Sheriff Sam Winslow - Exposure, a Coyote Canyon Mystery

 

Sam Winslow, the main character of my new novel, Exposure, a Coyote Canyon Mystery. At age 27, he’s the youngest sheriff ever elected in Colorado. Sam decided on a career in law enforcement by following in his father's footsteps. George Winslow retired from the Colorado State Patrol and now lives in Arizona with Sam’s mother, Ellen.

While earning a degree in law enforcement, Sam first worked for a short time as a hospital security guard, then for the college police department before being hired as a supervisor at the Eagle Mountain Ski Resort in Coyote Canyon. From there, he ran for sheriff and was elected. He is well respected by his deputies and staff.

Sam lives in his childhood home on a mountain overlooking Coyote Canyon.

 

Excerpt from Exposure:

“Do you know Richard Lucero?” Sam asked. He got a whiff of Sheehan’s foul body odor and took a step back.

Sheehan lit a cigarette. “He was a prick and a jerk. Always sticking his nose in where it didn’t belong. He’s dead, right?”

“He is.”

“We worked together here in town and back in Placerville. What about him?” He blew some out.

“I understand he got you the job at Outfitters. Is that right?”

Sheehan took another drag from the cigarette, then turned his head to blow the smoke out. “Yeah.”

“I also understand you two had an argument before his accident. What was that about?” Sam asked.

“Oh, it was nothing. Just something about a guided trip. He thought I’d scalped a customer from him, but the guy had asked for me. We worked it out.” Sheehan took another draw from this cigarette.

“That’s not the way I heard it,” Sam said.

Sheehan stood straighter. “Just who the hell said different?”

“You’ve been in enough trouble to know that I can’t tell you that.”

“You’ve checked me out? You think I had something to do with Rick’s murder, don’t you? We’re done talking.” He turned toward the door.

“Who said it was murder?” Sam asked.

Sheehan stopped and turned back. “Everyone in town is saying he was murdered, but I didn’t do it. I had nothing to do with it.”

“Where were you that night?”

“When did it happen?” Sheehan flicked his half-smoked cigarette out into the yard.

Sam looked at where the cigarette landed, then turned back. “Saturday night, April 7.”

After thinking for several seconds, Sheehan said, “I was at a bar in Cooke.”

Sam took a small notebook out and jotted down a note. “Where do you work?”

“I’m a night janitor at Eagle Mountain Resort.” Sheehan took a step to the edge of the porch to spit.

“Do you know anyone who would want to do harm to Lucero?”

“Nope.” He walked back in front of his door.

“I may have more questions for you later. Thanks for talking with me.”

“Whatever,” Sheehan said, going back into the house.

Sam walked back to his SUV. But first, he stopped in the yard to step on the smoldering cigarette that Sheehan had discarded. 

 

Buy Exposure at Amazon 

Carol 

 

Forest Service Ranger Drew Collins - Exposure, a Coyote Canyon Mystery

 

Today, I’d like to introduce you to Forest Service Ranger, Drew Collins from my Coyote Canyon Mystery Series. Drew appears in the first book, Exposure, and will also be in subsequent books in the series.

Drew is thirty years old, has brown hair, brown eyes, and in the cooler months sports a neatly trimmed beard. He's single, but is interested in dating Jan, one of the baristas at the Java Bar Coffee Shop. His job requires him to be in good physical condition, so he’s slender, but muscular in build. He enjoys hiking and rock climbing in the mountains where he works. After graduating from college with a degree in environmental studies, he started working for the Forest Service and has been a ranger for eight years. He’s been assigned to the San Juan Mountains district, which includes Coyote Canyon, for two years.

 

Excerpt from Exposure:

“Come on. I’ll show you where the body was found,” Sam told Drew.

After they locked the gate to the mine, Drew smoothed the dirt underneath it. “If we come back up here and the dirt is disturbed, we’ll know someone else has been here. I’m also going to see about getting a more secure gate up here, too.”

The two men walked only a few yards before Sam stopped, peering over the edge of the cliff. “Down there is where the body was found,” Sam said.

Drew looked over the cliff also, then started to take a rope and harness out of his pack.

“Are you going down there?” Sam asked.

“Yes. It’s the best way to document the location.”

“I have photos of the body laying down there. I can have Emma send them to your phone.” Sam took his cell phone out and started typing.

A few minutes later, Drew’s phone dinged. He looked at the screen. “That’ll help. Are you going to join me?”

“I don’t know how to rappel or climb,” Sam said.

"I'd be glad to teach you sometime," Drew said, as he went over the edge of the cliff. 

 

Buy Exposure now on Amazon

Carol 

 

Imaginarium 2025

I had a wonderful time at the Imaginarium Convention over the weekend in Louisville, Kentucky. It was so great to see so many of my friends in person that I usually only get to see once a year at this convention. I met lots of new people, but missed the ones that weren't able to attend it this year. I sold some books, participated on panels, and attended a few, too. Unfortunately, I didn't win anything at the Awards Banquet this year, but it was not a surprise for me. The screenwriting competition was so good. Congratulations to the winners. Most of the are friends.

Other than my car getting damaged when I hit a pothole in the rain, the convention was as great as usual and I can't wait for next year's to roll around.

Carol 

 

 Author Carma Shoemaker and I. We've been friends for over 20 years, first meeting online.

 

 

Deputy Sheriff Emma Long - Exposure, a Coyote Canyon Mystery

 

Today's character from Exposure is Deputy Sheriff Emma Long. 

Deputy Emma Long, age 28, is Sam’s second in command, a former Marine MP, and gay. She’s been with the Sheriff’s Department for four years. Her life partner is Leslie Dunbar, a paramedic with the Coyote Canyon Fire Department.

Emma loves to keep in shape by going to the gym regularly. She’s an expert in hand-to-hand combat, is a sharpshooter, and enjoys kickboxing. She’s an excellent deputy and the one that Sam hopes will succeed him as sheriff someday. Originally from Denver, she moved to Colorado after leaving the Marines to become a deputy with the Sheriff’s Department, prior to Sam becoming sheriff.

 

Excerpt from Exposure:

        Sam turned to Emma and Mitch. “What do we know about our victim?”

“His name is Richard Lucero, age twenty-seven, from Placerville,” Emma said. “From what I could find online, he’s been an outdoor guide for a company there for six years.”

“Dr. Hill said she’d do the autopsy this afternoon, and that he’d probably been dead for twelve to eighteen hours. That puts the time of death before sunset yesterday,” Sam said. “Will one of you call the Placerville PD and see if they know him and could notify his next of kin?”

Mitch let out a long yawn.

“You both look like hell. After you make the call, go home and get some sleep. Be back here in the morning. I’ll have dispatch call in some reserve officers to fill in today.”

“You need to do the same thing, Sam. You look as bad as we feel,” Emma said. “We’ll all work better on this after we get some sleep.”

 

You can get Exposure in e-book or paperback at Amazon.

Carol