by Carsen Taite
Table of Contents
Synopsis
What Reviewers Say About Carsen Taite’s Work
By the Author
Acknowledgments
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
About the Author
Books Available from Bold Strokes Books
Synopsis
DEA Agent Dale Nelson paid the ultimate price for her service when her wife was killed by drug dealers. Now she’s assigned to a task force investigating the suspects and she doesn’t need the distraction of the beautiful but infuriating reporter, Lindsey Ryan. Despite her initial resistance, Dale discovers that Lindsey is as talented and capable as she is attractive. Will she get a second shot at love, or will the peril of her job rob her of the chance at happiness again?
Investigative reporter Lindsey Ryan will do whatever it takes to get the truth. As a favor, she agrees to anchor what is supposed to be a puff piece on the DEA. However, despite the reluctance of the striking Agent Nelson to share any information, Lindsey learns power and politics are at play, and exposing the truth could not only be dangerous, but could jeopardize her chance at love.
What Reviewers Say About Carsen Taite’s Work
It Should be a Crime
“Law professor Morgan Bradley and her student Parker Casey are potential love interests, but throw in a high-profile murder trial, and you’ve got an entertaining book that can be read in one sitting. Taite also practices criminal law and she weaves her insider knowledge of the criminal justice system into the love story seamlessly and with excellent timing. I find romances lacking when the characters change completely upon falling in love, but this was not the case here. I look forward to reading more from Taite.”—Curve Magazine
“This [It Should be a Crime] is just Taite’s second novel…but it’s as if she has bookshelves full of bestsellers under her belt.”—Gay List Daily
“Taite, a criminal defense attorney herself, has given her readers a behind the scenes look at what goes on during the days before a trial. Her descriptions of lawyer/client talks, investigations, police procedures, etc. are fascinating. Taite keeps the action moving, her characters clear, and never allows her story to get bogged down in paperwork. It Should be a Crime has a fast-moving plot and some extraordinarily hot sex.”—Just About Write
Do Not Disturb
“Taite’s tale of sexual tension is entertaining in itself, but a number of secondary characters…add substantial color to romantic inevitability”—Richard Labonte, Book Marks
Nothing but the Truth
“Author Taite is really a Dallas defense attorney herself, and it’s obvious her viewpoint adds considerable realism to her story, making it especially riveting as a mystery. I give it four stars out of five.”—Bob Lind, Echo Magazine
“As a criminal defense attorney in Dallas, Texas, Carsen Taite knows her way around the court house. This ability shows in her writing, as her legal dramas take the reader into backroom negotiations between the opposing lawyers, as well as into meetings with judges. Watching how Carsen Taite brings together all of the loose ends is enjoyable, as is her skillful building of the characters of Ryan and Brett. Nothing But the Truth is an enjoyable mystery with some hot romance thrown in.”—Just About Write
“Taite has written an excellent courtroom drama with two interesting women leading the cast of characters. Taite herself is a practicing defense attorney, and her courtroom scenes are clearly based on real knowledge. This should be another winner for Taite.”—Lambda Literary
The Best Defense
“Real life defense attorney Carsen Taite polishes her fifth work of lesbian fiction, The Best Defense, with the realism she daily encounters in the office and in the courts. And that polish is something that makes The Best Defense shine as an excellent read.”—Out & About Newspaper
Slingshot
“The mean streets of lesbian literature finally have the hard boiled bounty hunter they deserve. It’s a slingshot of a ride, bad guys and hot women rolled into one page turning package. I’m looking forward to Luca Bennett’s next adventure.”—J. M. Redmann, author of the Micky Knight mystery series
Beyond Innocence
“Taite keeps you guessing with delicious delay until the very last minute…Taite’s time in the courtroom lends Beyond Innocence a terrific verisimilitude someone not in the profession couldn’t impart. And damned if she doesn’t make practicing law interesting.”—Out in Print
“As you would expect, sparks and legal writs fly. What I liked about this book were the shades of grey (no, not the smutty Shades of Grey)—both in the relationship as well as the cases.”—C-spot Reviews
Battle Axe
“This second book is satisfying, substantial, and slick. Plus, it has heart and love coupled with Luca’s array of weapons and a badass verbal repertoire… I cannot imagine anyone not having a great time riding shotgun through all of Luca’s escapades. I recommend hopping on Luca’s band wagon and having a blast.”—Rainbow Book Reviews
“Taite breathes life into her characters with elemental finesse… A great read, told in the vein of a good old detective-type novel filled with criminal elements, thugs, and mobsters that will entertain and amuse.”—Lambda Literary
Rush
“A simply beautiful interplay of police procedural magic, murder, FBI presence, misguided protective cover-ups, and a superheated love affair…a Gold Star from me and major encouragement for all readers to dive right in and consume this story with gusto!” —Rainbow Book Reviews
