Collection of Short Story Thrillers Evening Interrupted The Dreamcatcher Red Flags: Thriller

By Lucy Appadoo

Caterina is totally in lust with her boyfriend, Arthur, and she hopes that their one night of bliss will draw them closer. However, her hope is dashed when a surprise intruder interrupts their romantic interlude and wreaks havoc on their evening together. Then a new discovery shakes Caterina's world, and she starts to question her beliefs about herself. It is a night of terror for Caterina who wishes to protect Arthur and herself from the intruder, but will anyone survive in the end?

 

Aurora Mannindo, a 21-year old social work student, dreams of working with hospital patients in therapeutic care, but first, she has to get through her final work placement at a homeless shelter for men. For Aurora, it's the placement from hell. Her days are filled with red tape and paperwork, and several of the clients—what the staff call "Red Flag Clients"—are overtly threatening. Two, in particular, Marcus and David, seem to go out of their way to menace her. When her driver's license disappears the week Marcus is about to leave the shelter, Aurora begins to fear for her life. To save her best friend, Bianca, and her boyfriend, Carlos, Aurora is willing to fight to the death—but whose?

 

Serenity is a 22-year old psychology student who desperately wants to forget her past. If only her dreams would let her. When a strange meeting triggers her memories of those past events, Serenity must seek out the truth to save the lives of two innocent children. As family secrets threaten to tear her world apart, she finds herself and her loved ones targeted by a villain she thought she'd left behind. Danger is closer than she could have imagined. Will she recognise it in time

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lucy Appadoo
• Release date: Nov 8, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386261971

Lucy Appadoo

Lucy Appadoo is an author of fiction and nonfiction texts. She writes in the genres of romantic suspense/thrillers with significant life themes, contemporary romance, and historical fiction/coming of age. Lucy is a registered counsellor and wellness coach and works as a rehabilitation counsellor for the Australian government. She draws on her experience to write inspirational stories about authentic, driven women who manage adversity with strength and heart. Lucy enjoys reading romantic suspense, romance, thrillers, crime novels, family/historical drama, and sagas. She has enjoyed travelling to exotic places such as Madrid, Mauritius, and Italy, and uses these experiences to strengthen her creative writing. Lucy’s favourite authors include Toni Anderson, Kendra Elliot, Nora Roberts, Ann Christopher, Blake Pierce, Cheryl Bradshaw, Elise Noble, Erica Spindler, Nicholas Sparks, Adriana Trigiani, and James Patterson (to name a few). Lucy’s interests include travel, exercising, journal writing, reading for entertainment or knowledge, meditation, spending time with her husband and two daughters, and socialising with friends and family. To sign up for a monthly newsletter and download a FREE book, go to http://www.lucyappadooauthor.com.au

Book preview

EVENING INTERRUPTED

Caterina leaned forward over the steering wheel, squinting into the fog. She could barely see the houses, let alone the house numbers, but Arthur had told her to look for a mailbox shaped like the Eiffel Tower. Surely she would be able to see that, even through this thick veil of grey. She rolled a crick out of her neck and slowed to read a street sign that seemed to coalesce out of the haze. The name was unfamiliar, and her stomach did a little flip. Stay calm, she told herself. It was early afternoon, so surely she’d be there before night fell.

Turning down a small street in Diggers Rest, she realised it was the street where Arthur lived. Finally! Her body eased itself.

Her stomach gave another little leap, this time in anticipation. In the three months since she’d been dating Arthur, he had been cajoling her to visit him at home. He’d met her parents, and they loved him. Maybe he was the one or maybe not. It was too soon to tell, but she was head over heels in lust, and her heart fluttered at the thought of being alone with him in his house.

Caterina lived in her own apartment in St Kilda, recently moving out of her parents’ house. She loved her independence and worked part-time in a bookstore to fund her college studies. She was in her final year of her Criminology degree, and at twenty-two, she was almost ready to look for work in the forensics field. She couldn’t wait. Caterina loved delving into the criminal mind and had always enjoying watching films about serial killers, one-time murderers, and the psychotic mind. She loved reading about crime and thrillers too, which was why she loved her work at the bookstore. Arthur teased her about it sometimes, but gently, as if he loved the way she tried to puzzle out the answers. Not in a mean way, like her ex-boyfriend.

