Hope Falls
Book Two of the Hunted Series
by Jamieson Wolf

"It was the experience of mystery - even if mixed with fear - that engendered religion."

Albert Einstein, German-Swiss-American mathematical physicist, famous for his theories of relativity.

"I'm totally committed to your happiness!"
"If you were committed, I'd be happy."

--Marion and Liza Colby, All My Children

"The actual taping of a soap is not glamorous."

--Matthew Ashford

Authors Note

Though Hope Falls is the second book in The Hunted Series, you don't have to read Hunted to enjoy Hope Falls, but it is encouraged.

After I wrote Hunted, I wanted to play around with the characters some more. I wanted to bring in some new ones and see if I could write a longer storyline that stretched over many books.

This book and the two following it (Eagle Valley and Dragon's Cove) are the result. You'll see some familiar faces and some new ones and confront some new mysteries.

In soap operas, they will often retool a show in mid season to fix something that isn't working. Storylines will be dropped, identities will change, characters disappear and reappear with no rhyme or reason.

That's sort of what's happening here. The playground is the same and a lot of the players have remained. Think of Hope Falls as Hunted, only extra spicy.

Enjoy your stay!

Jamieson

Star Scoop Weekly

HOPE FALLS NEWS!

We've got all the news that's fit to print! What's happening in our favorite little town? Take a read and find out:

WHOS IN:

Our sources say that a handsome new doctor, played by Peter Enman , will come to Hope Falls this week. Strangely silent about his past, no one in Hope Falls knows much about young doctor Kirk Kincade. No one, except Jessica.

She knows Kirk Kincade from a dark past, one where they were lovers. Will a passionate kiss ignite the fire that had been put out between them? Or does Jessica decide to blackmail Kirk about his horrible secret?

HOPE FALLS SHOCKER!

You will all remember the last time we saw Prudence Stevens on the show. She fell to her death and the rest of Hope Falls mourned her; yet we saw no coffin. Is Prudence Stevens really dead? Inquiring minds want to know!

Star Scoop Weekly is pleased to be the first to report that another new addition to the cast this week is actress Jessie Fletcher, who's replacing Caroline Brady as Prudence Stevens! Prudence Stevens lives again! But then what happened after her fall? Why did her family not know that she was not really dead? You will have to tune in this week to find out why!

We at Star Scoop Weekly had hoped to see Caroline in a new show or a movie roll but, as most of you know, being in a soap opera almost guarantees you won't work again! We wish you the best of luck in your acting career Caroline! We'll miss you!

There are many mysteries surrounding Hope Falls this season, most notably the serial killer story line involving Sylvia Stevens played by Hope Falls veteran actress Miriam Parker.

Many wonder why such a wholesome character would take such a drastic turn. At Star Scoop Weekly, we have to wonder what web the writers are spinning. We can only hope that further viewing will reveal in this new, shocking mystery. What else is in the grapevine this week? Well, Star Scoop Weekly can confirm that…

Prologue

"We can't continue this Howard."

Howard looked at her from across the expanse of his desk. He narrowed his brown eyes into slits and made a sound of disgust. "Are you actually telling me what to do?" He leaned forward so he could look down his nose at her. "You know how much I hate being told what to do."

"But don't you get it?" She tucked a strand of blond hair behind her ear. "People are gong to start noticing something is up. Soon, someone's going to have Hope Falls figured out. People are dying, Howard. Do you think people won't notice?" She huffed out a breath.

"Won't notice what?" His voice was cold.

"That people are missing, Howard. Do you honestly think we can keep all this up for much longer?"

Howard sighed. How he hated incompetence. "No one is going to notice anything." He sat back and laced his fingers together.

"How can you be so sure of that? How can you know that?"

"Because this is a soap opera." He sat back and folded his hands together in a gesture of calm. "No one pays any attention to what happens on a soap opera, at least no one of any real importance." Howard sighed and wished for a drink. "Haven't you realized that no one cares? What's one more soap actress? One more soap actor. There are thousands out there. Thousands. What's the death of one compared to the others who would be willing to take her place?"

Learning forward so that she could see the black of his pupils, Howard reached out and touched a strand of her hair that glowed like gold in the dim light of his office. "You might want to remember that, before you start saying things you'll regret." He whispered. His voice was soft and she had to strain to hear him. "Do I make myself clear?"

She nodded.

"Good. Now get the fuck out of my office."

Chapter 1

All The Days of our lives

Star Scoop Weekly

What else is coming this week? Well, Star Scoop Weekly can confirm that there is more mystery surrounding our favorite soap opera!

We at Soap Opera Weekly tried to locate Toby Davidson, to see if he too had fallen under the curse of soap operas. He hasn't been seen since his character was killed off the show earlier this year. We had hoped to see Davidson in a new show, and there are rumors that he was to star in a movie, but there is little news to be had in the grapevine.

Many actors who try to get work outside of soap opera acting fail miserably! We had hoped that Davidson would persevere and over come the curse of soap opera type casting, but Davidson didn't return our calls and was unavailable for comment.

When we approached Howard Kowalski, the shows producer, about Davidson's character, he had this to say: "Toby is fine and is on vacation in Maui." Howard tells us. "He will be returning to the show in due course for a big plot twist. I can't very well have my actors spoiling the surprise by talking to the press, could I?"

We can't wait to see what surprises are in store. Maybe handsome Mark Dashing will return at the same time that Prudence Stevens does? Could there be people rising from the dead in our beloved Hope Falls?

Star Scoop Weekly wonders if Hope Falls will go the same route as Days of Our Lives and introduce a drastic story line. Remember Marlena being possessed by the devil? Now that made Soap Opera History! We can only hope that Hope Falls will do the same and introduce a fantastic story line.

One theory roaming around the Star Scoop Weekly offices is that Sylvia is being controlled by someone forcing her to kill. Could her husband be behind this dramatic plot development?

What's in store for us this week? Well, Star Scoop Weekly can confirm that…

From Star Scoop Weekly August 2005