Threads of Deceit Book 2: A Keilani Germora Mystery

By Brandy Magill

The smoke may have cleared in the town of Willow Creek, but the embers of intrigue and danger are far from extinguished. In this pulse-pounding sequel to "Shadows in a Silent Town," retired CIA agent turned private detective Keilani Germora is once again called to action. 

 

The sudden disappearance of the town's Mayor—suspected of being the malevolent puppet master behind a local cult—poses more questions than answers. His parting gift? A second, even more powerful talisman that threatens to unleash a terror that will dwarf the horrors of the past.

 

As new alliances are formed and old ones tested, Keilani must not only confront a rising evil but also face deeply unsettling truths about her family and herself. The boundaries between friend and foe blur in this intricate tapestry of love, betrayal, and dark magic.

 

With a conspiracy that stretches far beyond the town's borders and the emergence of enemies both old and new, Keilani realizes she is part of a much larger, darker narrative that is unfolding around her. 

 

The stakes have never been higher as she ventures deeper into a labyrinth of deceit, coming face to face with an enemy more powerful than she could have ever imagined.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brandy Magill
• Release date: Aug 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223854531

Book preview

Brandy Magill

Copyright © 2023 by Brandy Magill

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, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. New Beginnings, Old Wounds

2. The Mayor's Gambit

3. A Sinister Connection

4. Keilani's Dilemma

5. The Hidden Sanctum

6. Cryptic Messages

7. A Journey Into the Past

8. The Second Talisman

9. Behind Closed Doors

10. A Trap is Set

11. Battle Lines

12. Reckoning

13. Revelations and Betrayals

14. The Mayor's Downfall

15. Into the Fire

16. The Cult Reemerges

17. The Other Side of the Coin

18. Conspiracy Unveiled

19. Alex's Secret

20. The Final Standoff

Chapter 1: New Beginnings, Old Wounds

Keilani Germora stared at the burnished surface of her office desk, lost in thought. Three months had passed since the shocking revelations and violent confrontations in Willow Creek. Though her external wounds had healed, the emotional scars still throbbed, a constant reminder of her past ordeals. The town had begrudgingly returned to its façade of normalcy, but for Keilani, normal was a distant concept.

Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her reverie. The incoming call was from Alex, the local journalist who'd become her confidante, and in many ways, her moral compass during the investigation.

Hey, Alex. What's up? she answered, forcing cheerfulness into her voice.

Keilani, you'll never believe this. They've found Mayor Thompson's car abandoned near Elk's Ridge, Alex's voice trembled with excitement and anxiety.

Thompson? He's been missing for weeks. Everyone thought he had fled the country.

Looks like he didn't get far. The police are treating it as a crime scene. They found blood in the car.

Keilani's instincts buzzed to life. She could smell a mystery, as rank as the stench of rotten eggs.

Alright, I'm on my way, she said, hanging up before Alex could reply.

She grabbed her leather jacket and a .38 caliber revolver she'd taken to keeping in her top drawer, tucked it into her waistband, and headed for the door. As she exited, she glanced at a framed photograph of her parents, both long gone but still casting a shadow over her life. This case wasn't just a hunt for a criminal; it was an inquest into her own dark history.

THE DRIVE TO ELK'S Ridge was filled with unsettling memories. Her past visits to the Mayor's residence had always felt like a descent into a secretive, labyrinthine world, one she was loath to reenter. Yet here she was, driving towards another complex maze of lies and deceit. She grimaced at the thought.

Upon reaching the scene, she noted several police cruisers and a forensic van parked haphazardly. Yellow police tape sealed off the area around Mayor Thompson's black sedan. She spotted Alex standing near the tape, a notepad in hand, looking more like a worried detective than an excited journalist.

As she walked over, Detective Lawrence intercepted her. A tall, middle-aged man with greying hair, Lawrence had replaced Captain Morris after her scandalous arrest. His stern expression made it clear that he wasn't pleased to see her.

Ms. Germora, this is a police investigation. What are you doing here? Lawrence questioned, his eyes narrowing.

Last time I checked, a former CIA agent turned PI has every right to be intrigued by a case like this. Especially when it concerns someone we both know is far from innocent, Keilani shot back.

Lawrence sighed, Just don't get in the way. This is messy. The Mayor's blood type matches the samples found in the car, but there's no sign of him. It's as if he vanished into thin air.

Or as if someone wanted it to look that way, Keilani mused.

ALEX FILLED HER IN on the details as they stood far enough from the scene to speak privately but close enough to observe.

The police found a burnt piece of cloth in the trunk, and guess what was embroidered on it? The same symbol we found on that old talisman, Alex whispered.

Damn it, Keilani clenched her fists. This isn't over, is it?

Alex shook his head, It's just the beginning. Again.

She sighed, glancing at the officers combing through the grass for clues, New beginnings, old wounds, she said more to herself than to him.

Just then, one of the