A young woman with amnesia is discovered on the dock one morning. In her palm someone has written the words many and chance, so Minnie is summoned to help. Once at the hospital, the woman remembers that she must stop someone from doing something, but she doesnât know who or what. The clock is ticking, and every avenue Minnie tries turns into a dead end. Who is this woman trying to save? Can Minnie solve the mystery before it's too late to save them?
A young woman with amnesia is discovered on the dock one morning. In her palm someone has written the words many and chance, so Minnie is summoned to help. Once at the hospital, the woman remembers that she must stop someone from doing something, but she doesnât know who or what. The clock is ticking, and every avenue Minnie tries turns into a dead end. Who is this woman trying to save? Can Minnie solve the mystery before it's too late to save them?
âCould I have another one?â
She was twenty-three. It said so on her ID. But the bartender declined her order. âI think youâve had enough.â His brown eyes were apologetic but firm.
âPlease,â she said. âIâve had a really bad day.â
âI wish I could. But I canât.â He took her empty glass and wiped the bar in front of her, and then he leaned down to meet her eyes. âWhy donât you tell me about it? Those tips you give me . . . Those are because Iâm such a good listener.â
âYouâre so nice,â she slurred, and her face brightened with a smile.
 âSo . . . whatâs bugginâ you tonight?â
âWell, thereâs nothing anybody can do about it.â
âTry me,â he said.
She scanned the room and lowered her voice before she said the next words. âYou know how sometimes there are things you should know and things you shouldnât know?â
âUh-huh.â
âWell, I know something I shouldnâtâsomething thatâs gonna happen soon. Maybe in the next ten days.â
The noisy bar suddenly hushed. She paused and took another look around at the other patrons. Then, in a voice just loud enough for him to hear over the music and conversation, she said, âThey fired me because I know. And then they said if I tell anybody, then . . . But if I donât . . .â Wide-eyed, she slapped her hand across her mouth to stop any more words from tumbling out.
As he watched her, his expression became more grimâeven somber. âHold that thought,â he said. âIâm off work in five minutes. Let me make sure you get home okay.â
Sheâd met him beforeâa few times. He was one of the newer bartenders, but heâd been there for a while, now. And he always seemed like a nice enough guy.
Besides, she was afraid to leave alone. Â
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CHAPTER ONE
Day One â Saturday
Minnie was dreaming of the ocean.
The breeze was perfect. The crash of the waves was rhythmic and soothing. Under normal circumstances she would have been calm, but her heart was racing. There was something under the water. She knew it was there. She could feel it. But she needed to see it. She needed to know what it was.
She rose from her seat on the bench, turned toward the breaking waves, and made her way to the waterâs edge. The sand beneath her bare feet was cold. Why was it so cold? The warmth seemed as if it was gone forever. She took one step into the clear water, and then another, and another. From there she had a better view. Just below the surface a shadow shifted with the currentâa formless darkness holding anything close to it beneath its cloak. She leaned down and reached toward the shadow, trembling as her palm dipped below the surfaceâ
The phone rang.
She sat up on the couch not yet fully awake, fumbling behind her on the table to the spot where the landline lived. Â
Dannyâher little brotherâwas her first thought. It had been almost a month since sheâd heard from him. She had no idea where he was or what he was doing or even if he was still alive. The people who were after him were violent. And they wanted him dead.
âHello.â
âHey,â a man said. âItâs Martin. Iâm sorry to wake you, butââ
âWere we supposed to go fishing?â she asked, hoping she hadnât forgotten any plans theyâd made.
âNo.â
For a moment she was relieved, but then her mind flew back to Danny. Martin was on call with the US Marshals Service. When he wasnât working for them, he was tracking down missing persons for the FBI. He was the marshal whoâd been saddled with the job of finding Danny and bringing him safely back under the WITSEC umbrella. But there were leaks in the organization, and Danny wanted no part of their protection.
