To this day Reed only had a passing acquaintance with exactly what it was Deek did, no idea how much such skills brought on the open market.
“No clue.”
“Well, take what you make and multiple it by about...” Deek said, one eye scrunching tight as he considered the numbers, “10.”
He watched as Reed’s face relayed pure surprise, bordering into shock, a smile crossing his features. “Exactly. I’m more than happy with the bottles here.”
He shook the Devil’s Cut once for effect, the dark amber liquid sloshing around inside.
“Besides, this has always been more as a favor to Riley. Even though she’s gone...”
At that he stopped, letting his voice trail away, the implication clear.
“Yeah, I always figured as much,” Reed said. “I just never wanted you to think I was using that as leverage.”
“I wouldn’t have helped if I thought you were,” Deek replied.
It was easily the most lucid statement Reed had ever heard him make.
A flush of blood colored his cheeks as he looked down to Billie, her stomach pressed tight to the floor, already again retreating to her rest when you can training.
“I will admit, though,” Deek said, “I was a little surprised to hear you working with a new partner on this.”
Reed kept his attention down on Billie a moment, considering the statement, before raising his gaze. “This is my partner now.”
He paused there, considering the days spent working with Glenn, and said, “There’ll never be another Riley. You know that.”
Seated behind the desk, Deek opened his mouth as if to respond before thinking better of it. Instead he stood and plodded off into the bedroom portion of the basement, Reed able to hear the sound of items being moved around before Deek returned, his stocking feet shuffling across the bare floor.
Side by side he placed two shot glasses on the edge of his desk before twisting off the top of the Devil’s Cut. He filled both before placing the bottle down and taking up the far glass, holding it at shoulder level.
“To Riley.”
A moment passed as Reed stared at him, holding his position, his glass outstretched, before he stepped forward and took up the drink that had been poured for him.
“To Riley.”
Thank You For Reading!
As a few have commented in their reviews, I know writing this letter at the end of every work is a bit unusual for writers, but I promise it comes with two reasons that are both very genuine.
First and foremost, I cannot emphasize enough how much I appreciate you taking the time to read this work. Storytelling is something I have always wanted to do, and your interest is what makes that possible for me.
Not quite two years ago I put in place something I had always wanted to do, which was feature a dog as a main character. Having read works such as The Art of Racing in the Rain and Marley & Me, I didn’t necessarily want the dog to be a pet, even less did I want to tell the story through their eyes.
It was from there that the idea from Billie was born. Again, thanks to the positive response to her, this is now the third of what I hope to be many more stories moving forward.
The second, and I know this may rankle some folks so please know it comes without the least bit of expectation or pressure, is if you would be so inclined, I would love to hear your thoughts on this novel. As always, I continue to read every review/email that is sent, and definitely take them into account when planning future works.
Again, as a token of appreciation for your reading and reviews, please enjoy a free download of my novel 21 Hours, available HERE.
Best,
Dustin Stevens
About the Author
Dustin Stevens is the author of more than 20 novels, 15 of them having become #1 Amazon bestsellers, including the Hawk Tate and Zoo Crew series. The Boat Man, the first release in the best-selling Reed & Billie series, was recently named the 2016 Indie Award winner for E-Book fiction and the 3rd Grand Prize Winner for all books – hard cover, paperback and ebook.
He is an award-winning screenwriter in the prestigious Harvardwood and Emerging Screenwriters competitions, as well as the Nashville International Film Festival and the Honolulu Film Awards. In addition, he is the only multi-time finalist at the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival.
A member of the Mystery Writers of America and Thriller Writers International, he resides in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The Kid: A Suspense Thriller (Reed & Billie Book 3) Page 27
