The missing morrow, p.1
The Missing Morrow, page 1
The Missing Morrow
Miss Fortune World: SS Beauty, Volume 14
Kamaryn Kelsey
Published by J&R Fan Fiction, 2018.
Copyright © 2018 by Kamaryn Kelsey
All rights reserved.
This story is based on a series created by Jana DeLeon. The author of this story has the contractual rights to create stories using the Miss Fortune world. Any unauthorized use of the Miss Fortune world for story creation is a violation of copyright law.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author and the publisher, J&R Fan Fiction, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Also by Kamaryn Kelsey
Mercy on the Bayou
Sour Honey
Miss Fortune World
The Identity Inquiry
Catch a Falling Spy
The Treasured Letter
Miss Fortune World: Mercy on the Bayou
Wrong Turn
Shot in the Park
Spare Ribs and Cold Cuts
Miss Fortune World: SS Beauty
On The Bayou
Bound For Hell
In The Shadow
Fast and Blue
Adventures In Babysitting
Down On The Vegas Strip
On The Mountain Of Hope
In-Laws, Outlaws, and Uninvited Guests
When Worlds Collide
On The Wagon
Snapped, Cracked, and Popped
City Girls Don't Camp
It's All Relative
The Missing Morrow
Boot Camp Beauty
Miss Fortune World: Wholly Moses!
Murphy's Flaws
Up In Smoke
Filthy Stinking Rich
Mo's Motel
Cast and Catch a Fortune
Dubious Deliveries
Dirty Deeds
Triple Threat
Pandora's Shoebox
Oh, Shoot!
The Murphy Girls
Tricks and Trouble
Hit the Road, Jo!
Out of the Storm
PB & J
Pary Barry & John- The New Neighbor
Pary Barry & John- Who Can You Trust?
Pary Barry & John- The New Job
Pary Barry & John- Partners
Pary Barry & John- The Team
Pary Barry & John- The Body Drop
Pary Barry & John- Now We're Cooking
Pary Barry & John- Running Away
Pary Barry & John- Life's Lessons
Pary Barry & John- Pigmalion
Pary Barry & John- He Says, She Says
Pary Barry & John- Who's That Girl?
Pary Barry & John- The Ex Games
Pary Barry & John- The PJ's/ Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Cookbooks and Crooks
Pary Barry & John- Targeted (#6) & BLT (#7)
Pary Barry & John- The Honeymoon (#17) & Designer Family (#18)
Standalone
Introduced by Karma
Crazy Like Me
I Love You- What's Your Name?
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Also By Kamaryn Kelsey
The Missing Morrow (Miss Fortune World: SS Beauty)
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Epilogue
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Author's note:
This is Book 14 in the SS Beauty series and is not intended to standalone.
This is a work of fiction. Other than Jana DeLeon's original story elements, the characters and names are creations of the author's imagination.
The series is not about Fortune Redding, Sinful, and the Swamp Team. SS Beauty is Sandy-Sue Morrow and the series is about her and the life she makes for herself. She tires of her European vacation and comes home early, to Morrow's dismay. Wondering about her inheritance in Sinful, she takes a bus trip to check it out. Morrow sends Matt Meadows, who has done security work for him in the past, to keep an eye on her and to keep her from crossing paths with Fortune, and blowing Fortune's cover.
At this point in her life, Sandy-Sue decides she's leaving the past behind, along with her name. She shortens it to Sady (sometimes she uses Sassafras or Sassy, the name she first gave Matt in book one of the series.) I took the liberty of giving Morrow a first name, John, since he makes appearances throughout the series and it didn't make sense for Sady to refer to him as Uncle Morrow.
After the adventure in Louisiana, Morrow sends Sady to work for two former operatives, now retired and operating their own business, Knight Investigations in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Harry and CJ Knight are a husband and wife team.
Amanda Keller, saucy and smart mouthed neighbor, soon becomes Sady's best friend. She likes to give Matt a hard time about anything and everything. After losing her job at the university, she joins the investigation company.