She passed what seemed to be the last of the houses and began to worry again. Then she rounded a curve and spotted the distinctive mailbox. She let out her breath and rolled her aching shoulders, then parked her car at the kerb of Arthur’s house and gazed with appreciation at the grey brick veneer home. It had bay windows with the curtains drawn and a hedged garden flanking a concrete path. Some of the roses wilted while other red roses had sprung up to brave the elements. It was perfect, close enough to town for convenience, yet isolated enough for privacy.

She paced her steps to the front door, her heart almost rushing out of her chest. Why was she so nervous? True, they hadn’t made love yet, but it wasn’t like Arthur was a stranger.

She rang the doorbell and waited for a minute before Arthur answered. He swung open the door, and his smile made her heart sing. It was as though there was no-one else in the world but the two of them. She loved the fullness of his lips, the glint in his blue-green eyes, his pointed chin, black, wavy hair that fell to his shoulders, and the fringe that he constantly flipped. Oh, those dimples when he smiled. She could dance in those features.

Well, hello Gorgeous. You finally made it. He looked past her. Why don’t you put your car in my garage? We might get a storm later.

Reluctantly, she stepped out of his arms. Okay, give me a second. She made tracks back to the car and drove it inside the double garage. Arthur’s black SUV sat on the left, so she parked hers on the right, then hurried to meet Arthur at a side door of the garage that led into the house.

He opened the door wider and stepped back so she could pass. Come in.

While he pointed the remote and the garage door hummed shut, she entered the foyer and noticed the scant grey walls, the worn, grey carpets and the absence of decor. The furniture was plain, and the house looked almost unlived in. Arthur was obviously too busy to be bothered by that stuff.

Further in and around the kitchen and living area, a range of boxes stacked with documents and books and other stuff lined the floors.

What’s all this?

He chuckled. I haven’t moved all of my stuff in yet. I haven’t lived here that long, but one day I’ll get around to unpacking.

She thought of all she had yet to do at her own place and smiled. Time can get away from you, that’s for sure.

The kitchen had granite bench tops, grey overhead cupboards, and a stainless steel oven. The colour scheme was reinforced by grey slate tiles.

They headed to the living room, where the windows were dressed with beige timber blinds and the back door opened out into a backyard so vast she couldn’t see the end of it. Despite the gloomy weather, it gave the hint of light and spaciousness to combat the grey tones.

She sat down on the sunken sofa and swallowed. It’s quiet in this area. I got lost trying to find it.

He sat in the armchair opposite her. Sorry. My friends tell me I live in the bush but Diggers Rest has developed a lot. It really is a busy area in some parts. He frowned. What about your GPS?

She shook her head. Somehow it stopped working. I really need a new car, I think. I’ve had this Corolla for four years but it was an old second-hand car to begin with. I really need to buy a new one.

He rose from the armchair. What can I get you to drink?

Any kind of juice is fine. Caterina drew a hand through her hair, fixing her gaze on Arthur’s glazed eyes. He’d stopped in mid-stride, a hungry look on his face. She liked how Arthur loved her hair just the way it was. Her ex-boyfriend, Joe, had hated it. He always told her how her hair was too dry and brittle, making her look ugly. He’d even slapped her once or twice.

Arthur returned with a glass of orange juice. Her hands trembled when she took it. Why was she so nervous? It wasn’t like she hadn’t fooled around with other men before. Maybe she was just afraid she’d do something to alienate him. Arthur seemed to like her the way she was. He never put her down. He never called her ugly and hopeless like Joe and her other ex-boyfriends did. They had all treated her like dirt. Even now, she didn’t feel she was good enough for Arthur. He was definitely out of her league.

She broke out of her reverie when Arthur spoke. So how’s your course going?

She beamed. Loving it. I just can’t wait to work on the profile of killers. It’s fascinating.

Arthur rested his hand under his chin scanning her from head to toe. You and your crime thrillers.

You know you like them too.

He grinned. Okay, you got me there. Maybe later we can watch one.

Caterina shrugged. Sure. I can practise my skills, but I’m still learning. Sipping her juice, she imagined herself in front of a room full of law enforcement agents, delivering a presentation on her brand new treatment for psychopathy. Her ex-boyfriends never thought she’d amount to much, but she might prove them wrong. She finished the last of her drink and handed the glass to Arthur.

He put it in the sink then approached to take her hand. Let me give you the grand tour.

***

His first stop was his bedroom that had a black leather bed head, a dark modern dresser, clothes strewn on a chair, and a tallboy. He turned towards her and stroked her hair. You are so beautiful. I want you in my arms right now.