Todd stood beside her. “Same here. I’m . . . uh, I’m going to drive Sophia . . . back to her car. Better yet, how about if we get some dinner to celebrate?”
“Yeah, that sounds great.” Her grin slipped. “You want to join us, Riley?”
Riley shook his head. “No, I think I’ll let you two go enjoy yourselves. I could use some rest anyway.”
As Todd and Sophia exchanged a secretive smile, Riley’s heart panged with sorrow. While he was happy for the two of them, seeing them together made him realize what he’d lost.
A few minutes later, as he headed to his room, he reflected about poor decisions made under distress.
Gretchen had taken a gun to Mr. Parksley’s house in desperation to save herself.
Mr. Parksley had hidden Gretchen’s body out of fear he’d look bad. In the process, he’d only made himself look worse.
Riley had also made some bad choices in the heat of the moment. Breaking up with Gabby was one of the biggest. He wished he’d listened to his own gut instead of listening to everyone else.
How would he win her back?
He shook his head, wishing he had a magical solution. But he didn’t. What should I do, Lord?
The same urging he’d felt present in his life remained.
Wait.
He looked up at the ceiling. Really, God?
In his heart, he knew the answer. He needed to wait. He still had some things to work through before he could move back.
When the time was right, he would tell Gabby everything, though. And he prayed that what Pastor Randy had told him would be true: That God could take our mistakes and turn them into testimonies that would help others. He’d take our messes and turn them into messages.
God did have a plan, even for Riley’s ordeal. Riley just had to wait on God’s timing, God’s prompting, God’s wisdom. Because, when everything else was stripped away, faith was all a person had to hang onto.
###
Look for these books in the Squeaky Clean series:
Hazardous Duty (Book 1)
On her way to completing a degree in forensic science, Gabby St. Claire drops out of school and starts her own crime scene cleaning business. “Yeah, that’s me,” she says, “a crime scene cleaner. People waiting in line behind me who strike up conversations always regret it.”
When a routine cleaning job uncovers a murder weapon the police overlooked, she realizes that the wrong person is in jail. But the owner of the weapon is a powerful foe . . . and willing to do anything to keep Gabby quiet.
With the help of her new neighbor, Riley Thomas, a man whose life and faith fascinate her, Gabby plays the detective to make sure the right person is put behind bars. Can Riley help her before another murder occurs?
Suspicious Minds (Book 2)
In this smart and suspenseful sequel to Hazardous Duty, crime scene cleaner Gabby St. Claire finds herself stuck doing mold remediation to pay the bills. But her first day on the job, she uncovers a surprise in the crawlspace of a dilapidated home: Elvis, dead as a doornail and still wearing his blue suede shoes. How could she possibly keep her nose out of a case like this?
It Came Upon a Midnight Crime (Book 2.5, a Novella)
Someone is intent on destroying the true meaning of Christmas—at least, destroying anything that hints of it. All around crime scene cleaner Gabby St. Claire’s hometown, anything pointing to Jesus as the “reason for the season” is being sabotaged. The crimes become more twisted as dismembered body parts are found at the vandalisms. Who would go to such great lengths to dampen the joy and hope of Christ’s birthday? Someone’s determined to destroy Christmas . . . but Gabby St. Claire is just as determined to find the Grinch and let peace on earth and goodwill to men prevail.
Organized Grime (Book 3)
Gabby St. Claire knows her best friend, Sierra, isn’t guilty of killing three people in what appears to be an eco-terrorist attack. But Sierra has disappeared, her only contact a frantic phone call to Gabby proclaiming that she’s being hunted. Gabby is determined to prove her friend is innocent and to keep her alive. While trying to track down the real perpetrator, Gabby notices a disturbing trend at the crime scenes she’s cleaning, one that ties random crimes together—and points to Sierra as the guilty party. Just what has her friend gotten herself into?
Dirty Deeds (Book 4)
“Promise me one thing. No snooping. Just for one week.”
Gabby St. Claire knows that her fiancé’s request is a simple one that she should be able to honor. After all, Riley’s law school reunion and attorneys’ conference at a hoity-toity resort is a chance for them to get away from the mysteries Gabby often finds herself involved in as a crime scene cleaner. The weeklong trip is a chance for them to be “normal,” a word that leaves a bad taste in Gabby’s mouth.
