3rd Body: Just try to keep your head (Book 1 in the 2nd Darc Murders Collection)
Page 25
“While I’m doing this, would you like to know the sex of the baby?” the doctor asked.
“No!” Trey yelled.
At the same moment, Maggie said, “Yes, absolutely.”
The woman looked back and forth between the two. “Okay. Which is it going to be?”
Trey shrugged. “If she wants to know, then I guess go ahead and tell us.”
“Well, can you see this here?” she said, giving Trey a smile. “That is baby’s legs. And what do you not see between them?”
Trey took a moment to process that. “Hold on. You’re telling me…”
“That you’re going to have a beautiful baby girl. Yes.” The doctor finished for him.
Trey’s legs gave out from underneath him for a moment, and he had to steady himself against the table where Maggie was lying. Once he felt more stable, he looked back at the doctor.
“A girl? Are you sure?”
“As sure as I can be without actually holding her in my arms,” she said.
Trey fell silent, and he could feel both of the women in the room watching him intently. Finally, Maggie cleared her throat.
“Trey, are you upset? Were you hoping for a boy?”
Starting from his near-stupor, Trey turned to gaze at this woman he loved so much. And now, another was coming that would look just like her. Maybe with a few miniscule improvements from Trey’s side of the gene pool.
“Are you kidding?” Trey answered, tears springing to his eyes. “A girl is perfect. Perfect.”
“You’re sure?”
Trey leaned in to kiss this amazing person who had become the center of his universe. “How could she not be? She’s got you for a mom.”
Maggie let out a half-laugh, half-sob, and clung to him as he held her. They had been that way for several moments, when Maggie spoke again.
“Hey, did I hear right?”
“What?”
“Well, it sounded like when you were talking to the wacko murderer guy that you said wife.”
“Oh,” Trey answered back, his voice sounding tinny and far-away in his own ears. “I guess I did, didn’t I?”
And then his legs collapsed completely, and Trey sank into blissful blackness.
* * *
The cemetery was beautiful, somehow managing to stay green well into the winter they were entering into. The evergreens added to the lush display, framing the grey headstones that they walked between.
Mala had fended off Carly’s questions about five times since they’d stepped out of the car. Not so strange that she might have questions, considering the fact that Mala had told her at the beginning of the trip that she had something to tell Carly.
What kind of disclosures had to take place at a cemetery?
But here they were. Another few steps, and Mala stopped in front of an elaborate stone that stuck out of the earth.
On its face, it said, JESSICA MYERS. And underneath, TOO SOON.
Beside the gravestone was a beautiful arrangement of flowers.
“Okay, you want to finally explain this to me?” Carly asked.
Mala pointed at the gravestone. Carly lifted her eyebrows.
“What? That’s not my mom’s name, if that’s what you wanted me to see. I’ve already found her tombstone. It’s not at this cemetery.”
“I know,” Mala replied. “It’s not hers.” She let the emphasis sink in.
Carly was nothing if not astute. “Okay. If it’s not hers, whose is it?”
Mala looked into Carly’s eyes. “Yours.”
The young woman backed away from the tombstone, a look of mixed wonder and horror crossing her face. Mala followed along behind her.
“Your mother never abandoned you. She was told that you had died in childbirth.”
“But… how…?” Carly choked out.
“I understand that you were angry with your mother,” Mala said. “But she never deserved it. Your grandmother? Yes. Absolutely. But not your mom. She loved you.”
Carly’s face twisted up as tears glimmered in her eyes. “You can’t know that. I mean, great, okay, she thought I was dead. But you don’t know that she loved me.”
“Yes, I do,” Mala corrected her softly. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a card, handing it over to Carly.
“What is it?” she asked, her expression almost frightened.
“A note from your mother. Read it.”
Carly slipped the tiny card out of its sheath, and read the note out loud.
“My dearest Jessica, I will love you forever, from the moon to the stars and back again. I will never forget your sweet little fingers on mine. You are mine forever. Love, Mom.”
And then Carly burst into tears.
Mala came in close, wanting to make sure that Carly heard every word. “She had paid for flowers to be sent to your grave for every year for the next two decades. That’s not the action of a mother who didn’t love her daughter.”
Carly gasped, her body wracked with sobs. “But… why…? It’s… not… fair. I never… knew.”
Moving in with caution, as she would with a skittish animal, Mala slid her hand around Carly’s shoulders. There was a brief moment of resistance, then Carly melted into her, holding on as if she would never let go.
“You’re right. It’s not fair. You should’ve been with your family,” Mala murmured into her hair as Carly snuggled in even tighter. “But I have an idea, if you want to hear it?”
Carly looked up at Mala, her face streaked with tears, and nodded.
“I know it’s not the same, and I won’t ever try to make it be,” Mala began, searching for the words to use. “But what if you could be with your family now?”
“What do you mean?” Carly’s words were tainted with heartbreak, to the point that Mala could barely get out the words.
“I mean, be with us. With Janey and with me. We’re your family.” Mala took a breath. “At least, we are if you’ll let us be.”