Switchblade
“I enjoyed the book and it was a fun read—mystery, action, humor, and a bit of romance. Who could ask for more? If you’ve read and enjoyed Taite’s legal novels, you’ll like this. If you’ve read and enjoyed the two other books in this series, this one will definitely satisfy your Luca fix and I highly recommend picking it up. Highly recommended.”—C-spot Reviews
“Dallas’s intrepid female bounty hunter, Luca Bennett, is back in another adventure. Fantastic! Between her many friends and lovers, her interesting family, her fly by the seat of her pants lifestyle, and a whole host of detractors there is rarely a dull moment.”—Rainbow Book Reviews
Courtship
“The political drama is just top-notch. The emotional and sexual tensions are intertwined with great timing and flair. I truly adored this book from beginning to end. Fantabulous!”—Rainbow Book Reviews
“Taite keeps the stakes high as two beautiful and brilliant women fueled by professional ambitions face daunting emotional choices… As backroom politics, secrets, betrayals, and threats race to be resolved without political damage to the president, the cat-and-mouse relationship game between Addison and Julia has the reader rooting for them. Taite prolongs the fever-pitch tension to the final pages. This pleasant read with intelligent heroines, snappy dialogue, and political suspense will satisfy Taite’s devoted fans and new readers alike.”—Publisher’s Weekly
Lay Down the Law
“Recognized for the pithy realism of her characters and settings drawn from a Texas legal milieu, Taite pays homage to the prime-time soap opera Dallas in pairing a cartel-busting U.S. att
orney, Peyton Davis, with a charity-minded oil heiress, Lily Gantry.”—Publishers Weekly
“Suspenseful, intriguingly tense, and with a great developing love story, this book is delightfully solid on all fronts. This gets my A-1 recommendation!”—Rainbow Book Reviews
Reasonable Doubt
“I was drawn into the mystery plot line and quickly became enthralled with the book. It was suspenseful without being too intense but there were some great twists to keep me guessing. It’s a very good book. I cannot wait to read the next in line that Ms. Taite has to offer.”—Prism Book Alliance
Above the Law
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Above the Law
© 2016 By Carsen Taite. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-1-62639-559-6
This Electronic Book is published by
Bold Strokes Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, New York 12185
First Edition: June 2016
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Credits
Editor: Cindy Cresap
Production Design: Susan Ramundo
Cover Design By Sheri ([email protected])
By the Author
Truelesbianlove.com
It Should Be a Crime
Do Not Disturb
Nothing but the Truth
The Best Defense
Beyond Innocence
Rush
Courtship
Reasonable Doubt
The Luca Bennett Mystery Series
Slingshot
Battle Axe
Switchblade
Lone Star Law Series
Lay Down the Law
Above the Law
Acknowledgments
A series is a big commitment, both for the author and the reader. I’ve developed a keen appreciation for the fact that while I need to leave enough threads hanging at the end of each book so I can weave the next story out of the same cloth, I understand that means my readers are left hanging as well. Thanks to all you patient souls who read the first book, Lay Down the Law, in the Lone Star Law series. Your emails and social media posts supporting my work fueled the inspiration for this volume. Rest assured, there’s another installment in the works.
Thanks to all the usual suspects who helped me bring this book to life. Rad for giving my stories a place to thrive. Sandy Lowe for patiently tending to every detail along the way. Cindy Cresap, my editor, who makes me laugh even while she’s schoolin’ me about crazy hyphen rules. Sheri, thanks for another amazing cover. A huge shout out to the entire Bold Strokes team, from PR to proofreading—thanks for everything you do!
Ashley Bartlett and VK Powell—the best first readers in the world! Thanks for always being willing to work with me up until the clock strikes midnight on deadline day.
Thanks to fellow author Kim Baldwin for her insights into network news and thanks to outstanding indie film director, Robert Camina, for taking the time to answer all my questions about documentary filmmaking.
Lainey, thanks for all the sacrifices you make, big and small, to allow me to pursue my dreams. I love you more every day.
To all my readers—thanks for making this journey so worthwhile. I cherish all the emails, notes, and words of encouragement. This story is for you.
Dedication
To Lainey, above all.
CHAPTER ONE
Signing out. Text you when it’s done. Yours, D.
Dale looked at the words she’d typed into her phone and closed her eyes. She’d sent the same words to Maria every time she’d gone into a potentially dangerous situation. The simple act of typing the text had been her lucky charm, her talisman. Until it wasn’t.
A year had passed, and she couldn’t shake the desire to type the text even though she knew no one would read it. Maria was gone—three words that never failed to dash a bucket of cold water on any lingering notions of sentiment, chilling her inside and out.
She pressed her thumb against the backspace button, slowly and methodically erasing every trace of her good-bye, but her eyes stayed closed and, against the backdrop of self-imposed darkness, she replayed the worst moments of the worst day of her life.
