📚 First Chapter: Three Small Bones by Jennifer Chase #FirstChapter #ChapterOne

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Title: Three Small Bones Author: Jennifer Chase Publisher: Bookouture Pages: 358 Genre: Crime Thriller

Blurb:

Smoke curls from what’s left of the beautiful family home on the edge of the woods. The heat is unbearable as she descends the stairs to the basement, past a set of bicycles––two big, one small. That’s when she sees three little white bones in the cracked earth at her feet, turning her blood to ice… When firefighters tackling a blazing house in a quiet suburb of Pine Valley, California discover human remains, Detective Katie Scott races to 717 Maple Street. She calls a halt to the excavations the moment she sees the full number and size of the bones; someone has buried a whole family down here. Working night and day, it’s up to Katie to prove her theory that the fire was no accident, that someone wanted to expose the secret in the basement. Tiny traces of explosives residue found at the scene is all the proof she needs. But the Cross family have been missing for months––leaving friends and loved ones in agonizing pain––what twisted soul would do this now? And why? The case takes another heart-shattering turn when Katie’s suspicions over recent renovation work on the house leads to the discovery of more bodies in the back yard: two little girls, buried years apart. What other devastating secrets are hidden in this perfect family home? It’s a dead end at every turn as Katie tracks down anyone who knew the family. Just when it looks like all hope is lost, reports of the Cross’s landlord harassing the family before they went missing gives Katie a crucial lead. With a menacing grey sedan following her every move, how many more innocent lives will be lost before Katie can dig up the truth? “Edge-of-your-seat suspense to the very end! … Clear your schedule… you will not want to put it down!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “Love, love, LOVE… I absolutely adore this series!!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars “Grabbed me from the very first page! It was so intense, and enthralling. I stayed up until 11pm two nights in a row so I could finish it.” NetGalley reviewer

Book Information

Release Date: September 13, 2022 Publisher: Bookouture Soft Cover: ISBN: ‎ 978-1803145945; 329 pages; $11.99; eBook $3.99 Amazon: https://amzn.to/3SQBsZA

Chapter One

Present Day Wednesday 0755 hours A low rumble followed by a crackling snap caused the small, intricate device to ignite a single flame. A low flame at first, as if it were a cigarette lighter, but soon growing exponentially, fueled by accelerant expertly placed on and around the back of the garage. It was also cleverly placed at the far back corner of the house, where the electricity meter was attached, conveniently out of the view of any neighbors. It proved to be a seamless plan as the fire rapidly increased. It only took moments for the house to become immersed in an all-out blaze. The flames quickly engulfed the empty two-story home, escaping with searing fire tentacles through broken windows. Smoke spiraled fiercely as the intense heat reached the rooftop. Any windows that were intact exploded. Trim around the frames melted. Plants near the front door were scorched and disintegrated. What was once a modest home was now only a burning reminder—blackened and collapsing. Sirens blared suddenly, overpowering the sound of the blaze and gaining momentum as emergency vehicles barreled down the otherwise quiet street to 717 Maple Road. Two fire trucks pulled up along the curb in front of the burning home and several firefighters jumped out. Each moved effortlessly to their duties. A hydrant was attached to the oversized hoses and two firefighters began to douse the structure from each corner to contain it. Water sprayed out in an arc, shooting directly into the inferno as the men held firm and battled the blaze.

Two neighbors hesitantly stepped from their driveways, one with a cell phone in hand, daring to move into the street to gain a better view. “Take the back fence area!” yelled Captain Steve Landers. His concern was making sure the fire didn’t ignite the fence or any large pine trees, or jump to any nearby homes. “Sir, radio from dispatch,” said one of the firefighters, approaching him with a radio. Captain Landers took it. “Landers.” He paused. “I see. Thank you.” He handed the radio back. He had been informed that the house was empty and had been for several months. It raised some red flags for him—could this be a homeowner’s attempt to collect insurance? He noticed two Pine Valley Sheriff’s Department cruisers had been dispatched and had pulled up a few houses down. This was the usual procedure as a precaution to help with the perimeter detail or keep bystanders back until the blaze was under control. The wind changed direction and black smoke began to waft down the street, causing any curious neighbors to retreat back inside the safety of their homes. The flames were finally settling down and the fire crew had it under control—it would soon be safe for them to enter the premises to continue the fire protocol.

