This week I’m hosting mystery author, Michele May.
Michele May, whose pen name is M. E. May, was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and lived in central Indiana until she met her husband and moved to the Chicago suburbs in 2003.
She studied Social and Behavioral Sciences at Indiana University, where she learned how the mind and social circumstances influence behavior. While at the university, she also discovered her talent for writing.
Michele is an active member of Mystery Writers of America Midwest Chapter, Sisters in Crime Chicagoland, Speed City Sisters in Crime in Indianapolis, and the Chicago Writers Association and its affiliate InPrint. Michele is also on the Love is Murder Mystery Conference board.
Her Circle City Mystery Series is appropriately named as these stories take place in her home town of Indianapolis. The first novel in the series, Perfidy, won the 2013 Lovey Award for Best First Novel, and the second book in the series, Inconspicuous, was released July 2013. Her most recent edition, Ensconced, will be released on March 7, 2014.
ENSCONCED
Missing Person Detective and loving family man, Tyrone Mayhew, faces one of the toughest cases of his career–now a cold case he investigated ten years ago when Wendy Matherson and her vehicle vanished without a trace. New evidence has come to light and now Tyrone and his partner, Sergeant Benjamin Jacobs, must sort through years of old evidence and interview persons of interest and witnesses one more time.
They soon discover that Wendy’s youngest son may be their best witness. After years of nightmares, this young man is ready to try anything to pull the memories so deeply ensconced in his subconscious to the surface so he can finally be at peace with what happened to his mother.
The more Tyrone digs, the more dangerous the investigation becomes. When Tyrone’s family is placed in mortal danger, it sparks Tyrone to work more diligently to discover what really happened the night Wendy Matherson disappeared. He must find resolution before this case tears Tyrone’s happy life completely apart.
Excerpt from Ensconced
Chapter 1
Tommy Sturgen was about to experience the perfect fishing day. Pulling his vehicle into the parking lot near the boat docks, he saw the pinks and blues of a sun about to peak over the horizon. This third Sunday of June started out at an unseasonably cool temperature of sixty-eight degrees. He knew the fish would bite like crazy on a day like this.
Eighteen-year-old Tommy and his younger brother, Bobby, pulled their fishing gear from the trunk of the car and headed for their dad’s fishing boat. This was the first time, his father had entrusted Tommy to take the boat out on his own with his brother in tow.
The two of them loaded their gear and a couple of small coolers onto the boat. They climbed in; Tommy started the engine, and headed out. After finding a spot in the newly opened fishing area, Tommy stopped the boat, cut the engine, and dropped the anchor. They prepared their lines with flies, weights, and bait.
Tommy frowned at Bobby. “Ain’t that the fly Grandpa made and gave to you for Christmas?”
Bobby nodded.
“I thought you said you wasn’t gonna use it ‘cause it’s special.”
“Changed my mind,” stated Bobby.
“Okay,” Tommy sighed. “It’s your loss if it gets tangled up.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Bobby retorted, scowling.
“You’ve got too many weights on there. The line will go too deep.”
“Shut up, Tommy! I’ve been fishin’ long enough to know what I’m doin’.”
“Shh! Keep your voice down,” Tommy whispered. “You’ll scare off the fish.”
Bobby sneered at his brother, gave him the finger then cast his line. It didn’t take long for Tommy’s prediction to come true. After casting it a third time, Bobby’s line caught on something and he couldn’t get it loose.
Bobby tugged on the line. “Shit!”
“Watch your mouth.”
“Yeah, Tommy. Like you’ve never said that word or worse before. My fucking line is caught!”
“I told you that would happen.” Tommy couldn’t believe his brother’s defiant attitude. “Cut the line.”
“No! I’m not losing Grandpa’s fly. That’s the last one he made for me before he died. I’m going in after it.”
“You lookin’ to join him?”
“No,” Bobby said angry tears forming in his eyes. “I can’t lose it, Tommy. I’m a good swimmer.” He looked around the floor of the boat. “This rope, tie it around me. If I get in trouble, I’ll tug it and you can pull me up.”
“I don’t know, Bobby.” Tommy said his face lined with worry.