But Gabby finds herself alone for endless hours while Riley is busy with legal workshops. Then one of Riley’s old friends goes missing, and Gabby suspects one of Riley’s buddies might be behind the disappearance. When the missing woman’s mom asks Gabby for help, how can she say no?
Secrets abound. Frankly, Gabby even has some of her own. When the dirty truth comes out, the revelations put everything in jeopardy—relationships, trusts, and even lives.
The Scum of All Fears (Book 5)
“I’ll get out, and I’ll get even.”
Gabby St. Claire is back to crime-scene cleaning, at least temporarily. With her business partner on his honeymoon, she needs help after a weekend killing spree fills up her work docket. She quickly realizes she has bigger problems than finding temporary help.
A serial killer her fiancé, a former prosecutor, put behind bars has escaped. His last words to Riley were: I’ll get out, and I’ll get even. Pictures of Gabby are found in the man’s prison cell, and Riley fears the sadistic madman has Gabby in his sights.
Gabby tells herself there’s no way the Scum River Killer will make it across the country from California to Virginia without being caught. But then messages are left for Gabby at crime scenes, and someone keeps slipping in and out of her apartment.
When Gabby’s temporary assistant disappears, Gabby must figure out who’s behind these crimes. The search for answers becomes darker when Gabby realizes she’s dealing with a criminal who’s more than evil. He’s truly the scum of the earth, and he’ll do anything to make Gabby and Riley’s lives a living nightmare.
To Love, Honor, and Perish (Book 6)
How could God let this happen?
Crime scene cleaner Gabby St. Claire can’t stop asking the question. Just when her life is on the right track, the unthinkable happens. Gabby’s fiancé, Riley Thomas, is shot and remains in life-threatening condition only a week before their wedding.
Gabby is determined to figure out who pulled the trigger, even if investigating puts her own life at risk. But as she digs deeper into the facts surrounding the case, she discovers secrets better left alone. Doubts arise in her mind and the one man with answers is on death’s doorstep.
An old foe from the past returns and tests everything Gabby is made of—physically, mentally, and spiritually. Will her soul survive the challenges ahead? Or will everything she’s worked for be destroyed?
Mucky Streak (Book 7)
After her last encounter with a serial killer, Gabby St. Claire feels her life is smeared with the stain of tragedy. Between the exhaustion of trying to get her fiancé back on his feet, routine night terrors, and potential changes looming on the horizon, she needs a respite from the mire of life.
At the encouragement of her friends, she takes on a short-term gig as a private investigator: a cold case that’s eluded investigators for ten years. The mass murder of a wealthy family seems impossible to solve but quickly gets interesting as Gabby brings more clues to light. Add to the mix a flirtatious client, travels to an exciting new city, and some quirky—albeit temporary—new sidekicks, and things get really complicated.
With every new development, Gabby prays that what she’s
calling her “mucky streak” will end and the future will become clear. But every answer she uncovers leads her closer to danger—both for her life and for her heart.
Foul Play (Book 8)
Gabby St. Claire is crying foul play, in every sense of the phrase.
When crime scene cleaner Gabby St. Claire agrees to go undercover at a local community theater, she discovers more than backstage bickering, atrocious acting, and rotten writing. The female lead is dead and an old classmate who’s staked everything on the musical production’s success is about to go under.
In her dual role of investigator and star of the show, Gabby finds the stakes rising faster than the opening night curtain. She comes face to face with her past and must make monumental decisions, not just about the play but also concerning her future relationships and career.
Will Gabby find the killer before the curtain goes down—not only on the play, but also on life as she knows it?
Coming Soon:
Dust and Obey (Book 10)
About the Author:
USA Today has called Christy Barritt's books "scary, funny, passionate, and quirky."
Christy writes both mystery and romantic suspense novels that are clean with underlying messages of faith. Her books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery, have been twice nominated for the Romantic Times' Reviewers' Choice Award, and have finaled for both a Carol Award and Foreword Magazine's Book of the Year.
She's married to her Prince Charming, a man who thinks she's hilarious--but only when she's not trying to be. Christy's a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover who's known for spontaneously bursting into song, and a road trip aficionado.
When she's not working or spending time with her family, she enjoys singing, playing the guitar, and exploring small, unsuspecting towns where people have no idea how accident prone she is.
Find Christy online at:
www.christybarritt.com
www.facebook.com/christybarritt
www.twitter.com/cbarritt
Sign up for Christy’s newsletter to get information on all of her latest releases here: www.christybarritt.com/newsletter-sign-up/
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