Full Molly Series Trilogy Box Set: Psychological Thriller Series: Books 1, 2 and 3: Molly Series, #1

By Bellamy Grayfield

Molly 1:

Sarah Hartley is a single mother living in a small Midwestern town. Her son, Tommy, is the best part of her. She loves him dearly and works to give him everything she never had growing up. One day, when picking Tommy up at his daycare she encounters a woman she's never seen before. The woman, Molly, is seemingly nice and friendly, but when a problem with her son finds her at the receiving end of a 'Mom-zilla's' wrath, Sarah must stand up for her. The two women stick together and become good friends.

One day in a park Molly confesses her past to Sarah, and it only brings them closer. Soon they are sharing life's struggles and evening out the weight of being single mothers. Is this the beginning of a lifelong friendship? It sure looked like it. But Molly's increasingly unpredictable behavior makes Sarah question her motives and wonder who she's really dealing with.

Molly 2:

Five years later, Sarah and the boys are just getting their lives back. Living in a quaint West Coast town near Seattle, Washington, the family tries to maintain normality. The boys are now in elementary school and know little of anything about what happened in that Midwest town.

Even after moving to the other side of the country, Sarah feels like Molly is still in her life. With very little support from the police, Sarah decides to take matters into her own hands. With no solid evidence, Sarah must figure out if the threats are real or if they are just in her head. A near constant internal battle ensues leading down a spiraling path to the inevitable.

Will it all end in tears? Or will Sarah conquer her tormentor and save her family? 

Join us for the sequel to the captivating book Molly. Follow Sarah as she navigates the dizzying path of reality versus fantasy. Listen as she battles her demons and struggles against all odds. 

Molly 3:

Sarah Hartley was a single, working-class mother, raising her son, Tommy, happily, working in a bakery, and saving change to take her son south on vacation. That was eight years ago, before she met a deranged serial killer and kidnapper. 
 

After Sarah came to discover that the woman she thought was her friend, who was living under her roof, caring for her son, was not who she said she was, Sarah fought for her life and saved her son and young Leif from being taken by Tamara Klein, a deranged, mentally-ill kidnapper and serial killer who was posing as a suburban single-mom, Molly Johnson. 
 

Five years later, Molly has taken Tommy and Leif from Sarah. The man Sarah thought that she loved was actually Molly's husband, and Sarah's world falls apart. Sarah has been hospitalized for the past three years. Despite the best efforts of Officer Alex Bradley and the Port Orchard, Washington, police, Molly, Noah, Tommy, and Leif have seemingly disappeared without a trace. 
 

Sarah is in a state of near catatonia and complete dissociation, completely broken by having everything she ever loved violently ripped away from her. One day, she receives a letter that completely snaps her out of her catatonic state. Molly is now using the name Marcia and is raising Tommy and Leif somewhere in suburbia under that name. With nothing to lose, Sarah convinces her doctors that she has finally recovered. 
 

Now, she must work with Officer Bradley, who is now a detective, to try to find Molly and rescue her sons. Sarah has no information except for the letter, the assumed first names of Molly and her sons, and the name of a middle school that could be anywhere.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bellamy Grayfield
• Release date: Apr 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386945321

Book preview

Full Molly Series Trilogy Box Set

Psychological Thriller Series: Books 1, 2 and 3

Written by Bellamy Grayfield

Molly Book 1

Written by Bellamy Grayfield

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: My Tommy

Chapter 2: New Kid in Town

Chapter 3: The Price of Bravery

Chapter 4: New Beginnings

Chapter 5: The Cabin

Chapter 6: Adjustment Period

Chapter 7: What's Behind Door Number 2?

Chapter 8: Back to the Cabin

Chapter 9: Maintaining

© Copyright 2017 by Bellamy Grayfield and R and C Publishing - All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental

This declaration is deemed fair and valid by both the American Bar Association and the Committee of Publishers Association and is legally binding throughout the United States.

Furthermore, the transmission, duplication or reproduction of any of the following work including specific information will be considered an illegal act irrespective of if it is done electronically or in print. This extends to creating a secondary or tertiary copy of the work or a recorded copy and is only allowed with express written consent of the Publisher. All additional right reserved.

Additionally, the information in the following pages is intended only for entertainment purposes and should thus be thought of as universal. As befitting its nature, it is presented without assurance regarding its prolonged validity or interim quality. Trademarks that are mentioned are done without written consent and can in no way be considered an endorsement from the trademark holder.

