Killer Resurfacing: Sue Lee Mystery, #16

By D.M. SORLIE

D.M. Sorlie's "Kiler Resurfacing" starts with an invitation to lunch, sparking a search for rare and valuable artifacts spanning the globe.
But what Sue Lee and Island Art Inquiries found was far more nefarious than they'd imagined. A murderer from their past had returned, and now they were on a mission to discover clues and valuable art pieces."
Prepare to be captivated by the thrilling and suspenseful tale of "A Thrilling Quest Unveiling Hidden Secrets and Deadly Pursuits." This riveting story takes readers on an exhilarating journey through the world of rare artifacts, art, and danger.
Author D.M. Sorlie masterfully weaves a narrative that seamlessly blends mystery, adventure, and a touch of romance. From the very first page, readers are drawn into the intricate web of intrigue as Sue Lee and Island Art Inquiries embark on a quest that will test their wit, courage, and determination.
The characters in this novel are brilliantly crafted, each with their unique personality and backstory. Sue Lee, the protagonist, is a strong and resourceful woman who leads the charge in unraveling the mysteries that lie before her. With her quick thinking and relentless pursuit of the truth, she becomes a character readers will root for from start to finish.
The plot is a rollercoaster ride of twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. As Sue Lee and her team search for valuable art pieces, they unwittingly stumble upon a dark secret from their past. The reappearance of a murderer sets the stage for a thrilling cat-and-mouse game, where every clue and artifact holds the key to their survival.
What sets this novel apart is the author's meticulous attention to detail. The descriptions of exotic locations and historical artifacts are vivid and immersive, transporting readers to far-flung corners of the globe. The seamless integration of art history and suspense creates a unique reading experience that educates and entertains readers.
Readers will find themselves engrossed in the intricate puzzle Sue Lee and her team must solve as the story unfolds. The author's ability to keep readers guessing until the end is a testament to their storytelling prowess. Each revelation and discovery adds another layer of excitement, ensuring the pace never falters.
In conclusion, "A Thrilling Quest Unveiling Hidden Secrets and Deadly Pursuits" is a must-read for fans of mystery, adventure, and art history. With its well-developed characters, intricate plot, and thrilling twists, this novel is an absolute page-turner. Prepare to be enthralled from beginning to end as Sue Lee and Island Art Inquiries navigate a treacherous world of rare artifacts and dangerous adversaries.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Enchanted Island Publishing
• Release date: May 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215413692

D.M. SORLIE

D.M. is a native Arizonan living in Scottsdale, traveling has inspired several of his books throughout the years, including historical fiction, especially with a mystery thrown in.   Sue Lee Mysteries started after visiting an antique shop in Honolulu with the purchase of a vintage World War Two recruitment poster for women to serve. It was haunting knowing all the possibilities open for woman during those perilous times.   

Book preview

PROLOGUE

THE BOY

David struggled with ropes on his bound hands; he had a rock he picked from the floor. Hopefully, it was sharp enough to cut the bonds. He stopped when he saw a Scorpion on the wall of his cell or box container he guessed was used to transport goods by sea. It smelled like the ocean and some kind of fruit. Where the hell am I, the drug they used was finally wearing off. Damn, if he stings me?He hesitated when he saw two brown eyes peeking at him thru broken boards. A small hand reached in through with a stick and stabbed the Scorpion.

Thank you, he said in English and repeated in Spanish. The boy looked puzzled.

They are bad; we kill them in our home.

Where is your home? he said in English?

By the sea, he turned his head away in a direction David thought was east because of the rising sun.

Why are you in the box?

I sleep here, but it is time to come out. Can you help me?

I see a door; I will pull.

David could hear the boy behind his head, pulling on something scraping the wall or door. He could not see lying with no room to stand. The sun came in when the hatch opened. He wiggled out on his back, pushing with his feet onto a sandy beach surrounded by palms. The sunshine warmed his body, draped in wet clothing.

He sat up with a feeling of relief. Son, can you help me stand by removing these ropes?

Ropes, you are tied. Are you a badman?

No, a good man, and you saved me. Your family will be proud.

The boy grappled with the ropes with his small hands, but they finally came loose enough for David to take over and shake them off.

Thank you, boy, he stood trembling from exhaustion, looking around. The beach was isolated; the sea was greenish blue; what sea is this, he thought?

Son, you go to school? he asked politely, not to frighten the boy. He assumed he looked like hell. He knew he smelled like hell?"

