“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Diana heard one of the other men say.
She walked into the living room with a smile on her face. Max was still in the guard position next to Surgeon, his tiny stature offset by his teeth-baring growl and his proximity to Surgeon’s face. He snapped his jaws a few times, just for good measure.
“This is really Surgeon? The notorious assassin? Scared of a tiny piece of fluff?” one of the men asked, eyeing Max carefully.
“Yes, that’s him. I know it seems unexpected, but trust me when I say that ‘tiny piece of fluff’ is a highly trained guard dog. And I’m grateful for that, because otherwise this might have been much more complicated and unpleasant.”
“That’s for sure, ma’am.” Stockton shook his head in wonder. “But how did he let him in?”
“Clearly, we have some more training to do. He probably didn’t even wake up. He’s used to Peter coming over in the early hours.”
Stockton looked over at Peter who put his hands up.
“Ah, purely business.”
“Well, let’s get the big guy out of your hair,” Stockton said, laughing.
“Max, heel,” she said. The white fluffball obediently turned around and trotted to her side. Diana sat on her haunches and scooped him up into her arms. “Who’s my clever boy?” she cooed, burying her face in his fur. “Who’s the smartest dog in the whole world?”
Terri, whose minor neck wound was being attended to by one of the first responders, reached out to give Max a good scratch. Peter might have joined them, but he didn’t feel comfortable being quite that soft in front of ERT, two of whom were barking orders at Surgeon while they applied first aid to his shoulder wound and cuffed him. The other three stood staring, incredulous.
“Coming with us?” Stockton asked Peter as he pushed Surgeon along in front of him.
“Right behind you,” Peter said. He wasn’t taking any chances. There might be six of them, all armed with MP5/10 submachine guns, but they had no idea exactly how wily Surgeon could be. When not faced with a tiny dog, of course. He eyed Max critically.
Peter looked up and opened his mouth but before he could get a word out, Diana cut him off. “Don’t even think it. He’s done enough for tonight. I’m sure you and the big, strapping ERT boys can contain Monty here until he’s behind bars again.”
“It was just a thought,” Peter mumbled. “Are you going with Terri to the hospital? She should get checked out,” he asked.
“Of course. If she’s not kept in, I’ll have her spend the night here,” she said.
“Thanks, I could use the company,” the girl’s voice was still shaky, and she was as white as a sheet. She had been wrapped in a silver emergency blanket.
Peter snuck a quick scratch between Max’s ears, and they all headed out.
As Diana climbed into the back of the ambulance with Terri, Peter said, “I’ll call you tomorrow. Try to get some sleep. It’ll be your last good chance for a while.”
“Call me when he’s locked up,” she said. “I don’t care what time it is. I want to know that he’s fully secure, and you are on your way home, okay? I want you, and only you, to confirm that.”
“You’ll be asleep by then.”
Diana glared at him. “Just call me. I want to make absolutely sure.”
Peter nodded. “Will do. Good night, ladies,” he said, stepping back so the paramedic could close the doors.
As the ambulance rolled away, Diana looked out at the scene outside her apartment building. The area was lit up in a revolving pattern that mimicked the lights of the police vehicles parked around. A few bystanders had gathered. They showed no signs of moving on even though it was early morning hours and the air was chilly.
Diana observed the retreating backs of the ERT as they clambered into their armored vehicle. She saw Peter put Surgeon in the metal cage at the back of the police van and strap him in. Two ERT members hopped in beside Surgeon to accompany him on his journey.
If you lie to me, you’ll never find out who is responsible for the situation you find yourself in. What had Surgeon meant when he said that to her? She thought for a second or two before putting it out of her mind as she watched Peter join the driver of the police van up front.
She wondered when exactly she had decided to put her faith in Peter. And why. Was it because he kept saving her life? Or because he was nice to her dog? Or was it because he didn’t put up with her nonsense? She didn’t rightly know. But she knew she cared about Peter getting home again safely. Really cared. And he absolutely adores you.
Diana sighed and let the tension in her body seep away. She looked out of the window until she couldn’t see Peter any longer. She closed her eyes. This feeling was unfamiliar, but good. And she simply couldn’t fight it any longer. She had a partner. Support. Her life was a-changing. It felt good not to be so alone.
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DIANA HUNTER WILL RETURN…
THINGS START TO unravel for Diana and Peter in the next book in the series. What more will we learn about them? Find out in the subsequent book in the Diana Hunter mystery series, Exposed. You’ll find an excerpt on the following pages.
EXPOSED
Chapter One
DIANA SMOOTHED HERSELF down, looking at her reflection in the mirror with a critical eye. It had been a while since she’d donned her military greens, but it was like getting together again with an old friend. And it was like looking at someone else in the mirror.
