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Alien Allure: A Garden Girls Cozy Mystery (Garden Girls Christian Cozy Mystery Series Book 23) Read online




  Alien Allure

  Garden Girls

  Cozy Mystery Series Book 23

  Hope Callaghan

  hopecallaghan.com

  Copyright © 2020

  All rights reserved.

  *****

  This book is a work of fiction. Although places mentioned may be real, the characters, names and incidents, and all other details are products of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual organizations, events, or actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

  ______________________________

  Visit my website for new releases and special offers: hopecallaghan.com

  Thank you to these wonderful ladies who help make my books shine - Peggy H., Cindi G., Jean P., Wanda D., Barbara W., Renate P. and Alix C. for taking the time to preview Alien Allure, for the extra sets of eyes and for catching all of my mistakes.

  A special THANKS to my reader review team:

  Alice, Alta, Amary, Amy, Becky, Brenda, Carolyn, Charlene, Christine, Debbie, Denota, Devan, Diann, Grace, Helen, Jo-Ann, Jean M, Judith, Meg, Megan, Linda, Patsy, Polina, Rebecca, Rita, Theresa, Valerie and Virginia.

  Contents

  Complete List of Books

  Cast of Characters

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Books in This Series

  Get New Releases & More

  Get All Of Hope Callaghan’s Books Here

  Meet Author Hope Callaghan

  Creamy Cajun Alfredo Recipe

  Complete List of Books

  (Click Links Below To Buy or Read FREE with Kindle Unlimited)

  Garden Girls Cozy Mystery Series

  A lonely widower finds new purpose for her life when she and her senior friends help solve a murder in their small Midwestern town.

  Who Murdered Mr. Malone? Book 1

  Grandkids Gone Wild: Book 2

  Smoky Mountain Mystery: Book 3

  Death by Dumplings: Book 4

  Eye Spy: Book 5

  Magnolia Mansion Mysteries: Book 6

  Missing Milt: Book 7

  Bully in the ‘Burbs: Book 8

  Fall Girl: Book 9

  Home for the Holidays: Book 10

  Sun, Sand, and Suspects: Book 11

  Look Into My Ice: Book 12

  Forget Me Knot: Book 13

  Nightmare in Nantucket: Book 14

  Greed with Envy: Book 15

  Dying for Dollars: Book 16

  Stranger Among Us: Book 17

  Dash For Cash: Book 18

  Arsonist and Lace: Book 19

  Court of Corruption: Book 20

  Framed in Florida: Book 21

  Murder on Summer Lane: Book 22

  Alien Allure: Book 23

  Book 24: Coming Soon!

  Garden Girls Box Set I – (Books 1-3)

  Garden Girls Box Set II – (Books 4-6)

  Garden Girls Box Set III – (Books 7-9)

  Divine Cozy Mystery Series

  After relocating to the tiny town of Divine, Kansas, strange and mysterious things begin to happen to businesswoman, Jo Pepperdine and those around her.

  Divine Intervention: Book 1

  Divine Secrets: Book 2

  Divine Blindside Book 3

  Divine Decisions Book 4

  Divine Christmas: Book 5

  Divine Cozy Mystery Book 6 (Coming Soon!)

  Samantha Rite Mystery Series

  Heartbroken after her recent divorce, a single mother is persuaded to book a cruise and soon finds herself caught in the middle of a deadly adventure. Will she make it out alive?

  Waves of Deception: Book 1

  Winds of Deception: Book 2

  Tides of Deception: Book 3

  Samantha Rite Box Set – (Books 1-3-The Complete Series)

  Made in Savannah Cozy Mystery Series

  A mother and daughter try to escape their family’s NY mob ties by making a fresh start in Savannah, GA but they soon realize you can run but you can’t hide from the past.

  Key to Savannah: Book 1

  Road to Savannah: Book 2

  Justice in Savannah: Book 3

  Swag in Savannah: Book 4

  Trouble in Savannah: Book 5

  Missing in Savannah: Book 6

  Setup in Savannah: Book 7

  Merry Masquerade: Book 8

  The Family Affair: Book 9

  Pirates in Peril: Book 10

  Matrimony & Mayhem: Book 11

  Swiped in Savannah: Book 12

  Turmoil in Savannah: Book 13

  Book 14: Coming Soon!

  Made in Savannah Box Set I (Books 1-3)

  Made in Savannah Box Set II (Books 4-6)

  Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery Series

  A recently divorced senior lands her dream job as Assistant Cruise Director onboard a mega passenger cruise ship and soon discovers she’s got a knack for solving murders.

  Starboard Secrets: Book 1

  Portside Peril: Book 2

  Lethal Lobster: Book 3

  Deadly Deception: Book 4

  Vanishing Vacationers: Book 5

  Cruise Control: Book 6

  Killer Karaoke: Book 7

  Suite Revenge: Book 8

  Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’: Book 9

  High Seas Heist: Book 10

  Family, Friends and Foes: Book 11

  Murder on Main: Book 12

  Fatal Flirtation: Book 13

  Deadly Delivery: Book 14

  Reindeer & Robberies: Book 15

  Transatlantic Tragedy: Book 16

  Southampton Stalker: Book 17

  Book 18: Coming Soon!

  Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Box Set I (Books 1-3)

  Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Box Set II (Books 4-6)

  Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Box Set III (Books 7-9)

  Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Box Set IV (Books 10-12)

  Sweet Southern Sleuths Short Stories Series

  Twin sisters with completely opposite personalities become amateur sleuths when a dead body is discovered in their recently inherited home in Misery, Mississippi.

  Teepees and Trailer Parks: Book 1

  Bag of Bones: Book 2

  Southern Stalker: Book 3

  Two Settle the Score: Book 4

  Killer Road Trip: Book 5

  Pups in Peril: Book 6

  Dying To Get Married-In: Book 7

  Deadly Drive-In: Book 8

  Secrets of a Stranger: Book 9

  Library Lockdown: Book 10

  Vandals & Vigilantes: Book 11

  Fatal Frolic: Book 12

  Sweet Southern Sleuths Box Set I: (Books 1-4)

  Sweet Southern S
leuths Box Set: II: (Books 5-8)

  Sweet Southern Sleuths Box Set III: (Books 9-12)

  Sweet Southern Sleuths 12 Book Box Set (Entire Series)

  Cozy Mystery Collections

  Cozy Mysteries Collection (Heart and Holiday Edition)

  Cozy Mysteries 12 Book Box Set: (Garden Girls & Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery Series)

  Fall Into Murder 6 Book Fall Themed Cozy Mystery Collection

  Audiobooks

  (On Sale Now or FREE with Audible Trial)

  Key to Savannah: Book 1 (Made in Savannah Series)

  Road to Savannah: Book 2 (Made in Savannah Series)

  Justice in Savannah: Book 3 (Made in Savannah Series)

  Cozy Mysteries Cookbook (Free w/Newsletter signup)

  Cozy Mysteries Cookbook-Recipes from Hope Callaghan Books

  Cast of Characters

  Gloria Rutherford-Kennedy. Gloria, a recently remarried retiree, is the ringleader of her merry band of friends. Always one to find a mystery…or they somehow manage to find her. She lives on a farm on the outskirts of Belhaven, a small town in West Michigan.

  Lucy Carlson. Gloria’s best friend. The wild one of the bunch, Lucy is a bit of a weapon’s expert and part-tomboy. She enjoys shooting guns, riding four-wheelers and hunting…when she’s not being dragged into one of Gloria’s mysteries.

  Dorothy Jenkins. Dorothy “Dot” Jenkins and her husband, Ray, are co-owners of Belhaven’s home cooking, sit down restaurant. The cautious one of the bunch, Dot tries to stay on the sidelines during Gloria’s adventures, but most of the time, it doesn’t work out that way.

  Margaret Hansen. Recently widowed, Margaret is learning to adjust to life alone. The most critical of the friends, Margaret tends to see everything in black and white.

  Ruth Carpenter. Head postmaster of Belhaven’s post office, Ruth is the queen of surveillance and always up on the latest spy equipment. With her recently tricked out/customized, bulletproof van and her high-tech spy gear, Ruth is Gloria’s right-hand gal in a lot of the investigations.

  Andrea Malone. The youngest of the Garden Girls Gang, Andrea met Gloria and the others through a string of unfortunate events. Despite Gloria being protective of her young friend, Andrea is usually in the thick of all the investigations.

  Who hath saved us, and called [us] with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. 2 Timothy 1:9

  Chapter 1

  Gloria consulted the clipboard and motioned to the man with the cone-shaped head. “Ruth Carpenter, your leader…I mean, uh, director, asked me to stop by to collect payment for your camping spot. I’ll need to verify your name to check you in.”

  The man’s beady eyes bore down on her, and she could’ve sworn he made a hissing noise. “Maverock Lunar from the planet Ventar,” he rasped.

  “I’m sure you’re exhausted from traveling such a long distance…Mr. Lunar. As soon as we collect payment for your NASCA convention camping spot, we’ll be on our way.” Gloria tightened her grip on her pen. “The amount owed is seventy dollars.”

  Lucy, who was standing next to Gloria, tapped the top of the handheld credit card reader. “We can take payment via earth-issued debit card, credit card or in US dollars.”

  The man shoved his knobby fingers into his pocket and pulled out a handful of crumpled bills. “I have the amount.”

  Lucy counted the twenties and handed him a ten. “Here’s your change.”

  Gloria lifted the clipboard, shielding her face from the man’s piercing stare. “I hope you enjoy the convention and your stay in Belhaven.” She collided with Lucy, crunching her toe as she stumbled away from the tent’s entrance.

  “Ouch! Wait for me.” Lucy chased after Gloria, not stopping until they were a safe distance away from Maverock. “Did you notice how he was glaring – staring at us?” She twirled her finger next to her forehead. “Some of these convention folks are out of this world.”

  “They’re definitely into the whole alien/outer space stuff.” Gloria studied the printout of the attendees and the campsites. “The good news is we don’t have to travel to the Neptune zone. Those were early arrivals, and Ruth already checked them in first thing this morning. We’ve covered the Orion and Eclipse zones. Our last stop is Vulcan.”