Captain Landers had a gut feeling, which made him want to accompany two of his firefighters into what remained of the house. He had been with Pine Valley Fire Department for twenty-four years and in that time had seen quite a variety of “accidents” that ended up being covers for intentionally set fires. Once the blaze had been extinguished enough, his firefighters moved to enter the house to search and continue to smother any new flames that popped up. Carrying an ax, Landers stepped over the broken window glass and then over the threshold, which had once been the front door but now was just a burned-out opening. He immediately scanned left to right as his crew tended to various small fires. There was nothing left. No signs of furniture, personal items, and most importantly—no bodies. It was just as he had been told—an empty rental house waiting for new tenants. Moving throughout the structure with his mask on, he eyed anything that might represent where the fire had started. No signs of accelerants. No obvious loose wiring. Or a problem with the incoming gas line in the kitchen. Nothing caught his attention. One of his men approached him. “Sir,” he said, his voice muffled through his face mask, “you need to see something.” “What is it?” “I just… you just need to see…” “Where is it?”

“Down in the basement.” The firefighter turned and led the captain toward the far end of the house. The captain stepped over burned-down beams and pieces of hot wreckage. Thoughts of how the fire had started still propelled through his mind; some type of clever incendiary device, or a dozen burning candles set up with a pack of matches? He reached the basement entrance. The door had burned away almost completely and the remaining hinges lay on the charred floor, but the steps were mostly intact and the fire hadn’t ravaged the area as much as the rest of the house. He went down the stairs behind his colleague. When he reached the bottom, he saw there were several support beams barely affected by the intense heat and flames. Some of the small windows looking out at the ground level were still intact. Obviously, the basement wasn’t the origin of the fire. The floor was mostly packed dirt with some cement blocks around the perimeter. There were strange vertical gouges along one of the wood-faced walls. He was curious as to why he had been summoned to the basement. He soon got his answer as the firefighter pointed at the floor area in the farthest corner. “What’s up?” the captain asked. “I came down to inspect the support beams and to look for any signs of how the fire might have originated… and… I saw… this…” Captain Landers focused his attention on the floor. There was still smoke in the air, obscuring his vision. He took a moment to focus and gain his bearings. There was an area where the packed dirt had been disturbed—he was unable to tell if it was recent or not. The surrounding cinderblocks weren’t charred and appeared to be in their appropriate places. A wall nearby had some structural damage not caused by the fire. The dirt of the floor had been trampled by numerous footprints. Some were recent and some had been made over time, muddling the impressions into almost a hieroglyphic pattern. More tracks were to be seen in the area nearest the wall and in the far corner. In the area of question there was a slight rise to the ground, a mound that caught his attention. It appeared to be some strange rocks or dried driftwood protruding straight up from the earth.

The captain bent over and gently brushed some of the loose soil with his heavy glove. He still wasn’t sure what he was seeing—he continued to clear away the loose dirt. The more he saw, the faster he wiped the dirt away. Until he saw a single bony finger poking up, almost as if it were trying to capture someone’s attention. It was an eerie summons from the dead. The firefighter that had brought this to his attention stood quietly—watching. The captain stood up straight, sucked in a breath, unable to tear his eyes away from those three small bones. He had seen his fair share of burned bodies, limbs curled beyond recognition, but nothing like this. He slowly bent down again and continued to dust away some more of the loose dirt, his hand shaking. He still hoped that there was some logical explanation and he had been mistaken. He spent another minute slowly uncovering a skeletal arm, which had the badly decomposed remains of a navy shirt. His heart sank. His pulse quickened. His mind raced. He stood up abruptly. “Step away from this area—carefully. It’s now a crime scene. We need to call the police and detectives now—and alert the arson investigator on duty.” The firefighter immediately retraced his path to the stairs and took the basement steps two at a time before disappearing. Captain Landers remained for a moment standing over the remains, unable to pry his eyes away—giving his respects. He stared at a plain gold wedding band that still remained on the skeleton’s ring finger.

About the Author

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and USA Today Best Selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. Her latest book is the crime thriller, Three Small Bones. You can visit her website at www.AuthorJenniferChase.com or connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.

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