by Diana Orgain | May 20, 2021 | iWitch, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did You miss Chapter One? From A Witch Called Wanda Chapter Two CHUCK My legs and feet ache, and I’m pretty sure I smell like rotten fish. I don’t even remember the last time I’ve been around fish, but all this fur makes a smell stay with you. I’ve been walking for six days straight, and the most I’ve eaten is some pizza I found in an alley behind a bar, not even a good pizza parlor. Never in my life have I ever imagined I would be dumpster diving for a meal! I used to be somebody. I’ve been looking for someone–no one in particular–just someone … anyone, who can help me. My situation is both dire and, I suppose, slightly comical, depending on the way you look at it. I’m not exactly sure what I’m looking for yet, but I suppose I will know it when I see it. I miss my bed back home in LA. My big, comfy king sized bed with the satin sheets imported from Taiwan. My in-home hot tub. I miss being within walking distance of all the five star restaurants–being only a short drive from Beverly Hills. Is this really my life now? Left‐ over pizza crust and begging for scraps? I’m not exactly sure why I left Los Angeles. I knew I needed to find someone specific–the witchy woman who did this to me told me that, but now I find myself walking along the side of the highway like a hobo hitchhiker. Today alone, I must have walked at least ten miles already; I certainly turned down the...
by Diana Orgain | May 20, 2021 | iWitch, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did You miss part one of Chapter One? From A Witch Called Wanda Chapter One Continued Maeve stiffened, something about the name set off an alarm. She hadn’t been in town that long, so to recognize the name at all made her feel as if she must have met the woman, and yet she couldn’t place her. Is the woman high profile enough to snatch this space out from under me? Maeve wondered. “That name actually sounds familiar. I know I’ve only been here for a few weeks … Do I know her?” “She’s the mayor’s secretary. You’ve probably heard her name around town,” Gracie said. “It’s a small town, so everybody is a gossip. I’m sure it’s a big change from LA.” Maeve laughed. “Trust me, everyone gossips in LA too.” “I can’t believe you left Los Angeles for a place like Wisteria Pines. From what you’ve said, your songwriting career was going pretty well.” It was true. Maeve had written a couple of songs that had hit the charts. They’d paid enough to put away a little nest egg for herself, but along with success came demand, and when she hadn’t been able to produce the next hit fast enough, people got nasty. And then there was Frank … Gracie must have noticed something telling on her face, because she offered kindly, “Just needed a change of pace?” Maeve glanced over her shoulder to make sure that Penny wasn’t eavesdropping. The girl was drawing stick figures with her fingers in the dust on the windows. “Between you and me, there was a bit more to it...
by Diana Orgain | May 17, 2021 | Roundup Crew, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
From Murder at Yappy Hour Chapter One “What do you mean, you fired her?” I said into my cell phone as I brushed sand from the beach towel. It was at least the fourth time I’d had the same conversation with my great-uncle Ernest. Grunkly-E we called him, which morphed into Grunkly, but on occasion turned into Grouchy or Grumpy. He was one of the reasons I’d recently relocated to Pacific Cove. He and my sister, Rachel, not to mention the fact that my stint as a financial advisor in New York had come to an abrupt end after the market had crashed. It was time to hit the reset button on my life. What I needed most was some fresh seaside air, and when I’d learned that the Soleado Mexican Riviera Cruise Line had opened a new port in town, the position of bookkeeper/purser practically shouted out my name. “Well, Maggie, she was real mean. She wanted me to walk around and stuff,” Grunkly said. A few months back, Grunkly suffered a mild heart attack. He’d been hospitalized and on the verge of “the great beyond” as he called it, but he’d battled back from the heart attack and the case of pneu‐ monia he’d contracted. Actually, at his age of eighty-four, the doctors all considered it a miraculous recovery. Now our biggest obstacle was finding him a day nurse that he liked, or rather, wouldn’t fire at the drop of a hat. “You’re supposed to walk around! Breathe some fresh air. That’s how you’re going to get better.” “I’m already better. Plus, she didn’t like Benny....