Chapter 1: My Tommy

It's a bitter-sweet feeling. Leaving him to be taught and raised by someone else, not being there to see him learn about his environment, make his first friends, and experience life; it's heartbreaking. I'm jealous that this woman, this seemingly carefree woman, gets to raise my kid. She smiles at me, never knowing that I envy her. She is a plump woman with a kind heart, and she runs the daycare a block from my work. I suppose I kind of lucked out though. Marty was highly recommended by a coworker, and I must say, Tommy comes home happy and well fed every time.

While my life is anything but glamorous, Tommy is my everything. He's the reason I get up in the morning and the reason I work my ass off every day. I want to give him the things I never had. My parents never took me to fairs or theme parks or even on road trips. They were pretty boring people. My dad worked and then came home just to do more work on cars, and my mom was a clean freak with an obsession for romance novels. The one trip I remember taking as a kid was to Pensacola, Florida to visit my Granny. My mother practically lived in a beach chair with a hefty sack of books and bottomless bottle of Gin while my father visited every golf course and fishing spot within a 50-mile radius. I stayed with Granny playing card games, eating old candy, and watching one of the eight TV channels she had.  Granny didn't ask much of me though, she didn't talk much either. I didn't see a whole lot of Florida, but I knew then, even at the age of 10, that I never wanted to live in the south. There was a hot, subdued pressure there that made life dull. I used to hear stories of my Granny filling water balloons with pudding and having food fights with all the kids in their neighborhood, my father being one of those popular kids with a 'cool' mom. Now she eats bland chicken and watches hours of Crime TV. I sometimes wonder if Grandpa never died and she never moved south if she would still be warm and vibrant.

A toy car hits my foot breaking me from my thoughts, and I look down to see a boy staring up at me. I smile sweetly and finish putting Tommy's coat and lunch box in his cubby.

Okay, so I'll see you at 4:30 little man, I say to Tommy. He looked up at me, solemnly quiet but with a light in his eyes so profound that it takes my breath away. He hugs me and staggers off towards the Legos. I take one last look, smile a goodbye to Marty and head out the door. Oh, how I wish I could spend all day with him, but I refuse to skate by on welfare, allowing everyone else to pay my bills when I am perfectly capable of providing for the both of us.

Outside the summer heat surrounds and suffocates me. The wet, heavy air hangs low, and the cicadas pay tribute to the sun. My car is stifling even though the windows are cracked to allow air flow. I deal with the extra heat since I'm only driving a short distance away. I parked on the side of the Franklin's Foods and swing my door open. I have a few minutes before I have to walk in so I check out my Facebook. The newsfeed is filled with my high school classmates posting pictures of their recent vacations, baby photos, and gourmet meals. I can't help but notice how many of them are married or in a serious relationship. Am I doomed to be alone forever? I know I'm still young, but I feel like that train left the station a long time ago. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic. I'm sure I'll find a hulking fella to call my own one of these days. Maybe he'll be looking for the Pimentos or wants to order a custom cake for his niece's birthday. Yeah, that's how it'll happen.

I checked the time and grabbed my lunch and keys. As I walk into work, I noticed an older woman struggling to get a cart from the corral.

Need some help? I ask. She was so frail looking. Hunched over and wearing a wool coat despite the summer heat. She must have been only 95 lbs soaking wet and these carts tend to stick together easily.

Oh...ugh...um yes that would be nice, thank you, she replies. Together we pulled the carts in opposite directions, and the first cart breaks loose. She plops her purse in the cart and turns back to me.

Thank you, dear! She giggles and hops behind the cart towards the store.

I nod and follow her in. After putting my things in my locker and filling my water bottle, I head to the Bakery. Mary is already there and is printing out the orders for today. Besides the usual breads, cupcakes, bagels, and muffins we'll make today, we have 3 cake orders and an order of Gourmet Croissants to make. Cakes have always been my favorite to make though. You start with something so ordinary, usually a choice between yellow and chocolate cake, and add colorful layers of fondant and icing. The end product is an original, edible piece of art. It's such a healing and energizing feeling making cakes. With very little prompting, a few words turn into a 3-D representation of a scene or event. Some cornstarch and ice cube trays and you have some ice that won't ever melt for a 'Beer Cooler' cake to celebrate someone's 21st Birthday. Some brown fondant and green icing with a grass tip and you have the perfect stage for a little boy's 'Monster Truck' cake. What an awesome way to work out my frustrations while simultaneously creating a dessert for someone's special day.

