Here is just a small sample from the first page from The Critchfield Locket:
Kate tried to put the grueling work week behind her as she walked downtown. Determined to relax over the weekend, she let out a large sigh as she made her way to the Main Street Antiquities Shoppe. Upon entering, she was immediately assailed by the dusty smell that often clung to old things. She slowly wound her way through the clothing racks and furniture pieces until she was came across a glass display case full of jewelry.
An elderly woman with a warm smile greeted her from the other side of the case. “Is there something I can help you find?”
Kate pushed an errant strand of hair behind her ear while absent mindedly chewing her lower lip. “I’m not sure. I’m looking for a wedding gift for my cousin. She’s somewhat traditional and I thought it would be neat to get her the ‘something old’ for her to wear.”
The shopkeeper patiently pulled items from the case as Kate pointed them out to her. She found herself quickly getting discouraged as none of them really grabbed her attention. She thanked the woman for her time and turned to leave the shop. She had taken only a few steps when the shopkeeper asked her to wait. “I have one more piece I would like for you to see. I recently acquired it from an estate sale and I think it would do nicely. I’ll just be a moment.”
Kate nodded as the woman headed through a set of curtains to what she assumed was the store’s backroom. She began to look at a few of the dresses on the rack closest to her when she heard the shopkeeper politely clear her throat. She turned to see the woman gently lay something down on the glass counter. Intrigued, she quickly moved to see what it was and found herself gazing upon a lovely gold locket. She picked it up, studying the details of the piece. It was round with flowers on the outside. The locket itself was affixed to the center of the chain which was interspersed with pearls.
Kate could hardly contain her excitement. “This is just what I had in mind!” She gently pushed her thumbnail into the crevice and opened the locket.
