Inner Flame

By Kim Bowman and Kay Springsteen

With her older brother MIA, the responsibility for taking in their four-year-old sister Jazz and her dog Hank falls on Sera Dobson after their mother's suddenly death. Grief stricken, Sera’s mind starts playing tricks on her, making her talk to her sister’s dog, see ghosts, and believe there is a conspiracy at work. Caring for a child is hard enough. She doesn’t need the added headache of a mental breakdown...

• Language: English
• Publisher: esKape ePress, LLC
• Release date: Mar 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781940695532

Kim Bowman

If you ask bestselling author Kim Bowman's husband, he'd say she spends her days emailing her cyber best friend and writing partner, Kay Springsteen, drinking Coke, and eating white chocolate Reese's. And while that might be true, she also chases their four-year-old son Cage around, thinks about the housework she should be doing, and brainstorms her next favorite book. She's had the writing bug since she was a teenager and is happy to now live her dream of being a full-time author, thanks to her wonderful husband, Tony.

Book preview

Chapter One

The evil hiss of tires on wet pavement had become so much white noise. How long had they been driving? How far had they come? Too far… and not far enough.

I can’t believe she’s gone. Seraphina Dobson kept her trembling voice low so she didn’t wake her sleeping sister. Jazzel had been through enough. The little girl had cried for hours, her gut-wrenching sobs tearing Sera’s heart to shreds. Even now, Jazz’s little cheeks were tear-streaked and blotchy. She had her arms wrapped tightly around her brindle and white pit bull as if she’d lose him too if she let go.

Sera reached over the seat and adjusted the blanket Jazz had kicked off. The dog leveled a knowing gaze on Sera that sent a sudden quiver up her spine. She settled back in her seat with a shudder.

Connor took one hand off the steering wheel and touched her on the wrist. Flicking his gaze in her direction, he laced their fingers together and gave a quick squeeze. Your mother was a wonderful woman.

Pay attention to the road! Sera swallowed her words and forced a smile before turning to stare out the window at the dreary, rain-soaked fields. Connor had hated her mother. Muriel Allwood had made no secret of the fact that she didn’t care much for Connor either.

The scenery passed by in a blur. Whether from the speed Connor was driving or the tears threatening to burst from her eyes, Sera couldn’t be sure. Had it really been a year since she’d seen her mother? Jazz? Probably closer to two since she’d last seen Hank. How differently she might have done things if she’d known the last time she’d seen her mother was going to be the last time.

She stole a sideways glance at Connor. God, he was handsome. If she was being honest, she wasn’t sure she would change things. She loved Connor. Why hadn’t her mother been able to see that? Sure Sera regretted not having the wedding of her dreams, not having her family and friends there to watch her and Connor exchange vows. But she didn’t regret eloping with him.

She just hadn’t expected her mother to disown her over it.

Now Muriel was gone. How did a healthy forty-five-year-old woman drop dead of a heart attack? Thank God Jazz had been at preschool instead of home when their mother had died. The trauma that would have caused was unthinkable. Bad enough she’d been taken to school for the day, expecting her mother to pick her up as usual, only to never see her again. Now poor Jazz was an orphan — a heartsick orphan. Sera wasn’t sure what that made her. What did people call an adult child whose mother had died?

I still can’t believe Hank didn’t come to your mother’s funeral. Connor’s voice broke into her thoughts. That brother of yours has always been a selfish ass.

The mongrel gave a yelp that fell somewhere between a growl and a howl and lunged up against the back of her seat, licking Sera’s face and whining.

Sera pushed the dog’s face away. The taste of rotten meat lingered on her lips. Gross! What the hell have you been eating? He dove for her face again, licking and pawing. Sera smacked his nose and shoved him toward the back seat. Stop it. Lay down. Ugh! Unruly mutt.

He’s not a mutt. Jazzel’s voice was heavy with sleep. He’s Hank.

Despite her sadness, Sera chuckled. Hey, Jazz. Hank, huh? He sure isn’t any better behaved.

The dog let out a grunt that sounded a lot like bitch.

Sera shivered. She didn’t dislike dogs, usually got along well with animals, in fact. There was just something about this one…

Connor reached forward and flipped the heater a notch higher. Soon warmth blanketed Sera’s feet and moved upward, making her eyelids heavy.

~~~~

Sera sucked in a deep breath and stretched as she pushed her eyes open and tried to make sense of where she was. Soft leather beneath her cheek, the dome light overhead. Right. The car. But they were stopped and the engine was no longer running.

Peering through the side window into the darkness, she could just make out a few shapes. A rake, a lawn mower. Gardening tools. The garage? We’re home? Already? She tried to mentally pinpoint the last landmark she’d seen and couldn’t. Judging from her stiff muscles, she’d been out of it for a while. How unusual. She’d never been prone to falling asleep on long rides before. She rubbed her eyes and stretched.

Welcome back to the living. Connor opened his door.

I-I don’t know what came over me, murmured Sera.

Connor stood and the world seemed to rock from side-to-side.

You’re tired. It’s understandable after all you’ve been through. He pushed the back of the seat forward to rest on the steering wheel and leaned inside. Hey, there, Jazzel, time to wake up and go inside.

Hank growled softly.

Enough of that, dog. Connor stared hard into the back seat, no doubt wondering how soon he could call animal control to come take the dog away. With a snarl of his own, he reached for Jazz.

The growl got louder as the dog stood on the seat between Connor and Jazz. A narrow ridge of fur spiked upright from the back of his head to the base of his tail.

Sera. Connor sent her a long-suffering look. This is unacceptable.

He was right, of course, but Sera couldn’t seem to shake off her lethargy. She pushed the heels of her hands into her eyes and rubbed hard. Then she blinked, and some of the fuzziness cleared. Jazz stirred and gazed up at her.

Time to get out, Jazzie, said Sera, slurring the words. Why did her tongue feel so thick?

Jazz glanced at Connor and shrunk into the seat. I want to get out your side, she declared, snapping her eyes