Yes, but don’t tell my momma. I’m here to see my friends, he pointed at the sea where turtle heads appeared. They will come ashore soon; I fed them. The boy held up a cluster of fruit and picked one to eat before offering one to David.

It was delicious, he realized; he was starving, and hopefully, his stomach would hold the food down. He noticed his shirt was caked with vomit, and his stomach churned as he ate the large grape. Maybe the vomiting was from the drug they gave me.

The boy pointed at a flowering plant on the edge of the beach, saying, More, before going into the water with his cluster to feed his turtle friends.

David stumbled in the deep sand to reach the fruit, picking several grapes of a purplish color like the boy gave him. He sat down exhausted under the shade of the plant-eating while watching the boy. His stomach stopped churning as David ate. It helped to clear his memory, but painful that he remembered the shooting of his friend Robert before the drug they injected him with took effect. A woman was singing a children’s song as she pulled the trigger, shooting his lifelong friend in the head!

Chapter One

INVITATION

SAN FRANCISCO, 1954

Sue Lee was finishing breakfast, checking her packing list; she was sure they packed all the items Dr.Danny gave her for his sister, Ellen Cameron, living in Carmel. The last to pack was Joni’s cheese from their dairy in Bodega in her refrigerator when Alice entered the room.

I put the cheese in a cooler, and your suite case is in the back seat. Danny has a lot of boxes in your trunk. What was he storing?

Danny told me it was all sent recently from their Mom’s home in Scotland, who passed away during the war. She was 104. His mom apparently was a hoarder and threw nothing away. Those items are primarily knickknacks, which she stored in the carriage house.

Carriage House? Dr. Danny told me she had a wee cottage in the Highlands?

"Danny loves to tell stories or twist things around, not wanting to bring attention to himself. In Scotland, his mother is known as Dame McGregor. Her husband was in the Scottish parliament. Her lineage goes back to Scottish nobility. Dame McGregor donated money to start the Scotland Hospital ship named Elsie. Danny was the head surgeon on the ship Elsie during the war. Elsie Inglis was a doctor from Scotland and a good friend of Danny’s mother."

Did Joni know all of this?

Danny told her some of it when they first married, but she was unaware of the estate’s value until after it was sold. She said she almost fainted when Danny told her how much!

Did you know all of this?

No, Lucie told me after she and Jane’s Mom were doing research for Island Art Inquires, they came across Danny’s Lineage.

Did her husband, Sir Jonathan, know? Alice poured more coffee for both.

Yes, but asked to keep it within our company out of respect for Danny and the remaining family’s privacy.

It all makes sense now. I wondered how Danny became so well-educated. Also, he told me his brother was a research chemist in Scotland.

True, oh my, look at the time. I need to hurry; Ellen expects me in Carmel for lunch. Do you need anything more before I leave, Alice?

No, dear, go now. I need to start my cleaning, or I will run late. I have photos to develop when I’m finished.

See you in a week, Sue Lee waved, hurrying down the stairs.

Alice was Sue Lee’s live-in housekeeper with a photo hobby turned into a part-time vocation. She had a darkroom in the storage room on the lower level of Sue Lee’s San Francisco townhome. The home was above her Uncle Yoshi’s grocery store. After his passing, Mayra’s boy Nick Hamasaki and his new wife Judy leased the space and insisted on using Yoshi’s name in the store window again. It was also their young son’s name.

It was good to have the grocery store back in Japan Town. All this was on Sue Lee’s mind as she hurried through the storage area to her garage.

Sue Lee’s Pontiac Chieftain convertible was a comfortable ride on such a sunny day. She purposely dressed in the colors of her car. The interior was red, the outside yellow, matching her yellow blouse and red scarf, holding her long black hair in place. San Francisco could become blustery without notice, but not today.

With the top down, she caught the attention of every male at the stoplights. They were rewarded with a brilliant smile and intense green eyes Sue Lee inherited from her Polynesian French mother and an Asian look from her Japanese father.

Sue Lee laughed, It’s better to be looked over than overlooked, her best friend, Dr. Jane, always told her. I miss her, but Jane was taking some well-earned R&R in her home in the Bahamas. Their previous recovery for a looted art piece in Mexico was difficult and hard on everyone at Island Art Inquiries.

Soon the traffic ended, and Sue Lee was driving through the Sierra Azul range to the coastal road to Carmel. She checked her gas gauge to see if she needed to stop in Monterey, a quaint fishing port on the coast. She had a friend and fellow student from Stanford who became a Marine biologist, married a fellow scientist, and moved there. "That was