For a long moment, Carly didn’t speak, and Mala began to worry that she’d gone too far. But the girl’s body was still pressed up against hers, and there was no sign that she wanted to break their embrace.
Finally, Carly spoke.
“I… I think I would really like that.”
And then she reached her arms around Mala to give her an even stronger embrace.
And Mala could feel their two hearts beating in time.
Together.
Afterword
Thank you very much for going on this adventure with Darc, Trey, Janey, Mala and Maggie. Hopefully you enjoyed reading about their case as much as I enjoyed writing it.
If you did enjoy 3rd Body, I'd love to ask you a favor and go back to Amazon and leave a review. Indie authors live and die by our reviews!
I’d also like to enlist your help. If you find any, and I mean any typos, spelling errors or anything funky, please contact me directly at authorbenhopkin@gmail.com. Even though this book has gone through a gazillion edits, I am only human and your input is greatly appreciated!
From time to time, we may add short stories to our novels. There is a new, easy and exciting way to update your collection. Go do it now so that you are ready for any updates whenever they appear…
It is super simple, Sign into your account on Amazon.com then hit the “Your Account” button. Now hit “Manage My Kindle” (even if you don't have a Kindle this will update your preferences on your Kindle app). A new banner should read “Learn more about Auto-updates” Click on this link. It will take you to a window where you can opt into auto-updates. If you opt in, that means the day a collection is updated, it will whispersync to your Kindle or app automatically! Voila!
You can read away. Once you opt in for auto-updates, you can just sit back and relax while you wait for the next book to upload. How awesome is that?
Want to know the exact moment anything of mine that is new goes live?
Sign up for updates from amazon.com itself on my author's page (if you go there, could you hit
the “like” button as well? Thanks!)… Click on the "Stay Up to Date" link
Darc and Janey are back? Be on the watch for 2nd Kill, the second novel in the next trilogy of the Darc Murders Series. It will be out late 2014. Can't wait until then? Check out the next section for more mystery/thrillers from Ben!
Other Works by Carolyn McCray and Ben Hopkin
The Darc Murder Mystery Collection
Praise for Darc Murder Mysteries...
“A pathological serial killer is terrorizing Seattle and the only person standing in his way is Detective Robi Darcmel. From the chilling opening scene to the last lines of the first episode, I don't remember taking a deep breath. As one observer notes in the opening scene at the slaughter house to a man clearly intrigued by the sight and smell of blood, visceral and flesh--”You are one sick puppy, dude.” Indeed...This is a fascinating if horrific read. One of the most unusual “heros” I can imagine, Detective Robi Darcmel has Asperger's Syndrome… Be prepared to be shocked, and hooked.”
Windgo
Amazon Reviewer
“In the literary tradition of serial novels, I am loving this new format for the Kindle! The characters are engaging, the plot intense, an excellent read! “
Jon M. Wilson
Amazon Reviewer
The collection includes…
Devious
the prequel short story to The Darc Murders Series
Deceived*exclusive to the collection
Another prequel short story to 9th Circle
9th Circle
the #1 Hard-Boiled full-length mystery that started it all!
7th Sin
the squirm in your seat sequel to 9th Circle
Carnal*exclusive to the collection
the bridge short story 7thSin & 5th Pentagram
5th Pentagram
the shocking conclusion to the Darc Murders Collection
Sinister*exclusive to the collection
the “wrap-up” short story to finish out the Darc Murders series
More praise for the Darc Murders Collection
“I absolutely am loving this book! The way it bounces between the different characters perspectives really helps to get a 3-D picture of whats going on. The killer is so creepy and ominous.
S. Busch
Amazon Reviewer
“Five stars for an extraordinary hero who senses his way through clues and is seemingly clueless about ordinary give-and-take relationships. a very satisfying , engrossing novel.”
Dot Day
To sample or purchase The Darc Murders Collection, simply click here.
* * *
The Nursery Rhyme Murders Collection
Praise for The Nursery Rhyme Murders Collection...
"Come for the murder, stay for the three-dimensional, realistically fractured characters! … Long plane rides and rainy Saturday afternoons were made for books like this. If you like your suspense with a side of gruesome and a dash of humor, this is it."
Brandon Stanley
Amazon Reviewer
"Humpty Dumpty is a wonderful start to what I hope will be the first in a fun and thrilling series. I found myself flipping the pages to get to the end and what an ending. The story was well written and the dialogue was sharp, witty and fast-paced. The chemistry between the main characters, Joshua, Had and Cooper was magical… Eagerly awaiting the next installment in this series.”
Romano Robusto
Amazon Reviewer
The collection includes…
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
the prequel short story to The Nursery Rhyme Murders Series
Humpty Dumpty
the greatly anticipated full-length novel
Old Woman in a Shoe*exclusive to the collection
the fascinating short story follow up to Humpty Dumpty
All Fall Down (will be added to the collection March 2014)
the rousing continuation of the Nursery Rhyme Murders Collection
Eennie Meanie Moe (will be added EXCLUSIVELY to the collection March 2014)
the bridge short story following All Fall Down
To sample or purchase The Nursery Rhyme Murders Collection, simply click here.
