Want a Peek?

You’ve asked for it, you got it: a sneak peak of Book 2. We’re feverishly working on the book so you can have it in your grimy little paws by the end of summer to beginning of fall. This scene is takes place just after the crew had disposed of some uh, evidence. Let’s take look see. Shall we?

The wounds on his face are more severe than I thought. I brush his face with my fingers. “Wow! They really got you good. Do you want me to patch that up for you?”

He smiles and takes my hand from his face. “Nah, I’ll get it here in a bit when I go up to bed.”

He continues holding my hand and starts to rub it. The warmth relieves the pain from the injuries inflicted months earlier. I lay my head on his shoulder and close my eyes. The attraction between is obvious, but admittedly we both have been too scared or stubborn or maybe a little bit of both to take it any further than innocent flirting now and again.

A clacking of heels down the hall causes me to lift my head from Quinn’s shoulder and him to let go of my hand. We look up to see Claire’s face contorted in worry. “Robert would like to see you two in his office, immediately.”

We go in the office and sit in the chairs at Boss’s desk. Boss is sitting at his desk rubbing his head staring at his monitor. His hands are trembling. He reaches for the bottle of nerve suppressants and takes several. Quinn and I look at each other.

“I just received this message.” He makes several clicks on the keyboard and a video plays. The image is grainy the only thing I can make out is the river and the lights of the compliant side. Then the camera zooms onto a figure holding a large bag and throwing it into the river.

Oh shit!

The image is replaced with one of The Magistrate and he begins to speak, “Robert, I just saw this image on my security feed. As you can imagine, this is very concerning to me, in light of the two missing Marshals. I would like to invite you and Ms. Sweet over for dinner to talk about this. I would hate to have any, misunderstandings. I have an opening in my schedule in three days. My assistant will be sending you an appointment.”

Quinn bellows, “Damn it! I thought you jammed their recording devices so they couldn’t see us.”

“I thought I got them all, but if he was using fiber then my EMP device wouldn’t work on them. Fiber is almost impossible to detect.”

“Fuck! How could you be so careless?”

Here we go again. “Jesus, Quinn, why do you have to be such a mega-prick?” I fold my arms and continue. “I did a sweep and a visual inspection before went down there. I thought I got everything, but it’s impossible to tell.”

Boss’s voice breaks through our fighting. “It does no good talking about the past. What’s done is done. You two will go to Magistrate’s to find out what he wants.”

Quinn and I look at each other then back to Boss and both say, “What?”

Just then Claire walks in the room as puts a cup of tea on Boss’s desk. Boss can barely lift the cup without shaking the contents inside. He closes his eyes in frustration and puts his cup down.

“Yes, you two will go dinner at The Magistrate’s house. You can see that I am in no shape to go. This is no time to be exposing our, weaknesses.”

Claire adds, “Since we let the story out three months ago that you two are an item you haven’t made a single appearance together in town, except for keeping the troublemakers at bay. People are starting to wonder about you two. This will be great for convincing the public of your relationship status.”

Quinn pounds his fist into the table. “Damn it! I’m tired you playing us like this. It’s embarrassing.”

Embarrassing?! Who does this jackass think he is? Embarrassing to go out with me? “What the hell Quinn? Do you think this is any easier for me?”

Boss voices raises to a heated level. He slams a fist into his desk. This is quite a change from his usual calm demeanor. “I’m tired of this constant bickering between you two. You will go. You will act like a real couple. You will not make a laughing stock out of this firm. Fuck each other or whatever you need to do to make this happen, but it will happen. Do you understand me?”

We both silently nod at Boss. I’ve never heard him lose his temper like this.

“Fine, you are both dismissed.”

Dum, dum, dum … I wonder what happens next. Will Quinn and Shea escape the clutches of Magistrate in time to enjoy a frosty beverage at home? We may never know. Well I know, but I’m not telling.