Read KILLER DATE (SCANDALS) Online
Authors: Kathy Clark
KILLER DATE (SCANDALS) (29 page)
They arrived together in a new Camaro
convertible Christopher had borrowed from a local dealership. The plan was that they would enter as a couple, but have a very public disagreement and he would leave her alone while he hit on other women. We watched them park across the street and move up the sidewalk to the front door that stood open. The music was so loud, we could hear it even without the microphone hidden in Killeen’s cleavage and under Dallas’ collar. Inside the house, it was deafening.
Tulsa
adjusted the controls to pull up the conversation and separate it from the background noise. We listened and watched for about an hour as they went through the fake break-up and separation. Dante still hadn’t made a move, and I, for one, was getting a little claustrophobic crowded in the van with Christopher and Tulsa.
“I’m going outside for some air,” I told them, and they nodded and waved me out.
I shut the van door behind me, then leaned against the side. I watched the kids wander in and out of the house. There were small groups clustered on the lawn, passing around joints or getting into fights.
The temperature had dropped to the upper seventies, so it was comfortable. I sucked in a lungful of fresh night air and almost choked on the cigarette and pot smoke that was floating around. It was almost as bad as a casino.
It was easy to see why I hadn’t been the first choice for this job. While I could play the part of a college student, I had no real experience in the role. Dallas was smooth. This was his world, and he knew how to thrive in it. I had yet to find my world.
Vegas had been fun. I loved the magic and the art of putting together a show. But I wasn’t too crazy about the down time, the scrambling for bartending jobs, dealing poker or valet parking. There were only so many venues, even in Vegas, and it took a long time to build up to a headliner. I didn’t know if I wanted it bad enough.
I liked my new life, hanging with my brothers and sisters, living in a nice house, eating regularly and driving a new car. All that was missing was…
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone come from around the back of the car and I felt the movement as they leaned against the side next to me.
“So, how’s it going?”
My heart did a goofy little flip
-flop at the sound of her voice, but I forced myself to remain calm and not sound too needy.
“Not bad. We’re waiting for a signal from Killeen or Dallas to move in.”
“Mind if I hang out here with you?”
“Nah, it’s a public street.” I didn’t move my head, but I sneaked a little glance at her. God, she looked great. Cut-offs and a purple tank top showed off her new tan. “So,
where did you come from?” I asked lightly.
I heard her chuckle. “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”
Now she was stealing my lines. Had she no shame? But it made me smile. “Okay, let me phrase it differently. Enjoy your vacation?”
“Which vacation? The one to Mexico or the one to someplace I can’t talk about?”
“Either one. You choose.”
“Well, the first one was a little rougher than I would have liked. I was
n’t a girl scout and never got any outdoor survival badges. But it ended nicely.”
“Nicely?”
She smiled. “Okay, it ended with fireworks…all night long.”
“And the other one?”
“Not so great. As I was sitting in a place I can’t talk about doing something I can’t tell you about, I had an epiphany.”
I didn’t want to get my hopes up. She might just be back in town to pick up Elvis’ litter box. “Oh?” I prompted.
“I realized that my sister was all grown up and ready to make her own decisions. I made a promise to provide her with the same kind of lifestyle my parents would have. I got her through high school and almost through college. But I’m not her mom.” She shrugged. “My work was done, and I had no reason to be tagging along in her new life.”
“So it wasn’t a big adventure?”
“It sucked. They gave me the name Shelly. Do I look like a Shelly?”
I turned and looked at her straight on for the first time tonight. I couldn’t resist a smile. “No, you look like a Jenny.”
We stood there in silence for a full minute.
“So, you’re out of the program?”
“Yes, I opted out. I had them drop me off at your house and Gerald told me where you were. He even loaned me a car.” She nodded down the street where she had parked a red Mini-Cooper I recognized as Killeen’s. “I know I might not see Angie again for a few years, but Miguel will take good care of her.” She licked her lips and gave me a little grin. “Besides, I had a date I didn’t want to miss.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah, you owe me a steak dinner at Earl’s. Although I might like to eat my dessert first.”
My gut twisted. I wanted so much to open up
and let her in. I had built up a strong wall that kept me from getting hurt. People had always let me down.
“You left me.” I hated that my voice quivered, but my emotions were so raw.
She reached up and cupped my face in her palm. Her eyes begged me to listen as she whispered, “But I came back.”
The door to the van burst open
. Christopher vaulted out and started running toward the mansion. I didn’t wait to hear what had happened.
“I’ve got to go,” I told Jenny. “Will you wait?”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
It wasn’t until the police had hauled Dante off in handcuffs that I was able to return to the van. I half expected her to be gone. In fact, she wasn’t outside as I approached, and my heart started pounding in fear that she had disappeared again.
It was that moment that I knew that I had to give this thing between me and Jenny a chance. It might crush me. It might kill me. But it might make me the happiest man on earth. Without great risk, there was no reward.
I opened the van door almost frantically. It was empty. My gaze swept around as if someon
e could hide in the small space. No one was there.
“Looking for someone?”
I whirled around and almost knocked the Starbucks cups out of her hands. Tulsa was right behind her.
“
We went on a coffee run,” Jenny explained unnecessarily and held out a cup.
I took both cups from her and set them on the floor of the van, then grabbed her in a big hug. I buried my face in her neck and breathed in her wonderful
lemony scent. “Welcome home…Shelly.”
