Breaking Point
Series: Mill Creek Mystique
by Bailey Thomas
Release date: October 9th, 2023
Genres: Adult, Romance,
Blurb:
FBI analyst, Noah Parker, receives credible intelligence on a kidnapped woman from a ghost in his past who happens to be the man who shot him. The catch, he must act alone to obtain the geographic coordinates of her location.
Terrified and alone, Jasmine West doesn’t know if she’ll survive another day. When a lone man appears in her makeshift prison, they forge an alliance to survive.
Can they find the middle ground between analyzing and action when corruption and deceit surround them?
Purchase:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/
Excerpt:
The overcast day matched Jasmine's mood. The wipers screeched across the windshield as the car merged into traffic. The driver caught her gaze in the rearview mirror. “Miss West, shall I drive straight to Holmberry, or do you have additional stops along the way?”
“No, please head straight to St. Paul’s Church."
She planned to take some pictures of the private hospital that had closed a little over a year ago since it was located down the road from the church. When that institution closed, various documents,
including adoption records, were sent to the church for safekeeping. Her source had noted that the senator had made several visits to the area. Could the truth be that easy to uncover? Something said her no, but her curiosity had been piqued. The drive into the countryside was beautiful, and the history of the place left her speechless. The brick homes with multiple fireplaces surrounded by lush greenery truly were picturesque. It looked like a Thomas Kinkade painting.
Two hours later, they arrived at Holmberry. The chauffeur headed up the cobblestone drive toward the top of the hill, where the episcopal church sat peering down over the small town.
Jasmine tapped the driver’s shoulder. “Pull over here, please; I want to take some pictures of the hospital.”
She lowered her window and used her phone, leaving her camera in her backpack. Once her window closed, the car strode forward toward the circular drive of the church. A vehicle was parked in front of the entrance, so her driver opted for the other side to leave the doorway clear. The rental car barcode sticker on the back window of the other car caught her eye. She’d noticed similar ones on cars she’d rented in the past as she bent to grab her backpack from behind the driver’s seat.
When she sat up, a large, brawny man had exited the church. He stopped to survey the area momentarily before descending the steps to head to his vehicle. She had a fleeting thought that he seemed out of
place. Nothing gave her a foundation for that revelation other than an instinct shouting at her.
“Please wait here. I won’t be long,” she said, halting the driver’s exit to open her door.
The structure of the old church and its stained-glass windows charmed her. She could only imagine how many events had happened here over the years. When she glanced to the right, she saw the town nestled below. It created a picturesque view that had a place on postcards, she imagined. The concrete steps were steep, but when she opened the door to enter the structure, she couldn’t help but smile. The exposed wooden beams, ornate carvings, and statues dominated the space, but it was the decorative windows that softened the room with different hues of color. It was breathtaking.
“Welcome to St. Paul; how may I help you?” asked an elderly lady with a duster in her hand.
“Hi, I’m Jasmine. I’m looking for Father Duncan.”
The woman nodded and guided Jasmine toward a door on the opposite side of the church. Every footstep echoed as they walked farther into the emptiness.
“It must’ve been hard on the town when the hospital closed,” Jasmine said as her gaze took in the beauty of the church.
The woman slowed and turned back to address her question.
“The residents use the medical facilities in the next town over. The hospital was private and catered to people from around the world who had the means to take care of delicate matters.”
That comment swirled around in Jasmine’s thoughts, intriguing her with all the situations that the hospital must have handled. Then one particular question snapped to the forefront. “Do you get many visitors here and for the hospital?”
The woman stopped so she could face her. “No, not really. I wouldn’t call this area a big tourist spot. Our busiest days are Wednesday and Sunday.” Then, she continued her way down the hallway. When they reached the closed door, she cracked it open briefly to converse with someone on the inside before swinging it wide.
Father Duncan stood and extended his hand. “Hello, how may I help you?”
She couldn’t help but notice how soft and smooth his hand was.
“Hi, I’m here for a birth certificate and an adoption record. I’m hoping you can help me. The father’s name is Thomas Dubin.”
Father Duncan folded his arms in front of him. “Please, have a seat. I’ll check. I can’t remember the last time we had two people on same day searching for records.”
That admission had her sitting up straighter. The image of the man leaving the church flashed again in her head. Never one to ignore her gut, she glanced down at his desk and scanned the surface. There was a basket on the corner of the desk with a file folder and a log of some sort on top. Only a matter of minutes extended between that guy’s visit and hers, so that log interested her.
Twisting her head left and right to ensure she was alone, she removed her phone from an exterior pocket on her bag. Her heart hammered against her chest while she aimed the device at the document. She snapped two pictures, then shoved it back into the backpack as she heard the father coming back down the hallway.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he reentered the room. “I don’t have any records with that name listed. If you have the birth mother’s name or the child or adoptive parents’ information, I could look again.”
“I don’t at the moment, but could I contact you by telephone?”
“That would be fine,” the man said and found a pen.
Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INT) ends November 23
AUTHOR BIO:
Bailey Thomas lives in the beautiful but hot southwest with her husband and their adorable four-legged children. An only child, Bailey’s active imagination and adventurous nature always kept her busy. Now, she channels those creative powers into storytelling.
Her wonderful husband encouraged her to chase her dream of becoming an author and continues to be her greatest champion. Being able to write these stories has been a thrilling experience that is truly special to her.
When she’s not behind a computer working on her next deadline, she’s reading her favorite authors, playing with her fur babies, and spending time with her husband. They love to watch movies and sports and play all types of games.
Her wonderful husband encouraged her to chase her dream of becoming an author and continues to be her greatest champion. Being able to write these stories has been a thrilling experience that is truly special to her.
When she’s not behind a computer working on her next deadline, she’s reading her favorite authors, playing with her fur babies, and spending time with her husband. They love to watch movies and sports and play all types of games.
Check out these other blogs on this tour:
November 13th
–A Soccer Mom’s Book Blog Excerpt
–TTC Books and more Excerpt
–The Avid Reader Interview
–Moohnshine’s Corner Review
November 14th
–Joss’s Literary Corner Excerpt
–JB’s Bookworms with Brandy Mulder Guest Post
–Brandidanielledavis Review
November 15th
–Versatileer Guest Post
–Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess Excerpt
–Plain Talk Book Marketing Guest Post
November 16th
–The Eclectic Review Review
–Iron Canuck Reviews & More Excerpt
–Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense Excerpt
November 17th
–@joy.avery.lovesbooks Review
–Lady Hawkeye Interview
–ginreads Review
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