Dying to keep is is a finished novel that is in the process of being edited.

“Dying to Keep it,” is finished and in the editing stage.  It is about orphan Bree Dawson, who along with her live-in boyfriend Ben Hatfield purchases a bed & breakfast from an ad that shows up in Bree’s e-mail box. When the Hollister House turns out to be a dilapidated mansion, Ben deserts Bree and the run-down property, saying he is tired of her get rich quick schemes.

          By accident, Bree finds four million dollars hidden there.

With finding the money, she decides to use it to renovate the property, and integrate herself and her business into the small community of Oakvale Maine.

          Because of her upbringing, she has always dreamed of becoming rich, and being part of a loving family. Now with her newly acquired fortune one of those dreams has come true , but soon having the money begins causing her problems.

          Her first problem comes in the form of a night visitor whom Bree suspects of searching for the money.

          The next problem is a gorgeous hunk of manhood named Toby Keller, who says he is a private investigator working for a client who doesn’t believe her story about receiving a large inheritance from her dead grandmother.

 Then when she sends a check to pay her ex-boyfriend for his half of Hollister House, he shows up on her doorstep demanding more money and threatening to rethink his interest in her bed & breakfast. 

          After a huge argument with Ben Hatfield, and the ex-boyfriend winds up dead, the sheriff suspects her of murder. On top of that, a member of the New York Mafia claims that Ben borrowed money for his share of Hollister House, and they are demanding their money back plus interest.

          Now she is facing attempts on her life, almost on a daily basis. Bree knows it is all about the money. There are people dying to get it, and Bree is beginning to wonder if it’s worth dying to keep it. 

             Excerpt from Dying to Keep it  

    It was a reflex action. The shot rang out, the man grabbed his arm and went down.  He slid down the building, still clasping his arm, leaning heavily against the wall.

            Bree was shaken, but still managed to hold the gun on him. 

            “Don’t shoot me again.  I’m not armed.” He wheezed, nursing his arm, which by then had stared to bleed.

            Holding the gun on the wide expansion of his chest she yelled at him. “Who are you and what’re you doing snooping around my property?  You better talk fast or the next bullet will be right between your eyes.”  

            “He held up his good hand.  “My name is Toby Keller.  I’m a private investigator.” He was breathing hard and grimacing in pain.

            “That doesn’t tell me why you’re messing around my property.” She still held the gun on him.  She wondered if Ben had hired him to spy on her.  How ironic that Ben might actually be using her money to pay this lunatic.

            “Can I get up?” He tried to move, but found that his arm was already starting to stiffen.

            “No—not until you tell we why you’re here.”

            “My client hired me to investigate you.”

            “Why?” she snapped.

            “The person who hired me doesn’t believe the story you’re spreading around town about coming from a rich family.  They think maybe you found the money that supposed to be hidden here.”

            Surely, it had to be Ben. He knew her history and she had told him she borrowed the money from the bank. If Ben was running his mouth to the town people, he could cause her a lot of trouble.