Escaping Toward Freedom Mystery

Live Escaping Toward Freedom mystery book reading by the book's author Denise Turney. Discover more about this mystery story set in the North Georgia mountains. Enjoy this special live Off The Shelf Books reading! Share with book lovers everywhere!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to the winning literary show Off the Shelf
Books Talk Radio Live with host Denise Turney, author of
the books Long Walk Up, Portia, Love for Over Me,
Spiral Love Has Many Faces, and Rosetta's Great Hope. Turn
up your dial and get ready for a blast of
feature author interviews, four one one on book festivals, writing conferences,

(00:23):
and so much more. Ready, let's go, let's go.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Welcome to today's Off the Shelf Books podcasting. It is February fifteenth,
twenty twenty five. You guys, we are halfway through February.
Oh my goodness, and yesterday was Valentine's Day. I hope
you were celebrated like the superstar you are yesterday, whether
there's somebody else to express their adoration to you for you,

(00:48):
or you showed yourself that appreciation. And even if somebody
else did, I hope you also took time out to
just give yourself a special treat a bubblebab me, listening
to Jack, taking a bike ride, something you like to do,
reading a book you love, talking about books. On today's
Off the Shelf, I'm actually going to do a live

(01:11):
reading from one of my mysteries. When I started writing
and I published my first book in July nineteen ninety eight, Portie,
which is an inspirational story about a woman attorney living
in Chicago. But I never thought I would write mysteries,
you all, But this is another mystery I wrote, Escaping

(01:32):
Toward Freedom. I also write nonfiction and I'm working on
my third book in a middle school series on miss
Roads at All Play. But today I want to do
a reading from Escaping Toward Freedom. You can find out
more about Escaping Toward Freedom and read free x at
my website, and I love for you to visit me there.

(01:53):
It's www dot cistel c his te l l dot
com and c chis te l l dot com. You
can hop over there and check out their website while
you listen to me, treat you to this book reading
from Escaping Toward Freedom by yours truly, Denise Turning. That's

(02:17):
when she heard it again, a thump followed by the
thud of footsteps. She froze. She listened, wondering if the
noise was coming from the porch. Oh, and I'm midway through,
like the early part the first or second chapter of
the book, so I'm not starting at the very beginning

(02:38):
the thuds grew louder came faster, pressing her ear to
the door, she knew that whatever was creating the noise
sounded large enough to be a bear cup. Yeah, she
couldn't get the van out of her thoughts, and she
knew that the broken basement window had not been caused
by a bear cup. She didn't wait. She ran through
the dining room, into the living room and up the

(02:59):
s a Her heart didn't stop racing. Intention yanked her
gun out of her book back. She thought about calling
her sister April, but decided against it. Certain that she
didn't have time to make a phone call. I ran
down the stairs. She ran to the back door. This time,
when she looked through the door window, she swore that
she saw what looked like a little girl crouched crouching

(03:20):
next to her camera that was parked at the edge
of the backyard. From where she stood looking out the window,
the girl looked unkempt and lost her curled back. The
way that she folded her arms across her chest, as
if protecting something delicate and valuable, revealed that she was hiding.
Even from inside the cabin, Clarissa noticed that the girl

(03:42):
was shaking. She looked slight of build, like a fatigue
kid in her early teens. Knowing what it felt like
to be frightened, Carissa pulled up on her gun, then
she opened the back door. Before she went to a car,
she checked the other side of the cabin the area was.
Taking short, careful steps, Cliverssa approached her car from the

(04:05):
way that the girl was shaking. She knew that the
girl was alone. She wondered if the girl lived in
the area. The girl had been hiding. The girl hid
behind the camera with her arms wrapped around her tore
so she was peering at the ground and trembling uncontrollably.
I'm not going to hurt you, Clivisa said, extending her

(04:26):
hand even as she reached for the girl. Cliversas scanned
the area, looking toward the front, then the back of
the cabin. The girl recalled and leaned back closer to
the camera. Her fingernails, full mouth, diamond nosed stud and
penciled eyebrows hinted further that she was beyond middle school years.

