Maddock looked to Bones, “Well, what do you think?”
Bones was mentally adding up the possibilities, “I don’t see why not.”
“Ok, Ms. Blumenstock, you’re on,” Maddock said, extending his hand. “Bones and I will start in the morning.”
“We’ll start in the morning,” she said. “I’m coming with you.”
“No,” Bones said. “Absolutely not. Maddock and I work better on our own.”
“It’s not negotiable,” Theresa said, pulling the book back.
Bones and Maddock looked at each other. Maddock shrugged. Bones rolled his eyes and gave a small nod.
“Okay, then,” Maddock said. “Welcome to the team. Where are you staying?”
“The Borgata,” she said. “Same place as both of you.”
“Then I suggest we turn in and get started first thing tomorrow,” Bones said. “Want to share a taxi back to the hotel?”
Theresa nodded and smiled. Theresa paid the bill as promised while Bones hailed a cab. “Hurry,” he said to the others. “I’ve never found a cab this quick in Atlantic City before.”
Maddock, Bones and Theresa slid into the back seat of the cab.
“Where to?” the driver asked. He was young, blonde and quite muscular. Maddock looked at the picture of the driver on the taxi license posted in the back seat. The picture was of an older curly-haired man of Middle Eastern descent.
“Excuse me, sir,” Maddock said, “but you don’t look like Mr. Kahlil Mahmood.”
In one deft motion, the driver pulled a pistol, turned and pointed it at Theresa’s face, his hand extending into the backseat area. “Hand over the book, now!” he demanded.
“What book?” Maddock replied.
“Don’t waste time,” he said. “Hand it to me… now or this woman dies!”
Theresa froze. Bones reached over and grabbed the driver’s wrist and slammed it into the roof of the cab. The gun went off, firing a single bullet through the top of the vehicle. Maddock grabbed the man’s arm while Bones wrestled the gun out of his hands.
The driver dropped the pistol, freed his arm, opened the door and ran. He began to run through the Boardwalk. Bones gave chase but quickly lost the driver in a sea of people milling about.
He walked back to the cab where Maddock and Theresa were waiting.
“So, Ms. Blumenstock,” Bones began, “You lied to us. You said no one else knew about the book.”
“I didn’t lie,” she insisted. “I said no one has ever seen the book, except my family. I didn’t say that no one knew about it.”
“You lied by omission,” Maddock said.
“I can explain. Let’s get out of here before the authorities arrive,” she said. “I don’t want to have this conversation with them. Let’s get back to The Borgata and get our stuff. If they found me here, they now know you are with me. It’s not safe for any of us now. Let’s move to a different hotel I’ll explain it all to you.”
I hope you enjoyed this sample chapter. The full novella can be found at this link. It’s free to Kindle Unlimited Subscribers, or $1.99 to buy.
https://www.amazon.com/Dane-Maddock-Devils-Kindle-Novella-ebook/dp/B0759S2F5L
Fashion mogul Elaine ‘Vandy’ Vanderbilt’s life had finally settled, two years after a horrifying attempt on her life had been thwarted. Former Army Ranger Sam ‘Cowboy’ Steele had been sent to watch over her by the Brotherhood Protectors. It was Sam who saved Vandy from certain death. She and Sam had fallen in love, and now shared a wonderful life on a ranch in Montana.
She could not have expected that her world would be turned upside down yet again. Vandy’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Lindsay, is missing. Her kidnapping was ordered by an unspeakably evil man with seemingly unlimited resources, and one of the world’s deadliest assassins now held her prisoner. Vandy turns once again to Sam Steele, to unravel the mystery and save her daughter’s life.
Guardian Ranger is filled with action, unexpected twists and turns, tender romance and the development of a special bond between an unlikely pair that you will not soon forget.
GUARDIAN ANGEL Page 14