Matt Meadows, Sady's love interest in the series, has stayed in Michigan. After Morrow repeatedly sends him back to Michigan to keep on eye on his niece, he realizes it will continue, so he makes the move as well.
Character descriptions:
Sady Morrow- Tall, slender, with long brown hair and big brown eyes. She often uses beauty pageant skills on the job. At this point in her life she is sweet, and sometimes goofy. However, she's intelligent and can been tough, when necessary.
Matt Meadows- Tall, dark, and handsome. He has blue eyes and unshaven stubble. Hence, Amanda's nicknames for him, Stubbles or Blue Eyes. Frequently grumpy because of Amanda's constant picking. Matt sometimes uses Sady's pet name, Sassafras.
Amanda Keller- Short, full-figured, black, and beautiful. She grew up in an exclusive suburb of Detroit. She has a smart mouth, a high tolerance for alcohol, and a full social dating calendar. She likes handsome men and isn't shy about saying so.
CJ Knight- Short in stature, with clipped gray hair, green eyes, and an even shorter fuse. CJ is impatient and lethal with her hands. Even though she's small, she keeps them all in line.
Harry Knight- Hot dang handsome with light blue eyes, a stunning white smile, and good build. Amanda calls him Handsome, and he is- even though he is bald. Harry looks out for his team and plays the big brother/ father to Sady.
The stories behind the supporting characters are developed throughout the series.
Chapter 1
"Psst!" Sady poked Matt in the arm. "Are you awake?"
He mumbled, and she rested her chin on his chest so they were face to face. Then he grinned without opening his eyes. "What is it, Sassafras?" he asked, putting an arm around her to pull her close.
"You don't think I sold myself cheap- just for a truck, do you?" she asked, running a finger down his jaw.
"Hell, Sady. I now own the most valuable truck in the world," he responded, grabbing her hand as she trailed it down his neck. He lifted her hand and held it against his cheek with a smile. "If I'd known the truck keys were also the keys to your heart, I'd have given you a key the day I bought it."
"You're a terrible liar," she teased. "But a good flatterer."
"Is it working?" He cracked his blue eyes and closed them again. "Never mind. Just show me again how much you love my truck."
"The truck was just an excuse, Matt Meadows," she whispered.
"Now you tell me?" he asked with a mock sigh. "Does this mean I get the keys back?" When Sady kissed him, he breathed, "Forget the keys..."
***
"I'm coming," Matt yelled down the hall as he pulled on a T-shirt over his jeans. "Amanda, if that's you, I'm shoving you down the elevator shaft!" He whipped open the front door and stepped back in surprise. "John! What are you doing here?"
"Who is it, Matt?" Sady asked, hopping down the hall from his room, wearing one of his T-shirts over her pajama shorts. "Uncle John! When did you get here?" she asked, running to give him a hug.
"I was thinking of asking the same thing," he said as he hugged his niece and gave Matt a lethal stare.
"You can't kill him," Sady told her uncle, "or you'll have to leave." She tugged him by the hand to the living room before pushing him onto the couch. "Are you hungry? I can fix you something," she offered.
"I lost my appetite," John scowled.
"How did you get in the building?" Matt asked, returning the look.
"The same way your mom got in. He's on my list of approved guests," Sady told Matt.
"Which works- if the security guard knows you're home, or should I say which home you're in," John told her as he studied Matt in a calculating manner. Then, sounding offended, he added, "I had to have him call Amanda to get in!"
"That explains the bad mood," Matt muttered, and Sady bit back a smile.
"I'm sorry, Uncle John," she apologized. "This was kind of sudden." John's brows went up, and Sady gave him a grin. "You know what I mean. Giving up my apartment."
