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    Sliding Under Pressure: Veronica Swift Mysteries, #3
    Sliding Under Pressure: Veronica Swift Mysteries, #3
    Sliding Under Pressure: Veronica Swift Mysteries, #3
    Ebook154 pages3 hoursVeronica Swift Mysteries

    Sliding Under Pressure: Veronica Swift Mysteries, #3

    By Ember Mae

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    About this ebook

    Dive in to this latest mystery with Roni and Doodle. It's full of amusing friends, an energetic Westie, and another murder.

     

    Veronica (Roni) Swift's little custom shoe shop, Sole Mates, is busier than she's ever been thanks to the soon-to-be-open water park the resort has had under construction. She's got more custom shoe orders than ever and she needs help to keep up, especially since all the other shop owners keep telling her that the summer is just as busy as the fall.

     

    Last Resort and Spa has a brand new water park waiting to be revealed to the world, but first the owners want some big name influencers to dive in.

     

    The influencers range from famous because of their parents to famous because they are jaw dropping rich. The event is going well, especially for Gemma Hall—the owner of the resort's flower shop—who finds herself among all the glitz and glam.

     

    However, when Doodle finds one influencer dead, Gemma starts to sink as the affluent leave her floundering for air. Her only life raft is Roni.

     

    Roni is supposed to be keeping her nose out of the case, but when Gemma comes to her asking for help, things change. Will Roni be able to solve the case without getting involved, or will she be sucked into the eye of the storm once again?

     

    If you enjoyed reading the Stephanie Plum and Miss Marple series, you'll love this book.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherEmmie B.
    Release dateMay 31, 2022
    ISBN9781953798312
    Sliding Under Pressure: Veronica Swift Mysteries, #3
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      Book preview

      Sliding Under Pressure - Ember Mae

      1

      Iwatched the red, black, and silver bowling ball roll down the freshly waxed lane, the sounds of pins crashing as other balls hit their targets around the room. 

      Come on, come on, I mumbled as I waited to see how this last frame was going to play out. All my concentration was on this play. This would decide the game. 

      The ball hit right where it should, sending all ten pins slamming into the back and side walls with a very satisfying CRACK. 

      I turned to face my boyfriend, my smile so wide it was hurting my cheeks. Champion once again! I exclaimed. 

      Liam sat back on the hard plastic gray chair every bowling alley in the world had as part of their functional decor. You know, I’ve just recovered from a gunshot wound, he started. 

      I shook my head. Nuh huh. We waited an extra month after the doctor told you that you could resume normal activities to settle this little rematch. 

      He laughed. Fine, fine. You beat me again. You are the bowling master. 

      I curtsied. Thank you for admitting it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have one more roll. 

      All right, he said, getting up and walking toward me. I’m going to go order that lunch I owe you now.

      I nodded. Sounds good to me. You already know what I want? 

      Yes, ma’am. He kissed my forehead. You want a BBQ burger, fries, a Coke, and a container of their mini cookies. 

      Score! I said, elbowing him. Thanks. 

      He nodded, kissed my forehead again, and made his way to the food counter. 

      I watched him go, feeling my insides swell with a massive amount of mixed emotions I couldn’t quite identify. 

      I turned back to the lane and picked up my ball, thinking about what was going on inside me. There was definitely a large amount of fondness. Happiness I was spending some rare, uninterrupted time with him. Excitement and there was also some fear. Was I opening myself up too much? What did all of that mean when combined together?

      I lined up my feet on the dots. 

      I’m gonna have to talk to the girls about it, I groaned. They were going to be insufferable. 

      I walked forward and released the ball, throwing it about a third of the way down. It landed with a thunk and continued down the lane, until it ran into the pins and THWACKED them against the back and side walls once again. 

      I smiled. I still got it. 

      ###

      So, who won? Angie asked, when Liam and I got back to the cabin. She was sitting on the couch, her feet thrown across her boyfriend, Detective Graham Parker’s lap, a half-eaten bowl of popcorn in hers.

      Who do you think? I asked, hanging up my coat and slipping off my shoes. I took the bag of food we’d brought home for them from Liam so he could take off his jacket too. 

      I waved the bag in the air and Angie sat up, taking her feet from Graham’s lap, 

      Oh, you’re the best. She clapped.

      Yeah, I know. I nodded, pulling the bag back like a hostage. Now, tell me who you bet against. 

      She dropped her eyes and I let my mouth drop open in astonishment. You bet against me? 

      Now her eyes were roaming the ceiling. Graham chuckled, also getting up from the couch. 

      Yes, yes she did. So, who won? 

      Me, I said, grinning. Thanks for keeping the faith, Graham. 

      He nodded, his hand outstretched. Angie pulled twenty bucks from her purse and handed it to Graham. I took the bag of food over to the dining table and then climbed on the love seat, leaving room for Liam. 

      Where’s Doodle? I asked, realizing I hadn’t been immediately greeted by my white West Highland Terrier as soon as I got home, which was good because I’d forgotten to bring anything home for him. 