âIâmââ
âIs this about Danny? They didnât get to him, did they?â
âNo, Minnie. Thereâs aââ
âHow do you know?â She was still half-asleep. This could easily have been a continuation of her dreamâonly without the ocean.
âIâve told you before,â Martin said, sounding a little irritated. âIf those guys caught up with Danny, they wouldnât keep it a secret. Theyâd make sure the world knew.â
âThen whyââ
âI was fishing this morning, andââ
âWhatâs wrong?â she asked, finally noticing the urgency in his voice.  Â
âWell, if youâd let me finish a sentence . . .âÂ
His sternness caught her by surprise, and she remained silent as he went on.
âThereâs a woman here,â he said. âShe was sitting on the edge of the dock when I pulled up a few minutes ago. Sheâs hardly wearing anything. And somethingâs wrong. Iâm not sure what, but sheâs gonna need some help.â
âDo you know who she is?â
âNo. I donât think sheâs from around here. Iâve never seen her before, anyway.â
As Minnie hugged the phone with her shoulder, she pulled on yesterdayâs jeans.
âI think she needs to go to the hospital,â Martin said, âbut it would be quicker if we take her. Besides, thereâs something I want you to see first.â
She slid her bare feet into her pink bedroom slippers and pulled her long wavy brown hair into a quick bun. âIâm on my way.â Â Â
âOkay,â he said. âOhâand Minnie, could you bring a blanket? Sheâs freezing.â
Minnie grabbed a thick sweater from the closet and the throw from the back of the couch, picked up her keys, and made a dash for the old Corolla her father had left her when he died.
She took the corners as though she were competing in the Daytona 500 and made it to their regular fishing dock in less than three minutes.
Martin hurried down the old wooden dock toward her, a hat drawn low over his dark face. âIâm not sure what to do to help her. Iâm trying to take it easy, but no matter what I say or do, she wonât look at me or respond.â
âWhat did you want me to see?â Minnie asked.
âSee if you can get a look at her left palm.â
She touched Martinâs arm, a signal to him, and they slowed their approach. The last thing Minnie wanted to do was startle the woman, but once they were close enough, she understood what Martin was saying. The woman didnât even seem to be aware of them.  Â
Her hair was dirty blond and long enough to rest on her shoulders. Her pale-blue nightgown was stained and torn, almost shredded. Her feet, bare and bleeding, hung just above the water.
Minnie carefully measured a distance she hoped would feel safe to the woman. âGood morning,â she said, sitting down on the end of the dock. âYou look like youâre cold. Do you mind if I wrap this blanket around you?â
The woman appeared to be staring at something across the water. She had no physical reaction to Minnieâs words. Minnie draped the blanket over her shoulders. Still there was no sign that the woman felt anything.
Martin held back.
After Minnie had been sitting there for a minute or two, she slid a little closer. She waited until she felt something ease in the womanâs demeanor. Then, slowly, she reached toward her and lightly touched the back of her hand. âMy name is MinnieâMinnie Chance,â she said. âIâd like to get a better look at you. I need to see if youâre hurt. Do you think you could stand up for me?â
To their surprise, the woman pushed herself away from the edge of the dock and stood. Still her expression was blank, and her eyes didnât react. Minnie helped her to Martinâs chair, and Martin wrapped the blanket around her once again. Her feet were filthy and covered in painful-looking cuts that colored the dirt dark brown in some places and red in others.
âYour feet must hurt,â Minnie said, âwith so many cuts and blisters. And it looks like you have a deep splinter in your heel, too.â
On the back of her right hand was an ink stamp. It was faded on one side, but there was enough of it left to tell that it was a hummingbird.
âI love hummingbirds. Have you ever seen hummingbirds fight?â
She still didnât react or respond. When Minnie opened the palm of her left hand, she could see that âmany chanceâ had been written in what looked to be permanent marker. Just under those words, someone had scrawled the initials DC.
