The Big Game

By Nadenia B. Buntin

Cousins Josh Winters and Clint Daniels find themselves in a sticky situation. They must learn to navigate between baseball and the consequences of their actions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685269203

Book preview

Table of Contents

Cover

Title

Copyright

Disclaimer

Acknowledgments

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

About the Author

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The Big Game

Nadenia B. Buntin

ISBN 978-1-68526-919-7 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68526-920-3 (Digital)

Copyright © 2022 Nadenia B. Buntin

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Disclaimer

This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Acknowledgments

I thank God for giving me the idea for this book and for the ability to get my thoughts on paper. I thank Him for the quiet reassurance during times of feeling defeated.

To my loving husband, William, for bearing with me through all my indecisiveness as I worked out the details of my story. Thank you for having patience with me.

To my daughters, Jamie and Kayte, for story ideas, proofreading, and encouraging me to finish this manuscript.

And to the many others who contributed to this finished work of fiction.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

1

Josh Winters was a typical nine-year-old boy. He was tall and athletic with sun-kissed blond hair, blue eyes, a sprinkling of freckles, and a dimple in each cheek. He had his likes and dislikes. For example, he did not like brussels sprouts. It did not matter how they were prepared. He also hated honky-tonk country music. Among his likes were his little sister, Haley, baseball, and solving mysteries, in that order.

His eighteen-month-old sister, Haley, stood two feet tall. She had shoulder-length brown hair which she often wore in pigtails. Her eyes were big and chocolate brown. Haley had a few freckles across her nose. She had dimples on each cheek that matched Josh's.

Josh stood in Haley's nursery, making funny faces to hear her laugh. With each new expression, Haley's laughter became louder.

Josh-ee funny, Haley squealed.

Josh, it's Haley's bedtime, his mom called upstairs.

Okay, kid, you heard Mom. It's time to lie down and go to sleep, Josh said.

Haley's laughing face turned into a pout, and tears began to fall.

Josh-ee, no go, she begged through the tears.

Lie down, sweetie, Josh said softly. I'll stay until you fall asleep.

Otay, Haley said with a half-smile.

Haley laid down in her favorite position. She stuck her thumb in her mouth and closed her eyes. Josh raised the rail on her bed, pulled a thin blanket over her legs, and turned on her favorite music. Then he sat down in the rocking chair next to her crib. Occasionally, Haley opened her eyes to see if Josh was still there.

Go to sleep, Josh softly encouraged.

Once Haley was asleep, he went to his own bedroom. He put away the clean clothes his mom had placed on his bed and changed into his pajamas. He laid down on his bed, and his thoughts immediately drifted to baseball.

Josh's bedroom walls were covered with posters. One wall held posters of baseball players in various positions of play. On the wall above his bed, he had a larger-than-life image of his favorite Rangers player, Aaron Yarburrow. On a third wall were posters of Josh's favorite detectives—Sherlock Holmes, Perry Mason, and Sam Spade. Perry Mason