Shadows of Suspicion: Tales of Murder and Intrigue A Murder Mystery Anthology

By Aspen F Sapphire, Kora Raine, Mazikeen Quinn and 2 more

Embark on a literary journey with Warrioress Publishing's captivating Murder Mystery Anthology! Immerse yourself in the riveting tales of suspense, where renowned authors skillfully weave mind-bending twists and intricate puzzles that promise to captivate you from the opening lines to the final, shocking revelations. Join us in exploring the artistry of storytelling as these authors take you on a gripping ride through the world of mystery and intrigue.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Warrioress Publishing
• Release date: Jan 25, 2024
• ISBN: 9798223139980

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Patricia Bates, Aspen F. Sapphire, Kora Raine, Mazikeen Quinn, Tammy Campbell

Shadows of Suspicion: Tales of Murder and Intrigue

A Murder Mystery Anthology

First published by Warrioress Publishing 2023

Copyright © 2023 by Patricia Bates, Aspen F. Sapphire, Kora Raine, Mazikeen Quinn, Tammy Campbell

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Patricia Bates, Aspen F. Sapphire, Kora Raine, Mazikeen Quinn, Tammy Campbell asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

Patricia Bates, Aspen F. Sapphire, Kora Raine, Mazikeen Quinn, Tammy Campbell has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

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Contents

I. PART ONE

Chapter One

II. MURDER IN STOKESDALE

By Aspen F. Sapphire

By Kora Raine

By Mazikeen Quinn

By Tammy Campbell

Also by Patricia Bates, Aspen F. Sapphire, Kora Raine, Mazikeen Quinn, Tammy Campbell

I

Part One

By Patricia Bates

Chapter One

Lightning split the sky as Pyke looked down the barrel of his .45, he listened to the thunder rumble in the distance, the whisper soft sound of cotton on metal barely competing with it. The sudden crash of something hitting the floor followed by a scream and the sounds of smashing glass ripped the semi-silence apart.

Pyke ground his teeth at the sounds coming from the rooms above him. He glanced upward at the sounds of a baby’s crying. Not for the first time since he’d arrived in Quito, he wanted to put a bullet between the eyes of his current target. But he couldn’t. Not yet.

Damn, but he wished he was back in Virginia, surrounded by the sappiness of his buddies and their wives. Hell, he’d even take a Russian winter over the nightmare he was in. His muscles tightened at the slam of a door and the pounding of footsteps on the stairs.

He took a long pull of the drink next to his left hand and sighed. The soft murmurs of a woman’s voice seeped through the open windows. Tears choked her voice, the quiver enough to make him want to strangle her husband. Another voice, sweetly accented, held a thread of steel in it. He couldn’t make