John rubbed his forehead and looked at his only niece. She was no longer the cute little girl with big brown eyes and long braided hair, or the leggy teen who blossomed into a beauty queen. Leaning over the chair b ehind Matt, with her arms around him, John realized she was a grown woman who no longer needed his protection. It was a bittersweet moment, but he knew the man who put that smile on her face would take good care of her. Because if he didn't...
The sound of a key in the lock interrupted them, and Matt yelled, "No one's home, Amanda." The door crashed open, and Amanda marched in. "You do that one more time and I'll have you arrested," Matt threatened.
Amanda gave a sniff of disdain. "I'm not here to see you, Stubbles. " Matt smirked, and John turned pale when Amanda parked herself next to him. "I just want Uncle Sam to know none of this is my fault," she said, giving Matt a dirty look. "He took advantage of me behind my back and moved her in before I could stop him," she told John. Even Sady smiled while Matt and John laughed out loud.
"Tell us another one, Amanda," Matt suggested. "You're on a roll this morning."
Amanda turned an evil eye on Matt, then patted John's knee comfortingly, leaving her hand there and giving his knee an occasional squeeze. John turned red and tried to move away. "Don't worry, I'll keep him in line. If he breaks her heart, you won't need to send an assassin. I'll even take care of the body disposal," Amanda offered.
Matt turned to Sady. "Are you going to let her talk to me that way?"
She smiled and said, "I can't stop her any more than I can stop you. Now shut up and let's see why my uncle made the trip all the way to Michigan."
"I brought something for you, Sady." John opened his briefcase and handed her a package. She unwrapped the brown paper and looked at the small oil painting.
"Thanks, Uncle John... uhm, it's nice isn't it, Matt?" Sady handed the painting to him. He coughed and passed it to Amanda. She tipped it different ways and gave John a skeptical look from the corner of her eyes.
"What is it?" she asked bluntly, not afraid to vocalize what Matt and Sady wondered as well.
John grabbed the painting, flipped it around, and snapped, "It's a Morrow!"
"What's a Morrow?" Amanda laughed.
"It's a valuable piece of art."
"Aw, Uncle Sam... is this something you did in grade school? Look Sady, I think he painted a boat," Amanda said, taking the painting and spinning it again. "Or maybe it's a tree."
"A boat... a TREE?" John yelled, outraged. Then he cleared his throat and apologized for the outburst. "It's not a boat or a tree, and I didn't paint it. My father- Sady's grandfather- did."
"Really?" Sady asked moving to sit on his other side. "I never knew him, and Mom didn't talk about him very often. Was he an artist?"
John finally smiled and handed the picture to her again. "He didn't consider himself an artist, but more of a dabbler."
"He had the first part right! I'd have said he was a scribbler," Amanda hissed to Matt. "Hey, I'm allowed to be an art critic," she said defensively when Morrow glared at her.
"Charles Morrow didn't get recognition for his work until after his death," John continued with a frown that dared Amanda to interrupt again. She sat back with a smile and waved for him to continue.
"A few of his works gained critical acclaim over the years, but in the last decade the value of his paintings has skyrocketed as collectors gained interest. A couple of his paintings are on display at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan," he said proudly.
"And you brought this for me?" Sady asked, wrapping his arm in hers. "Uncle John, that's so sweet of you!"
"That's debatable," Amanda said under her breath to Matt. He grinned but kept his mouth shut. He didn't need John breathing down his neck for this too.
"Is it valuable?" Sady asked. "I'm afraid to put it up in case something happens to it."
John ignored Amanda's mumbled, "Too late."
He smiled at Sady and said, "You do whatever you want with it. If you want to sell it, make sure you get it appraised first."
Sady hugged the painting to her chest and shook her head. "It's not for sale. This is a piece of my heritage." Then she embarrassed him by squeezing him tight and kissing his cheek. Matt chuckled because the old boy wasn't just uncomfortable, he was pleased.
"How long are you staying, John?" Matt asked.
John rubbed his neck. "I'm on my way to a meeting on the West Coast, so this wasn't much of a detour. I'm afraid I can't linger." He stood and headed to the door. "Uh, is this where I can expect to find you the next time I visit, Sady?"