She punched me in the shoulder,
then wrapped her arms around my neck. “I’m thinking about getting a new tattoo,” she told me.
“Really?
What?”
“I was thinking maybe a key that fits into your lock.”
I laughed out loud. “My lock opened wide the first time I saw your Lucky Charms.”
She gave me a sexy wink. “You’ve barely had a taste of my charms.”
I shut her up with a kiss. She already had the key to my heart. It had been a long time since it was open, but it melted under her touch. And if I had anything to say about it, I would be the last man to see her tramp stamp up close and personal.
It was after midnight and only Tulsa was left at Scandals. Reno and Jenny had decided to spend the night at a downtown hotel. Christopher had taken Killeen home to personally check out every square inch of her body to make sure she was okay after getting a little roughed up by Dante. Dallas had promised Liberty he’d teach her how to play pool. But Tulsa had stayed behind to make sure all the video and audio they had recorded tonight was safely stored so it wouldn’t accidentally be destroyed. It was important evidence in the case against Dante that, in all possibility, would put him in prison for five to ten.
Tulsa was meticulous in her record keeping. That was what she like
d about computers. They were very black and white. You knew exactly what they were going to do.
One of her foster mothers had accused her of having OCD, and that was probably at least a little true. Tulsa liked to know what was happening and why. She wasn’t big on surprises. No
ne of the surprises in her life, so far, had been good.
Well, except for the whole inheritance thing. It wasn’t the money so much, although it was nice to not worry how she was going to pay for next semester’s classes. She was still getting used to having brothers and sisters. Real
ones, not foster kids.
A loud crash startled her
. The whole building shook, followed by someone pounding on the front door.
Tulsa carefully locked her office,
then went to the front of the building.
A guy was standing outside, spread eagle against the door and pounding on it with both fists. There was a cut on his forehead and blood was dripping down his face and onto his Armani suit.
Behind him three police cars, their lights flashing and sirens blaring screeched to a halt in the parking lot.
“Help me,” he shouted, his voice muffled through the metal and glass
security door. “I didn’t kill her.”
You have no idea how important your opinion is to me. Writers write books, hoping to touch their readers
’ hearts and souls. Unless we hear from you, we won’t know how well we succeeded.
My characters come from within me and are like my children. Yes, that means that sometimes they’re nice and sometimes they’re naughty, but always interesting.
The Scandals series is a lot of fun to write because the characters are vibrant and emotional. Killeen’s pregnancy arc will continue through the next couple of books until she decides how she wants to deal with it. This is Reno’s book. He’s so hot (and yet so cool) that I loved spending time with him. The third book (Worst Date Ever) will be Tulsa’s story as she learns how to let someone love her.
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Kathy
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Kathy Clark’s
23 women’s fiction (romance) novels have sold over 3 million copies in more than 10 languages and have been on the
New York Times’
bestsellers’ list and won her numerous awards.
In September 2012 she launched a new suspense series,
Denver After Dark
centered on three brothers, one a cop, one a firefighter and one a paramedic. The first book,
After Midnight
has been named as the Best Indie Suspense of 2013 and won a prestigious 2013 Readers’ Favorite Suspense Award.
Cries in the Night
is Book #2 in the Series and
Deep Night
, Book #3 will be released in Fall, 2014.
Also in 2012 Kathy teamed up with her husband Bob Wernly to write a Young Adult Time Travel Mystery/Romance series called CUL8R (See You Later) under the pen name of Bob Kat. Book #1
OMG
(Oh My God)
, when they go back to 1966 to save a girl’s life,
was released in October, 2012 and was named as the Best Indie Young Adult Suspense of 2013 and was a Beverly Hills Book Awards finalist. Book #2
BRB (Be Right Back)
, when they travel back to 1980, recently won First Place in the Readers’ Favorite Young Adult Awards 2013. Book #3
BION (Believe It Or Not)
,
when they go back to 1927 and join a circus to save a boy, was just released in July, 2013. All three books in this series have received rave reviews and 4 and 5 star ratings. Book #4
RIP
(Rest in Peace)
, a ghost story set at the famous Stanley Hotel in 1911 will be released in January, 2014. Kathy and Bob also wrote
Life’s What Happens
, a fictionalized version of his fraternity days at Kent State University in 1970 that mixes the drama of senior year with the first military draft lottery, the Vietnam war and the Kent State shootings. This novel was named as a finalist in the Best Indie Mainstream Book of 2013 Awards.
Kathy and Bob also write
a New Adult series called Scandals with the first book
Due Dates
and the second book
Killer Date
scheduled for August, 2014. Book #3
Worst Date Ever
will be out in 2015.
Kathy is currently a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Romance Writers of America and was on the board of directors of national RWA and Colorado Romance Writers for several years. Her books and screenplays have won numerous awards, including top honors from Romantic Times, Colorado Romance Writer of the Year, two RITAs and several film festival screenwriting competitions.
When not writing, she and Bob love to travel, hang out on beaches, spend time with their five sons, go to movies or just play with their dogs and their turtles.
http://www.TheThrillOfSuspense.com
COMING SOON FROM KATHY CLARK
DEEP NIGHT,
Book #3 of Denver After Dark Series scheduled Fall, 2014
SCANDALS: WORST DATE EVER
, Book #3 scheduled Spring, 2015
If you enjoyed
Killer Date
don’t miss Kathy Clark’s (also writing as Bob Kat) latest novels. Please enjoy the following excerpts.