by Diana Orgain | Sep 23, 2021 | Gold Strike Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
From Murder at the Clocktower Chapter One Thanks to the rising price of gold, my hometown of Golden, California, was amid an unprecedented economic boost. That was one of the reasons I was returning home for the first time in over five years. Nerves fluttered through my belly as I parked my car, hiding under a sunhat and glasses. My hometown hosted many faces I didn’t care to revisit, as well as a hoard of memories I didn’t want to relive. But sometimes, that’s what being an adult is all about, facing traumas and ghosts, trying to better oneself despite them. At least, that’s what my therapist said. And goodness knows, I’d done my best to avoid both her advice and my trauma by practicing Balasana on the beach in Bali. For the time being, only one person knew that I was back: my childhood best friend, Tori Kemp. Despite my anxiety, I walked into the small café on the outskirts of Golden. With chipped paint and discolored tiles, the café was in desperate need of updating, but that was hardly surprising. The café had been here for over fifty years. It’d been my favorite place to visit with Steven. Steven. My throat tightened at the thought of him, and I pushed down the painful emotions bubbling in my chest. Across the open space, I spotted Tori in a corner booth. We had ruled the schoolyard together and seeing her now warmed my heart. She leaped out of the booth and launched herself at me, giggling as she threw her arms around my neck. Even though Tori and I...
