An Ocean of Secrets in Her Eyes: Nikki Ashburne Short Story: Nikki Ashburne

By Dayle A. Dermatis

The 1940s. A time when Hollywood studios owned their talent.

 

Which included making sure the talent avoided scandal.

 

Shining star Tabitha St. Claire has a secret. PI Sam Belmont accepts the job to learn what that secret is.

 

To devastating results…

 

A standalone story in the popular Nikki Ashburne series, "An Ocean of Secrets in Her Eyes" originally appeared in Fiction River: Chances, 2021.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Soul's Road Press
• Release date: Mar 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201102609

Dayle A. Dermatis

Dayle A. Dermatis is the author or coauthor of many novels (including snarky urban fantasies Ghosted and the forthcoming Shaded and Spectered) and more than a hundred short stories in multiple genres, appearing in such venues as Fiction River, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, and DAW Books.Called the mastermind behind the Uncollected Anthology project, she also guest edits anthologies for Fiction River, and her own short fiction has been lauded in many year's best anthologies in erotica, mystery, and horror.She lives in a book- and cat-filled historic English-style cottage in the wild greenscapes of the Pacific Northwest. In her spare time she follows Styx around the country and travels the world, which inspires her writing.To find out where she’s wandered off to (and to get free fiction!), check out DayleDermatis.com and sign up for her newsletter or support her on Patreon.* * *I value honest feedback, and would love to hear your opinion in a review, if you’re so inclined, on your favorite book retailer’s site.* * *For more information:www.dayledermatis.com

Book preview

An Ocean of Secrets in Her Eyes

AN OCEAN OF SECRETS IN HER EYES

A NIKKI ASHBURNE SHORT STORY

DAYLE DERMATIS

Soul’s Road Press

CONTENTS

About This Book

An Ocean of Secrets in Her Eyes

About the Author

Also by Dayle A. Dermatis

Be the First to Know!

Written on the Coast

ABOUT THIS BOOK

The 1940s. A time when Hollywood studios owned their talent.

Which included making sure the talent avoided scandal.

Shining star Tabitha St. Claire has a secret. PI Sam Belmont accepts the job to learn what that secret is.

To devastating results…

A standalone story in the popular Nikki Ashburne series, An Ocean of Secrets in Her Eyes originally appeared in Fiction River: Chances, 2021.

AN OCEAN OF SECRETS IN HER EYES

Hollywood. City of starry-eyed dreamers. The city where the magic happens, where everyday girls in diners become overnight stars, where all it takes is a little talent and a lot of perseverance and okay, maybe a little luck. But if you believe…right?

Hey, you want to keep believing that, you go right ahead. Hollywood spits out the likes of you: the innocents, the dreamers, the naïve, trusting ones. One day you’re on top of the world; the next, you’re grateful if you’re yesterday’s news, because maybe you don’t want your life to be news at all anymore.

If you’re lucky, Hollywood’s like a roller coaster, giving you a glorious moment at the top before you plunge down.

If you’re unlucky, the ride breaks before you even start up toward the top. Or maybe you don’t ever get the chance to board.

This story, well, it doesn’t have a typical Hollywood ending.

Maybe not a typical ending, but in the beginning, who didn’t love Tabitha St. Claire?

The studio owned her.

And if Sam wasn’t careful, the studio would own him, too.

The year was 1942. Sam Belmont tipped his fedora back against the heat of the Hollywood lights. Full summer, but they still lit the back lot when they were filming, ensuring the proper illumination and shadows to best show off their actors and create