(04:47):
Are you hungry? Clarissa tried, turning and looking over her
shoulder back of her cabin. Come aside. The girl pushed
up as if preparing to stand. Then she knelt toward
the ground again. This is my tab, Clarissa said, taking
hold of the girl's right forearm and helping her to stand.
I'm renting the cabin. The girl's eyes were dark brown

(05:08):
and full like London. Her wide eyed gaze darted from
side to side, something that she expected to be attacked. Struck,
it's just me, Clarissa said, I'm the only one at
the cabin. The girl, her footsteps short and slow, followed
Clarissa to the cabin's back towarch. It's okay, Clarissa said,
holding the back door open. Come on, She told the

(05:30):
girl it's okay. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you.
How old are you? She asked, after the girl followed
her Inside the kitchen, The cow seemed loft in the
catatonic stupor. She peered down at her hands, mud and
dirt stricken in her skin. Her eyes helped puls of tears.
How old are you, Clarissa tried again. Reaching in the

(05:51):
cupboard for a drinking glass, she went to the refrigerator
poured the girl a glass of water. Sixteen. The girl whispered,
getting Clarissa with an answer and the sound of her gentle,
trembling voice. She opened her hands and took the glass
of water. Clarissa swallowed hard. She struggled the disguise her
surprised that the girl flowed the appearance. Are you from

(06:13):
around here? She asked, turning and locking the door. Dread
of being watched, targeted overcame Clarissa. Before he knew it,
she was closing and locking the screen kitchen windows. She
walked through the entire house, closing and locking the windows. Finally,
she returned to the kitchen and looked through the back
door window. When she turned away from the door, she jumped.

(06:33):
The girl was standing so close to her that if
she turned any further, she would bump the girl. Clarisa
explored the girl's down turned face. She thought the girl
had the saddest eyes she ever seen. Her mouth was
poured down, her lower eyelids were darkened. She was overcome
with tremors, nearly losing control of the glass, now empty

(06:53):
of the water that she had drunk. Absent hesitation, Where
are you from, Clarissa asked, looking from the girl to
the empty glass. The girl lowered her head until her
chin touched her chest a second lady raising her head,
she looked at the glass, yellow daisies decorating its top edges. Then,
after taking in her breath, she bowed her head. You
can put the glass in the sink, Clarissa said. The

(07:17):
girl walked as if she was tired. After she placed
the glass in the sink, she turned her back pressed
against the sink edge, and she bowed her head. Would
you like something to eat? A sandwich free? Clivisa off it. Yes.
The girl nodded in jerky motions. She glanced up at Clarissa,
and just as quickly she looked at the floor. Clivisa

(07:40):
eyeballed the girl before she walked to the refrigerator and
opened the door one by one. She placed the bowl
of sliced pineapple, a pack of cherry vanilla yogurt, and
a plastic bag filled with thinly sliced smoke smoked turkey
on the table. Then she went to the counter on
the other side of the kitchen and picked up a
halfy loath of wheat bread, which she also placed on
the table. Take your choice, Clarissa's mouth. The girl looked

(08:02):
at Chrisca Clarissa, but didn't move. Do you like fruit? Yes?
Do you like pineapple? Critissa try. She held the bowl
of pineapple out to the girl, extending it as if
the fruit was a gift. Then she went to the
Sibyl war jorworer to the fork and gave it to
the girl. Let's sit down, Chrilissa said, pulling out a chair.
Seconds passed before the girl set in the chair across

(08:24):
from Clarissa. She shaked the pineapple with care, not the
least bit of paste. Clarissa watched the girl even silence
since she asked the question that she been wanting to
ask since she first saw the girl. What's your name? Tricia?
The girl whispered, put in another pineapple bite in her mouth.
Are you from around here? Tricia shook her head from

(08:46):
side to side. Where are you from, Crissa asked, watching
Tricia take the side of the fork and cut off
another bite of pineapple. Indianapolis. That's a long way from Georgia,
Clarissa said, Do you have family in Georgia? I didn't
get to Georgia because I wanted to visit family, said,
warming up to Clarissa. Can't be on my own yet