      Oh, he wanted to sun bathe while the sun is up and shining, so he’s out there on the runner, Angie said, grabbing plates from the kitchen and bringing them to the table. He probably wouldn’t mind coming in now though. 

      I’ll go get him, Liam volunteered, heading to the back sliding door. 

      Graham joined Angie at the table and they dug into their burgers and fries. Doodle came trotting in. He jumped on my lap, his tail flipping back and forth like a kid playing with a light switch and kissed my face, pushing me back against the cushion. 

      I moved my face away, laughing. Hi, my boy, did you miss me? 

      He chuffed, licked me once more for good measure, and then promptly jumped down and sat at Graham’s feet, looking up at him with his big brown eyes. 

      I laughed again. Looks like he knows who the weakest link is. 

      Ha ha, Graham replied, his mouth full of burger. He looked down at Doodle, and that was his fatal mistake. Not three seconds locked into a staring contest and Graham sighed, taking a piece of his burger and dropping it on the hardwood floor, right between Doodle’s front paws. But that’s it. 

      You think so? Liam asked. I think the initial give is like a gateway drug. Next thing you know, he’s gotten half of your food. 

      I nodded. Yeah, that’s my boy. 

      I snuggled into Liam’s side, my head on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around me. 

      So, what are you girls’ plans for tomorrow? Graham asked, still trying to avoid Doodle’s intense gaze.

      We hab a think to do wit Bade. Angie said, around a mouthful of her own double-decker, onion ring topped burger.

      The men looked at me. 

      She said we have a thing to do with Jade. 

      They looked back at Angie, who nodded. 

      Jade is apparently been tasked by the Lasts to do a special private breakfast for the guests they have coming in to get the sneak peek at the new Last Resort and Spa Water Park. She needs us to help her prep the table and café so she can focus on the food. 

      She really needs to hire some help, Liam said. The lunch crowd is intense now. 

      Yes, well, the summer gets almost as busy up here as it does in the winter, and with this new water park launching, I’m pretty sure we are upping our game for a year-round season, Angie explained, sans food this time. 

      Jade told me she has some people who come work for her during the peak times of the year, but they don’t get here for another two weeks, so she’s got free help instead, I added. 

      Speaking of help, it looks like you’ve got quite a few custom shoes to make, Graham said, pointing to my stack of order forms at the other end of the dining table, which was doubling as my home office. 

      I nodded. Yeah, with so many more people coming to the resort, I’ve got a lot more work. If only I was able to hire someone to handle the shop so I could make the darn things. 

      Why don’t you? Liam asked. 

      I’ve got enough clientele to keep the Lasts from making me do another event and keep my rent up, but beyond that, there’s not much extra to pay someone else. 

      I’ve got a cousin in college who is looking for something to do during her break, and I bet she’d do it free, Liam offered. 

      I shook my head. I couldn’t do that. I think that would make it a little awkward, but thank you for the offer, it’s really sweet. 

      Let me at least ask her. 

      Only if you let me pay her. 

      Liam and I had our own staring contest, before Liam broke. He sighed heavily, Fine. 

      Excellent, I said, reaching around his middle and squeezing. He kissed the top of my head. 

      What are boyfriends for? 

      Much more than helping to hire support staff, but this is a nice perk too. I laughed. 

      2

      The next morning, Angie and I were in the dining area of Enchanted Reads and Teas, a café and bookstore owned and operated by our friend, Jade Baker, helping to set up the private breakfast. 

      She was a tall, beautiful woman, currently sporting a very nice light blue strapless dress. The top looked like a bow with the waist was cinched to show off her curves and cute little wedged heels that had the twine wrapped around the base, and the light blue fabric tied into a bow across her toes. 

      Ange, the table settings the Lasts want me to use are in the kitchen. Can you go grab them while Roni and I take care of the tablecloth and runner?

      Sure thing, Angie said, her red hair increasing her momentum when she turned. 

      So, how did the date go last night? Jade asked.

      I grinned. Angie didn’t tell you she lost the bet? 

      Jade shook her head. That means you beat Liam then, huh? I thought you said you weren’t very good at sports. 

      Bowling, if you consider it a sport, is the only exception. I laughed. Taking the corners of the pale blue-and-white striped tablecloth, we did a choreographed dance, making the lines diagonal. 

       Well, Teddy brought up something last night that was kind of surprising, Jade said, a tremble of nervousness entering her voice. 

      What was it? I asked. 

      He asked where I was on the whole marriage thing. Oh, and kids. 

      What? Angie asked, the box of dishes clinking in her arms. 

      I took the box from her, trying not to laugh. 

      Yeah, I didn’t think he’d ever want to get near marriage again after what happened with Kourtney. Jade sighed. 

      I shrugged. "I think it’s something couples should talk about, and I mean before the proposal. I even think y’all should be talking about whether you’d want to be married to each other.

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