Death on Paradise Creek

Book One of the Wilbarger County Series

By: Dianne Smithwick-Braden

Narrated by: Kim Tisor

In June 2010, Lizzie Fletcher traveled from Chicago to Vernon, Texas, and her family home on Paradise Creek. During the course of her visit, Lizzie's grandmother offered her the chance to live her dream of running her own inn. Lizzie didn't accept but agreed to consider the idea. She would have jumped at the chance had she not been secretly engaged. Lizzie returned to Chicago only to learn that her fiance already had a wife and two children. She immediately accepted her grandmother's offer and moved home to Paradise Creek.

The Paradise Creek Inn opened for business less than a year later. There were the occasional parties for family or friends, but otherwise, business was slow.

In the spring, a tornado caused a plane to crash on the property while Lizzie was alone at the inn. She rescued the pilot who turned out to be Montgomery Powell, a well-known and popular actor. Word about his presence at the inn spread like wildfire. Parties and events were being booked with every phone call.

After Lizzie's family returned, Dan Hayes found what appeared to be a man's foot sticking through the creek bank. Sheriff Wade Adams and his team were called to investigate. The body was recovered, and a second one was found buried beside it. The remains were determined to be at least 100 years old. For the first time, the inn was filled to capacity. Montgomery Powell returned to the inn with friends; a screen writer and an actress. The remaining rooms were booked by other guests.

The morning after a wedding reception, a man's body was found near the swimming pool. No one at the inn knew who he was or why he had been there. Sheriff Adams and his team collected evidence and questioned the Fletchers and their guests. A second body was found while evidence for the first murder was being analyzed. This time, the victim appeared to be Lizzie Fletcher.

Sheriff Adams believed the two murders were connected, but there was still a piece missing from the puzzle.

©2018 Dianne Smithwick-Braden (P)2018 Dianne Smithwick-Braden