Martin met Minnieâs eyes. She nodded at him. âWe should call an ambulance.â
âProbably,â Martin said. âBut thatâll take forever. Letâs just drive her.â
Â
The emergency room was a jumble of staff, patients, and nurses. When Martin explained the situation, the triage nurse signed the patient in as Ms. Doe and moved them to a treatment room right away.
She mentioned the possibility of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, reminding Minnie of something that had happened a few years earlier while she was still living in the convent with the Sisters of Charity. One of their novices had been in a convenience store at the wrong momentâduring a robbery. The thief had held a gun to her head in order to persuade the cashier to give him the money from the register. The novice had prayed throughout the entire incident, and the gunman had released her as soon as heâd gotten the money. But sheâd spent days shivering and crying. They had to approach her slowly, or she would jump right out of her skin. After several weeks, they sent her back to her family with the hope that she could eventually return. She never did.Â
Minnie watched the woman from the dock. She wasnât jumpy. In fact, she acted almost as if sheâd been sedated. But Minnie wasnât a professional, so she waited for the doctor. It was at least an hour and a half before he came through the curtain in his green scrubs with a nurse in tow.
âHello. Iâm Dr. Alex,â he said. âSorry for the delay. I got tied up in a surgery.â He shined a light into the womanâs eyes and then turned to Martin and Minnie. âSo what can you tell me?â
For the second time, they told the story of how theyâd found her.
âWell, letâs take a look and see whatâs going on.â He glanced at Martin. âThereâs a lounge areaâthe Webster Roomâright around the corner. If youâll wait there, Iâll talk to you after Iâve had a chance to examine her.â
âI would rather stay,â Minnie said.
But he wouldnât have it. âItâs her decision, but right now sheâs not talking. Iâd rather err on the side of caution.â
The nurseâs smile was compassionate and calming. âThe social worker isnât available today, so Lana Mooreâs on her way down here. Have you met her?â
Deputy Moore had been at Minnieâs house with the medical examiner the night she discovered that her father had been poisoned. âYes. I know her,â Minnie said. âSheâs very kind.âÂ
âSheâs a good human,â the nurse said. âSheâll watch out for Ms. Doe. And I promise to update you as soon as anything changes.â
They left the woman with the doctor and went to the Webster Room as directed.
âWhat happened to her?â Minnie muttered, not really expecting an answer.
âSomething bad,â Martin said. âAnd I think she might have been drugged.â
âI do too. She might have PTSD, but thatâs not all thatâs going on with her.â They sat quietly for a moment. âAnd why is my name written in her hand? And why DC?â
âWhat was your first thought when you saw that?â
âDanny?â she whispered.
âThatâs what I thought, too. Your brother must have sent her.â
âIt had to be him,â Minnie said. âBut why?â She turned to face Martin, and for the first time that day, she really saw him. He hadnât shaved in a while, and gray streaked the growth on his face. âAre you growing a beard?â she asked.
He rubbed his chin. âIâm still deciding whether to grow it out or not. What do you think?â
It looked good on himâgave him a certain . . . What was the word? Appeal, maybe? âI like it,â she said. âI think you should grow it out.â
About that time, Sheriff Johnson walked in. He was tallâwell over six feetâand stocky, with a belly that hung slightly over his belt. Minnie met him at the doorway and looked anxiously into his soft blue eyes. âDid they let you see her?â
âNo. They were still examining her.â He took a seat across from Martin and began to unwrap a granola bar. âIâll get her fingerprints and swab for DNA when theyâre done.â He bit off a hunk and continued to talk between chews. âSo how did you happen to find this woman? Where was she?â
âShe was just sitting on the dock when I got there this morning,â Martin said. âShe was pretty beat up, too. No matter what I said to her, I couldnât get her to look at me or respond, so I called Minnie, thinking maybe sheâd talk to another woman, you know.â
âAnd did she?â the sheriff asked, shoving the last of the granola bar into his mouth.
