Book three in my Rise and Fall of Skye Wright series! In this excerpt, Skye takes the pugs Juan and Juanita on a walk so they can visit their original owner.

You can find the Skye Wright series here. This is an ongoing series with book four, Nobody’s Hero, coming out later this year!

    The day could not decide if it wanted to be windy or not. Long gusts would kick up, causing Skye’s hair to whip around her face, and then the wind would die out suddenly, making her wild hair to flop down onto her shoulders. The sun kept peeking in and out from behind passing clouds, warming her up and then cooling her down.
    Skye walked up and down the gently sloping hills of Sunset View Memorial Cemetery. She was taking Juan and Juanita on a long and slow walk around the thin roads that divided various sections of the expansive graveyard. Looking around, she could not see anyone else among the sloping hills and grave markers.
     She looked down at her outfit. She had forgone the band shirts for a plain black turtleneck and a pair of plain slacks rather than her standard jeans or Dickies work pants.
     Her cell phone buzzed.
     It was a text from Molly. “We still doing garage sales tomorrow?”
     “Hell yeah!” texted back Skye.
     Before she could put her phone back in her pocket it buzzed again.
     This time it was her band manager Tandasil.
     “Make sure everyone has the tour itinerary before this weekend.”
     “Yeah yeah I’m on it.”
     “And on time at the airport.”
     “Yes boss.”
     Pocketing her cell once again, Skye looked up at the old mausoleums as she walked the pugs.
     Another buzz.
     “You and Miranda still coming over on Thursday night to work out new stuff?”
     “Yes Miss Annie. Miranda and I will be there.”
     “Don’t be late. Wear something slutty.”
     Skye did a double take to make sure she had not missed any new texts before putting her cell away yet again.
     The pugs kept stopping to sniff random parts of the ground as Skye turned onto one specific lawn to walk along a row of grave markers. After much stopping and starting, they finally made it to the brand new grave marker.
     She looked over the spot, noting how much the dirt had settled.
     Skye knelt, picking up Juanita and cradling her in her lap.
     “Hey Maria. I brought your babies today. My friend Shake has been watching them when I’m out of town.” Skye held Juanita closer. “She treats them really well. She spoils them actually, and I have to pick on her not to give them so many treats.”
     Skye put down Juanita and put her hand down on the ground. “Don’t worry. Shake is really good people. I know she looks like a crazy punk. Well, she is a crazy punk, but she’s still good people. She’ll take really good care of your babies.”
     She leaned into the ground. “I’m still trying to find your relatives. I’m sorry I couldn’t get any of them here in time for your service.”
     Skye was quiet for a moment. The pugs’ heads darted around, looking around the deserted cemetery, as Skye remained still for a few moments.
     “I’m so sorry Maria,” said Skye as her vision started to blur. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t do more for you. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a nicer place to live. I’m sorry I couldn’t get your peoples out here for your final goodbye.”
     Skye looked straight down into the ground, her hair covering her face.
     She stood up. She looked down at Juan and Juanita. She thought about how they always seemed to be looking for their Maria, how they always seemed a bit too nervous and a bit lost since the only owner they had ever known was gone.
     It was Juan and Juanita who let Skye know something was wrong, that morning when she saw them frantically pawing at the windows, barking and wining with wide, panicked eyes. Skye remembered how hard her heart had been beating when she knocked on the door, calling out Maria’s name. She finally let herself into the apartment she had rented for her, the extra place she went out of her way to pay for so Maria would no longer have to live in her car, so her former and once-again neighbor would not have to be homeless any longer.
     She had called 911, but by the time Skye had found her it was already too late.
     Standing up and walking back to her car, Skye’s skin bristled as looked down at the slowly trotting Juan and Juanita. She wished she could spend more time with them.
     But her band was about to go on a long tour across the country.
     She felt the pull of guilt as she walked back to the car, pulling the pugs along, away from Maria’s final resting place.

     “Dog park. Tomorrow, so you can play with your friends,” said Skye as she herded Juan and Juanita out of her car and untangled their leashes, yet again.
     Skye and the pugs walked up to the storage place. Skye brushed back her mane of tangled black hair as she mentally ran down all of her chores and meetings and other to-do list items before her band followed rising punk star Gail Burp on her latest tour, which was kicking off that weekend.
     Skye brought herself back to the moment by thinking about her next walk with the pugs. She would take the little library route. Skye was in the mood to scrounge up more books so she would have something to read for the upcoming plane, bus, and van rides.
     Walking through the gate of the storage facility, she stopped when she saw a pair of police officers walking down the stairs from her place.
     Skye stopped in the parking lot as the pugs hopped up and down with the approach of the officers.
     “Are you miss Wright?” asked a short and stocky police officer with a neatly trimmed mustache.
     Skye tilted her head and looked at the officer with suspicious eyes. “What’s going on?” she asked cautiously.
     “Are you in a band?” asked the tall and slim officer with an unreasonably competent haircut.
     “Why do you ask?”
     The officers looked at each other and then looked back at Skye. “We caught some people climbing over the fence here. They claimed they were… fans of yours?”
     “Get the fuck out. Really?”
     “Yes, something about some… dynamite women or something like that?”
     Skye let out a long sigh as she unbunched her shoulders. “I’m a guitar player for The Dynamite Chicks.”
     The police offices exchanged looks again. “Well, okay, the two apparently didn’t try to break into any of the storage units, so if this really checks out then we might be persuaded to charge them with just trespassing.”
     “Should I call my manager?”
     Short and stocky shrugged. “Naw. I mean, if their story checks out…”
     Tall and slim showed short and stocky his smartphone. Short and stocky raised his eyebrows.
     “Okay, yeah. You really are in that band.”
     “You really gotta nail those fools that climbed over the fence?” asked Skye
     Tall and slim nodded. “This is a storage facility. Usually it’s people trying to break into the units or rip off tools from the yard.”
     Skye talked to them for a few more minutes, giving them her information and pointing out her apartment.
     “Okay, I gotta ask, if you’re such a big rock star then why you livin’ here? I mean, ain’t you got enough to get a real home?”
     “Well, I’m not really a rock star. My band’s doing really well now, but who knows if we’re even going to be together next year.”
     The cop raised his eyebrows. “Lady, you got people trying to break into your place to see you. I’m thinking your band must be doing pretty damn good if that’s happening.”
     “Right. You can tell everyone you met the famous Skye Wright.”
     “I’ll ask my kids. ‘Cause I never heard a’ ya.”
     “Sure. If they listen to punk and hard rock they might’ve heard of us. I mean, we’re not like Rolling Stones famous or anything.”
     Short and stocky pointed at her. “Now there’s a good band! You should cover one of their songs.”
     “We just might.”
     “Really?” asked the cop with a skeptical look.
     “Sure. I tell the crowd a cop picked out the song!”