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The Garden Tender's Cats
by
L.A. Lockehart
When the widow Miriam Wheatley finds her dream home nestled in the woodland outskirts of the quaint town of Belliford, Virginia, all she wants is to buy the property as quickly as possible. The ghosts of her deceased husband’s life as an FBI agent have haunted her long enough. She’s ready to settle down somewhere quiet, and the property’s neglected gardens and feral kittens offer her the perfect, peaceful project to dedicate her retirement to. But as she wanders the property on her own, her dreams of paws and petals are shattered by the peal of a rifle. Who fired the shot? Was it just an honest hunter, as her real estate agent insists? Or was someone trying to scare her away? What is really hiding in the locked cellar and shed of the Sherwood estate? The wisest thing would be for Miriam to leave Belliford and its secrets behind. Clearly, this quiet town is not what it appears to be, and any timid, gentle lady would not be able to unearth its secrets unscathed. Thankfully, Miriam is not what she appears to be either. Beneath her soft smile, she is a survivor, with the persistence, courage, and compassion to see her through any adversity. Miriam will not let herself be scared away. She has found what she wants, and no amount of fear or trickery will keep her from it. So begins Miriam’s journey through the dark currents of thievery, fraud, murder, and betrayal that lurk beneath the Sherwood estate. Yet as she discovers treasures in the dark, will Miriam be able to resist her own voice of greed within? Or will she simply be the latest caretaker to fall victim to the estate’s suffocating weeds of deadly desire?
L.A. Lockehart is a retired executive and medical assistant with an associate’s degree in business administration from the University of Palm Beach. She is thrilled to finally be able to share her debut novel The Garden Tender’s Cats with the world. As someone who lived in southern Florida for over twenty years, one of her biggest inspirations has been Ernest Hemingway. Visiting his home in Key West filled her with the conviction, “If he can do it—so can I.” For this specific story, her step-mother’s work as an anthropologist, teacher, poet and writer and aspiring archaeologist also served as a key inspiration, especially the artifact collection and various international ‘digs’ she accompanied her parents on. However, her largest inspiration has been her own life story. She has written her protagonist Miriam Wheatley with the courage and conviction that she has needed to develop herself as an independent woman. When she’s not writing novels, Lockehart spends her time penning poetry, making oil paintings, composing music, spending time with her family, keeping up with world news, and making new friends. She currently lives on her own in a small town in southwestern Ontario, and if you want to get in touch, you can reach her at lalockehart@gmail.com.
Contributors
- Author
- L.A. Lockehart