Diane Burton: #WeWriWa - The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé: Where is your boss?

Saturday, January 23, 2021

#WeWriWa - The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé: Where is your boss?

I'm sharing a snippet from the 2nd Alex O'Hara mystery novel, The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé. Alex is a P.I. in the small Lake Michigan resort town near Grand Rapids. This continues from last week. Some changes were made to the original.

Snippet:

After I unlocked my office, I heard her on her cell phone, “I will be late this morning, Isaac. Postpone my ten o’clock. I know, I know, tell them . . .”

I didn’t need to hear the rest of her instructions to her personal assistant to get the point that she was not only busy but important. After closing the door to my office, I did a fast repair. The small mirror in my desk revealed that a tornado had done its damage to my hair. I tried to tame it then wrapped a scrunchie around the mass.

She’d have to take me as I was.

And a little more:

When I opened my door, she was still on her phone. As soon as she looked up, she held up one finger in the traditional “one minute” gesture. Normally, I’d give a client privacy. But after her pointed remarks about my being “late,” I stood in my open door and waited.

Finally, she disconnected and came toward me. As she passed me into my office, I realized how small she was. Dainty, even. If I hadn’t heard her giving orders on the phone, I would’ve thought fragile. Nobody would call me dainty or fragile. I stood five-ten in my stocking feet, and I’m what they call “big-boned.” Back in the old country, I’d be good for digging potatoes or throwing hay around for the animals.

In keeping with her elegant clothes, she wore her dark brown hair in a classic twist. Her jewelry, revealed after she sat and shrugged off her coat, was tasteful and expensive—like the watch. Wide gold necklace, gold with diamonds studs in her ears. No wedding or engagement rings, but a discreet gold and sapphire ring graced her right hand.

She stared pointedly at the big desk. “Where is your boss?”

“Let’s start over.” I held out my hand. “Alex O’Hara, and you are?”

Blurb:

She’s at it again. Alex O’Hara just can’t say no to a new investigation. What do a 45-year-old boyfriend, a deadbeat dad, and a teenage runaway have in common? All new cases. With no receptionist, phone and internet problems, and her own boyfriend in the wind, Alex has no idea how she’ll manage. But the question for the past three months is why did Nick disappear. Is this the end of O’Hara & Palzetti?