She’d powered her phone back up the minute the plane touched down. The sunrise flight from El Paso had only lasted an hour and a half, but the agent she’d met with there had promised she’d have the reports of Zeta Cartel activity in her e-mail inbox by the time she returned to Dallas. Before she could open her email account, her phone started blowing up with messages, voice and text. Her boss, Hector Diego, had called three times, and she had calls from several unfamiliar numbers, as well as a series of texts from the office with vague requests for a callback. She thumbed through them all and seized on the one call from a friend, ATF Agent Mary Lovelace. She touched the number and waited for Mary to pick up the line. She didn’t wait long.
“Dale, where are you?”
“At Love Field. Just landed. What’s up?” She pushed aside a rising sense of panic fueled by the unfamiliar anxious undercurrent in Mary’s voice. She’d met Mary during one of her tours in the Middle East where they both served in the Marine Corps. Sure and steady was their calling card, and Maria often joked that when they were on the job, folks would only be able to register one beating pulse between them.
“I’m ten minutes away,” Mary said, her voice tight with urgency. “I’m coming to get you.”
The offer of a ride was welcome since she’d been planning to catch a cab to the office, but she couldn’t help but feel something was off. “What’s the deal? Hector’s blowing up my phone, and he knows I was on a flight. Seriously, it’s like you guys can’t make it without me sometimes.”
Mary’s response was clipped and to the point. “Stay put. I’ll explain when I get there.” The line went dead before Dale could say another word, and her stomach roiled with unease. She hadn’t checked a bag, so she paced outside, watching for the sight of Mary’s Jeep and checking her watch as each of the promised ten minutes ticked slowly by before a loud honk shook her into awareness.
Mary pulled up next to her and leaned over to unlock the door. Dale barely had time to slide into her seat before Mary floored the accelerator, barely missing the Dallas cop on a Segway who shook his fist in their wake. When she looked back at Mary, her gaze was firmly fixed on the road ahead. “Where’s the fire?”
“We’ll be there in a minute.”
Dale shifted in her seat. Mary’s vague response fanned the flames of her anxiety, and as she watched familiar landmarks flash by, her apprehension became more acute. She asked again, and this time she didn’t try to hide the urgency in her voice. “Where are we going?” When Mary hesitated, she pressed the point. “It looks like we’re headed to my neighborhood. Are you going to tell me what’s going on or am I going to have to jump out at the next stoplight and figure it out for myself?”
Mary turned the Jeep down the main street that led into the Oaklawn neighborhood Dale and Maria called home. She pulled over a block from their street and turned in her seat. “Dale, I’d give anything in the world if I didn’t have to tell you this, but I need you to prepare yourself.”
“Tell me what?” Dale scoured Mary’s face for a clue, but she got nothing. Her stomach started churning, and she could feel a trickle of sweat along the back of her neck. “For Christ’s sake, Lovelace, quit stringing me a
long.”
“It’s Maria. There was a shooting. It happened less than an hour ago when she was leaving the house.”
Dale saw Mary place a hand on her thigh, but she barely registered the touch. Her heart thumped wildly, and her skin felt tight and suffocating. She fought for breath.“Where is she?”
Mary opened her mouth to answer, but her expression telegraphed the message before the words could leave her lips.
Dale’s gut clenched. She pushed her door open, jumped out of the Jeep, and started running. She could hear Mary’s voice calling out to her as the cement sidewalk blurred under her feet, but her entire focus was on the loud pounding of her boots against the pavement, guiding her home.
She pulled up short at the yellow ribbon of tape. Her yard, her house, a crime scene. Unbelievable.
“Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to step back.”
Her head took a slow motion turn toward the voice, and she registered the uniform, the badge. A local cop she didn’t know, but whose face she would never forget. Before she could growl her anger that it was he, not her, who was a trespasser, a hand touched her arm and she whirled to face her boss. She had only one question. “Where is she?”
Diego shook his head, and his eyes cast shadows of regret. “I’m sorry, Dale. She’s gone.”
Dale closed her eyes, praying when she opened them, time would have turned back to yesterday when she’d lingered in bed and tried to tempt Maria to do the same. She’d teased and cajoled, but Maria insisted she’d be late for a hearing. “When you get home,” she’d said. “We’ll spend an entire weekend in bed. I promise.”
Dale, reeling from the memory, opened her eyes, but nothing changed. Her lawn was crawling with law enforcement personnel. Measuring, photographing, bagging, and tagging—all the things she would be doing if this weren’t her house, her wife, her life. She might not be able to join in, but she had to know more. “What happened?”
Diego started talking, and she closed her eyes again to block out everything except his words. She cringed as he relayed the details provided by a neighbor who’d seen everything unfold.
