Ambition Falls

By Aimee Sharp

It began with a shooting, that became a mystery and ended in terror.

For investigator Harriet Smotes, not only can the city of Ambition Falls give birth to remarkable crimes, it can also drag up ghosts from her past.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Speartip Publishing
• Release date: Apr 11, 2016
• ISBN: 9780954695385

Book preview

INDEX

Copyright

Dedications

Part1

Part2

Part3

First published in Great Britain by Speartip

Copyright © Aimee Sharp 2016

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transferred, in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real

persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

This book was written as part of the Young Author Mentoring Project.

http://www.youngmentorauthor.com

Project Mentor: Lee McGeorge

http://www.lee-mcgeorge.co.uk

Cover Artwork: Miguel E. Santillan

http://santillanstudio.deviantart.com

ISBN 978-0-9546953-8-5

Speartip Publishing

For my friends,

Megan, Liv, Amy, Katy and Phoebe

Special Thanks

Martin and Nicola Sharp

Miguel E. Santillan

Lee and Fong McGeorge

AMBITION FALLS

By

Aimee Sharp

PART 1

The first shot sounded like a car backfiring. By the third shot, people knew it was gunfire. Edward Sparks grabbed his wife Maeve and threw her to the floor behind a limo. Further up the road, a man was straddling a motorbike, pointing a revolver. He fired a fourth time. Edward covered Maeve with his own body and noticed city councilman, Jack Jones, falling backwards and clutching his chest. He wasn’t shot, probably fear, possibly a heart attack; but the shots were aimed at Edward. There was no mistake about that. The diners sitting on the restaurant terrace started to run, screams rang out, a table tipped over and the sound of breaking glass and dinnerware resonated.

Edward clutched Maeve tighter until he heard the motorbike rev its engine and the gunman was riding away. He looked up to see the red taillight vanishing at incredible speed. He tried to read the license plate but it was gone too fast.

Are you okay? he asked Maeve. Are you injured? Are you shot? MAEVE!

Yes… I’m okay.

A man’s voice called out, Somebody call the police… Is anybody hurt?

There was the sound of a woman crying somewhere from the shock of it all. Edward got to his knees and lifted Maeve. He looked her over for injury then hugged her. He was shooting at you, she said.

We don’t know that.

Don’t we? He was shooting at you. He was shooting right at you and he could have hit me.

Edward looked around. Councillor Jones was leaning against the wall, still clutching his chest, being aided by diners. Councillor Mooney’s dark hair appeared from behind an overturned table. Sparks, he shouted. Were they shooting at you?

I don’t know? he replied.

Yes, Maeve said. Yes they were.

----- X -----

The police radio in his car crackled, Despatch to Detective Palmer, over.

Palmer was off duty, heading home.

Palmer took the radio mic. Palmer, go ahead.

Despatch to Palmer, there’s been a shooting and attempted murder at Brown’s restaurant. Shots fired by an assailant on a motorcycle. The Chief said to give it to you.

Palmer sighed. He’d just left his desk an hour later than planned. He was heading home to an empty house for an evening of… nothing… there was nothing to do at home. No wife, no kids; he was married to his work. Middle aged, slightly overweight and nothing to do with himself but overtime. He keyed the microphone again. Palmer to Despatch, Roger your call, en route to Brown’s.

----- X -----

The bright, flashing blue and red lights of the police cars illuminated Geoffrey Palmer’s view of the scene. Tables were overturned on a garden terrace; plates of spilled spaghetti and broken glasses; not what you expect to see in the finest restaurant the city of Ambition Falls had to offer.

The dining terrace had crime-scene tape around it and police barriers to block the streets.