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...
by Diana Orgain | Sep 23, 2021 | Gold Strike Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
From Runaway Murder Chapter One “So how is the new job going anyway?” my best friend Vanessa asked as she swung the cab into the station’s car parking lot. It was already busy, people hurrying through the turnstiles, drag‐ ging their luggage or clutching a toddler’s hand. I couldn’t help but smile. The hustle and bustle of the station always got my heart pump‐ ing. It reminded me of my time in Europe as a young adult, when I’d splurged on a Eurail Pass after graduating college. I’d crisscrossed the continent, meeting new people, drinking in experiences, and growing beyond what I’d thought possible. And falling in love for the first time. Yes, I fell in love with travel, Europe, and a sweet, sweet French boy, Laurent. Trains would forever equal excitement to me. I got out of the cab without answering Vanessa and looked around, my arm resting on the open door. I found the mix of old and new intoxicating—the state-of-the-art commuter trains next to the luxury vintage carriages that captured people’s attentions. The scent of diesel clung to the air, the quintessential smell of the station complemented by the aroma of summer. Whenever I smelled diesel anywhere else, I was instantly transported back to the station, back to huddles of eager people waiting to discover what their day had in store for them. Back to the thrill I felt every time I stepped onto the train. The sun was high in the sky, beating down on us mercilessly, and it brought with it that peculiar feeling of possibility and hope that summer always brought. I raised...
by Diana Orgain | Sep 23, 2021 | Gold Strike Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss chapter one? Did you miss chapter two? Did you miss part one of chapter three? From Runaway Murder Chapter Three Continued… “And no one thought to tell me this before we left the platform? I’ve got a fridge full of barbecue food, for goodness sake!” “You’re a clever thing, Jessie,” Greg said with that smug grin again. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.” “It’s Jessica,” I snapped. “And Penny is shucking a whole box of corn as we speak. What…” I scoffed in shock and outrage, looking down at the desk as though searching for an answer. “We’ve only got barbecue supplies, Greg. You’ve seen the size of my kitchen. It’s not like we can keep supplies for every time you change your mind at the last minute!” “Hey.” Greg held his arms in the air and shrugged. “If you’re really as good as you say you are, it won’t be a problem, will it?” He grinned at me, and I could feel myself beginning to seethe, my nostrils flaring. I had to get out of there—and I had to come up with a new menu, stat. I leapt up and swung around, yanking the door open. “That’s it,” Greg said happily. “Back to work we go.” I didn’t dare turn and say another word to him, because I knew it would not be a kindly word. I marched from the room, enraged by what he had done this time. It was as though he was purposely trying to trip me up. It wasn’t even that I was particularly against the idea of a champagne brunch,...
by Diana Orgain | Sep 23, 2021 | Gold Strike Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss chapter one? Did you miss chapter two? From Runaway Murder Chapter Three I strode through the train’s rocking corridor. We’d pulled away from the station and were slowly building up speed— not that we ever went very fast. These trips were about sitting back and enjoying the ride and forgetting the speed at which we lived the rest of our lives. There was too much haste in the world. We needed to learn to relax again. My ponytail swung behind me as I walked, my head held high even if my teeth were clenched in annoyance. He’d already seen me once today, albeit briefly on the platform. What did he want to see me again for? We’d butted heads on more than one occasion, and I was only grateful that his office was about as far away from the train’s kitchen as it could possibly be. “Excuse me,” Said one of the passengers—on her way to the train’s restaurant, probably. We often had early birds wanting snacks or light bites to keep them going until we served the main meal later on in the journey. I smiled politely and stepped into the doorway to let her pass, feeling the coolness of the air air-conditioning on my back. She was a slight woman, compact, almost fragile looking, though the way in which she held herself told me she was anything but. I’d bet she got that all the time—people assuming she was weak simply because she was small. Her skin was lightly tanned and she wore her hair in a short, dark bob. But it was the...
by Diana Orgain | Sep 23, 2021 | Gold Strike Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss chapter one? Did you miss part one of chapter two? From Runaway Murder Chapter Two Continued… “I’m considering moving here to start a new winery. I unfortu‐ nately lost my old one, which had been in my family for generations, in the canyon fires earlier this year.” “I’m sorry to hear that, Mrs. Lyonel, but I have to get to the kitchen.” “I only have a few questions,” she said, stepping further into the aisle. Not one to be easily accosted, I took a step closer to her, making it clear I wanted to pass. “Mrs. Lyonel, the start of any journey is the busiest time. I will come and find you later on during the trip, and I promise I will answer all your questions.” “Oh, but it won’t take long,” she said, pulling a sheet of paper from her bag. “Really, Mrs. Lyonel,” I said, more firmly this time. “I must get on, but I assure you I will help in any way I can once the barbecue prepa‐ rations are underway.” I took another step forward, and thankfully, Mrs. Lyonel stepped aside, but not without a confused look on her face. “Barbecue?” she asked, her voice high-pitched. “Yes,” I replied as I passed her with a smile. “Today’s feast . . . The Annual Summer Barbecue Excursion.” I could feel her frowning at my back as I carried on down the aisle, but I forced it out of my mind. Perhaps I had been a little harsh with her; she’d been friendly enough, and she was only looking for help, but I hated...
