenly saw full bars. Mom answered on the third ring. “How’s Lemon Drop?” I asked. Samba music blared in the background, then suddenly stopped. “She fine, dear. Sleeping.” “What are you listening to?” “Ricky Martin.” “Laurie is sleeping through Ricky Martin?” “Yes, well, she’s really still too young to enjoy the finer things in life.” I filled Mom in on the developments. She gasped. “Don’t worry about Laurie and me, we’re fine. Just take care of whatever you need to. We’ll be here.” What would I do without Mom? As I was about to thank her and hang up, I heard a male voice in the background. “Who’s that?” “Oh! That’s Hank. He came over to keep me company.” After nearly fifteen years of being single, Mom had recently started dating again. Hank was the man who’d brought her out of hiding. “What are you, a teenager? You have some guy over as soon as the adults...
by Diana Orgain | Mar 31, 2021 | Maternal Instincts Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss Chapter one? From Motherhood is Murder Chapter Two Outreach I waved my cell phone around, counting bars as I moved from window to window. I had five bars showing until I hit the first number on the keypad, then three bars disappeared. Most of the passengers were now lingering in the lounge area. The captain had announced that we would be further delayed and compli‐ mentary hot beverages would be served. Jim was in line getting me a hot coffee, while I frantically tried to reach my mother, who was babysitting for us. I moved away from the windows, still focused on the phone, and slammed directly into Nick Dowling, the San Francisco Medical Examiner. “Mrs. Connolly! What a coincidence.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. If Nick was here, it couldn’t be good news for Helene. “Mr. Dowling. Don’t tell me Helene is . . .” Nick brushed his bangs off his forehead. “Well, I’m not supposed to tell you anything. You know that, Kate.” After giving birth to Laurie just a few short weeks ago, I’d been dragged into a murder investigation. Well, maybe “dragged” wasn’t the right word. I had launched a fledgling private investigation busi‐ ness. Maybe “launched” wasn’t the right word either. I had solved a missing person’s case, and two murders. Yes, I had solved it. I’d also met the medical examiner. The ME is called to a scene only when a death has occurred. I closed my eyes and bowed my head. I felt Nick’s hand on my elbow. “I’m sorry, Kate. Were you close?” I shook...
by Diana Orgain | Mar 31, 2021 | Maternal Instincts Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss Chapter one? From Motherhood is Murder Chapter One Continued… AT SEA Evelyn squeezed my elbow and flitted off to gather her husband. Jim pulled my chair out for me. “Coast Guard? What’s going on?” I asked. Jim’s lips formed a line. “I was at the bar getting a Bud, when the brunette—” “Sara, Miss No-Nonsense?” “No. The other one, the one with the . . . with the . . .” Jim waved his hands around. “Fluffy dress.” I nodded. “Margaret.” Margaret was wearing a ballet tutu. I wish I could say it looked as ridiculous as it sounded, but the truth was it looked fabulous. Margaret was supertall, pencil thin, and had shapely legs. She looked as if she could have stepped out of a children’s book—a cartoon char‐ acter with spindly spider legs and a ruffle at her waist. But the gold top and shoes added something indescribable to the outfit. Making the cartoon Olive Oyl look glamorous and runway-ish. “Yeah, Margaret,” Jim continued. “She ran up to us, looking a little dazed, and said Helene fell down the back staircase. Said she was unconscious—” “Unconscious?” I felt a shiver run down my spine. Jim pulled out my dining chair. “The captain asked if there was a doctor on board.” I sat down and let him push my chair in. We were the only ones at our table. Earlier, we had dined with all the parents from my new mothers’ group: Sara, Helene, Margaret, Evelyn, and their husbands. We had christened them: Sara was Miss No-Nonsense, Helene was Lean and Mean, Margaret was Tutu,...
by Diana Orgain | Mar 31, 2021 | Maternal Instincts Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss Book One? From Motherhood is Murder Chapter One AT SEA To Do: 1.Buy diapers. 2.Make Laurie’s two-month check. 3.Find good “how to” book for PI business. 4. x Find dress for dinner cruise. 5. x Ask Mom to babysit. 6.Exercise. I STARED INTO THE BATHROOM MIRROR AND WONDERED HOW I’D FAILED to bring a hairbrush along on the San Francisco Bay dinner cruise. I ran my hands down the length of my mop, trying to tame the frizzies. If I put a little water on the problem, would it help or make it worse? The door to the restroom flew open. Sara, one of the moms from my new mommy group, appeared. She looked worse than I did. Her lipstick was smudged and her hair had the volume of a lion’s mane. “Oh my God! Kate! I didn’t know you were here.” She took a step back toward the door, then hesitated, looking like she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She was so prim and proper at dinner. Probably doesn’t like to be seen 1looking so rumpled, but hey, if you can’t look bad in the ladies’ room, then there’s no safe haven. Sara ran her hands along the front of her black cocktail dress, which was wrinkled and wet, then squinted at her reflection. She jumped into action, grabbing a paper towel and fixing the smeared lipstick. “Your husband’s been looking everywhere for you. The captain’s called an ‘all hands on deck.’” “My hands, too?” I asked, wiggling my fingers under the faucet to activate the automatic water flow. Sara...
by Diana Orgain | Mar 30, 2021 | Maternal Instincts Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss Chapter One? Did you miss Chapter Two? From Bundle of Trouble Chapter Three Continued… RECOVERY/DISCOVERY Jim shrugged, then pinched the bridge of his nose. “All my life everyone has tried to help George. Growing up, my mom told me to take care of him. Your best friend for life, she always said. I did my best, but nothing was ever good enough for him. He always demanded more, giving nothing in return and managing to poison everything and everyone around him.” His face contorted in anger, then turned to sadness. “I didn’t want the joy of Laurie’s birth clouded over by news about George.” After a moment, he said, “I took down the guy’s phone number. I’ll call him when we’re home, make sure I’m really reaching the medical examiner’s office.” We sat in silence for a moment. I put my arms around him and pressed my cheek against his. I understood his desire to postpone bad news. As the sun came up, the room began to glow. I glanced at the clock and realized Laurie was due back at any minute. “Sorry I woke you,” I said. He stroked my hair. “Try not to worry about George. I’m doing it enough for the both of us. You focus on Laurie and on recovering.” <><><> THE DAY NURSE WHEELED IN OUR LITTLE BUNDLE, WRAPPED IN A PINK and blue striped swaddling blanket with a pink cap on her head. She looked like a tiny cherub with rosy cheeks. I noticed a scratch on her face. Laurie’s itty-bitty nails were extremely long. The nurse explained that...
