Draw and Order

 

Draw and Order (A Paint & Shine Mystery)
by Cheryl Hollon

About Draw and Order

Draw and Order (A Paint & Shine Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Publisher: Kensington (June 29, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
ISBN-10: 1496725263
ISBN-13: 978-1496725264
Digital ASIN: B08KKMYPCT

Appalachian artist and local guide Miranda Trent opens a new murder investigation after her Paint & Shine tour group discovers the remains of a missing hiker along an ancient trail . . .

For her latest excursion, Miranda is thrilled to take a close-knit group of rock climbers, the Risky Business Adventurers, up the challenging Battleship Rock Trail to paint and sample moonshine. But the outing is cut short when they discover a skeleton near the trailhead. Even more startling, the bones belong to Howard Cable, Miranda’s cousin…and a former classmate of the Risky Business group.

The sheriff chalks it up to a hiking accident, but Miranda isn’t convinced that Howard, an experienced woodsman, died within sight of a well-marked trail. So, with the help of Ranger Austin Morgan, Miranda sets out on her own investigation and discovers that the Risky Business group is keeping plenty of secrets. But is one of them hiding the truth about Howard’s death?

Excerpt

The group caught on quickly after Miranda’s demonstration of the basics of using the hard, medium, and soft charcoal pencils to outline, fill-in, and smudge shapes. Using special charcoal paper helped the beginners get a jump start with their sketches.

“Wow, these are fantastic. You guys catch on really quick.” Miranda walked among the group giving pointers and praise. “Don’t overwork an image. Tear off the sheet and begin another when you feel it’s not quite done. You want to make sure your time out here is focused on the view and your emotional reaction to the setting.”

Austin stood away from the cavern wall. “I need to get on back. Thanks for letting me watch. Y’all have a great time and be safe on your trek back down. Make sure you check back in with the nice folks at the Gladie Learning Center. This isn’t a trail for beginners, and they keep track of everyone.”

He waved farewell and headed toward the trail.

“Just a few more seconds, please. Miranda, is this right?” Jennifer called out to Miranda. “I’m not sure about this. My drawing is getting too dark and I don’t know how to fix it.”

Miranda looked at Jennifer’s sketch of the distinctive petroglyphs. “You’re right. It looks like you’ve just gotten a little enthusiastic with the soft pencil. Use the piece of white chalk to make some touches of contrast.” Miranda tilted her head sideways. “I love the bleak tone. If that’s what you’re going for, you nailed it.”

Jennifer grinned. “Thanks. Bleak is just the right word for how I feel about this place.”

“Why is that?”

“Nothing, I’m getting a bit stiff sitting here. Leaning against this tree isn’t as comfortable as I thought it would be.” Jennifer struggled to get up and Miranda offered her a hand.

As soon as she grabbed on, Miranda pulled, but Jennifer’s heel skidded on some leaves and they both fell onto the base of the tree.

“Ouch!” Jennifer yelped, loud enough for everyone to turn in their direction. “That hurt!” She scrambled up and looked at her hand. Blood was oozing from a dull scrape across her palm. “I’m bleeding!”

“Let me see.” Miranda looked at the wound. “Hold on to your wrist as tight as you can. I’ve got a first aid kit to patch that up for you.” She looked down, wondering how Jennifer could have gotten injured. Poking up from the leaf litter was a sharp, brown sticklike object.

A shudder ran down Miranda’s spine. That was not a stick. She picked up a nearby branch and poked at the leaves until more of the foreign forms were exposed. She felt a sick tingle in her teeth. The forms were not wooden sticks. One last scrape revealed a jawbone and a skull.

They were human bones.

About Cheryl Hollon

Cheryl Hollon now writes full-time after she left an engineering career of designing and building military flight simulators in amazing countries such as England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and India. Fulfilling the dream of a lifetime, she combines her love of writing with a passion for creating glass art. In the small glass studio behind her house in St. Petersburg, Florida, Cheryl and her husband design, create, and produce fused glass, stained glass, and painted glass artworks. Visit her online at http://cherylhollon.com, on Facebook or on Twitter @CherylHollon.

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