POLITICS
IS MURDER
MCKINLEY MYSTERIES Book 4
by Carolyn Arnold
Published by: Hibbert and Stiles
Publishing Inc.
ASIN: B00KMWRZV8
ISBN (e-book): 978-1-988064-57-4
ISBN (print): 978-1-988064-45-1
Approximately 134 pages
BOOK
OVERVIEW
Sean and Sara’s popularity as a
murder-solving duo has gained momentum. But it’s not until it comes time for a
local television interview that they meet Reanne Mable and end up finding
themselves involved with a high-profile investigation.
Reanne is the sister-in-law of Albany’s Mayor
Davenport and his daughter, Halie, has gone missing from her university campus.
With a desire to keep the matter out of the media spotlight, Davenport turns to
Sean and Sara to find her. But with the police already investigating the
matter, taking this case would pit them against their friends from the police
department, including their former sergeant Jimmy Voigt.
As time moves on, though, the fate of the
girl is not up for a vote, and the McKinleys set out to find out what really
happened. With the mayor taking the heat for a recently passed zoning bylaw, is
an enraged small business owner behind Halie’s disappearance? Or did she simply
grow tired of living in her father’s limelight and run away?
To get the answers, Sean and Sara will need
to use all the resources at their disposal and may have to call upon their good
friend Jimmy for help, after all.
Chapter
1
FIFTEEN MINUTES
OF FAME
THE CAMERAMAN HELD up his hand. “We’ll count it down. In three, two,” his arm lowered,
“one.”
Sean squeezed Sara’s
hand a little tighter and both of them smiled pleasantly at the host. Her name was Reanne Mable.
Although she was famous in the local area, the show didn’t pick up the vast
audience their appearance on USA Today
and Newsweek had garnered.
While this would be their third on-camera interview, Sean’s
nerves didn’t lessen with experience. Sara seemed to have it all under control,
though, from her manicured nails to her designer dress. Even her nose didn’t
shine under the bright lights casting down on her.
Reanne, a
forty-five-year-old woman who hailed from Texas, carried her twang just as
vibrantly today as she would have leaving
the state. She smiled at the camera—a smile that was both sincere and enormous.
Her skill was apparent, as it should be for a television veteran.
“Today we have a
couple with us who are living proof that
kind acts are rewarded, and graciously. Papers have said, ‘Watch out, Donald
Trump.’ But before I go on any further, please welcome Sean and Sara McKinley
to the show.”
“Thank you for having
us.” Sean managed to blurt out the words, but his stomach swirled as if he had over-indulged in rich food. At least with a small station he didn’t have to worry
about a live audience.
“Don’t mention it. It
is our pleasure. On a personal note, it’s so nice to meet both of you. To hear
the story about how you went from being one of Albany’s own, to overnight
billionaires, it sounds like a fantasy movie.”
Reanne leaned forward
in her chair, one hand resting on her thigh, the other gesturing to Sara. “And
I understand there’s more to it than just the money.” She winked at Sean and
looked back at Sara. “The whole world wants to know about two things. Your
fortune, of course, but also your romance. Why don’t you tell us about that,
Sara?”
Sara smiled, her brown
eyes bright, the flecks of green and gold sparkling. She squeezed Sean’s hand
and he picked up on her underlying nervousness. She was definitely much better
at hiding it than he was. He mentally coached her that the world would love
her.
Sara ran her one hand
along her crossed leg, lengthening the fabric
while straightening her back. “Well, it wasn’t always what you see here. We
used to just be friends.”
Reanne laughed. “So,
you’re saying there’s still hope for the rest of us.”
“Absolutely. If you’re
meant to be with someone, it will happen. The world, the universe, however, you
like to term it, will come together and maneuver things into alignment.”
“I see you’re a big
believer in destiny.”
“Destiny, the law of attraction, both. I believe we all have
a role on this earth. We are born for a purpose, and we will fulfill it whether
we’re aware of it or not. The thing is, though, for those who don’t recognize
their true calling, they might not be as happy as they could have been.”
“Oh, isn’t that the
truth.” Another polite smile threw in.
