Saga of Silver Springs (eBook)

A Jennifer Parsons Novel

Robert E. Royer (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
268 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
9798317801199 (ISBN)

Infos

Not all is at it seems in the town of Silver Springs, where photographer and freelance copywriter Jennifer Parsons has been hired to promote an upcoming ski resort for children with severe disabilities. Under investigation for counterfeiting, and dodging attempts on her life, Jennifer has to use her sharp wits, some clever investigation skills, and her blossoming connection to multibillionaire Byron Kolsted to expose the truth of what's happening in the small resort town.

A long-term Oregon resident, Robert Royer spent most of his career with the Oregon Department of Transportation as a long-range planner after graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Wyoming and Traffic Engineering from Yale University. Now retired, Royer is exploring his passion for writing. With several published journal articles under his belt, he continues to expand his horizons through fictional works focused on struggles relevant to today's world.

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Photographer and freelance copywriter Jennifer Parsons has been hired to prepare a marketing package for an upcoming ski resort in Silver Springs, Colorado that will cater to children with severe disabilities. While Jennifer dreads going back to the town that shattered her heart years ago, she can't pass up the chance to possibly save her best friend's company. Not all is at it seems in Silver Springs, however, and Jennifer quickly finds herself under investigation for counterfeiting while dodging attempts on her life. Refusing to let these setbacks get in her way, Jennifer uses her sharp wits, some clever investigation skills, and her blossoming connection to the town's multibillionaire Byron Kolsted to expose the truth of what's happening in the small resort town. Can Jennifer find the truth in time to rescue the town, accomplish her job, and save her own life? Will Silver Springs become a place of new beginnings for both the residents of the town and Jennifer herself? This new investigative novel will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end!

Textauszug

1

The jogging path, a virtual palette of fall colors, increased Jennifer Parsons’ anticipation of the photo shoot planned for the upcoming three-day weekend. She’d cleared the extra day off with her boss, Ginger MacDonald, as soon as the fall color forecast firmed up. Unlike last year, no last-minute work would force canceling this once-in-a-year opportunity. At least, she hoped that was the case.

Running in brisk fall mornings like this one invigorated her, lifted her spirits, and just, well, made her feel great. Freshly laid bark dust on the jogging path made running easy, and its aroma cleared her head. But being a little over six feet tall required constantly scanning for hidden danger—occasional holes in the path or low-hanging branches. Her blonde ponytail swished back and forth in sync with her long strides. Quickening her pace for a last-minute dash to her low-rent apartment left her somewhat winded.

Her furnished apartment, modest by most standards, served more to provide for photo processing than for simply living. It was the only furnished apartment she could find in her price range when she arrived in New Haven four years ago. The only piece of furniture she owned was the table where her computer was located. Walls lined with some of her prize-winning photographs, mostly landscapes from Wyoming and Colorado, were testament to her photography skills. She loved photography, and almost all her spare time was spent behind a camera or on her computer editing her pictures.

She made a mental check of the camera gear laid out on the floor. Yes, she thought, just the right equipment for the shots she’d be taking. Packing it in her camera backpack after work shouldn’t take long, then she’d be ready to take off early in the morning.

The ringtone of her iPhone caught her attention just as the shower reached the perfect temperature. Ordinarily she’d ignore it, but this ring tone was assigned to Ginger, and she only called in an emergency. This wasn’t good. She rushed into the bedroom and grabbed the phone off its charging station. Too late. She checked her text messages. Ginger’s popped out at her. “URGENT!!! SEE ME ASAP!!!” Not good at all. She feared the photo shoot might be in jeopardy.

No leisurely shower, or breakfast, only a swig of strong coffee. Her office was too close to drive yet far enough that a normal pace wouldn’t get her there fast enough. She grabbed a small towel on her way out of the apartment and attempted to complete the hair-drying process on her race to the office. Probably won’t hurt if her hair was still a little tousled, she thought. At least Ginger will know she was trying to respond to her message as quickly as possible.

Tossing her jacket and towel onto her coatrack, she headed to Ginger’s office, pen and notepad in hand. The office was empty, eerily quiet. A sticky note attached to the back of the computer on her desk read: “Grab a seat. Back in a second.”

Ginger had hired her four years ago to fill a vacant junior copywriter position. She had never thought of herself as an advertising expert, but excellent training through online workshops provided by the American Writers and Artists Institute had prepared her well. Her BA degree in journalism with a minor in psychology from the University of Wyoming and a stint at The Denver Post hadn’t hurt much either.

“Boy, am I ever glad to see you,” said Ginger as she plopped down in the plush chair behind her huge mahogany desk. She handed Jennifer a cup of coffee and took a swig of her own. “We’ve got a huge opportunity. But it’s going to take your total attention to handle your assignment. I know how much you wanted to take a long weekend, but you might have to put that on hold again. I’m terribly sorry, Jennifer.”