* * *
The Harbinger Mystery Thriller Collection
Hard-boiled mysteries not for the faint of heart
Praise for The Harbinger Mysteries…
“Wickedly macabre and blisteringly paced, Plain Jain marks the debut of a thriller for the new millennium. Brash, funny, terrifying, and shocking, here is a story best enjoyed with all the lights on. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”
NYT Top Ten Best Seller
James Rollins
Bloodline
“This book is so creepy. I made the mistake of starting in one night before bed. Not only did the story line keep me turning pages, it freaked me out to the point that I didn’t want to turn off my light.”
The Book Goddess
Book Reviewer
The Harbinger Collection includes…
Anatomy
The greatly anticipated prequel short story to Plain Jane. See where the Harbinger Mystery series began!
Plain Jane
Harbinger’s first novel the #1 Bestselling (Police Procedurals and Hard-Boiled Mysteries)
Dark Lullaby *exclusive to the collection
Is a 12,000+ word stand-alone short story (with no spoilers) that takes place after the Plain Jane: A Patterson-style thriller with a dash of Hannibal.
Soul to Keep *exclusive to the collection
A post-Plain Jane suspense short story.
Wallflower *exclusive to the collection
Pray you aren't noticed - (Book 2 of the Harbinger Mystery Series)
Shallow Grave *exclusive to the collection
A 15,000 word Harbinger Mystery Series short story
Buzz Kill (to be added to the collection October 2013)
the full-length conclusion to the Harbinger Mystery Series
Pallor (to be added exclusively to the collection October 2013)
the “wrap-up” short story, featuring Lucky 37
More praise for the Harbinger Series…
“If you think you know what is going to happen, your wrong. I have read so many suspense and crime books that guessing the end gets easier and easier. NOT this time. Be prepared to be hooked from the fist page and loose some sleep because you just can't put it down.”
Michelle Delgado
Amazon Reviewer
To purchase of sample the Harbinger Collection, just click here.
* * *
Got Thrills? A Boxed Set With Your RDA Allowance of Thrills
From the Carolyn McCray, #1 bestselling author in Technothrillers, Men’s Adventure, Action/Adventure, and War comes a pack of thrillers to get your blood pumping!
Praise for Carolyn’s thrillers…
“Everyone of these books is fast paced and exciting. All deserve a 5+ Star rating. Carolyn McCray is a magnificent writer!! She has easily become my number 1 author!!”
Guinevere
Amazon Reviewer
“I read these stories and really enjoyed them all for different reasons. She is definitely got a great way to tell a story and I have bought her other books that are available and are reading them now. Not sure why she is not more widely known her stories are the same caliber as other more famous authors. Highly recommend!”
Lisa Kubin
Amazon Reviewer
The collection includes…
AMBUSH
The prequel short story to the extremely controversial 30 Pieces of Silver.
ANATOMY
See where the Harbinger Mystery series began… The Plain Jane prequel.
HACKED
The prequel short story to the #1 action packed Encrypted techno thriller
GAUNTLET
The action packed prequel short story to the bestselling Mystery/Horror novel All Hallow’s Eve.
DEVIOUS
The shocking
prequel to the blockbuster 9th Circle.
MOONRUSH
Carolyn’s action-packed full length techno-thriller novel set in the near future.
CAUGHT
The prequel short story to the second cycle of the Betrayed series.
BLOOD OATH
The prequel short story to The Blood Magic Saga Collection
MARY, MARY, QUITE CONTRARY
The prequel short story to the intriguing Nursery Rhyme Murders Collection
More praise for Got Thrills!
“I found this book to be just as the title said an action packed techno thriller. I read at least a book a week but this was one of those impossible to put down books. It was well worth the money and based on this book I bought her other book and will be placing the next in her series on my wish list.”
Scott Powner
Amazon Reviewer
To purchase or sample Got Thrills, simply click here.
* * *
Down and Dirty - Carolyn’s suspenseful crime collection
Need to stay up late? Then the Down & Dirty McCray Crime Collection is for you! Packed with suspense and terror, you better keep the lights on while reading these!
Praise for McCray's crime novels…
All Hallow's Eve…
“Scary and smart, All Hallow's Eve is perfect for anyone who wants to read a horror story that hits them in the gut. From the intricate psychopathology of the serial killer, to the hair-raising tension, to the skewering of pop culture, All Hallow's Eve is simply a great read.”
Your Need To Read
Book Reviewer
Anatomy…
“Anatomy is a short story that had a serial killer that was really creepy. The FBI profiler, Harbinger, was a real wise guy but also very brilliant. It was interesting and a fast paced story. I can't wait to read more of these stories about Harbinger. He has become one of my new favorite characters.”
Judy Russ
Amazon Reviewer
Mary Mary Quite Contrary…