Buried Secrets: A Psychological Suspense Novella: Mirror Estate

By S.F. Baumgartner

EXPANDED AND REVISED. Originally published as "The Secret". 

A destitute young man. Wanted dead by a criminal mastermind. Will he prove to be the downfall of the psychopath?

Dylan Roche is shocked. The twenty-five-year-old management trainee is astonished by the visit of an attorney. After years of blissful ignorance of his heritage, he is leery of the invitation to visit his wealthy maternal grandmother.

Wishing his mother was alive to advise him, Dylan sets off to investigate the family's history, despite his feeling of foreboding. But with the sinister maniac creeping at each turn, he fears his mother's faith in him was grossly misplaced.

Will Dylan find the secret hidden by his mother and survive the attack by the lunatic?

• Language: English
• Publisher: FB Publishing
• Release date: Jun 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9798987949405

Book preview

Buried Secrets

BURIED SECRETS: A PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE NOVELLA

Copyright © 2023 by S.F. Baumgartner

All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, or transmitted by email without permission in writing from the author.

Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretations of the subject matter herein. Any perceived slight of any individual or organization is purely unintentional.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

ISBN 979-8-9879494-0-5

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023910069

First edition, THE SECRETS, published 2019.

Second edition, BURIED SECRETS: A PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE NOVELLA, published 2023.

Edited by Represent Publishing

Cover Design by Brittany Evans

Title PageHalf Title Page

For Mr. Charles (Chuck) Fiorelli,

Whose gentle nudge and unwavering support inspired the journey to republish this new and expanded edition. Your belief in my work has truly made all the difference.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

To those who may have read the previous edition of this story, The Secrets, written under the name, S.L. Fon, I want you to know that your comments and feedback have not gone unnoticed. I have taken your valuable insights into consideration while revising and expanding the story, which has led to the creation of this new, revised, and expanded edition. I am grateful for your input and hope that you find this updated version even more engaging and enjoyable.

I apologize for the delay in revising this story. The pandemic has had a significant impact on my writing spirit, but I am now back at it full speed. I am excited to announce that Book One, Living Secrets, will be released in September, and Book Two, Forgotten Secrets, is scheduled for publication in January 2024. Book Three is also in the works, and I look forward to sharing these new stories with you.

For the residents of Florida and those familiar with the state, please be aware that the town of Marian and the Mirror Estate exist solely within the fictional world of this series. Although Florida serves as the backdrop for the story, the specific locations and settings have been imagined by the author.

Additionally, while the FBI does have many task forces, the one portrayed in this series is not an actual unit. The characters, events, and organizations depicted in this novella are products of the author’s imagination, and any similarities to real-life people, places, or events are purely coincidental.

As you embark on this journey through the pages of this book, please remember that the story unfolds in a world of fiction, where the author has taken creative liberties to weave a captivating narrative for your enjoyment. Happy reading!

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CONTENTS

32 Years Ago

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

30 Years Ago

Chapter Thirteen

28 Years Ago

Chapter Fourteen

22 Years Ago

Chapter Fifteen

14 Years Ago

Two Weeks Ago

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Two Weeks Later

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Bonus Content!

Thank You!

Also by S.F. Baumgartner

Acknowledgments

About the Author

32 YEARS AGO

Took care of the cop.

Good. Found the evidence?

There was a pause. Not yet. Not anywhere in his house.

Find it!

No more needed to be said. They knew what was at stake.

CHAPTER ONE

DYLAN

I understand that rent is due on the first of the month and it’s now the eighth, but could you please give me some time to get everything in order? In case you didn’t know, my mom passed away a few days ago. Dylan listened for a moment, and then said, Thank you, thank you very much.

He disconnected. As if I didn’t have enough bills to pay! he thought. And he was still trying to come to terms with losing his mother. It was at times such as this when he didn’t want to be an adult with all the responsibilities, especially paying bills and trying to balance the budget.

Staring at the spreadsheet on his laptop didn’t make the budget balance. After graduating from college just about two years ago, he had moved back in with his mom to save money while paying off student loans. It felt as though her presence lingered in the living and kitchen spaces. He envisioned her spirit hovering by the refrigerator, perusing the doctor’s reminder magnet to confirm the date of her upcoming appointment. Pick up your socks! Put the dishes in the dishwasher! She used to yell at him for leaving things all over the place. Now, he glanced at the mess in the kitchen sink and decided to clean up. His mom might not have bothered to decorate the apartment, but she’d kept her place neat and tidy.

It had always been just his mom and him. Mimi Roche had worked hard as a waitress to support them. Time and time again, he remembered her kneeling by her bed at night to pray. They’d had happy days in the apartment, celebrating his significant events such as confirmation and graduation. She had been extremely proud of him when he’d snagged one of the few coveted management trainee spots in the two-year program of a well-known regional property management company.

The buzzing of his phone interrupted his reminiscing. Not wanting to answer any more calls from the landlord or loan officers, he glanced at the screen, expecting to swipe the decline icon. Instead, he saw it was Tommy. They had been best friends since grade school. They’d gone on to the same college but pursued different career paths.

Yo, Dylan said.

Hey, are you still moping around?

No, I don’t mope around.

Are you dressed? My guess is that you’re still in your shorts and T-shirt. It’s past noon.

He glanced down at his shorts and T-shirt. So? I have time off until tomorrow. Bereavement leave.

"Yeah, I know.