The Evolution of TJ Wilde: Full Sail, Pt 1

And here we are, in the final chapter of TJ Wilde’s journey. This was a hard one to write. Not because I didn’t know what to write; I did. I’d known before I even ended Run Aground how TJ’s story would end. And the unfolding mystery had been in the back of my mind for years. The Hollywood-ness of it all.

Unfortunately, a few things happened along the way. One was Covid, which threw all of us off our game. But for TJ and me, it meant I couldn’t wrap up her journey. So I pivoted to the Duxbridge series, which felt a little lighter and more accessible. It also meant I could write with one of my Covid bubble buddies. Win-win for all of us who needed connection back then.

I kept up my research and plotting. I had an entire notebook of scribbles when it was finally time to begin. Still, I struggled. Trips to LA for locations were hit or miss, until the third trip, which I’ll detail more next week.

But probably the biggest hurdle? I wasn’t ready to let go of TJ, Colby and Mimi. So I lingered.

One day, on a rainy walk on the beach that suddenly became a torrent, I saw the entirety of chapter one and that propelled me into finally completing TJ’s journey.

ONE

Murder is my favorite crime – LAURA

Fuck! I thought it wasn’t supposed to rain in Southern California. I was soaked to the skin standing in a torrential downpour underneath the fishing pier at Venice Beach. A few miles down the road from the ritziest of Malibu mansions and the kitschy fun of Santa Monica Pier’s Pacific Park. Grateful Colby convinced me to buy what had to be a military-grade phone. It was holding up to the deluge better than I. Of course, I would never tell him he was right. Keep him guessing. That was my relationship philosophy.

I had been following the ping of my best friend Mimi’s phone, but it had suddenly stopped, leaving me anxious and stranded, dodging the incoming tide. I tamped down the growing dread. She was in serious trouble, but I wasn’t sure what kind of trouble. Was she a fugitive on the run, or had some harm come to her? Either prospect was frightening.

I tracked her phone to this all-but-abandoned location when it abruptly went dark. Either a dead battery or someone saw me and suspected her cell was giving away her position and shut it off. I shook my phone in some irrational attempt to make the little red dot come back. 

Dammit, Mimi, where the hell are you? And why hadn’t Colby responded to any of my texts? What kind of fiancé was he, anyway? Oh, yeah, one with a stressful and, at the moment, very demanding job as a U.S. Marshal. Still, I felt deserted and desolate, and it was pissing me off.

A gust of wind howled under the dock, blowing sheets of rain at me, just as an enormous wave crashed inches from my drenched running shoes. I dashed toward the sand berm, scrambled over it to the walkway, and onto the pier. Striding the length of it, I looked from one end of the shoreline to the other, searching in vain for any sign of Mimi.

Squelching my growing panic, I replayed the previous night. What was the mysterious meeting that was so important she would be late to our dinner? Why didn’t she wait until I could go with her? Why was she always so impulsive? And yes, I was self-aware enough to understand the irony in that question.

Two weeks ago, my phone rang, and Mimi, breathless as usual, asked me if I wanted to get paid to fly to Los Angeles. I didn’t even wait for the reason. I said yes.

I should have waited for the reason.

Next up: TJ evaluates life, love and marriage

TJ Wilde Trilogy available here.