The day goes by quite uneventfully. The cakes were made and picked up, fresh bread was made, and a bag of old bread awaited me on the desk in the back. Mary and I are waiting for our replacements to come while we pretend to look busy haphazardly wiping countertops. Mary is talking about some drama with her sister while I wonder what to make for dinner tonight. I took out some ground turkey this morning, so I think I'll make turkey burgers with sautéed onions, with a side of rice and green beans. My thoughts are interrupted as Mary breaks out into a cackle. I manage a small laugh and scold myself for not paying attention. Luckily, she doesn't notice, and I ask her about her grandkids. A few minutes later our replacements arrive, and we clock out and grab our checks. A measly $130 is left after I pay rent and take out gas money. I grab my bag of old bread and head out to the car.

As soon as he sees me, Tommy comes running over with a big ol' smile from ear to ear. He was playing outside on the jungle gym and had just went down the slide. I scoop him up and wheel him around as he giggles that contagious laugh. We grab his things, and he shows me how he learned to button his coat today. I applaud his new skill while hiding my jealousy that I didn't get to teach him. We head towards the car and wave goodbye to Marty. It's Friday night, and I ask Tommy what he wants to do this weekend. He looks inquisitively at me and says, 'ball' to which I reply, Yeah, let's do 'ball' this weekend, and laugh.

That night we stuffed our bellies with good food and created a fort in the living room. Tommy laughed with glee when I added the rope lights inside. After grabbing nearly every pillow from the entire house, we spilled out into it accompanied by the latest novel I was reading, coloring books and action figures for Tommy and copious amounts of crackers and cheese. It was a good night.

Saturday started with tantrums and an attack on Fort Hartley. Tommy was eating his eggs, and while he was in his chair, I was cleaning up the fort. Apparently, we had differences on how long the fort should stay up. Master Tommy eloquently displayed his concerns for a more permanent structure through shouts and fork throwing, while I quietly initiated the deconstruct phase. Needless to say, I had to make it up to him. We went to the lake where all memories of the destroyed fort faded in the sun and sand. Donned in his monkey life jacket, we swam around looking for little fishes. Hours later and utterly tired we went home and took a well-deserved nap. The rest of the night was uneventful; dinner and a movie. Sunday was my day to clean and prep for the week. I made up lunches and took out dinner items. Tommy had mock battles between a car and a rubber ducky. I'm pretty sure the rubber duck whooped the car a good one.

Chapter 2: New Kid in Town

Come on! I yelled at no one in particular. The light was green, and people were getting antsy. Slowly the cars in front of me started to move through the intersection. Monday was already a drag. My alarm was mysteriously shut off this morning, and I was running late. I noticed, too late of course, that Tommy was wearing two different shoes as well. One white with Spider-Man on it and the other wasn't even close to looking the same; it was brown suede. Good job mom. I sighed and my fingers tapped on the steering wheel. Only 3 more blocks to the school, drop Tommy off and then straight to work. I should only be a few minutes late.

I pulled into the Daycare's parking lot and parked at the curb, no time to pull into a space. I walked Tommy in and Marty, sensing my rush, grabbed his things from me to put up. Bless her. I bend down and scoop Tommy up for a quick hug, and I'm out the door. A few minutes later I'm running into work. I clock in, stash my stuff and head to the bakery. Right when I cross the counter a woman asks me about the cakes. I give her the spiel, and she orders one for next week. This one is to be a doll cake for a 7-year-old girl.

The rest of the day went by pretty much the way it always does; fresh products were made, orders were filled, and any old bread was pulled. Towards the end of the day though, we ran out of things to do and were once again, pretending to look busy.

So whaddjah do this weekend? Mary asked me.

Not much, went to the beach, cleaned, made a fort with Tommy. What about you?

Oh, I took the kids to the new museum on 5th. They loved it! I gotta say though, it put a dent in my pocketbook, she said while she idly picked at a sticker on the counter.

Yeah, I hear yah. I wish I could take him there, but after paying the bills, I only have a little over a hundred bucks. I didn't even get to put anything in the trip jar this paycheck.

She nodded her head and gave up on the sticker.

