Belle, an art student in need of a place to work on the paintings for her evaluation, makes the mistake of leaving it to her bungling cousin Craig to find that place for her. And find her a place, he did... "Craig! You said this house was, and I quote, 'pretty and quaint, rich in history and character.' You did NOT say that it was squalid and putrid, rich in bad odours and horror! Come on! The lights aren't even working!" "I am in a house that has seen smugglers, refugees and criminals passing through its hallways. A house where broken clocks kick up a storm of sound at random intervals, a place where time doesn't matter and every minute hand follows its own path. An old mansion filled with sounds and secrets. Really nothing to inspire peace of mind..." As a storm wreaks havoc and the house wakes up, Belle is increasingly bugged by one very important question: Is the man sharing the house with her real, or is he just a very sexy mop? Genre: Mystery/Humour/Romance This is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. All rights are reserved by me as @MaggieOHighley. Please do not copy or use my work anywhere without my permission. Thank you.

Ryan Morgan has always lived by one promise: to protect his younger brother, Jacob. Years earlier, when a drunk driver stole their parents' lives, Ryan became Jacob's legal guardian. He was just eighteen. Jacob, only seven at the time, has lived with autism his entire life. Ryan raised him through grief, school challenges, and the growing pains of adolescence-all while chasing his own dream of becoming a lawyer. Now, at twenty-six, Ryan is a rising star at the prosecutor's office. His career is taking off, his life seems finally on track, and he is proud to have kept his promise to his parents. But everything shatters the night Jacob finds the lifeless body of his best friend, Izza Miller, near a river. Jacob insists he didn't hurt her. The police insist otherwise. Evidence points to Jacob. Fingerprints. Location. Suspicion. Within days, the boy Ryan swore to protect is in handcuffs, facing a murder charge that could ruin his life. If anyone who sees this story being plagiarized by someone else, please send me a quick message as soon as possible. I do not tolerate plagiarism at all, and I will sue whoever is responsible of stealing my work. ©️2024 Rebecca Clark. All Rights Reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the prior permission of the author, except for the brief description of the book in a book review. Winner of the 2025 Creative Slingers of Ink Awards Winner of the 2025 Regal Summit Book Awards