Snapped, Cracked, and Popped: Miss Fortune World: SS Beauty, #11

By Kamaryn Kelsey

What's wrong with Sady? Between bouts of tears and anger she's just plain moody! Harry and CJ realize Sady hasn't received counseling to help her cope with her often dangerous job. The solution? Get her the help she needs. There's only one problem- Sady doesn't want the help. It's just a little emotional episode, that's all. 

The team realizes the only way to get Sady help is to send her on an undercover job- at a facility that treats mental and emotional issues. Of course she's suspicious, but Harry has a job folder so Sady becomes a guest at "Harbor in the Arbor" to find who is responsible for the thefts reported by the director.

Restless guests and a stern head nurse soon create a protest movement. Upset over the cheap art supplies, Sady joins them. Their unique protest yields surprising results. In the meantime, as she receives treatment,, Sady hunts for the thief. Her new friends at the facility help her out... in more than one way.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: J&R Fan Fiction
• Release date: Sep 6, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386468240

Book preview

Author's note:

This is Book 11 in the SS Beauty series and is not intended to standalone.

This is a work of fiction. Other than Jana DeLeon's original story elements, the characters and names are creations of the author's imagination.

The series is not about Fortune Redding, Sinful, and the Swamp Team. SS Beauty is Sandy-Sue Morrow and the series is about her and the life she makes for herself. She tires of her European vacation and comes home early, to Morrow's dismay. Wondering about her inheritance in Sinful, she takes a bus trip to check it out. Morrow sends Matt Meadows, who has done security work for him in the past, to keep an eye on her and to keep her from crossing paths with Fortune, and blowing Fortune's cover.

At this point in her life, Sandy-Sue decides she's leaving the past behind, along with her name. She shortens it to Sady (sometimes she uses Sassafras or Sassy, the name she first gave Matt in book one of the series.) I took the liberty of giving Morrow a first name, John, since he makes appearances throughout the series and it didn't make sense for Sady to refer to him as Uncle Morrow.

After the adventure in Louisiana, Morrow sends Sady to work for two former operatives, now retired and operating their own business, Knight Investigations in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Harry and CJ Knight are a husband and wife team.

Amanda Keller, saucy and smart mouthed neighbor, soon becomes Sady's best friend. She likes to give Matt a hard time about anything and everything. After losing her job at the university, she joins the investigation company.

Matt Meadows, Sady's love interest in the series, has stayed in Michigan. After Morrow repeatedly sends him back to Michigan to keep on eye on his niece, he realizes it will continue, so he makes the move as well.

Character descriptions:

Sady Morrow- Tall, slender, with long brown hair and big brown eyes. She often uses beauty pageant skills on the job. At this point in her life she is sweet, and sometimes goofy. However, she's intelligent and can been tough, when necessary.

Matt Meadows- Tall, dark, and handsome. He has blue eyes and unshaven stubble. Hence, Amanda's nicknames for him, Stubbles or Blue Eyes. Frequently grumpy because of Amanda's constant picking. Matt sometimes uses Sady's pet name, Sassafras.

Amanda Keller- Short, full-figured, black, and beautiful. She grew up in an exclusive suburb of Detroit. She has a smart mouth, a high tolerance for alcohol, and a full social dating calendar. She likes handsome men and isn't shy about saying so.

CJ Knight- Short in stature, with clipped gray hair, green eyes, and an even shorter fuse. CJ is impatient and lethal with her hands. Even though she's small, she keeps them all in line.

Harry Knight- Hot dang handsome with Siberian Husky light blue eyes, a stunning white smile, and good build. Amanda calls him Handsome, and he is- even though he is bald. Harry looks out for his team and plays the big brother/ father to Sady.

The stories behind the supporting characters are developed throughout the series.

Chapter 1

Has anyone else noticed Sady's been testy? Matt asked his co-workers. He referred to recent incidents, such as the day she rolled into work a half hour late and called Harry a time clock warden when he asked if she was okay. Another day she showed up wearing two different shoes. When Matt pointed it out, she called him a perfectionist.

