J oyce Walther woke up on Monday morning to the smell of coffee. She hated the taste of the stuff, but she loved its smell. The sizzle and snap of frying bacon came to her ears while she got dressed. The bacon smelled even better than the coffee. She couldn't wait to get into the kitchen.
She almost couldn't wait.
As she pulled a brush through her tangled hair, she saw the magazine lying on her dresser ---Whispering Shadows Mystery Monthly. Joyce set her brush aside and picked up the magazine. She turned to page 99. There, in large letters, was her name--- JOYCE WALTHER .
"Breakfast is ready when you are," her father called from the kitchen.
"Be right there," Joyce answered without looking up.
In spite of the wonderful smells of coffee and bacon, breakfast could wait.
Her eyes stayed on page 99 and on the big words there--- THE OPAL RING by JOYCE WALTHER .
Me.
Above the title was a paragraph Joyce had read so many times during the past two days that she almost knew it by heart. Downstairs, breakfast was getting cold. But Joyce took time to read the paragraph once again.
Our 582nd First Story comes from a very talented 18-year-old who is studying English at Santa Monica College. Joyce Walther, the daughter of jewelry store owner Bryce Walther and actress Monica Walther (now seen on the soap opera "City Hospital"), has blended her knowledge of jewels and TV to write a clever story that will keep readers guessing until the last word. We are pleased to find such talent in one so young and can only hope to see more of her work in the near future.
Joyce grinned at herself in the mirror.
Her throat tickled as if a giggle were
trapped inside and about to spring free. "Joyce!" her father called one last time.
"Your breakfast is on the table."
"I'm coming!"
Joyce set down the magazine and took one last look at its shiny red cover. "Very talented," she whispered. Then she hurried to the kitchen.
Water was boiling on the stove. Joyce gave her parents a happy greeting as she turned off the flame. She reached behind the heavy iron pan and lifted the teapot off the back burner. A mug with a tea bag in it was waiting on the counter. She added the boiling water, then a touch of milk and a spoonful of sugar. With the tea just the way she liked it, she carried her mug to the table and sat down.
"So," her father said, "how's our famous mystery writer this fine morning?"
"Great. I thought up a new story last night. I want to get started on it right away."
"Then I guess you won't have time to go with me to the shopping mall," her mother said.
Frowning at her plate, Joyce started to pick at her bacon and eggs. "I don't know," she mumbled. She was very anxious to start writing. On the other hand, the shopping mall did have two bookstores. She never liked to miss a chance to look around in them. "Are you going, Dad?" she asked.
He shook his head. "I have to clean the pool."
Joyce took a bite and stared out the sliding screen door. A few leaves were floating on the calm surface of the swimming pool. "It doesn't look so bad. Why don't you come along, and I'll help you with the pool when we get back?"
"Well..." Mr. Walther seemed to be thinking it over.
"Oh, come on," Mrs. Walther said. "It's your day off."
Her husband smiled. "You talked me into it. Maybe we can have some lunch at that Greek---"
The sound of the screen door being slammed open stopped his words.
Joyce gasped. Her fork dropped with a loud clatter onto her plate.
Mr. Walther jumped to his feet so fast that he knocked his chair over.
Mrs. Walther slapped a hand to her mouth as if to hold in a scream.
Through the open screen door charged two men with guns. The man in the lead aimed his revolver at Joyce's father. "Nobody move!" he shouted.
"W hat's going on?" Mr. Walther asked in a low voice. He sounded more angry than scared.
"Nothing to get excited about," said the first man. "Keep calm, and nobody will get hurt."
"We don't want nobody getting hurt," the
She almost couldn't wait.
As she pulled a brush through her tangled hair, she saw the magazine lying on her dresser ---Whispering Shadows Mystery Monthly. Joyce set her brush aside and picked up the magazine. She turned to page 99. There, in large letters, was her name--- JOYCE WALTHER .
"Breakfast is ready when you are," her father called from the kitchen.
"Be right there," Joyce answered without looking up.
In spite of the wonderful smells of coffee and bacon, breakfast could wait.
Her eyes stayed on page 99 and on the big words there--- THE OPAL RING by JOYCE WALTHER .
Me.
Above the title was a paragraph Joyce had read so many times during the past two days that she almost knew it by heart. Downstairs, breakfast was getting cold. But Joyce took time to read the paragraph once again.
Our 582nd First Story comes from a very talented 18-year-old who is studying English at Santa Monica College. Joyce Walther, the daughter of jewelry store owner Bryce Walther and actress Monica Walther (now seen on the soap opera "City Hospital"), has blended her knowledge of jewels and TV to write a clever story that will keep readers guessing until the last word. We are pleased to find such talent in one so young and can only hope to see more of her work in the near future.
Joyce grinned at herself in the mirror.
Her throat tickled as if a giggle were
trapped inside and about to spring free. "Joyce!" her father called one last time.
"Your breakfast is on the table."
"I'm coming!"
Joyce set down the magazine and took one last look at its shiny red cover. "Very talented," she whispered. Then she hurried to the kitchen.
Water was boiling on the stove. Joyce gave her parents a happy greeting as she turned off the flame. She reached behind the heavy iron pan and lifted the teapot off the back burner. A mug with a tea bag in it was waiting on the counter. She added the boiling water, then a touch of milk and a spoonful of sugar. With the tea just the way she liked it, she carried her mug to the table and sat down.
"So," her father said, "how's our famous mystery writer this fine morning?"
"Great. I thought up a new story last night. I want to get started on it right away."
"Then I guess you won't have time to go with me to the shopping mall," her mother said.
Frowning at her plate, Joyce started to pick at her bacon and eggs. "I don't know," she mumbled. She was very anxious to start writing. On the other hand, the shopping mall did have two bookstores. She never liked to miss a chance to look around in them. "Are you going, Dad?" she asked.
He shook his head. "I have to clean the pool."
Joyce took a bite and stared out the sliding screen door. A few leaves were floating on the calm surface of the swimming pool. "It doesn't look so bad. Why don't you come along, and I'll help you with the pool when we get back?"
"Well..." Mr. Walther seemed to be thinking it over.
"Oh, come on," Mrs. Walther said. "It's your day off."
Her husband smiled. "You talked me into it. Maybe we can have some lunch at that Greek---"
The sound of the screen door being slammed open stopped his words.
Joyce gasped. Her fork dropped with a loud clatter onto her plate.
Mr. Walther jumped to his feet so fast that he knocked his chair over.
Mrs. Walther slapped a hand to her mouth as if to hold in a scream.
Through the open screen door charged two men with guns. The man in the lead aimed his revolver at Joyce's father. "Nobody move!" he shouted.
"W hat's going on?" Mr. Walther asked in a low voice. He sounded more angry than scared.
"Nothing to get excited about," said the first man. "Keep calm, and nobody will get hurt."
"We don't want nobody getting hurt," the
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