“Tell us how Sean proposed.”
He watched as Sara
told their story, not leaving out any details, all his romantic gestures
resulting in oohs and aahs from Reanne.
“That would make it
impossible for a girl to say no,” Reanne said.
Sara glanced at him
and smiled. “It also helped that I knew he was my soul mate.”
“How adorable. Please,
let us see the ring.” Reanne reached for Sara’s hand while she directed the
cameraman to close in for the shot. “He’s romantic and he has impeccable taste
in jewelry. The cut is divine.” Reanne angled her head and her lips formed a
pout.
Sean watched that
expression transpose quickly to one gearing back to business. She gestured her
hand toward him.
“Tell us where
everything started for you, Sean. How did you know Mr. Quinn? I understand you
were surprised that he had you in his Will, let alone left you everything. It’s
also true you are the new owner of several companies, including Universal
Acquisitions Corporation in New York City.”
“That is correct.” His
nerves had the first three words cut from his throat
as if removing stitches that had bonded it shut.
Reanne handed Sean a
bottle of water and then settled back into her chair. “Why don’t you tell us
about Douglas Quinn? What kind of a man was he?”
Sara glanced at Sean,
the truth reflecting in her eyes. He had a limited number of memories to draw
on and it pained him. His heart palpitated as he struggled to find words that
would do Quinn justice.
He unscrewed the cap
and took a sip of water. “In respect for his privacy, I wouldn’t want to
disclose all that I know about him.” He hated that he had to disguise his lack
of knowledge by such a blasé statement. “I will tell you that he was a caring
and selfless man. He devoted his life to his companies, but not at the
sacrifice of heart.”
Reanne shifted,
crossing her leg toward them. She rested her elbow on the arm of the chair and
hitched her hand under her chin. Her eyes settled on him as if waiting anxiously for the next word to come out of his
mouth.
His stomach performed
another flip-flop. “Mr. Quinn was a believer in small acts of kindness. That is
how we came to be friends.”
“Please tell us about
the day you met,” Reanne said.
He endured her
questions for the next twenty minutes, the odd one being deferred to Sara. No preparation could have been made. Reanne
insisted that her interviews be unrehearsed and conducted with a relaxed, conversational quality.
With the parting words
spoken to her audience and the confirmation from the production crew, Reanne
stood, beaming. She held her hand out to each of them.
“Well, that’s that.
You both did excellent by the way.”
Sara smiled at Reanne.
“Thank you for having us on your show.”
“Like I said, don’t
mention it. This story really touched me, well, I know it touched a lot of
people. It goes to prove our actions have consequences.” Reanne’s eyes diverted
to Sean.
His skipped to the
floor, briefly, before rising up to meet her gaze.
She offered a parting
smile. “Have a wonderful rest of the day.
The show will air this evening at nine.”
McKinley Mysteries
Carolyn Arnold
Published by: Hibbert and Stiles Publishing Inc.
Number of books in series as of May 2016: 10
Sleuth around with murder-solving duo Sean and Sara McKinley as they do whatever it takes to unravel a mystery while romancing it up along the way.
Series Overview:
Romance. Humor. Murder. Are you looking for a murder mystery without all the graphic violence and foul language? Something that you can enjoy in an afternoon and walk away feeling good about afterward? How about a dash of humor and romance? If so, meet former detectives Sean and Sara McKinley. When a billionaire leaves them all his money, they no longer have to work, but they find themselves sticking to what they’re good at—solving murders. Undercover, off the books, and around the world, they’ll get to the bottom of things…and romance it up along the way.
This is the perfect book series for fans of Hart to Hart, Castle, Colombo, Monk, Rockford Files, Psych, and Magnum PI.
Read in any order or follow the series from the beginning: The Day Job is Murder, Vacation is Murder, Money is Murder, Politics is Murder, Family is Murder, Shopping is Murder, Christmas is Murder, Valentine’s Day is Murder, Coffee is Murder, Skiing is Murder.
About the Author:
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international best-selling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.
Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada.
Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:
Website - http://carolynarnold.net/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Carolyn_Arnold
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolynArnold
And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters
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