by Diana Orgain | May 17, 2021 | Roundup Crew, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss Chapter One? Did you miss Chapter Two? Did you miss part one of Chapter Three? From Murder at Yappy Hour Chapter Three Continued… “Jen said she was going to send an ambulance. Maybe they can give her oxygen or something when they get here,” Yolanda said. I raised my head. “I’m fine.” Yolanda’s hand fluttered to her chest. “No, you’re not. We’ve had a big shock and you nearly passed out.” I glanced at Officer Brooks and caught him studying me. I self consciously smoothed down my wet hair. A smile played around his eyes, and he said, “You’re Rachel’s sister?” I nodded. “Where is she?” he asked. “Have you called her and told her about Dan?” I swallowed past the dry spot in my throat. “No,” I muttered. He nodded. “Okay, good. Let’s keep it that way for a bit. This is a small town and I want to be able to control the information for as long as I can.” He gave Yolanda a meaningful look. “Let me notify the next of kin before word gets out, okay?” Yolanda stroked her collarbone, a strange expression on her face. As if she didn’t know whether she should be offended at being called the town gossip or take it as a compliment. She seemed to decide on taking it as a compliment, because she reached out and squeezed Officer Macho’s forearm. “You can count on me,” she said. I stood and crossed behind the bar, hoping to put some distance between them and myself. “I’m going to pour myself a drink now.” Officer Brooks raised...
by Diana Orgain | May 17, 2021 | Roundup Crew, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss Chapter One? Did you miss Chapter Two? From Murder at Yappy Hour Chapter Three A commotion was building outside in the bar area. Beepo was yapping relentlessly, Yolanda was alternating between calm, soothing tones that I guessed were directed at Beepo and a high-pitched, nervous tone that I figured was directed at the baritone voice that was cutting in and out. Obviously, the police had arrived. I cringed. I had to get myself together. Why had I called the police before figuring out Rachel’s involvement? I turned my face into the stream of water and drank unabashedly from the faucet. The water did nothing to relieve my nausea. And what the hell was I going to do about the letter? How many copies were out there? Fortunately, the guy hadn’t cc’d anyone on the letter, but he had to have a copy on his computer. If he’d threatened closing down Rachel’s bar, I could only imagine how angry she’d be. But even still . . . she would have challenged him . . . or hired a lawyer . . . or something, but she wouldn’t have bashed him in the head with her best bottle of merlot! I ran the water through my hair, then turned off the faucet and straightened. I evaluated myself in the mirror. Not only did I look like a drowned rat, but the color had completely drained from my face. Worse still, I looked like I had something to hide. Prying open the door, I peeked out into the corridor. The body was still sprawled across the sienna-colored terra...
by Diana Orgain | May 17, 2021 | Roundup Crew, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss Chapter One? Did you miss part one of Chapter Two? From Murder at Yappy Hour Chapter Two Continued… “All right, you come talk to 9-1-1,” I said. She reluctantly came around the bar, still clutching the dog, who growled at me as they approached. “Hush now, Beepo.” She took the phone from me. “Jen? It’s Yolanda. Maggie’s going to check for a pulse. It’s Dan, you know? I came over early to meet with Rachel . . . no, I don’t know where she is.” I approached the man on the floor. Next to his bloody bashed head was an oversized bottle of wine. Dear God! Someone had clobbered him in the head and the blow had killed him. What kind of person would do something like that? I knelt beside him and closed his eyes with my fingers, sighing at the loss of life. He was definitely dead, there was no need to take a pulse, but I grabbed his wrist anyway. When I lifted his arm slightly I saw a paper on the floor, trapped under the man’s coat. What was this? I grabbed the slip of paper and saw Rachel’s name on it. It was probably nothing and yet my stomach seemed to fill with dread. I glanced toward Yolanda; she was still chatting with the operator. Almost without thinking, I shoved the paper into my pocket. Yolanda looked up. “Anything?” she asked, sounding almost hopeful. I shook my head. “Just the police then, Jen. We don’t need an ambulance,” Yolanda said. “Oh, you send one anyway?” She was silent for a...
