Jeanette Hillestad receives news of her brother’s disappearance during his recent archaeological expedition and must travel to Kinsale, Ireland. She enlists the help of a local Irishman, Conlin Murphy, who’s adamant about staying out of her rescue mission for the safety of his teenage daughter.
But when relic hunters attack Jeanette, and Conlin discovers a map, they team up to search for her brother. The clues lead them on an international, life-threatening chase from Ireland to Old Quebec, and Montreal to New Hampshire.
While on the run, Jeanette and Conlin’s bond deepens with their undeniable attraction, which complicates matters.
Now, they need a greater force to survive the dangerous people willing to kill for the Mystery Stone. The consequences of her brother’s actions challenge their beliefs and may cost Jeanette to sacrifice everything.
Excerpt:
His gaze darted around the room, searching for a distraction, and he targeted the notebook Jeanette set on the table.
“Any news on Thomas’ whereabouts?”
She followed his line of vision and lunged forward, fumbling to collect the pages, and she gathered them in her hands. “He might’ve gone to a close family friend’s house in New Hampshire that Tom and I visited every summer during our childhood.”
“Arctic Jack’s cabin?”
“Yes.” Jeanette clutched the notes close to her heart. “I tried to contact him, but he doesn’t check his email and uses a landline telephone.”
Conlin figured she refrained from providing the details. After all, he requested she keep him and Saoirse out of the loop. Although, that was before and now they were in the thick of it and made a promise. He appreciated her honoring his wishes, yet the crease between her eyebrows revealed the burden became too great. Not to mention Saoirse sharing their locations on social media and removing the artifact from Jeanette exacerbated her predicament.
“Did you discover anything else about the stones?”
Jerking her head back, she eyeballed him with an incredulous stare. “I’ve respected your boundaries and kept my findings as confidential information.”
“Ní scéal rúin é ó tá a fhios ag triúr é. An Irish Gaelic proverb, ‘It is not a secret after three people know it’. And if ya want to tell me…”
“Interesting saying. I like it.” Her contemplative demeanor brought an upward tilt to her mouth when she spoke.
Conlin adored the smile he brought to her face and quivered inside, thinking about the sadness he caused her a few hours ago. Jeanette’s grin faded, yet a glow lightened her skin and she grabbed the notepad.
In a frenzy, her gaze widened, and she drew a quick design. “Conlin, you’re brilliant.”
“Well…” He suppressed a smirk. Chances were slim that she used the term beyond the common phrase, but he enjoyed hearing her say it and a pleasant warmness distributed throughout his chest.
“Triquetra.” She jumped from her seat and showed him the sketch of the Celtic symbol. The triangular shape of three interlaced arcs. “When you referred to three people knowing a secret, I remembered the importance of three, and Saoirse pointing out the etching in the relic has prompted a theory.”
Author Bio:Victoria Marswell is a romance suspense author. She started writing poetry and short stories in her early teens. Victoria majored in biblical studies at Hope International University and incorporates inspirational Christian themes into her writings. She’s a world traveler and sets her stories in the locations she visits. At 17, she traveled to Germany and Austria where she was inspired to write her debut novel, The Counterfeiter’s Daughter. Victoria continues to travel the world, creating and writing romantic and thrilling adventures. She lived in Orange County, CA. for 38 years and currently resides in Portsmouth, NH.
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