Amanda made a noise of protest, and Sady nodded with a smile. John caught Matt's eye and held it for a minute, while Matt met his gaze evenly. Satisfied for the moment, John opened the door.
"Ooh, I'll take the elevator with you," Amanda offered. She grabbed his arm, leaving him no choice.
"Remind me to get the lock changed," Matt told Sady when their unexpected company left. He stood by her to look at the picture. "What do you suppose it is?"
Sady turned it every way, then shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted. "But I didn't want to hurt his feelings. Have you ever seen anything so ugly? Matt, I wouldn't hang this in a closet!"
Matt cooked breakfast while Sady showered. "It smells good," she said from the doorway. "Did your mom teach you to cook?"
He gave her a warning glance, and she giggled. "How are your parents, anyway?"
"Check my phone," he suggested. "Mom's making Dad take her on his fishing trips. Once word of that gets to the other wives, it won't be the men's weekend out- it will be the couple's weekend out."
Sady laughed at the picture Ellen sent. She held a big fish and her husband, Paul, stood by her side looking proud. "Your mom pulled that one in? Good for her! It doesn't look like your dad minds at all."
"He doesn't, unless you ask. Then he'll complain because he's a Meadows, but he doesn't mean it."
"Is that an admission of guilt?" she asked.
"Just a warning," he replied. "I hope you remember I'm a lot like my dad."
Sady pursed her lips. "You do complain a lot."
He angled his head. "No, the point I'm trying to make is I don't mean it."
"I'll try to remember," she said as he handed her a plate. They sat at the table to eat, and Sady realized the ugly picture stared at her from its position on the kitchen counter. "Did you put that in here?" she asked.
Matt cocked his head as he gazed at the picture. "I thought if I stared at it across the room with my eyes crossed I could make out what it's supposed to be."
"Did you figure it out?"
"Yep!" he announced, then continued eating.
"Oh, come on! It's killing me," she begged.
"It's damn ugly," he replied with a snort, while she scolded him.
"Maybe you have to be drunk to see the picture," Sady said as she tilted her head. "Or not. I think you're right! It's too bad my grandfather painted it," she sighed. "It's one of those things you don't mind re-gifting to the couple who throws a huge wedding for their third marriage."
A knock at the door interrupted their breakfast. "Your turn," Matt said. "I already took one bad call this morning."
"Be nice," Sady advised as she got up from the table. She opened the door, surprised to see another tenant of the building, Kristen Davis, with two of her children.
"Aunt Sady!" Six-year-old Argus yelled, rushing to give her a hug. His four-year-old sister, Beatrice or Bea, held out her arms for Sady to hold her. Sady smiled and hugged the kids, then noticed the worry on their mother's face.
Setting Bea down, she said, "Why don't you go see Uncle Matt? He's in the kitchen eating..." The kids tore past Sady on their way to see Matt. Uncle Matt fed them things their mother didn't know about.
"Kristen, what's wrong?" Sady asked, concerned at tears in her eyes.
"It's Harris. He's in the hospital with pneumonia, my husband's out of town, and my sister can't get here until tomorrow..."
Sady took her arm and pulled her into the apartment. "Kristen, we'll watch them while you go stay with Harris." Harris was the Davis' family baby, less than a year old. "Do you have a spare key so we can get what the kids need from your apartment?"
Sady took the key Kristen held out and said, "Go give them a hug, then get to the hospital. We'll be fine, so don't worry!"
If it wasn't so serious she would have laughed at the look on Matt's face. Argus sat in her chair eating her breakfast, and Bea sat on Matt's lap picking food off his plate. The fact that Kristen didn't comment on their food spoke as to her state of mind. The fact that she didn't talk at all said even more. Kristen had a marathon mouth, but worry about her baby kept her from lingering. A hug for her kids, a quick thanks to Sady, and she was out the door.
