Accessories & Alibis

By Laina Turner

Taking the wonderful opportunity to buy the now failing retail boutique where she used to work, Presley thinks she’s finally about to embark on her new career—Silk might be her chance to make her mark on the world.
The excitement is short lived when, on the first day of business ownership, store manager Roxanne is arrested for murdering her boyfriend. Roxanne insists she’s innocent and asks for Presley’s help to clear her name. Presley believes her and tries to help, but she has a boutique to get up and running. Things at Silk get even worse when Presley finds out someone has been ordering merchandise using company funds, but none of it can be found in the store. Who is stealing from Silk? Did she make a mistake in buying the shop? Has she been too trusting? Presley knows she needs to find out the real story with Roxanne before Silk crumbles around her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Laina Turner Media, LLC
• Release date: Jun 29, 2016

Laina Turner

As a child Laina thought she would either be a truck driver (thanks to Jerry Reed in Smokey and the Bandit) or work at Taco Bell (her favorite restaurant as a child). As she grew older she realized her talents lay in academics and business and for the last several years has been a business consultant and college professor where she uses the analytical side of her brain and not the side that makes up stories. Through all her career choices she has continued to have a passion for writing. This stemmed from childhood whereas an only child she developed a vivid imagination spending most of her time making things up and thinking the Incredible Hulk lived in her closet. Proud of her vast experiences in life from barrel racing to being on the dance team for a semi pro basketball team to being a mom of 2 amazing kids, she tells her family and friends that no one is safe from their escapades slipping in to her books. Taking the plunge to write books (cozy mysteries and chick lit) that she actually lets people read in 2010, she has worked her way up to being a real author, having 5 fans (maybe 6 now). Her blog, The Art Of Living Fabulously, was launched to share the daily fun in the life of a Real Housewife of the Midwest along with the musing of other fabulous ladies.

Book preview

Mistletoe & Murder

In this new Presley Thurman Mystery novella, Presley is celebrating her first Christmas with Cooper and her family. However, what starts out as a quiet family Christmas takes a turn when Presley’s old boyfriend Brian shows up needing her help. Despite her family and Cooper’s constant warnings for her to mind her own business, Presley offers her help.

Theft from Brian’s business escalates to the murder of Tommy, one of Brian’s employees, and Brian is afraid he might be next. Was Tommy involved in the theft, and can Presley track down the killer before something else bad happens?

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Laina

Mistletoe & Murder

Presley Thurman Mystery #4

Laina Turner

Copyright 2014 Laina Turner

Laina Turner

Five Seas Ink Publishing

Cover Design by Breezy Reads

Formatting by Anessa Books

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To read other books by Laina Turner visit her website at http://www.lainaturner.com

Who’s there?" Tommy called out. The garage was pitch black with only a flashlight for light, and the batteries were going out as it barely had a faint beam. Tommy thought he heard footsteps behind him, but when he stopped, the footfalls ceased. Or maybe he was imagining things. For the millionth time he was second–guessing himself. The only reason he was going along with it was he didn’t know how to get out of it. He felt so bad because he really liked Brian. His dad was right: he was a screw up.

He continued walking over to the office at the back of the garage, but then he heard a loud banging.

That I didn’t imagine, Tommy thought to himself. He spun around and shined his light in front of him and yelled again, Who’s there?

A man walked into his weakening light. Tommy’s jaw dropped. What are you doing here?

I’m sorry, Tommy. It was then Tommy noticed there was a gun pointed at him.

Noooo!!!! Tommy threw the flashlight at the man in an effort to protect himself, but it was too late.

Chapter 1

When are you going to get down here?" my mother asked as soon as I answered the phone. I knew I should have sent her to voicemail and called her back later.

Hello to you too, Mother, I said, forcing myself to sound upbeat and sitting down on my living room chair.

Presley, there are a lot of people I’m trying to coordinate for Christmas Eve dinner. You know how important it is to me. You’re not making it easy.

I sighed. I wasn’t making it easy? She was the one who was adamant everyone arrive no later than six, and we couldn’t eat unless everyone was present. I had tried talking her into doing an appetizer buffet type thing so the food could be set out and people could nibble and graze all evening. But no, she insisted on a full blown fancy dinner. Said it wouldn’t be a proper celebration without a proper dinner. Nothing I said was going to change her mind, so I quit trying. Sometimes it was just easier to go along.

We plan on leaving the city about noon tomorrow, I said. So we should be to your driveway about three-ish, four at the latest, depending on the traffic. What time are Jesse and Ashley coming in?

I’m not sure. He hasn’t returned my calls. You know your brother. But last I heard their flight should get in about that same time. Which will work out perfectly. He said they were planning on renting a car, so none of us need to pick them up. Makes it easier managing the time table.

Mother, you’re making this way too complicated.

What’s wrong with wanting things just so? If everyone gets here when they’re supposed to we can have some snacks and visit, and then eat promptly at six.

I was mad she was giving me the third degree whereas she always seemed to let him slide. She was all over me for every little thing, or at least that’s how it seemed to me. His luck being the baby of the family I guess. Her comment made me curious, though. I had also left a couple messages for him that he hadn’t returned. Jesse ignoring both of us made me wonder if something was wrong. He ignored my mother‘s calls for the same reasons I often did but he never purposely ignored mine. At least he always called me back within a few hours. For a sibling I kind of liked him a lot.

Is Cooper going to stay at his dad’s or did he want to stay here? my mother said interrupting my thoughts.

With us. He’ll visit his dad while we’re in town, but the farther he stays away from his stepmom the better they all get along, is what he tells me.

I don’t doubt it. That woman is dreadful.

For my mother to say that meant she really was. My mother didn’t often say bad things about anyone. She was of the, if you can’t say anything nice then don’t say anything at all, mentality and to her credit followed that mantra the majority of the time.

Cooper’s real mom had left town a long time ago, when he was really young. He said he didn’t even remember her much, which always made me feel bad. Even though I didn’t always get along with my mother, I couldn’t imagine her not in my life. His dad had eventually remarried this horrible bitch, to put it mildly, when Cooper was in middle school. She was the stereotypical stepmother, who wanted the child out of the way, and she didn’t try to hide it and that wasn’t even just Cooper’s point of view. That was everyone’s opinion who knew her. Well, except for Cooper’s dad who didn’t seem to notice there was a problem between his new wife and Cooper - or he chose to ignore it. Cooper said his dad just didn’t like conflict and so he always did his part to keep the peace just to make his dad happy. Even at a young age he had a good enough understanding of the situation and tried to stay out of her way. Unfortunately, that meant not coming around all that often now that he was an adult and had the ability to remove himself from a toxic situation. I felt bad but he said his dad loved her and that’s all that mattered. That he was glad his dad had someone who loved him. I’m not sure I