Her entire demeanor changed when the uniform went on. Gone was her regular, casual bearing. Instead, she stood stiffly, shoulders back, chin up. Typical military stance. From that moment on, her uniform denoted that she belonged to an organization in which every man and woman would have her back, as she would theirs, and like it was for everyone who wore it, hers was responsibility and a privilege, one she had never taken lightly.
She was wearing her combat fatigues to fly with Peter, down to an American base near Seattle, where they would board a C-5 Galaxy military transport plane that was heading out to Kandahar carrying troops and equipment. She wouldn’t be needing her dress uniform in Afghanistan, that’s for sure. She gave herself another once over, patting her regulation donut bun to make sure it was securely fastened.
She left her bedroom and walked down the hall to the door she always kept closed. She unlocked it and slipped inside. The room was part control room, part sanctuary. There was a desk, a whiteboard, and walls littered with notes, clippings, and photographs all relating to her parents and their murders. On the desk was a laptop, on either side of which stood two large, LED, flat-panel screens. Under the desk, a central processing unit whirred away. It held every piece of data she’d uncovered, all logged and categorized into a lightening fast and highly searchable database.
There were also framed photographs, spidery early childhood drawings, and other mementos from the days when she had been part of a family. There was a well-loved board game that she and her parents had spent many hours playing, books that her mother had read to her over and over when she was a toddler, shells from a vacation, and a circuit board from a phase during her teenage years.
This was her private room. It was where no one else ever came. She retired here for mental sustenance, strength, and clarity. It reminded her of who she was and why she did what she did. She came to this room to honor her parents’ memory. And to investigate their killings.
She sat at her desk for a moment and closed her eyes. It had been over ten years now since they died but she could still hear their voices and conjure up their faces if she concentrated hard enough. Sometimes they came unbidden into her consciousness and caught her unawares, but only if she dropped her defenses against the emotional terrorism that were her memories. She
was well practiced in holding those shields in place now. She knew what she had to do and dwelling too much on her life “before” would not help her. Everything and everyone had to be measured, monitored, and rejected if necessary, so they didn’t overwhelm her and render her lost in the sea of the past.
With a deep breath, she opened her eyes and pushed herself out of the chair. She set the catch to lock from the inside when she shut the door to the room. It wouldn’t do for anyone to see inside while she was gone.
“You look different, somehow,” Terri said as the girl came out of the kitchen, disheveled from slumber, breakfast sandwich in hand. After the events with Surgeon, Diana had expected never to see Terri again. Much to her surprise, the girl had been more than happy to petsit Max while she was away.
“Well, I am wearing a uniform,” Diana said.
Terri shook her head. “It’s not that. It’s true I haven’t seen you in your army gear before, but still, you’re different somehow.”
“As in, ‘don’t mess with me?’”
“Oh no, that’s you’re normal look,” Terri grinned. “I mean something more. Steely.”
Diana cocked an eyebrow at Terri. “I do, do I? And I don’t normally? I’m not sure Peter would agree with you.”
“Oh, I don’t know. You don’t always play hardball with him.” Terri flicked up her eyebrows very slightly and smiled conspiratorially as she took a big bite out of her sandwich. Diana gave her a long look but didn’t say anything.
“Steely, huh? Well, that’s good. Pretty much what I was aiming for,” she said.
Terri smiled. “Well, you’ve succeeded.” She paused for a moment to take another bite out of her sandwich, while Diana made sure she had taken care of everything before her trip. She may look like a woman of steel, but she still had to take care of paying the bills, leave money for Terri to buy groceries and food for Max, and speak with the doorman about her absence. Being a hotshot wasn’t all that.
“So, when do you leave?” Terri asked, interrupting her train of thought.
Diana glanced at the time. “They should be here any—“
Her phone rang. It was Peter. “And they’re here,” she said.
“I’ll be right out,” she said into the phone. A car had been sent to take them to Canadian Forces Base Comox.
Diana grabbed her regulation gym bag and kissed Terri on the cheek. “Take care, hun,” she said. She dropped to her haunches and gave Max a scratch. He wagged his tail, but he looked so forlorn, she had to steel herself. He knew she was going away for a while. “You’re too smart for your own good,” she said. “I’m going to miss you, boy.”
At that, he let out a plaintive whine that nearly brought tears to Diana’s eyes. It wasn’t as if he weren’t used to her going away every once in a while. This time she didn’t expect to be gone more than a few days, but he had emotional manipulation down pat. She knew as soon as she walked out the door, he’d be more than happy with Terri, but until she left, he did his best to blackmail her. He put the professionals to shame.
“Mommy loves you, baby,” she said. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Go on, we’ll be fine,” Terri promised.
Diana smiled at her. “I know you will. You’ve got everything you need, right?”
“Absolutely. Stop worrying, everything will be fine. And yes, I know, if I’m even slightly suspicious I can call any of the numbers you gave me. Cops will be at the door in minutes.”
