Revelation: The Sylvia Wilcox Series, #3

By Braylee Parkinson

Sylvia Wilcox was just starting to move on from her traumatic past when a cryptic note arrives in her office. Initially, she ignores the accusations, but soon realizes the message contains a dangerous riddle that must be solved. As her painful past claws its way into the present, Sylvia can't ignore the opportunity to find out what happened to her late husband.

In a race against time, Sylvia rushes from one location to the next, gathering clues and fighting to stay one step ahead of the cruel puppet master who is pulling the strings in this deadly game.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Braylee Parkinson
• Release date: Nov 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393526117

Book preview

1

Irose in the predawn darkness, still tired and conflicted about my plans for the next day. In a quest to clear my mind, I slipped on track pants, a red hoodie, and running shoes, and headed out into the frigid but clear morning.

My mind began to focus as I took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp cold air into my lungs. It was mid-December, and Michigan’s winter was in full swing, but I’d made it a point to run each day that it wasn’t actively snowing. Heading to the end of my block, the only sound was a gray car idling two doors down in front of a house. I noticed the vehicle taking off behind me. Catching my eye, the car sped up, passed me, briefly interrupted the fresh morning air, and turned left at the corner. The hum of the car faded away quickly. The rest of the neighborhood was quiet and still, and the introspective atmosphere quickly returned.

Downtown Ypsilanti is nothing more than a few blocks, but the historic buildings and neatly kept storefronts make it a gem. Christmas was eleven days away, and the season had taken hold of the tiny shopping area. The small-town storefronts and restaurants were decked out with sparkling garland, strings of lights draped around lamp posts and small artificial trees. Seeing all the glittery cheer roused me from my state of serious contemplation. 

Running straight into the icy wind and increasing my speed elevated my mood. There’s something about the cold that makes you feel brave and strong. In those early morning hours, running through the empty streets, I felt like I could conquer whatever came my way. I ran through Riverside Park and Depot Town, then back up Cross Street before hitting Michigan Avenue and heading home. Along the way, I debated whether I should cancel my trip to Utah. By the time I reached the front door, I’d decided. I gave my word that I’d be there, so I would show up and do my best to enjoy it without worrying about things that hadn’t happened yet.

I wasn’t sure how I’d gotten myself into this situation, which I wasn’t even sure was a situation. Perhaps I was overreacting and being too cautious. I’d taken a missing person case a few months back that had led to Utah. While there, I had met a man named Brady, who had helped me with the case, assisting every step of the way. He’d been friendly, and we’d clicked. When the case was over, Brady and I had talked about taking a vacation. He wanted to show me around Utah’s backcountry, maybe even take me skiing. People always say things like that, We should get together, or Let’s take a trip, etc. However, few mean it. Well, this guy meant it. I was back in Utah for a weekend over the summer. Brady called a few months after that brief trip to tell me he’d booked a cabin in the Ogden River Valley. 

Why don’t you join me? We’ll do some skiing and snowshoeing. Maybe have a couple of drinks and relax, Brady said.

It sounded like a great idea at the time. I told him I’d only come if I could pay half of the cabin fees. He agreed, and now I would be leaving for Utah in less than twenty-four hours. Initially, I was excited, but last night I’d checked my voicemail and heard a terrifying but straightforward message.

Bring a nice dress. Something fancy.

Short and to the point. No hint at why I’d need a fancy dress. Not sure what to make of it, I didn’t call back. Instead, I sent a text message after contemplating how to respond.

Will do.

A simple, emotionless text was all I could muster. Hopefully, it didn’t convey how nervous I was. I’d been obsessing over the message since receiving it. We were just friends. Why would I need a fancy dress? This was a buddy trip. We’d hang out and have a good time. There was no reason to think it was anything else.

 I’d been a widow for six years now. The idea of a relationship or even a bit of romance was terrifying. Part of this was because I’d never been much for dating. As a teen, I had attended a boarding school in Connecticut, where I’d kept to myself, mostly by choice. I went to one homecoming dance during my sophomore year. At the end of the night, my date told me, You’re a nice girl, but you ask too many questions, and that was the sum total of my dating experience in high school. A lack of social connections had made dating virtually obsolete, and I’d carried that sentiment into adulthood. I was a bookish tomboy turned solitary woman. I’d had a few first dates in college, but no long-term relationships. Derek had been a childhood friend who’d known and loved me as the brave tomboy with the messy hair. We’d never officially dated, even though we spent most days in the years leading up to our marriage together. One day Derek had asked me to marry him. My childhood crush proposed. It was one of those happily ever after events, but all that changed when Derek died.

Now that I knew what it was like to be in love with someone and lose them, I wanted nothing to do with anything that resembled a relationship. My life was dedicated to my work as a private investigator, and I’d made peace with that fact. Hopefully, Brady would understand if the subject of moving beyond friendship ever came up. It hadn’t yet, so why was I worried about it? Shaking off the thoughts, recognizing that they had little basis in reality, my mind shifted. Go out to Utah and have a blast with your new friend, I told myself.

Back at home, I showered and grabbed coffee and a bowl of oatmeal before heading to the office. Martin showed up a