Mae Cassidy has an unwelcome visitor in her London office. He wants to collect documents, and the authorization he has brought looks convincing. Mae knows it is false. Now she needs to keep him there until help arrives.
That is where The Other Music Box begins. I’m pleased to share this free short-story prequel to Pine Grove Christmas Mysteries, featuring Mae and Cyrus Jagers before their Pine Grove story.
Her CIA handler knows her as Mayflower. On this particular day, she is relying on the man called Sentinel to deal with what comes next. Outside work, he is Cyrus, and there is a Christmas dinner ahead that may require a different kind of courage.
Their partnership gives the story room for both intrigue and dry humor. Mae has to manage an impatient man across a conference table while knowing that the wrong concession could put the documents in his hands. A lawyer’s perfectly reasonable request for more paperwork can be very useful under those circumstances.
And then there is the music box. Its purpose goes well beyond the tune it plays, but I will leave that discovery for the story.
If you enjoy seeing the earlier chapter of a character’s life, this is an invitation to spend a little time with Mae and Cyrus. Their shared history includes work they understand very well and a personal conversation they haven’t quite found the words to begin.
You can get The Other Music Box free through BookFunnel when you join my newsletter. The page explains the signup and delivery steps, and you can unsubscribe whenever you wish.
It is a short prequel, so you can meet them before setting aside time for a full novel. I hope you enjoy this first visit with Mayflower and Sentinel.