by J. D. Martin
“At ease, Richard. We’ll skip the reprimands. You’re free to think whatever you like. Just fill me in on where we stand with finding Saint.”
The detectives informed her of the search, but they felt it was a lost cause with his training background. It wouldn’t be easy to find him, but there was a BOLO out on him in the hope that they’d get lucky. He’d already been gone almost two hours with no news of any sightings. As they were finishing up the report, her phone rang and she stepped away to take the call.
About fifty miles outside of Columbia, Missouri, I pulled into a gas station along a dusty road to fill up. Removing my helmet, I looked around at the sheer emptiness of it all. Being miles from a decently sized city, the gas station was the only building in sight. I wondered how much business the tiny shack saw being in the middle of nowhere as I filled my tank. A loud thunk told me it was done, and I replaced the nozzle before stepping inside to pay for the gas and a sandwich.
I chose roast beef on rye and was about to pay when I saw a rack of prepaid cellphones. Grabbing one to add to my purchase, I went outside to eat and make a quick call. It rang a few times before the other end answered. “I’m safe,” I said. “I’m already out of town and heading cross country.”
“Aren’t you glad I told you to prepare evacuation supplies in case something like this happened? You weren’t sticking to your training.”
“I know. I came across a distraction, but it won’t happen again once the news hits.”
“Yeah, I feel sorry for the lovely coroner. I liked the two of you together.”
“I know you did. You’d never shut up about it, Rae Rae.”
“You know I hate it when you call me that. I haven’t used my middle name in years.”
“I know, but you’re a chore when you know you’re right all the time,” Alex chuckled.
“Meaning you like to torment me instead of just allowing the compliment?” The warmth in her voice was both chiding and playful.
“Can’t pet your ego too much. You’ll get too big for your britches. Either way, your recommendations came in handy.”
“That’s what I’m here for. Let me know where you end up.” Saying farewell to Alex, she placed the phone in her pocket as she heard her name called.
“Captain Hawthorne,” said Pinick, “would you like a ride back to the station? We’re going to call the search now rather than wait; he’s gone.”
“Yes, Edward. Thank you”. Following him to the squad car, she reflected on the man that Alexander Saint had become and the work still to be done.
Acknowledgements
The relaunching of this book with a new edition was both a fun and difficult journey. As my freshman outing into writing, I’ll be the first one to admit that I made a LOT of mistakes. They ranged from grammar to spelling as well as issues with storytelling. I learned quite a bit from it though, and made the changes to how I write with the books I’ve released since. It was a torturous journey as I read through this novel and found all those mistakes. It stabbed at me that I made them, but also allowed me to see firsthand how far I’ve come.
As with all writers, there are going to be mistakes in our stories that are found after print. But learning from them lets us make fewer as we grow in our craft. The growth I’ve gained in this journey are owed to a small yet greatly appreciated group of people. It was them that kept me typing at the keys to put my tales to print. I wouldn’t be where I am in my career without them.
The first person I want to thank is Bob Sixta. You were my first raving fan that made sure I knew how much you enjoyed my work. Each time I saw you, you drilled me about when I would have another novel out. Your thirst for books is something that drove me forward to bring more. What could have been a one-time outing turned into a career through your persistence, and I can’t thank you enough for that.
Finally, where would any of us be without our mothers? Repeatedly reading my books as she painstakingly pours over each word to edit them is a gesture I’m eternally grateful for. I literally wouldn’t be here doing what I love without you.
