All rights reserved by Denlinger's Publishers, including the right to reproduce this electronic book, or portions thereof, in any form, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.
Shelle Stewart, author of While Angels Watch, is a zealous reader of suspense, and numerous historical and philosophical subjects. She has also continually written in various genres since her early grade school years. She completed her university education in computer science and accounting, at the age of thirty-four, and worked as an independent computer consultant and database developer for several years.
Shelle resides in the Heartland with her husband of twenty-three years, and spends her leisure time gardening and painting and listening to R&B. Amber Roses is her second suspense novel, and she is currently working on her fourth.
This title was nominated for the Frankfurt eBook Awards.
Maggie Montgomery survived the vehicular accident that took the lives of her husband, Clayton, and their four-year-old son, Nicholas, two years ago. Shortly after announcing her engagement to Stone Carlisle, formerly Clayton's business partner, Nicholas calls out to her from beyond the grave with a desperate plea for help. As Maggie's health rapidly deteriorates, she clings to an unusual piece of jewelry, a seemingly benign keepsake she had unearthed, years earlier, while planting the amber-blossoming rosebush that now serves as a nostalgic reminder.
The main characters are individually suspect of creating a haunting hoax with their questionable motives and secrets. Foremost, Stone, though claiming never to have been married, has a first wife who is secretly cared for by a full-time nurse.
Maggie's sister-in-law and best friend, Eloise Montgomery-Germaine, is thrice divorced and frequents the dark side of sexual pleasuring, now finding herself in a precarious situation. Housekeeper Charlotta Watts has been with the Montgomery family for two generations. She is steadfastly loyal to the memories of Clayton and Nicholas, and appears disapproving of Maggie's engagement.
Attorney Alfred Bainbridge and Maggie's gift shop manager, Hilary Hathaway, have kept their adulterous relationship a secret for years. Both Eloise and Hilary have dated Stone in the past, and both are affected by the recent changes Alfred has initiated in Maggie's will.
It is just as likely that the spirits do indeed work in mysterious ways, using earthlings as willing mercenaries.
Ultimately, Maggie is led to believe she must decide whether to remain earthbound with Stone and their soon-to-be-born daughter, or cross over to resume her life with Clayton and Nicholas.
"Miss, you're home early," Charlotta called from the doorway to the kitchen. "How about a glass of iced tea with mint?"
"That would be great," Maggie called from the stairway. "I'll be in my room."
She rushed to her dressing room where she had earlier placed the collection of stones on her vanity. As she stepped through the doorway, a sight caught her eyes that took her breath away and caused her to stop dead in her tracks.
Another fresh, long-stemmed amber rose lay on the vanity beside the box. She felt a rush of cool air move through her, ruffling her blouse and lifting the locks of her hair. "Mommie," she thought she heard a child's voice whisper.
She slowly stepped up to the vanity, to reach down for the rose. That's when she noticed an oddly familiar sight, a jagged stone roughly shaped into a donut-like circle, about the size of a nickel. The stem of the rose had been placed through the opening in the stone. She picked up the rose and studied the encircling crystalline specimen carefully. Though crude and unpolished, when held in bright light it sparkled brilliantly with a rainbow of pastel colors, primarily lavender.
She clearly remembered finding the stone on the day she had planted the amber rosebush. It had been buried several inches down in the soil. Nickie had been so excited when she had handed it over to him to add to his collection. He had remarked that he thought it would make a pretty necklace for her to wear.
She had kissed his cheek and thanked him for his kind offer, but said she thought he should place the stone in his collection for safekeeping. Perhaps he would want to have the stone made into a necklace for his first girlfriend. He had screwed up his freckled face at the mention of girls.
"Here's your iced tea." Charlotta stood at the doorway to Maggie's dressing room, extending her hand to offer the glass of mint tea.
"Thanks," Maggie said, receiving the glass and taking a sip. "Very good, Charlotta. You brew the most refreshing glass of tea."
"You're welcome, Miss. Can I get you anything else?"
Maggie looked towards the vanity and the amber rose, taking the time to carefully choose her words.