âNo.â Minnie thought about the note in the palm of the womanâs hand but decided against mentioning it. The last thing she wanted to do was put her brother in more danger. âBut she seemed to understand what I was saying. She stood when I asked her to. And she got into the car so we could bring her here.â
After almost an hour, Dr. Alex came in with his clipboard and a serious expression. âIâm having the lab collect some samples. Iâd like to test her for drugs before I decide whether or not to medicate her. Sheâs nonresponsive but awake. Thereâs no evidence of sexual assault, but we found some burns that could have been made by a Taser. And I counted twenty-three bruises. The one on her right arm is of some concern. She seems to be guarding it. Iâve ordered some x-rays to rule out a fracture. We should know more when her tests come back. But for now, Iâm recommending that we admit her.â
Sheriff Johnson stepped forward. âDo you mind if I see her? Iâd like to identify her, if possible.â
âLanaâs still with her,â Dr. Alex said, âso that should be fine.â
âThanks,â the sheriff said. âAnd could you please let me know if her condition changes?â
Minnie approached the doctor. âIâd like to stay with her,â she said. âIâd like to be there the moment she begins to speak again.â
âI donât see any problem with that, Ms. Chance. But letâs get her tests done and get her into a room first.â And then he was gone.
All of a sudden, the hospital was quiet. It was as if it were a living, breathing thing that had just exhaled and was waiting to inhale again. Minnie glanced down at her feet, remembering for the first time that she was still wearing her bedroom slippers. She smelled something fruity and followed the scent down to the drip of strawberry sauce on the front of her T-shirt, left over from the sundae sheâd eaten the night before. She blushed. âI should go home for a while. I need to take a shower and change clothes.â
Martin stood. âLet me buy you breakfast.â
âLook at me,â she said. âIâm not dressed for going out.â
âYou look fine to me,â he said.
âBut this stainââ
âYou always look fine.â He grinned down at her.
âOkay. Thank you.â
They met Sheriff Johnson on the way out. âWeâll run her info through the database, and Iâll let you know when we hear back,â he said.
âBut what if her fingerprints arenât on file?â Minnie asked. âOr her DNA?â
âWeâll just have to wait and see,â he said. âTheyâre gonna send in a psychologistâsee if they can get her talking.â
Â
#
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It seemed that half of Glacklin, Florida, had decided to go to Elsieâs Diner for brunch. Martin and Minnie got the last available booth. There was no way to talk quietly in the uproar, so they spoke just loud enough to understand each other and tried to use code when necessary.
âI want to assume that Ms. Doe is friendly,â Minnie said, âand that Danny sent her to me because she was in some sort of trouble.â But without talking to Danny, there was no way for her to know for sure. As far as she knew, this woman could have been sent by the people looking for him.
They were seated by one of the picture windows that looked out over Coastal Street, the road that ran to and from the beach. Minnie watched Martin, who was staring out at the traffic as tourists strolled from gift shop to gift shop on the sidewalk just outside.
âCoffee?â the waitress asked, startling them both. She was a roundish woman with wide blue eyes and a ponytail of long red hair. âOops!â she said. âI sure didnât mean to sneak up on you. Maybe you should have decaf this morning?â
âNo decaf for me,â Martin said. âActually, Iâll have a double-caffeinated. Todayâs gonna be a long day.â
âSame for me,â Minnie said, âbut with milk, please.â
She grinned. âOur espresso machine is out for repair, so no doubles today. How âbout I bring you a pot of your own?â
âI can see a good tip in your future,â Martin said as she walked away. Moments later, she returned with a silver-and-black decanter of coffee.
As soon as she left, Minnie said, âWhat if sheâs not a victim of anything?â
âWhat do you mean? Didnât you see all those bruises? And her feet? There wasnât a spot on them that didnât have a cut or a splinter.â
Minnie narrowed her eyes and tightened her jaw. âWhat if Danny didnât send her here? What if they sent her?â
Martin sat up a little taller. âTheyâas in Halo they?â
Halo was the name of the group that had forced Danny into hiding because heâd seen something they didnât want him to testify about. Theyâd killed Minnieâs father because Danny had shared too much with him. âI think itâs possible,â she said. âDonât you?â
âWith Halo, anything is possible.â The volume in the restaurant dropped off for a moment. He stopped talking and silently spooned sugar into his coffee.
