Broken Heart, Reed Family Mysteries, Book 1
February 16, 2016
In the past year Detective Josephine “Jo” Reed-Powell brought down one of the most notorious serial killers in a decade in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County. When Jo arrives at a new crime scene, something seems very familiar to her. She immediately thinks she may be dealing with a copycat killer. Or is she?
How can she keep her mind on finding a killer when her life is falling apart? Jo is struggling with her shattered marriage knowing her husband, Bryan Powell, has had an affair. As Jo questions the twists and turns of her murder investigations, can she let God mend her broken heart?
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From CHAPTER 1 …
Wednesday, August 19 at 8:15 a.m.
“Go ahead! Answer your phone. You and I both know what’s really important to you.”
No, he didn’t just say that. Detective Jo Reed-Powell barely heard her ringing cell phone as she clenched her fists. She shouted, “Don’t you dare make this about my work! You slept with another woman.” Jo reached for the ceramic bowl on the counter and heaved it towards her husband.
Bryan Powell leapt to the side as the bowl smashed into the doorframe, sending leftover pancake mix and small ceramic pieces flying across the floor. Her husband stared back at her. His emotions warred on his face. Without a word, he grabbed his keys and walked out of the kitchen towards the garage.
Tears streamed down the side of her face as she heard Bryan’s Ford Mustang roar to life. The rage swirling inside her was so overwhelming. Jo closed her eyes and leaned against the kitchen counter for support. She gasped for breath as waves of anger threatened to buckle her knees. Finally, she let out a wounded cry that rose from deep inside and wept. How could you do this to us?
In all seven years of their marriage, Jo had never been suspicious of Bryan’s behavior before. She’d never had a reason to be concerned. But in recent months, he’d become distant. This morning, he had left his phone on the kitchen counter. When Jo heard the tiny bell tone, she picked up his phone to bring it to him, but for some reason felt compelled to look at the text message.
I have no regrets. A.
She knew the text was from Bryan’s co-worker, Alexis Davenport. The text could have been innocent, but it didn’t take any of Jo’s detective skills to recognize the guilt on Bryan’s face when she asked him about the message. Bryan probably would have never confessed the affair if she hadn’t interrogated him about his whereabouts yesterday. It was so unlike Bryan to forget to pick up their son from Jo’s parents’ house. Everyone including B.J. was upset and worried. This week had already been a struggle with the new school year starting for the first-grader.
Besides that was her thing to lose track of time.
Jo lost count of the number of times she was so focused on a case she completely forgot about time. Yesterday, her steadfast husband forgot about his own child because he was entangled with another woman.
Bryan tried to convince Jo that he was ending the affair.
He should have never started the affair.
Her cell phone rang again. She lifted her head from the counter, not sure if she should answer it or not. Jo pulled her phone from the clip on her pants and looked at the screen. It was her partner, Pete McConnelly, no doubt calling about a brand new crime scene. Jo closed her eyes, praying for her voice to sound normal. She answered the phone on the third ring. “What you got, Pete?”
“Everything all right, kid? Usually, you would have answered by now.”
She cleared her throat, trying to shake the emotions clinging to her. “Sorry, Pete. Rough morning. Where do you need me?”
“Pine Woods Park Apartments. You’re not going to like this one, Jo.”
“I’ll be there soon.” Jo frowned after Pete hung up. She clipped the phone back to her side, thinking about Pete’s statement. There weren’t many crimes that surprised her anymore. Bryan’s affair did surprise her and Jo wasn’t sure how she was going to be able to cope the rest of the day.
How To Order
February 16, 2016
Tymm Publishing LLC
ISBN-10: 0-9894153-8-4
ISBN-13: 978-0-9894153-8-5
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