(09:09):
after finish high school. Second later, she chewed on her bottom,
lipping at it if I can. How did you get
to Georgia. I'm from Indianapolis, Sherisia repeated. Do you like
it here? Chrissa asked, trying to get Tricia to deal
more about herself. Chrisha leaned over the bowl of pineapple
and ate the remaining fruit fast. Then she looked at

(09:30):
Chrissa and asked, is there any more water? Help yourself?
Chlissa said, just get the glass out of sink and
pull yourself. Water the jug and refrigerated A sour, punging
odor stun Crivisa's nose when Tricia walked behind her, reaching
for the refrigerator door. That's when Chrissa saw how dirty
Trisa's spring dress was. The dress was a short sleeve

(09:50):
pink floor with a self tie belt and a wide
bottom that swayed when Trisha walked. The bosom are of
the dress was swarm fitting, and it spursed with the
floor pink were deep dirt and mud stains. How how
long you been out by the cabin just one other time,
Trisia said, lifting the water jug off the refrigerator shelf

(10:10):
and filling her glass. I apologize for hiding around your house.
She returned the jug to the shelf and closed the
refrigerator door. No apology needed, Chrisa said, looking at Tricia,
who was again sitting in a chair across from her.
This time, Tricia drank the water faster. Do you have
sisters and brothers? Yes, Trista toda, I have three sisters

(10:33):
and three brothers. I'm in the middle, she smiled for
the first time. Your sisters and brothers slipping Georgia, no,
Trisa said, shaking her head and standing. She went to
the sink and placed the glass inside. Told you I
don't have family in Georgia. Was it just washing liquid?
I watched the distance. Clissa toda No, Trisia trod. I
want to watch them. I made them dirty. Chlrissa looked

(10:54):
at Tricia for several seconds, at the dirt mud on
her dress, not the streaks of dirt on her face.
The dish washing liquid is in the drawer on the right.
The Georgia just blow the sink while Tricia washed. This
is Clarissa set in the kitchen chair, trying to get answers.
Do your parents have friends in Georgia. No, I don't
think so, Tricia said, placing the dishes and the disc
trainer at the side of the thing. My family still

(11:17):
lives in Indianapolis, she paused. At least that's where they
were the last time I saw them. Did you run away?
I can go now, if she told Clarissa, the tremors returning,
she returned to the back door. Do you know anyone
around here? Clarissa asked, is thinning her hand and then choose.
His psychological heaviness began to drape her. Was accompanied by

(11:40):
the disturbing images of Tricia hiding alone in the woods,
yards away from a hungry, crouching bobcat or a snarling wolf.
Although she had never seen Tricia before, was in no
way indebted to her. She's fat responsible for Tricia for
no other reason then that they both were human beings.
Do you, Curtiss ask again, do you know anyone around here? No?

(12:05):
Then stay the night? Curtis's advice. You can stay here
and get a good night of rest. She searched Trisia's face,
try to calm the fear that had risen to her eyes.
You'll be safe here for the night, she assured her.
Come on, Chlissa, sit and said let's go upstairs and
see if we can find some clothes that figure, and
you can enjoy a nice shower or warm, relaxing bubble

(12:26):
bath and settle in for a RESTful day and a
good night of sleep. Tricia followed Clovisa around the corner
and up the living room stairs, being careful to peer
out of the living room curtains on her way to
the second floor. Sensing Tricia's concerned, Clarissa said, I pulled
the blinds closed enough to prevent anyone from sin inside. Pausing,
she hid it by close the curtains all the way.

(12:48):
It can make the cabin stand out. Move midway up
the stairs, she said. Most of the people out here
on even look lock their windows during the day. This
is a very peaceful, quiet area. Once on a second floor,
Carissa went to her bedroom straightway straight away. Pulling open
dresser jawers, she dug through her shirts and pants, hunting
for clothes that mike fit Tricia. Finally, she looked up.

