Time is Running Out

Chapter 1

She really needed to get a new laptop. Or at least replace the keyboard. Being an author was hard enough, without having to fight with keys that didn't want to work. Every time she finished a paragraph it was like filling in a crossword, trying to fill in all the missing letters by pasting in the alphabet from Google. Fed up from pasting the letter "O" for the 5th time in one sentence, Kara snapped her laptop closed and reached for her cup of coffee and raised it to her lips, only to slam it back down on the coaster, disappointed that it was already empty. This was not how her morning was supposed to go. She glanced at the clock and frowned. It was lunchtime and her editor was expecting a full manuscript on the table by 1pm, and she only had a couple chapters. And they weren't even good. She got up and placed her empty coffee mug precariously in the sink, atop a mountain of dirty dishes, which she made a mental promise to get to this week. After putting on a pair of sandals and grabbing her purse, she yanked open the fridge and grabbed an iced coffee for the trip. She was going to need it. Her eyes caught a glimpse of a paper on her fridge, and she read it over before smiling and stuffing it in her purse. Kara took one last distasteful glance at her laptop on the counter to make sure it was charging, before stepping outside and locking the door.

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Kara pulled up to Rosie's and downed the final sip of coffee she had left. Grabbing her purse she swung herself out of the driver's seat and headed inside. She knew exactly where Sadie would be waiting. It's the same place they had been meeting since Sadie decided to publish Kara's first book, A Prince For Me. The host barely glanced at her as she walked in and pointed to the patio doors, making her way to the table where the brunette due date was waiting.

"Kara! Finally." Sadie glanced up as Kara sat down across from her. "I was wondering if I was going to have to eat without you." She smiled, raising her glass to sip on some water.

"You wouldn't dare." Kara smiled back. The girls exchanged small talk and ordered lunch. The two girls had become good friends over the years, and enjoyed catching up with each other before getting to the point of their meal.

"So. Where's the manuscript? I've been dying to read all the new spice you've written." Sadie was practically shaking with excitement.

"Umm, about that..." Kara dared a glance up at Sadie, whose face dropped at Kara's hesitation. Kara reached into her bag and grabbed the paper from her kitchen, and placed it on the table in front of Sadie. Sadie gingerly picked up the note and glanced at Kara before reading it.

"Ice cream and coffee?" Sadie looked up at Kara confused.

"That's my grocery list. No judgement. Flip it over Sadie." Sadie obliged.

"How to get away with murder? What's this side, your to-watch list?" Sadie looked mildly annoyed at this point, and Kara began to get nervous.

"No! Well, yes, but that's not the point."

"Then what is?"

"I'm going to write a murder mystery!" Kara announced, but Sadie looked less then thrilled.

"You're joking."

"No Sadie," Kara rolled her eyes. "I'm being serious." Sadie set down the paper, took a deep breath, and leaned forward, using her hands to accentuate every word.

"Have you actually thought this over?"

"Yes. Well no. I just thought of it on my way over. But I'm out of options!"

"You're Kara Rosewood. You are the top romance author in the country right now. Everyone is waiting for your next sexy, spicy, love-filled story." Kara shook her head.

"I tried Sadie, I really did. But I'm a single woman with not even a cat to keep me company. I have no love story left in me. I have to do something different."

"Kar, your readers don't want blood and death from you. They want "the king's mistress" or "a kiss from the duke". This is your whole image. You can't just change it."

"I just can't do romance anymore. All I've been able to write over these past 4 months are a couple chapters, and they suck. I just can't do another one right now, it's just not feasible." Sadie rolled her eyes and leaned back.

"Fine. Pitch it to me. What does this murder mystery look like?" Kara got excited again.

"So maybe it's a group of friends, and they hurt someone, but keep it a secret. And later, it comes back to haunt them!"

"That's a movie Kar. I Know What You Did Last Summer. Next?"

"Right." Kara frowned. "Maybe it's a girl and everyone around her keeps dying, but she can't figure out who it is! And they know all her secrets, it's like they're stalking her!"

"Kara." Sadie furrowed her brows. "That's Scream. If you're going to do this, you need something original." Sadie hands her credit card over to the server waiting for payment. "Look. You haven't released a book in 4 years. Your readers are getting impatient. If you wait much longer, or your next book flops, they will find another author to follow. This is risky." Sadie turns and signs the receipt for the server and waves him away while grabbing her purse. "Screw this up, and your career will be over. I can't save you from that. So write your murder. But you better have a steamy romance saved on the back burner to save your butt if this goes south."

"Thank you Sadie!" Kara jumps up smiling wide. "I won't screw this up, you have my word!"

"You've already had 4 months. I'm giving you one week Kar. In one week I want a finished manuscript, of some kind, in my hand. You cannot push this off any longer. We need a new book. I love you girl, but that's the best I can give you, my boss is riding me for more Kara Rosewood." Sadie smiled lightly, but her stomach pooled with concern.

"You've got it!" Kara grabbed her purse and raced out of the restaurant. She had a book to write.