Diana had spoken to Donaldson. After the shenanigans with Surgeon, Diana felt uncomfortable leaving Terri completely defenseless in her apartment. Surgeon had now been shipped off to Kent maximum security jail where he was to be handed over to the Americans and transferred to Guantánamo Bay. He posed no threat, but as a favor to Diana, Donaldson had promised to check in on Terri regularly. He also gave Terri his cellphone number. If anything concerned her, he’d send the troops in.
“Okay, I’m off. If anything, anything at all happens, even if you think it’s just your imagination, you make the call,” Diana told the girl adamantly. Loose ends dangled over Diana. The hiring of Surgeon by a Canadian security firm to kill another assassin whose target was thought to be Riley Green, a Canadian senator and prospective Prime Minister, was still bothering her. The case had not run its course and she wondered just what her and Peter would discover in Kandahar. Were they were at the beginning of a process that would lead to the unveiling of a web of deceit, power, and lies that would prove deadlier and more complex the more they dug into it?
Terri put her hand over her heart. “I swear, I will call the Superintendent even if so much as a mouse spooks me,” she said with a grin. Then she sobered. “Don’t worry Diana, I promise Max will be safe.”
Diana sighed and dropped her bag onto the floor. “I want you both safe,” she said as she now pulled the girl into a hug. She’d grown quite fond of Terri despite her preference for keeping personal attachments to a minimum. Terri had a lovely personality, she was bubbly and cheerful, and she adored Max. She’d worked her way under Diana’s skin.
Terri hugged her back just as hard. “I promise, we’ll be fine,” she said. “Now, you go and kick some terrorist butt so that we can all sleep a little safer,” Diana’s eyes widened just a smidgeon. “Or whatever it is you’re doing,” Terri added quickly.
“Okay, now I really am off,” Diana said with a smile. She picked up her bag, and walked out of her apartment, closing the door behind her. She refused to look back. Max would be sitting in the hallway, tugging at her heartstrings. And that would not do. A Captain in the Canadian Military Intelligence Branch must be in command at all times.
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THANK YOU
Thank you for taking the time to read Chopped. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and very much appreciated.
Thank you,
OTHER BOOKS IN THE DIANA HUNTER SERIES
Hunted (Prequel)
Snatched
Stolen
Exposed
ALSO BY ALISON GOLDEN
FEATURING REVEREND ANNABELLE DIXON
Death at the Café (Prequel)
Murder at the Mansion
Body in the Woods
Grave in the Garage
Horror in the Highlands
FEATURING INSPECTOR DAVID GRAHAM
The Case of the Screaming Beauty (Prequel)
The Case of the Hidden Flame
The Case of the Fallen Hero
The Case of the Broken Doll
The Case of the Missing Letter
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alison Golden was born and raised in Bedfordshire, England. She writes cozy mysteries and suspense novels, along with the occasional witty blog post, all of which are designed to entertain, amuse, and calm. Her approach is to combine creative ideas with excellent writing and edit, edit, edit.
She is the creator of the Reverend Annabelle Dixon cozy mysteries, a charming, fun series featuring a female vicar ministering in the beautiful county of Cornwall, England. She also produces a Jersey-based detective series featuring Inspector David Graham and the Diana Hunter series, set in Vancouver.
Her books’ themes range from the humorous and sweet to harder hitting suspense. They are recommended for readers who like to relax and unwind with their books, who enjoy getting to know the characters, and who prefer the tougher side of life implied.
She is based in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and twin sons. She splits her time traveling between London and San Francisco.
For up-to-date promotions and release dates of upcoming books, sign up for the latest news here: http://cozymysteries.com/diana.
For more information:
@cozy_mysteries
cozymysterybks
cozymysteries.com
[email protected]
“If you tru
ly want to escape this reality, all you have to do is open a book and your imagination.”
Unknown
CHOPPED
A Diana Hunter Mystery
A headless body. A contract killer. His human prey.
Ten years have passed since Diana Hunter, once the youngest spook in the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, was captured by the elusive professional assassin known only as “Surgeon.” Now a magazine editor and a consultant for the Vancouver Police Department, Diana has been taunted for years by the shadowy psychopathic genius who continues to elude the grasp of the world’s top police and intelligence services.
It is two days before the anniversary of her ordeal, and Surgeon has claimed another victim in his gruesome, trademark fashion on the streets of the city Diana calls home. Desperate to bring Surgeon to justice, Diana dangles herself as bait for this ruthless, arrogant killer but her plan goes wrong. Will it go fatally wrong?
Set amid the urban bustle of Vancouver, Chopped is an electrifying game of chess with political undertones played against an opponent whose obsessive mind is working moves ahead. Can Diana and her handsome partner, Detective Peter Hopkinson, outthink this brilliant killer, or will Surgeon’s brutal game continue unchecked?
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Text copyright © 2017 Alison Golden
All rights reserved.
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