(13:10):
Tricia stand in the hallway just outside Clarissa's bedroom, as
she had when Carrissa and she had first happened upon
each other. She stood with her head bowed with distraction.
She looked at the dirt beneath her fingernails. You can
come in, Chrissa said, as if froze, and Tricia did moved,
not so much as half a step these times. She

(13:30):
looked at the bed. She grimaced and turned away, as
as if shooting herself from a painful memory. Come on,
Chrissa said. She stood and turned away from her dresser.
It's okay, she smiled. You can come in, remember, she began,
We came up here to find you something to wear
after you enjoy a relaxing shower or bath. Chrissa backed

(13:53):
away from Chrissa, shaking her head. She kept back, paling
one uneven uneven step after another. Not going to hurt you,
Clarissa shaid, moving from the edge of her bedroom into
the hallway. Chris had bolted down the hallway toward the
stairs Tricia. Clarissa called out, I'm not going to hurt you.
She ran down the stairs after Tricia, the heels of

(14:14):
her shoes clumping against each step. Midway through the living
room into some an orange fellar chair. She grabbed Trisha's
lap for that was the end of chapter two, and
I'm coming midway. I started that midway through chapter two,
Clarissa was in the Navy, so she's the Navy specialist.
She's now out of the Navy. She started writing books.

(14:37):
She's had one or two books on New York Times
bes Sotolists, which she wrote her first book while she
was staying in this area in Cabins in North Georgia.
If you've never been in North Georgia, and we talked
to it, even North Georgia as far as the border
of Tennessee, there are areas that they are so gorgeous
and beautiful, these little and you might see little small

(14:58):
towns with little shop. This is real life stuff I'm
talking about in North Georgia. And some places are so
remote you can't get a cell phone reception out there,
but it's just beautiful nature and things like in Georgia's
you would see a lot of coyotes. You see a

(15:19):
lot of coyotes and sometimes they do look like well
if you even see them in Atlanta, that's where Clarissa lives.
But she's gone up up way into the mountains, and
this is her second or third time going up there.
She thinks it's her good luck son to create a
good like a best selling book, a novel, because she's
done it before. I'm not gonna tell you about Trisa.

(15:40):
You have to read through this story to learn about Tricia.
But I'm gonna read a little bit starting with chapter three.
Trisia's spump part way around, then yanking her arms and shoulders,
she pulled away from Clarissa. She ran through the living
room like she was outside, bumping the inn tablecloths closest
to the dining room, nearly knocking the table over. At
the kitchen's edge, cliver Cer reached for Tricia's right shoulder,

(16:03):
but Trisa sped out of reach. When Trisa reached the
back door, she jerked on the dead bowl lock, desperate
to open the door and free herself from Clarissa's presence.
Trisa Clarissa's screen, wrestling Trisa's hands away from the shiny
dead boat lock. I'm not going to hurt you. Tricia
swung her legs back, striking Clarissa. Then she turned and
slapped Clarissa's face, next shoulders, and I'm swinging wildly. Clarissa

(16:28):
bobbed from side to side, trying to avoid Trista's blows.
She felt miserably within sackings her face, neck, and arms,
was stinking, but she did not turn Tricia loose. Instead,
she pulled and jerked on Trista's shoulder, working to keep
her from unlocking the door and run outside. Tricia, I
am not whoever hurt you. I am not that person,
Clissa Begg, I am not those people now, I am

(16:49):
not going to hurt you, she said, lowering her voice
and pulling Tricia's hand away from the lock. No longer
jerking her body or kicking Cliversa, Tricia still just like that,
she froze. I was just trying to pick clothes out
for you to put on after you take a shower
or bath. Clarissa may clear, I don't want to hurt you.

(17:12):
When Tricia turned her shoulders were taken. She grimaced, fighting
back tears. Face looked ugly, all scrunched up, like she
believed that there was only a small space on her
face for her eyes, nose, and mouth to fit. Clarissa
watched Tricia's jaw wake, giving way to tears. You're safe here,
Clarissa assured her. The second latert yes, you have a boyfriend.