Daycare is just getting too expensive. I love Marty and everything, but something has to give. Either I need to get a raise, or I'm going to have to find a new daycare. The thought pained me, but it was the harsh truth. I looked down at the counter and stared at a swirl of flour. I pushed my finger into it and moved the specks of wheat around into shapes while I considered my options. I mean, it's not terrible. I can still pay all my bills and put food on the table, but I don't have a lot of extra money for trips or little adventures.

Well, maybe something will pop up, Mary offered.

Yeah.

Our replacements show up, and we were released. I was early to pick Tommy up, so I backed into a parking spot and turned off the engine. I pulled out my phone and tapped on the new game I downloaded on my lunch break. It involved popping colorful bubbles in groups of three or more. The game was stupidly simple, but it gave my mind a reprieve from the stress it normally focused on. A car door shuts next to me. A woman knocks on my half open window.

Excuse me, I think you dropped this. She hands me a twenty-dollar bill from the ground.

I take it and look at my purse. I don't think so, thank you though! I smile and try to hand it back to her. She smiles and waves her hands at it.

Well you're the only one parked here, and it isn't mine. You keep it anyways. She starts walking away towards the Daycare entrance.

Thanks, I mumbled to myself as she is already out of earshot. I look at the twenty again and shove it into my purse. Well, I guess I do have something to put into the trip jar this week then. I smile and grab my keys.

As I'm walking into the building, I hear an argument in the hallway.

...cannot be tolerated! That child purposefully sought out Jonathan and attacked him!

Beth, I'm sure it was just an accident, he probably didn't-

Probably?! What do you mean probably?! Weren't you watching them?

My boy would never purposefully attack someone! A third voice pleads.

Pugh! Yeah, okay lady. I know you're new here, but this is not acceptable behavior. Look at my son! He's going to have a black eye!

The classroom is down the hallway past these people. I really don't want to walk past this. It sounds volatile. I sigh as I round the corner and I see the people involved. The woman who gave me the twenty is the defendant and as the accuser, Beth, pointed out, she is new here. Not a great start in a new town, especially as small as this one is. Beth is the Prima Soccer Mom that no one wants to mess with. She is always on key with her snack week and fundraisers for the kids. She relishes in showing up other moms and has to compete in everything. I don't know where she gets the energy. Marty is standing in between the two trying to calm the situation.

If your kids can't behave, then you're going to have to find a different Daycare. I have been bringing my kids here for going on 8 years. I will not budge!

Harsh. The woman just moved here, she doesn't need this crap, especially from 'Miss Beth' and her high horse. I couldn't help it. I had to say something in this poor woman's defense.

Just cool it okay Beth, I'm sure...what's his name? I turn to the woman.

Leif, his name's Leif, she said glaring at Beth and holding her son behind her.

Yeah, I'm sure Leif didn't mean it so just calm down.

Whatever Sarah, this doesn't even involve you, Beth says snidely to me. Marty senses her moment and pulls Beth and her son into the office. She looks at me while she closes the door and rolls her eyes.

Hey thanks for sticking up for us, the woman laughs wearily looking at her feet. It's like I'm back in school and the new kid on the block.

I look at her carefully. She has dark brown hair and piercing brown eyes. She slouches as if something broke her and she never quite recovered. She has an average build, but there's something special about her, something different. She looks completely alone in the world, and my heart reaches out to her. Her son looks timid and somewhat well-mannered. No way he did it intentionally. Besides, he's a toddler. Beth needs to relax.

No problem. Beth is kind of crazy when it comes her kids. She hovers too much. I'm sure Leif meant no harm at all! I say to Leif who is still hiding behind his mom's legs.

My name's Molly.

Nice to meet you. I'm Sarah.

Nice to meet you, and thanks again, she says gratefully.

No problem. Well, welcome to Oakdale. Hopefully, this is the only 'warm' welcoming you get, I say jokingly about Beth. We laugh, and I wave goodbye.

I grabbed Tommy, and his things then headed out to the car. As we walked past the office, I could still hear Marty trying to calm Beth down. I peeked out the door before leaving the building and saw Molly kneeling down talking to a tearful Leif. He nodded his head, and they hugged. I feel terrible for them. I know what it's like being alone in the world, but at least I grew up here. I know how to handle the locals, most of them were my classmates. I need to do something.

Hey! Molly! I yell from the door. They turn around almost in fear that Beth is coming after them for an old-school fist fight. I jog up to her with Tommy in my arms. Do you want to, maybe, have a play date or something?