"Charlotta," she said, hesitating for a moment, "have you been bringing these roses to me?"
"No, Miss. I wouldn't dream of bothering your rosebushes."
"It's okay if you have. It would certainly be a thoughtful thing to do."
"Oh, no, Miss. I thought you were bringing the roses in. I know how you always enjoy the amber blossoms."
"Have you noticed anyone else out in my rose gardens? Anyone else in the house during the day?"
"No, just the electricians down in the basement. Been working down there for a couple of days."
"And you haven't seen them come upstairs?"
"No, Miss. I've kept an eye on them, and so far they've stayed down in the basement."
"That's good. I appreciate you keeping such a close watch on the house when we're gone."
"I'm sure that's what Clayton would've expected of me," Charlotta said. "Can I help you with anything else?"
"No. Thanks, but that will be all."
After Charlotta left the bedroom suite, Maggie turned her attention to the vanity. She picked up the rose and slid the stone off the stem. She traced her thumb round and round the jagged center edge of the stone. It seemed to bring her a sense of peace, a sense of closeness with Nickie.
Mommie, wear it for me. Close to your heart.
She felt an urge to find a gold chain, something dainty and simple. She opened the side partition in the jewelry armoire and ran her fingers through several necklaces and chains that hung from a satin-covered dowel.
Finding a suitable chain, she dropped it through the center of the stone, and then placed the necklace around her neck, letting the stone drop down inside her blouse and next to her heart. She felt a chill move through her and pressed her hands to her chest.
"Is it you, Nickie?" she said quietly.
Yes, it's me, Mommie, but she heard no answer.
Carrying the box of stones and her iced tea, she walked back to her bed and settled back on several layers of fluffy pillows. She would rest and enjoy the fresh iced tea while she studied the stones and relived all the memories that had come with them.
There were sandy pink stones and coral and shells from their vacation in Bermuda, and river-polished stones from their camping trip near Puget Sound. She handled each and every piece carefully, reliving the wonderful memories, the sound of Nickie's laughter, as she held the treasures of nature close to her heart.
"Mommie, I need you," the child's voice called softly from the hallway.
Maggie sat up, startled, spilling several of the stones across the ivory satin quilt.
"Is that you, Nickie?" She rushed through the bedroom door, into the hallway.
"Come here, Mommie, to my room."
She rushed into his room and looked about desperately for proof of her child's return.
"Where are you? Show yourself to me?"
"The closet, Mommie, the closet."
What do you mean, honey? I found the stones that you and I gathered.
"Daddy's so sad. You have to help us."
Maggie, clearly frustrated, broke down in tears and sat on the edge of his bed. She didn't know what to do, what would make the terrible ache inside her heart go away.
"Don't cry, Mommie. I'm sorry," the little voice said, breaking up into pitiful sobs.
"Tell me what to do. I don't know what you want, or what I can do to help Daddy."
"Rub the stone, Mommie."
"Which one?" She grabbed at the crystalline lavender stone beneath her blouse, hanging from the simple gold chain.
"The one I gave you to wear."
She pulled the chain out of her blouse and held the stone in her fingers, rubbing her thumb round and round the jagged center.
"Like this?"
"Uh-huh."
Suddenly, it occurred to her just how ridiculous this must seem, how crazy this all must appear. She dropped the stone from her hands and sat listlessly on the edge of the bed, looking towards the closet, trying to imagine what could have made her think that her son could really come back to her from the dead. She had truly lost her mind, perhaps her will to live.
But why? she thought. How had this happened? She was engaged to a wonderful man, had two successful businesses to watch over and a sister-in-law that needed looking after. Why now, when she knew deep inside that life had to go on, even after the worst of tragedies?
"Don't stop, Mommie."
I'm not hearing this, she thought. She rose from the bed in an effort to pull herself away from his room, this bottomless pit of longing and memories.
"No, Mommie, no. You have to help us." The tiny voice was clearly panicked.
"Stop it, Nickie. You're gone. Clayton is gone. You can't come back and I can't help you. You have to find your own way. Make Daddy help you."
