Staged: Oliana Mercer Series, #2

By Marguerite Ashton

It's been two weeks since Oliana Mercer learned a horrible family secret and witnessed the death of her best friend. Two weeks of heartache, secrets, and lies. While Oliana wants to move on, graduation day is a turning point for her, but for the worse.

Austin wants Oliana to stay and not attend Reyersen Drama Academy, a relative from the past wants her forgiveness, the custody battle for her little brother moves forward…and then there's James whose recent drug habit landed him in trouble. Now he's missing. After a charred body, believed to be James is found in a dumpster behind the high school, Oliana receives a text from James' phone.

When Oliana turns to the police for help, she is pulled into a conflict that makes her question whether to obey the law while fighting with the family who abandoned her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Criminal Lines
• Release date: Apr 14, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386800347

Marguerite Ashton

When Marguerite Ashton was in her twenties, she took up acting but realized she preferred to work behind the camera, writing crime fiction. A few years later, she married an IT Geek and settled down with her role as wife, mom, and writer. Five kids later, she founded the Crime Writer’s Panel and began working with former law enforcement investigators to create; Criminal Lines Blog, an online library for crime writers who need help with their book research. She’s a workaholic who hides in her writer’s attic, plotting out her next book and stalking Pinterest for the next avocado recipe.  A member of Sisters in Crime and Crime Writers’ Association, Marguerite grew up in Colorado. Now she’s happily living in Wisconsin and playing as much golf as possible. 

Book preview

Staged

Staged

Oliana Mercer Series

Marguerite Ashton

Edited by

Ami Hendrickson

Criminal Lines Publishing

Contents

Criminal Lines Publishing

Copyright

Contributors

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Thank You

Cold Read

More Books by Marguerite Ashton

Meet Ms. Ashton

Criminal Lines Publishing

Staged

Oliana Mercer Series

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by:

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Marguerite Ashton

Copyright

Staged

Copyright 2017 by Marguerite Ashton

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All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, including but not limited to, digital, electronic, or print, without the written consent of the author.

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This is a work of fiction. All characters depicted herein are the product of the author’s imagination and do not represent any actual persons, living or dead.

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First published by Criminal Lines Publishing

Contributors

Cover by: Judy Bullard

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Edited by: Ami Hendrickson

Acknowledgments

To my husband and Fab 5 for their patience and getting through meals without me, so that I would have time to write. To my mom, Renee, a cancer survivor and cheerleader who at times just listened and offered the best mother’s advice any daughter could have.

I would like to thank my writing mentor and editor, Ami Hendrickson. Her encouragement and honesty are something I will never forget. My appreciation to Judy Bullard, the cover artist behind my books. To my good friends, Joe Giacalone and Bill Cannon for just being there.

Chapter 1

The Reunion

Thursday 7:59 p.m.

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My life sucks. That’s what seeped into mind as I stared at the woman in front of me as my cast mates exited the stage.

The play was done, now it was time for me to step back into the real world and face Linda Durning. The woman who haunted my past.

Linda adjusted the shoulder strap holding her oxygen tank and tucked the clear tubes behind her ears. Her brown blouse and jeans were several sizes too large. Her eyes seemed bigger than normal as they peered out from her frail face.

Even with all the anger boiling inside me, my heart ached for her. You’re Linda.

Hi, Oliana. I’m your grandmother. Your real grandmother.

What do you want?

Is there somewhere we can talk?

I glanced up at the auditorium doors, wondering where my parents went. They must be waiting in the hall. Did they know this woman was here? There’s no way. They didn’t want me to know anything about my past. And for a good reason.

I’d wished for the days when I didn’t know anything about my bio family. Except that wasn’t my reality. I knew more than what I wanted.

We can talk here, I said, my voice dripping with anger.

Linda’s head reared back. It’s obvious your adopted mother didn’t raise you to have respect for your elders.

My mother and father raised me to have respect for those who deserved it. I know what you did.

There’s two sides to a story.

There’s three sides. Mine counts. I hurried towards the exit.

If you just hear me out.

"Did you hear my mother out when she came to you