  “I feel like we’ve been dropped into the middle of Star Trek meets Star Wars,” Lucy joked.

  Ruth, a close friend of Gloria and Lucy, had joined NASCA, North America Surveillance and Communications Association, a couple of years back and become close friends with the founding member, Leonard Navoy.

  During the summer, she’d visited Leonard, who lived not far from Area 51 in Groom Lake, Nevada, the location of the classified United States Air Force facility.

  Ruth’s recent trip had given her a new interest – or obsession – with all things space. When Leonard had announced adding divisions to NASCA and appointing directors to oversee each region, including one in the Great Lakes Region, Ruth had promptly submitted her name for consideration.

  It was no surprise to Gloria when Ruth was appointed to the coveted position, overseeing “Area M,” and the region’s roughly two hundred members.

  Ruth had decided to host a fall convention for the first area meeting. And what better place to host it than in her own backyard and on the grounds of the Belhaven flea market?

  “Remind me again, how we managed to get roped into volunteering for this.” Lucy fell into step, and the women began walking.

  Gloria waved dismissively. “I think the alien thing is a bit far-fetched, but the NASCA group is fascinating. Besides, we need to support Ruth. You remember how excited she was when they nominated her as the director.”

  They slowed when they reached the makeshift sign, “Vulcan – Zone Four.”

  “What in the world?” Lucy wrinkled her nose as she surveyed the area. “It looks like a homeless tent city.”

  Tall wooden poles ran along the edge of the rutted road to the back corner and the tree line. Thick green tarps were secured to the top and back sides of the poles.

  It was hard to tell where one makeshift shelter ended, and the next one began. “Let’s start over here.” Gloria led the way to the shelter closest to the road. She gave a friendly wave to a couple who were seated on wooden crates, playing cards. “Hello.”

  The man held up three fingers, which Gloria guessed was his way of greeting them.

  “Ruth Carpenter has asked us to check you in.” Gloria squinted her eyes and studied the Vulcan list.

  “I’m Jennie McLaughlin.” The woman stood. “This is my husband, Todd.”

  The three-finger greeter solemnly shook his head. “This week, we are Yreus and Tatia from Vulcan.”

  “Got it.” Gloria put a checkmark next to their names. “I found you on the list. It looks like you pre-paid.”

  “This is for you.” Lucy handed the woman a map of the flea market grounds, indicating the location of the pavilion’s eating area, the restrooms, and the porta-potties, along with the showers. “If you have any questions, the office will be open during regular business hours.”

  Gloria and Lucy exited the couple’s tent area and began making their way to the next shelter.

  “Hang on.” The woman ran after them. “I just wanted to say…we’re not crazy,” she blurted out. “I mean, this whole alien space thing is kind of my husband’s obsession. I go along with it because I love him.”

  “It’s all right.” Gloria patted her arm. “We understand. We’re not here to judge. We’re here to collect money.”

  “We more than understand,” Lucy said. “Your leader…er…director, Ruth, is a close friend of ours.”

  The woman appeared visibly relieved. “I didn’t want to come across as crazy. This is our first NASCA convention. We’re not sure what to expect.”

  “This is our first convention too,” Gloria said.

  “Todd and I made a deal. If I attended this convent
ion, he promised to tag along on a weekend spa retreat.”

  “I think he got the better end of the deal,” Lucy joked.

  “No kidding.” Jennie shook her head. “I’m not totally into this roughing it thing and was wondering if you could recommend any restaurants in the area.”

  “As a matter of fact, Dot’s Restaurant is only a few blocks away. They have delicious food and daily specials,” Gloria said.

  The woman brightened. “This place is sounding better by the minute.” She thanked them for the information and returned to the campsite.

  Lucy watched her walk away. “She’s a real trooper.”

  They made several more stops, collecting cash and swiping cards before circling back around and trekking toward the front.

  “Hang on.” Lucy motioned to an area several feet away from the porta-potties. “I think we missed a section.”

  Gloria consulted the clipboard, running her finger down the list. “There are a few left that we haven’t checked off. I figured they were no-shows.”

  The women passed by the tarped shelters and stopped when they reached a semi-circle of travel trailers.

  “These people are in the wrong section,” Gloria said. “Aren’t all of the enclosed trailers supposed to be in the front?”

  “That’s what I thought.”

  “There’s nothing we can do about it now.” Gloria approached a camper and rapped lightly on the door. “Check-in.”

  The door opened a crack, and an elderly woman appeared. “Yes?”

  “We’re here to check you in for the convention.”

  “I don’t want any.” The woman slammed the door in her face.

  Lucy burst out laughing.

  Gloria shot her an aggravated look. “Very funny.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Gloria gave Lucy a light nudge. “It’s your turn.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Lucy gave the door a firm rap. A faint shadow flitted by the small side window and then disappeared.

  She tried again, this time knocking harder. “Check-in.”

  The door flew open, and a sawed-off shotgun appeared.

  Lucy shoved Gloria. “Run!”

  “And don’t come back!” the old woman barked. The door slammed shut, shaking the small trailer.

 

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