Harry and CJ Knight, the owners of Knight Investigations, exchanged a glance.

Amanda Keller, Sady's best friend, glared at Matt. Well, aren't you the observant one? she mocked. Our girl hasn't been herself since she worked with Daria Bennett.

More likely it was the trauma of meeting your family, he scoffed.

I don't think it's the people, I think it's the job, Harry interjected in a quiet voice.

They all turned when the door to the conference room opened with a crash. You're talking about me again, aren't you? Sady snapped with a scowl. What is it this time? I forgot to comb my hair? And you think I forgot about Bob, don't you? 

With a blank expression CJ asked, Who's Bob?

Harry muttered, Bob was the fish.

Sady teared up and yelled, You all forgot about him, didn't you?

Amanda said, Of course not, but Bob's in a better place now, Sady.

You mean he's better off dead in the city sewer, than alive and swimming in a fish bowl with me as his owner? she accused. I killed Bob! She rushed from the room and locked herself in her office.

Morrow's going to kill us, CJ stated flatly.

I don't think so, Amanda replied. Not me, anyway. I knew something was wrong when I found her sobbing over that stupid goldfish last week. She probably wouldn't be so upset if you hadn't flushed it, Stubbles. You should have let her give it a proper burial so she could have closure!

It was a fish, Amanda. And she owned it less than a week, Matt said. Besides, what's a proper burial for a fish? Batter and a deep fryer? 

It's not you, or the fish, Harry insisted.

He's right. CJ supported Harry. Matt, we're trained to handle dangerous situations, and we forget Sady isn't. I'm surprised Morrow didn't call to make sure she's getting counseling. We should have done that sooner.

What about me? Amanda asked. Am I the chopped liver here?

Yes, Matt told her. Unless you've morphed into a hot dog.

Don't be offended, Amanda, Harry advised. Sady's been through more traumatic experiences. I think the last job, seeing those kids were threatened, pushed her over the edge. Sady doesn't have the skills to cope with that, on top of the other dangerous positions this job has put her in. I blame myself for not realizing it.

We all let it slide, Harry, CJ said. In many ways the beauty pageant life made Sady tough, but not in all the ways needed for this job. Having your life, or another's threatened isn't a normal experience for a beauty queen.

I heard that! Sady yelled from the hall. You all think I'm crazy, don't you? Well, I'm not, so you can stop talking about me behind my back. She put her head around the corner to look into the room.

We don't think you're crazy, Harry replied soothingly.

She turned on him with, You shut up. I know you're lying because I heard what you said about me, and I know you've been whispering when you thought I wasn't around. Brows went up and jaws dropped. Sady never spoke to Harry like that. Harry was the one person Sady counted on to be kind and understanding, and she'd never hurt him.

It's Stubbles, isn't it? Amanda asked, giving Matt a dirty look. He shouldn't have flushed that stupid fish!

Bob wasn't stupid, Sady yelled. He needed me, and I let him down!

Would you like me to buy you another fish? Matt offered.

Just like that? Act like Bob never existed, and he can be replaced with any old fish? Sady looked ready to cry again. Just for that I'm taking back the Mustang name! He's now named Justin again.

CJ ignored Sady's comment about the car. She glared at Matt and said, We aren't going to get a fish to replace Bob, Sady. Meadows was stupid for even suggesting it. Sady narrowed her eyes for a minute, then her head disappeared. This time they heard the back door to the office slam, and the engine of Sady's Mustang roar to life.

CJ jumped and said, One of you call Morrow, while I chase her down. CJ ran out the back door to catch Sady before she left the parking lot.

Sady, unlock the door or I'll break your window, CJ threatened. Sady hesitated, then unlocked the door for CJ.

What do you want? Sady barked.

Let's go, CJ replied. I assume you're going to find somewhere to open it up and let Justin run.

Oh,