(17:34):
Does he hit you no, Trisia answered, slow, tears crawling
down her face. Then I don't get it, Cloris admitted,
stepping back and releasing Trissa. Why are you running? Trisia
looked at the floor. Come come on, Clarissa's smile, wrap
her arm over Tricia's shoulder. Just go back upstairs and
get you some clean clothes. What you say, yes? Peering

(17:56):
into Trisha's eyes, Trician nodded. When she did to, Tears
dropped off her chains to the floor. Crystal took two
steps leading the way, then she stopped. You first, Chris's
stepped studded, as if in keeping with her trouble bolts,
before she stepped around Clarissa, then in front of her
the jeans in the blue and gold T shirt with
the fierce Tiger on the front. Chrisia said, pointing inside

(18:19):
Chriss's seconds the jawer and Colissa smile, pulling the jeans
and t shirt out of the dower and handing them
to Tricia. Here are underwear in the bra, she added,
reaching inside the top drawer. The bathroom is across the hall.
Colissa toda, when you come out of the bathroom, feel
free to bring your dress and dirty underwear with you,
and you can watch the driver close tonight. And she
added helped herself to the underwarum build of it and

(18:40):
loation on the bathroom vanity. I mean that, she said,
hoping to wear away any doubt that Tricia might have
your shampoo and hair conditioned to shower that you can
used to thank you, Trisia said, taking the jeans t
shirt underwe bra and walking across the hall to the bathroom.
It's also a bathroom in here, Chrissa said, exiting her
bedroom and walking down the hall to one of the
two guests bedrooms. She's instally thought about taking Tricia to

(19:03):
one of the guest bedrooms when they first arrived upstairs.
Patricia's anxiety told her that asking her to take a
shower bath in a room with a bed wasn't a
good idea. Can I go in there? Tricia asked, glancing
inside the guests beroom that was next to Clarissia's bedroom,
the guest bed room furthest away from the living room stairs. Sure,
Clarissa said, surprised at Tricia's ease would being in the

(19:25):
room after Tricia's earliest earlier burst, she was certain that
a room with a bed would be a trauma trigger.
Stepping around Tricia, Clarisha entered the guest bedroom and walks
into the en suite. She called up from inside the
spaceous bathroom, her voice echoing, there are plenty of towers
in here. She smiled the green towels and wash rags
hanging from a towel rack above the toilet. I am

(19:48):
going through. I'm gonna go a little bit further. While
Tricia took a warm bubble bath. Clarissa hurry downstairs and
grabbed her silver laptop. Back upstairs the second floor office,
she puts her laptop open and typed Indianapolis Runaways into
the search bar. Information on missing children, spoited children, teens, safety,

(20:08):
and runaway and homeless shelters came up right away. Next
she typed Tricia Indianapolis run Away into the search bar.
Several news stories about missing teenage girls from Indianapolis came up.
Chrissa sat back in the chair and galked at the
next two stories. I'm not gonna read that because it's
gonna it's kind of some of the mystery. Let's see,

(20:31):
I'm going shoot go down. I love it absent for,
I thought. Critissa went to the back door and peered
through the window. The most as she saw was squirrels
and birds playing in the backyard. Jeees the tree. This time,
the space next to her car was empty, a site

(20:51):
that brought a smell to Clarissa's face. Next, Clarissa into
the living room and peered through the blind. She even
walked up the small landing at the front of the
living room stairs and looked out the window. The retired
couple living in the cabin two hundred yards to the
lap of her cabin were outside working in the front
yard trimming the hedges and watering the daya Zenia's and
daisies lining their walkway at the front of Carrissa's cabin

(21:13):
with more birds and squirrels plane. Before she closed the Blonde,
she saw a couple that she hadn't seen before right
mountain bikes up the dirt road they leave in front
of her cabin. I'll be back inside in the sacond cursay, Yeah,
down the back basement stairs. I'm just running out to
my car, be right back, she told Trisha. She grabbed
her car keys off the living room to end table,
then she went outside to her car and put in

(21:34):
the car me verse. She turned the back into her
car away from the dirt road She didn't know why,
but she felt relieved knowing that her car's license plate
couldn't be seen from the road. Tricia was still in
the basement when Carrissa returned to the cabin and locked
the back door, returning the boat to his locked position.
Are you okay down there, she asked, jocking down the
basement steps. Yes, Trisia said. She sit in the middle