Jennifer’s heart sank, her fingers tightened into clenched fists. But she could never ask for a better boss than Ginger. She was funny, friendly, and a straight shooter. She would never ask her to give up something as important as her photoshoot without a good reason. Or would she? She’d done it before.

“I’ve run my company for ten years now,” said Ginger, “and in all that time I have never been so anxious about a prospective client. If we get this job and fail, we can all pack our bags and leave town . . . no, the country. But if we ace it . . . well, let’s just say we’ll be in copywriter’s heaven.”

Ginger’s constant drumming on the desktop, coupled with the urgency of her voice, turned her stomach. “Jennifer,” she said, “in about ten minutes we’ll be getting a call from Byron Kolsted. I mean, THE Byron Kolsted, the multibillionaire. He has acquired a ski resort in Colorado. Silver Springs, I think.” She paused, looking at Jennifer. “Are you all right, Jennifer? You look like you just saw a ghost.”

Silver Springs. Just the thought of that place shot ice through her veins. Won’t I ever get over that disaster?

It started seven years ago. Jennifer, straight out of college, landed her first real job as a junior staff writer for The Denver Post. Her first assignment was covering Denver’s Medical Examiner’s office. Gruesome work though it was, it gave her a chance to see the underbelly of the city’s lower East Side. That assignment led to covering the criminal courts and all the drama that entailed. But best of all it gave her a chance to work closely with Jack Neal, the most eligible bachelor at the Post and a legend in town.

Jack, ten years her senior, was not only a superstar at the Post; he was undoubtedly the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. She fell head over heels the moment they met. To top it off, his being well over six feet tall made him just perfect. At her height, a tall man was a prerequisite. After all, she wanted to be able to wear high heels and not tower over her beau. He barely knew she existed, but with persistence and some carefully planned “chance” meetings, she had finally caught his attention. Their courtship was magical. They had so much in common.

Jack took her to every place imaginable. She cherished her time with him and found ways to make him happy. She especially liked their outings to the many art galleries in town. One wintery day they spent the entire afternoon viewing paintings at her favorite gallery. One by Mike Kopriva caught her eye. He was a local artist in her hometown, which naturally made him one of her favorite artists. This 24” x 30” painting would fit perfectly in her apartment. It was a scene titled “Mule Deer Beneath Carter Mountain.” She had taken many pictures from this same location over the years. Although she really couldn’t afford it, she bought it on the spot. Jack had offered to pick it up the next day and deliver it to her.

They had been spending a lot of time together. She found herself falling deeply in love with him.

Then one cold winter evening, Jack announced he had made reservations for a romantic ski trip to Silver Springs a ski resort near Denver. This seemed the perfect way to make up for the scene he had made at the Post’s annual Thanksgiving party last month. He overdid it with the booze and got very loud and obnoxious. Jennifer didn’t like that about him, but she let it slide. He was great in every other way. And she liked the way he made up for it.

They had gone there on ski weekends twice before, but this time there was something about his demeanor that was different. He had always been hard to read, but she knew . . . at least hoped . . . he was going to propose. Maybe we’ll climb up to our private lookout to watch the sunrise in the morning, she thought. I can’t wait.

The next day was perfect—powdery snow, slopes virtually vacant, and pure blue skies. Except Jack seemed a bit off somehow. She had beaten him in a race down the intermediate slope, and he hadn’t handled it at all well. But Jennifer was filled with anticipation of their upcoming candlelit dinner, and she wouldn’t let something like a tiny tiff ruin her evening.

“I’ve got a meeting about an article I’m writing,” he had said after their last run. “Just meet me in the restaurant at eight.”

Anticipation grew as she entered the dimly lit restaurant. Barely able to contain her excitement, she spotted him sitting at a table in the far corner of the room. He looked strangely different as she sat down across from him.

There were no candles. No flowers. No bottle of champagne next to the table. Only Jack. No smile. No softly spoken, loving words. She was stunned . . . he was drunk. Not just drunk, but drunk out of his mind.

“Jennifer,” he said with words so slurred she could hardly recognize them. “We just don’t click together anymore. I’m going to come right out and say it: We’re through, kaput.”

She couldn’t believe it. It made no sense.

He pulled an envelope from his breast pocket and tossed it on the table. “Here, take this. I know you well enough to know that you won’t take this well. No way do I want a sniffling crybaby riding next to me all that way home. It’s a bus ticket back to Denver. By the way, don’t worry, I’ve got another room.” With that he got up and staggered off, bumping into a waiter on his way out of the room.

The ride back to Denver was filled with tears and a gut-wrenching feeling that she was about to vomit. Words her mother often said when she was in the dumps echoed through her head: “Honey, when one door closes, another opens. Just remember that all things work together for good.”

Walking...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 12.5.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Krimi / Thriller / Horror
• ISBN-13: 9798317801199 / 9798317801199