We interrupt this story for an announcement from Dana Bowman, the main character in the Beyond mystery series.
.
The next novel in the Beyond series – Beyond Faith is coming this October. No spoilers but there are lots of puzzles and murders which I have to solve. And.. oh, oh, my author Sharon A. Crawford is pointing her finger at me to continue with this ongoing weekly story. In a sec – first Beyond Faith takes place the last two months of 1999. And the below story is just before that.
Dana: Someone’s coming up the stairs. I’m going to check.
Bast: Wait until the police get here.
Dana frowning: No time.
Bast, closing and locking the agency door: I insist.
Dana, drumming her fingers on the desk: So we do nothing?
Loud banging sounds on the door.
A high-pitched voice from the other side calls out: Open up or he’s dead.
Dana: Who?
Bast: Shh.
David: Mommy, I’m scared.
Bast: Shh.
Voice: Open the door.
Dana: Answer my question first.
Voice: What was the question?
Dana: Who are you and what do you want?
Voice, sounding exasperated but still high-pitched: I told you I want you to open the damn door NOW. You’ll see me when you do.
Dana: All right. All right. Don’t get all tied up in your knickers. I’m coming.
Voice: What?
Dana: Oh never mind. (Then whispering) Ms. Dugan, take David onto the balcony and try to get someone’s attention. Bast and I will try to divert the guy or guys on the other side of the door and keep them talking until the police arrive…but just in case they get in you will be out of the room.
Bast, scratching his head: Is this a good idea? They’ll be trapped out there.
Dana: They’ll also be out of the office and hidden by the drapes on the balcony door and the window there. And they can get someone walking by to help. Ms. Dugan, do you have a cell phone?
Ms, Dugan: No.
Dana: Here, take mine. We can use Bast’s here if we need to. Now go and be quiet.
Ms. Dugan and David exit onto the balcony, closing the door behind them.
Bast: It’s gone awfully quiet out in the hall. Hey, anyone out there?
Silence.
Bast unlocks the door and he and Dana look out.
No one is there. At least no one alive. The body of a young many with a rope around his neck is lying in the hall outside the door.
From behind them they hear the balcony door open and footsteps coming towards them. And then the footsteps stop and there is a scream. …
Ms. Dugan: It’s Wayne.
…TO BE CONTINUED…
Cheers.
Sharon A. Crawford
Like Dana says, Beyond Faith is coming. Meantime, there is Beyond Blood – the book before. If you haven’t read it yet, click on the book cover below to find out how.
The second beyond book.
Sharon A. Crawford author 