Minnie poured milk into hers. âIt would make sense,â she said as the conversations around them began again. âI need to make a callâto hear it from him.â
âCan you try his emergency number?â Martin asked just as the waitress returned to their table with pad and pen in hand.
âHave you decided on your order?â
Minnie looked up at her. âI think the steak and eggs sounds good,â she said. âIf the steak could be medium-well, Iâd appreciate it.â At the convent, the food had often been bland, and meat had been an occasional treat. It hadnât taken Minnie long to learn to enjoy it more often.
The waitress turned her attention to Martin. âAnd you?â
âIâll have the same.â
âMedium-well?â
âPerfect,â he said.
Before she walked away, Minnie asked, âDo you know if thereâs a pay phone nearby?â
âHmmm. Let me double check.â She talked to the waitress behind the counter and returned. âThereâs one to the left and around the corner. Weâre not sure if itâs one or two blocks down. Sorry.â
Minnie smiled. âThank you.â
They handed their menus back to her, and she moved on to another table. As soon as she was gone, Minnie dug through her wallet for coins and pulled out a dime and two pennies. âDo you have any change for the pay phone?â
Martin pulled some quarters out of his pocket and handed them to her. âTell him he should call me.â
âIâll try. But you know he wonât.â
Minnie made her way out of the crowded restaurant, through the tourists on the sidewalk, and around the corner to the end of the street. She was well past the hardware store on the following block before she found the pay phone. Relieved, she dialed the emergency number Danny had given her dad for his alias, Delaney Cutsforth. This definitely qualified as an emergency. It rang five times before going to voice mail.
âI need to talk to you. Iâll call back tomorrow morningâsame time.â
It was eleven fifteen when she got back to the restaurant, and their food was just arriving. âNo answer,â she said, slipping into her seat.
Martin cut a piece of steak. âFigures. Murphyâs Law.â He popped the piece into his mouth. âOh, this is just right,â he said in between chews.
He was right. It was perfect, but Minnie was too unsettled to eat more than a few bites. She ended up taking most of hers back to the house. There was no way sheâd feel any better until she talked to her brother.
Minnie Chance is brought onto a peculiar case by Martin, a US Marshal who found a woman on the beach. Battling with her own demons, and worry for her brother who is being hunted by criminals, Minnie arrives on the crime scene, greeted by a woman with amnesia.
Minnie and Martin work to uncover the clues, and help âJane Doeâ discover her actual identity. As her memory gradually returns, she is once again in the sights of the people that wanted her dead. Minnie has to race against the clock to quickly uncover who was behind Jane Doeâs beating.
Memories incriminate people that might not be involved cause Minnie to question her own intuition, guilt, and innocence. Throughout, she has to go against her own moral compass, and do something that goes against what she believes.
The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions. One could surmise this is the premise of the book.
Minnie has an interesting backstory of being a member of a convent, her entire life turned upside down when she was attacked, her father killed, and a long-lost brother entered her life only to be snatched away again due to his knowledge of criminal dealings. The author does well with filling in the details without bogging down the current story. I could get a real sense of the type of person Minnie is, and what she has already undergone. Quickly setting up a strong character through the trials she has been through.
The chapters are cleverly outlined with the days, adding to the urgency of the timeline Minnie may have to find Jane Doeâs attacker. As the time creeps closer to day 10, the stakes rise as human lives may be in peril. The author achieves a suspenseful read with the layers of the case slowly being revealed.
It does drag a little closer to the end. Other than that, the story reads really well, and I like when authors donât tie up everything. Resembling real life in many ways; a little messy, tense, anxious, drags at times, and just does not conclude in the way you would expect.
Those that enjoy a cozy mystery and books like the Womenâs Murder Club by James Patterson might enjoy this take on a conspiratorial mystery.