(21:56):
of the basement, arms crossed ten at the ceiling and
let's see please chrisa bag. Oh is someone chasing you? Please?
Trist her bag, still facing the window. Stop asking me
these questions, Caliss, sister. She walked to the high definition

(22:16):
television hanging on the wall across the room to the stairwell.
Do you want to watch the television show? She turned
to a Tricia, who continued to look out the window.
This cabin TV has Fensy, she smiled. There's some good
movies on Fensy and TV. She chuck us. I've been
watching those channels over the last few months back at
my permanent home, and so they have they they are

(22:38):
doing pretty good. Uh. And Carissa is still trying to
get information, uh out of She's trying to get information
out of Trissa, and I'm going to almost almost stop here.
Clarissa fell back against the sofa, l loose strands of

(22:59):
her hair nerfore had blew up when she released a
thick breath. She crossed her legs and pleaded, just this
one last question. Chrisia pushed her lips together with such
force that I'm off hurt. No, she yelled, my mother
doesn't know where I am, and I know that I
already told you that she stood at the side of
Christ's head when we were in the kitchen. I told
you that my mother doesn't know where I am. We

(23:19):
never talked about your mother. Before I could swear we did.
You started pestering me with questions as soon as I
came in this cabin. You just want to keep asking
me questions and you can't even change anything. You can't
make anything better. Are you in trouble? I thought the
question about my mother was the last stupid question that
you were going to ask. I want you to be safe,
because Rissa said, unfolding her arms. And believe it or not,

(23:42):
the more that you tell me, the more I can
do to ensure that you're safe while you're here. She paused,
But I was out for my morning run the day
I saw a dirty van on the main road. She
gave Trisia a probing glanced Chrisia turned away from Chririssa,
no longer frowning. Then she quickly faced for us again.

(24:03):
This time her browser raised, what time did you see
the land? And so that is I'm stripping, and that
that I was jumping around a little bit, jumping around
a little bit, listeners, and I stopped right before a
chapter four And this book has so many many chapters
in it. It's a little between and eighty pages. If

(24:27):
you like a mystery, and you get into the characters,
there's some other people, uh with military backgrounds who show up.
Carissa has some training, so she has some skills, but
if she ready for what she's up again. Well, if
you like a mystery, uh, and you just value a

(24:48):
story that's about real life experiences and things that just
have to be dealt with. But you like a good mystery,
I encourage you to get Escaping toward Freedom. Escaping Toward
Freedom by Denise Turney and please again visit me online
at chissel dot com, www dot c h I S

(25:12):
T E l L dot com. You can learn more
about my books, read free excerpts, and just sign up
for the newsletter, the Book Lovers Having Newsletter, where you
get information on writing jobs, you get information on upcoming
book events. If you're a writer, if you're a reader,
if you like offering story and story takes shape in

(25:34):
so many forms. Story takes shape in songs, story takes
shape in dance. Story takes shape and songs without even
any words, just music. Story takes shape and paintings. Story
takes shape all through our lives. Story takes shape and
short stories and poems, songs. As I said, in books,

(25:57):
there are so many ways as humans we love stories.
And so if you really really like I get missing,
I encourage you to pick up Escaping Toward Freedom by
Denise Turning. Thank you for visiting being here with us
here on Off the Shelf and visiting my website again
Chi s t l L dot com and just exp

(26:20):
enjoy exploring the site. And I wish you a blessed
and wonderful February the fifteenth, and I'll see you back
here next Saturday for our live shows. It's Saturday's eleven
am Eastern Standard turn But as soon as the show finishes,
screaming it goes out and you can get it on iTunes,

(26:41):
you can get it on the Google. There's so many
ways to listen to off the show. Thank you for
being here and us. I always tell you are awesome,
you amazing. It's so it's such the truth. You're incredible.
I hope one day you really really get that down
in your system. Go out and create a fabulous day

(27:02):
and a fabulous weekend for yourself. Buy for Now.