"No," the tiny voice wailed, his sobs growing louder. "Daddy said he won't go without you. I'm scared, Mommie. You have to help me." His voice took on a tone of hysteria. "Rub the stone, rub the stone."
Maggie wiped the tears from her face and grasped the stone that dangled next to her breaking heart.
"Okay, honey. Don't cry. I'll try to help you." She rubbed the stone vigorously round and round the center opening.
A subtle glow of light seemed to leak from around the edges of the closed closet door. It was so subtle, in fact, that Maggie was sure it was just her imagination, hopeful thinking at best.
"Don't stop, Mommie."
The glow grew brighter and brighter until brilliant streaks of light painted across the walls, seeming to burst from behind the door and completely encircling its wooden frame. The door began to bulge and pulsate with every spin of her thumb.
"Is that you, Nickie? Have you come back to me?"
"Don't stop," the tiny voice pleaded.
She continued to circle her thumb round and round, and as the glow grew brighter and stronger, the ache inside her heart seemed to blaze into a roaring fire. It was as if the searing energy flowed from within her, outward, to fuel the mysterious glow.
Her scalp began to tingle, her hair began to feel as if it were standing on end. Her heart pounded with a fury as an icy breeze swirled about her, spinning faster and stronger, chilling her now perspiring skin and sucking the breath from deep within her lungs.
With an explosive release of searing air, the closet door flew open wide. Maggie gasped with shock as a blinding flash of white exploded into the room.
Through the shining and encircling rays of rotating colors of the sun, she could see the image of her precious Nicholas, still four years of age and dressed in the same clothes he had lost his life in. She could see the same short, curly locks of carrot red hair, the sparking amber eyes, the freckles across his tiny nose and rounded cheeks.
"Hi, Mommie," the smiling vision said as Maggie's eyes widened in wonder, in horror, in complete disbelief.
He extended his tiny cherubic hand towards her and a ball of glimmering white light shot forth from his miniature fingers, passing through the center of the stone she still desperately grasped directly over her heart.
A shrieking commenced in her ears, like that of a thousand locust, and the walls began to rotate around her, whirling faster and faster. She collapsed onto the carpeted floor….
I am interested in mystery, the paranormal, and science fiction so I think I am going to be very glad that I have found your work. Thanks for the entertainment. M. Tello - Oklahoma
I thought I had the ending figured out, so I was pleasantly surprised to see quite a different turn of events. I recommend this book. Once I started it I couldn't put it down. L. Clark Collinsville, OK
Reviews From: Barnes&Noble Average Rating:
Morgan Ravenwood, a writer from Arizona, January 30, 2001,
Great suspense!
Very readable and engrossing. I couldn't put it down. The ending was indeed incredible! Can't wait to read more of this author's books!
Louise, an accountant from Tulsa., January 23, 2001,
You thought you knew the ending...................
Shelle Stewart weaves a very good story with interesting and colorful characters. I enjoyed her style of writing which makes for a pleasurable read. She develops her characters with depth and even with a touch of comedy in some. Just when I thought it was safe to read the ending I had suspected all along, I found myself totally surprised!
A. Browne, January 22, 2001,
Absolutely great!
Never have I been so captured to read a book and not be able to put it down. The characters are realistic and moving. The story is awesome. The ending surprised me and that doesn't happen often.
Kenda, a computer programmer from Tennesse, January 22, 2001,
Fun Story with Shocking Ending!!
This is one of those books I couldn't put down and hated to see end! A great book to curl up with (don't forget the cookies). The ending is sure to surprise; I've never seen one like it.
Leela, an artist, January 22, 2001,
Intense Suspense
Received this book yesterday in the mail, and finished it this morning at about 10:30. Wow! What a cool book!!!! I thoroughly enjoyed it. This author has such a creative mind! She didn't get bogged down with minutia, but gave vivid visual images throughout the book. The people seemed real. Even I found myself getting the hots for Stone! LOL! And the ending was wonderful. It was, to me, more of a relief than a surprise. This would make a VERY GOOD movie.
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