“Come on Tommy. I can’t lose Grandpa’s fly.”
“Okay, okay. Give me a minute to pull up anchor and start the engine. I’ll go slowly while you reel in your line so we can get closer to where it is.”
Bobby reeled the line in slowly, raising the rod above his head. It appeared to be at least five feet out.
“You make sure you keep reelin’ in the line as we move closer to it. If it gets tangled up in the motor blade, it’ll snap and we’ll have to forget it. Understand?”
Bobby nodded.
Tommy proceeded slowly while Bobby kept his line as taut as possible without snapping it. When they reached the spot where the line appeared to be nearly straight down, Tommy stopped and cut the engine. He dropped the anchor again to keep the boat from drifting.
“Okay, Bobby. You know if you go and drown yourself I’ll be joining you and Grandpa shortly.”
Bobby gave him a baffled look.
“Mom and Dad will kill me.”
“I won’t drown.” Bobby put the pole in the rod holder locking the reel. Then he stripped down to his t-shirt and boxers shivering in the nippy air. “Tie the rope around me. Oh, and get my goggles out of my backpack.”
Tommy retrieved Bobby’s goggles. “You ready Aquaman?”
“You’re so lame. I’m fifteen. I don’t like cartoons anymore.”
“Whatever, jack off. Let’s just get this over with.”
Tommy tied the other end of the rope to one of the seats and steadied the boat as Bobby entered the cold dark water. Bobby gave him a thumbs-up, breathed deeply then dove under the water. Tommy held onto the rope loosely in case Bobby tugged it.
Tommy noted Bobby had been down there for almost a minute when he felt a hard tug from the rope. He tried to pull it up, but it wouldn’t budge. Tommy stripped off his shoes and jacket and dove into the water. He opened his eyes which burned in the lake water. Following the rope, he searched desperately for his brother.
Finally, he saw Bobby still yanking on the rope, a portion of it caught on something. Tommy could see the panic stricken Bobby wasn’t trying to untie it from around his waist. He reached his brother and concentrated on loosening the knot. It wouldn’t come loose. He dove further down to the source of their plight, admonishing himself for not thinking to untie the rope from the other end. Tommy found the rope hooked around a car bumper. He pushed it with his feet and pulled at the rope, which finally broke loose of its grip.
Swimming toward his brother, he grabbed Bobby’s arm and pulled him toward the surface. Once Bobby realized he was free, he pulled away and swam upward. Seconds later, both boys emerged splashing, coughing, and spitting.
“Tommy, did you see that?” Bobby spat.
Tommy nodded and coughed. “Get in the boat, Bobby.”
They swam to the boat. Bobby tossed his precious fly in, and Tommy helped him hoist himself into the boat. Then Bobby held it steady while Tommy pulled himself in.
“What the hell?” Tommy threw a towel to Bobby then grabbed one for himself. His cold soaked clothing made him shake.
“L…l…looks like there’s a…a…a… car d…d…down there,” Bobby said through chattering teeth.
“No shit!”
“Watch your mouth!”
“Okay smart ass,” said Tommy, glaring at Bobby’s pale face and blue lips. “Just tell me what you saw.”
“It’s got a lot of gunk on it, but I could see the bumper and part of a license plate.”
“That how you got stuck, idiot? You decide to take a closer look.”
Bobby frowned. “What difference does it make? I’m fine.”
“There’s only one reason I’m not tellin’ Mom and Dad how stupid you are. If they find out you nearly drowned tryin’ to get that fly, they’ll never let us take the boat out again. Right now, we have to call the police. We’ve scared all the fish away from here by now so we may as well go ashore to wait for them.”
Tommy pulled up anchor, cranked up the engine again and headed for shore. He pulled his cell phone out of his backpack and called 9-1-1.
Ensconced is available on amazon.com in print and Kindle eBook.
Website & Blog: www.memay-mysteries.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-E-May/522693281079718?ref=hl
Twitter: @memayauthor
Michele is doing a book giveaway linked to her birthday–the entire three book series. The series is called Circle City Mystery Series. The other two novels in the series are Perfidy and Inconspicuous.
Leave a comment for a chance to win all three of Michele’s novels.
