The Fading Portrait: A Keilani Germora Mystery

By Brandy Magill

"The Fading Portrait: A Keilani Germora Investigation"

In "The Fading Portrait," private investigator Keilani Germora is back with a mystery that beckons her to the haunted halls of the Allister estate. When she takes on the seemingly routine task of investigating the disappearance of a valuable portrait, she plunges headfirst into a labyrinth of family secrets, hidden chambers, and eerie occurrences.

 

As Keilani delves into the enigmatic world of the Allister family, she realizes that the portrait is more than a priceless piece of art—it's a key to a dark family history steeped in curses and tragic events. With the help of her childhood friend Alex, her father Nathan, and a new love interest, Zach, she struggles to decode a maze of cryptic clues and unsettling phenomena.

 

But as they get closer to the truth, a far more sinister picture begins to emerge, one that involves a family curse, mysterious rituals, and a threat that extends far beyond the Allister family. An unseen enemy casts his shadow, and Keilani must act fast to untangle the web of secrets before she becomes its next victim.

 

Bristling with suspense, haunted settings, and unexpected twists, "The Fading Portrait" is a gripping journey into the darker recesses of human intentions. Will Keilani solve the mystery and escape the curse of the Allister family, or will she become another lost soul in the estate's tragic narrative?

 

Whether you're a veteran fan of Keilani Germora or new to the series, this standalone installment will leave you riveted from the first page to the last.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brandy Magill
• Release date: Sep 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223225362

Book preview

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: A New Dawn

Chapter 2: The Call

Chapter 3: The Allister Estate

Chapter 4: First Clues

Chapter 5: Into the Artist's Lair

Chapter 6: An Ominous Change

Chapter 7: Captain Lawrence's Warnings

Chapter 8: Zach's Suspicion

Chapter 9: An Unexpected Ally

Chapter 10: Pieces of the Puzzle

Chapter 11: The Hidden Chamber

Chapter 12: Unveiling the Curse

Chapter 13: A Family's Dark Secret

Chapter 14: A Twist of Fate

Chapter 15: The Ritual

Chapter 16: Betrayal

Chapter 17: Tangled Web

Chapter 18: Against the Clock

Chapter 19: Last Hope

Chapter 20: Resolutions and Farewells

Chapter 21: Tying Loose Ends

Chapter 22: A Quiet Evening

Chapter 1: A New Dawn

The sun had just begun to peek over the horizon, scattering its golden light over the sleepy town of Willow Creek. Keilani Germora stood on her newly refurbished porch, sipping her morning coffee and soaking in the peace that dawn always seemed to bring. Her father, Nathan, was inside, busy in the kitchen, and the subtle aroma of frying bacon wafted through the air.

She was savoring the simple joys of life—things that often got overshadowed when she was knee-deep in solving mysteries or untangling conspiracies. Since she had closed the last chapter on the menacing cult that had overshadowed her life, Willow Creek had regained some semblance of normality—or as normal as a town with her history could get. Keilani had returned to simpler cases: missing persons, cheating spouses, and the occasional robbery. Simpler, but fulfilling in their own right.

Her phone buzzed on the small garden table beside her, shaking her from her reverie. It was a text from Alex.

Hey, have a moment to catch up today? There's something you should know.

Keilani frowned. Alex had been more than a childhood friend; he'd been a comrade in arms through the worst times. He'd helped her bring down the cult and had almost died for it. Alex didn't reach out often, but when he did, it usually meant something was up.

She quickly texted back, Sure, meet at the usual place?

Alex’s reply came instantly, Yep, see you at noon.

Keilani turned her attention back to her surroundings. The first rays of sunlight had now fully broken through, bathing everything in its warm glow. She looked at her childhood home, now freshly painted and refurbished. Nathan had been instrumental in the home improvements, insisting that keeping busy was good for him. She agreed, but more importantly, working together had also brought them closer.

Just as she took another sip of her coffee, a black SUV pulled into her driveway. It was Captain Lawrence, the gruff yet steadfast officer who had replaced Captain Morris after the latter’s unfortunate, albeit much-deserved, arrest.

Lawrence got out of the vehicle and tipped his hat to her. Morning, Ms. Germora. Hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time.

Keilani set her coffee down, her investigative instincts kicking in. Not at all, Captain. What brings you here?

I was just following up on a few loose ends from our last case, he said, cautiously glancing towards the house to ensure Nathan was out of earshot. We've had a couple of minor burglaries that match a pattern you might find interesting.

Keilani was intrigued but also wary. In her experience, patterns were seldom coincidental. Tell me more.

As you know, the cult had a lot of strange artifacts, symbols, and texts. The places that were broken into had some occult paraphernalia taken—stuff that's hard to sell but might have symbolic significance.

A continuation of the cult, you think?

Lawrence sighed. Don’t know, but it sure doesn't look like regular theft. The only thing missing from each place was an artifact or a book.

Keilani felt the familiar