Hello, Readers!
Are you getting as excited as I am about October 20? What’s happening that day??? The release of Book 2, Eucalyptus Street: Green Curse.
Below, you will find the latest excerpts. They include one of my favorite chapters, #20, “Lantern in the Churchyard.” I hope you enjoy these!
From Chapter 19, “Aunt Connie Assists”
Isabela has invited the twins’ aunt Connie to dinner. The detectives share information with her about their case. Connie shares photos she took at the ARC gemstone preview party. One photo in particular catches everyone’s attention:
“And here’s one with some guests in the photo, but one person looks fuzzy,” Rani said. “See? She’s in the background. It definitely distracted me from the rest of the shot.” Rani pointed to a figure wearing something glittery and black by the dessert buffet.
“Yeah. It looks like a caterer photobombed the shot, Auntie C,” Lexi said.
“Yes, I noticed that, too,” said Aunt Connie. “Good eyes, you two. Scratch that photo.”
But something had caught Isabela’s eye. “May I see that, please?” Connie handed her the photo. Isabela’s smile slowly faded and her eyebrows knitted together more intensely the longer she stared at it.
“What’s wrong, sis?” Tomás’s attention shifted to the figure as well.
From Chapter 20, “Lantern in the Churchyard”
Lexi is awakened at two a.m. by an unlatched bedroom window banging in the wind. She has just closed it and is about to return to bed when:
Lexi . . . became transfixed by something she saw out the troublesome window. At the far western edge of the estate grounds, there appeared a light that seemed to be bobbing, then pulsing on and off. Lexi squinted her eyes to aid her focus.
“What’s going on?” Rani asked a moment later. She propped herself up on her elbows.
“There’s a twinkling light out there. Come see for yourself.” Lexi beckoned to Rani with both hands. “Hurry up, before it’s gone.”
Rani scrambled out of bed and joined Lexi in gazing in the direction her friend was pointing. Both girls watched as the light moved first one direction, then the other.
Rani craned her neck for a better view. “Creepy. What part of the garden is that?”
“I hope I’m wrong, but I think that’s the churchyard at St. Barnabas Cathedral.”
The girls stared at each other wide-eyed as Lexi squeezed Rani’s forearm.