Really? She asked surprised.

Yeah, I mean if you aren't busy unpacking or anything.

Sure, that would be awesome! What do you think Leif? Do you want to go play with your new classmate? Molly said turning to her son. He nodded again, and she beamed back at me. This coming Saturday work for you?

Sure, Tommy usually likes the park across from the library if that works?

Sounds good! Thanks, Sarah.

Mmkay see you later.

We got in our cars, and Molly drove off. I gaze back in my rear-view mirror and watch Tommy play with a toy car. I smile inwardly at the thought of making someone's day and the potential for a friend. I allow my thoughts to flow on the way home. It's not that I don't have any friends, it's just that I don't really have any close friends. I had a couple in high school, but they all ended up moving away from here, and we just catch up once or twice a year. Work friends don't count either. At work, we talk and laugh but rarely does anyone hang out with work friends. I have a good feeling about Molly. Maybe she has a cute brother too!

The rest of the week goes by pretty normal. Wake up, drop Tommy off, go to work, pick Tommy up, go home, eat, go to bed and do it all over again. Molly and I chat for a few minutes after work before we go in to get the kids. She just moved here from Illinois. Her husband left her, and she couldn't stand being in the city anymore. She moved here hoping the small-town life would be a good place to raise her boy and give him a better life than Chicago would. She got a job as a Receptionist at a Dentist's office and found a rental across town in a duplex. At least she was able to find a job and a place to live right away.

Chapter 3: The Price of Bravery

Saturday morning, I wake up with butterflies in my stomach. It's not even my play date, but I'm excited to get to talk to Molly more. When she opens up, she's actually pretty funny and down to earth. I dress Tommy in play clothes and pack us a little picnic lunch, nothing special since I don't know what they like yet; just some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a bologna sandwich in case one of them is allergic to peanut butter, a bag of chips, and some grapes. Outside the weather is perfect. It's sunny with big fluffy white clouds dotting the sky. There's a slight breeze every so often, and right now it's a balmy 60 degrees. It's going to be a nice day.

We pull up to the park, and I instantly spot Molly and Leif by the swing set. I grab the picnic stuff and Tommy, and I head over. Together, we find a good spot on the grass near the jungle gym and under the shade of a big tree. Molly spreads out the blanket, and we settle down. We sit in silence for a while, soaking up the sun and fresh air, or perhaps we're both wondering what to talk about. It is a slightly uncomfortable moment for a few minutes when I break the ice.

So how do you like your job so far?

It's alright. Nothing too strenuous or anything. Dr. McCormick is nice enough. I think he wanted someone with a little more experience though, I am learning everything for the first time.

Ahh, well you'll get the hang of it soon enough. I ponder. Are you glad to be out of Chicago though? The move must have been hard.

Yeah, ever since Joe left me I couldn't stand being constantly reminded of him. He was just such a...a great guy...wonderful... Her voice was getting tight, and she looked like she was about to cry.

It's okay, we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, I said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She looked down, and from behind her sunglasses, a tear fell down her cheek. She immediately wiped away the evidence.

No, I suck at hiding my feelings. You might as well know about it; besides, I feel like I can really trust you. She sniffled and took a drink of water. Joe was...abusive, and he didn't leave me, I left him. I tell people he left me, so I don't have to talk about it, but I barely made it out. It got to be too much, and I didn't want Leif growing up in a house like that. It tore me up when Joe hit me in front of him. All I could picture was Leif doing the same thing to his future wife. It was toxic, and I had to save my boy.

We both kept our eyes on the boys playing. It was an awkward thing to hear, I couldn't bear to look her in the face while she recounted the hell she lived in. She continued, and I could feel a sting in my eyes, threatening to let loose the floods.

"He used to text me whenever I left the house. He would make me send him pictures of my surroundings with me holding up a pen or 4 fingers or my purse. Each time it was different to authenticate the picture, so he knew I wasn't out cheating on him. It was embarrassing. Then when I sent him the picture, he would say I was lying or faked it somehow and then call me names like, 'whore, ugly bitch, fat ass,' and others. Then when I got home, he would go through my phone, purse, clothes, bags, and car to make sure there were no condoms, texts or pictures from other men, or I guess anything that would lead to an affair. He would make me shower before we ever had sex and inspect my body for God-knows-what before. He knew to never purposefully hit me in the face, but when he got drunk, he sometimes forgot his rule. Most of the times