Bound to Morocco by Leslie Hachtel

The Morocco Series, Book One

Historical Romance

Date Published: June 2018

What if your family sold you to a Sultan's Harem?

Drugged and kidnapped, Shera finds herself on a ship to Morocco to serve the Sultan. Abandoned and alone, Shera must find a way to escape and confront the people who betrayed her. She gets help from an unlikely source: the man who kidnapped her. But, he has his own secrets. And, when their partnership turns to love, the two must face constant danger to endure. But will they ever be free?

Excerpt

Spring, 1713

            The throbbing was relentless. Shera, Lady Edgerton, squinted and reluctantly peeked out from beneath her eyelids. She immediately regretted it. A thousand needles of light stabbed her with brutal fury and she quickly closed her eyes again to ease the misery. She drew in a deep breath, trying to quell the pounding in her head. Mindful of the pain, she very slowly opened her eyes again, fighting the agony of vicious brightness that assailed her. Sunlight pierced the room through a narrow slit in the wall high up in the small space and pooled about her. Nausea threatened but she swallowed hard and stiffened her spine.

            Gathering her senses and forcing herself to focus, she looked around. Where was she? A small room made of wood? The walls were bare except for four sets of chains attached to the wood by rings hanging a few inches from the floor. Was this an area used to confine prisoners?  But that did not answer why she was here. She was an innocent. Her being here must be a terrible mistake.

          She heaved in a deep breath and listened carefully. Naught but a kind of creaking. Raising herself gently, she sat up. Her head spun and she took in a few shallow breaths to ease the dizziness. The space around her gradually took shape. She was indeed in a small room with walls of horizontal planked wood. Beneath her, the floor swayed gently back and forth. And the smell? It was the scent of despair. Someone had been held here before her. Or many someones. And there was also the unmistakable odor of the sea. I am aboard a ship? How is that possible? A slither of terror crawled up her back. Had she been kidnapped? Was her life at risk? Who did this and what did they want? The lack of answers was tormenting.

            Shera soothed herself by inhaling and exhaling slowly, then took an inventory of her body. Her back ached and her arms and legs felt heavy. She was most likely bruised, but overall, she was intact. She was still dressed in her beautiful crimson velvet ball gown from the night before, but now it was dirty and the skirt was torn at the hem and along the seams. Her bracelets were missing, as were her rings. But, when she felt for her necklace, she realized it had slipped down into her bodice. She lifted it out and breathed some relief. Set with diamonds and rubies, it was worth a small fortune. She replaced it between her breasts and patted her chest. It could certainly be used as a bribe, but to whom? If she revealed it under the wrong circumstances, it could be taken from her. No, she must be careful to conceal it until the time was right.

            She felt her earlobes. The left earring was gone, but the one on the right had become tangled in her hair. It, too, was set with rubies and diamonds and worth much. She extracted it and slipped it into her bodice with the other piece. Just knowing she had some wealth gave her options and more chances, perhaps, to resolve this situation, whatever it was. The possibilities went from the ridiculous to the unthinkable. It could be this was a simple prank, but the clawing in her stomach told her it was no such thing. But, she must control the terror that threatened to confound her thinking. 

She had been laying on a mattress of sorts, although it was long overdue for re-stuffing. She refused to even think about the stains or what loathsome tiny creatures might reside within its depths. Looking around again, she realized there were three other such pads lined up in the room. Were others to join her? It certainly appeared as if this cabin was used to secure many more. More what? Captives?

Shera squeezed her eyes shut. This was merely a nightmare. She would open her eyes and be in her own bed in the manor house waiting for a servant to come and help her bathe and dress. Yes, that was it. Upon opening her eyes again, this was indeed still a nightmare, but it was real.

About the Author

Leslie Hachtel was born in Ohio, raised in New York and has been a gypsy most of her adult life.  Her various jobs, including licensed veterinary technician, caterer, horseback riding instructor for the disabled and advertising media buyer have given her a wealth of experiences.

However, it has been writing that has consistently been her passion. She sold an episode of a TV show, had a screenplay optioned and has so far produced eleven novels, including eight historicals and three romantic suspense.  Leslie lives in Cordova, Tennessee with a fabulously supportive engineer husband and her writing buddy, Jakita, a terrier.

Contact Links

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Promo Link

Purchase Links

Amazon

B&N

Kobo

iTunes

IndieBound

I Am The Product Of Rape: A Memoir by Catherine Wyatt-Morley and Jalyon Welsh-Cole’s

I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE: A MEMOIR by Catherine Wyatt-Morley & Jalyon Welsh-Cole, Memoir, 194 pp., $15.95 (paperback)

Title: I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE – A MEMOIR

Authors: Catherine Wyatt-Morley and Jalyon Welsh-Cole

Publisher: Four Pillars Media Group

Pages: 194

Genre: Memoir

The phrase “secrets and lies” takes on terrible new meaning in Catherine Wyatt-Morley’s devastating book, I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE – A MEMOIR.



Wyatt-Morley’s shocking story traces the repeated patterns of rape
and incest that plagued four generations of her family, including
Wyatt-Morley’s birth in a filthy basement to her 12-year-old mother, who
was sexually abused by her step-father.



“…In the process of writing this book, an extremely difficult journey
that has taken years, I was taken to unfamiliar destinations and
exposed to unfathomable pain,” Wyatt-Morley relates. “Part of that pain
was learning that I was created through the atrocities of incest by a
brutally manipulative monster and, while only moments old, (I was)
denied by a heartless grandmother who never bothered to look at me.”



Wyatt-Morley wrote I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE – A MEMOIR, she
says, “as my way of dealing with my personal healing. But through
conversations with many diverse women, I quickly began seeing I was not
alone. So many had never told anyone of the abuse that has happened to
them; yet they have a need to heal, to not feel isolated.”



Wyatt-Morley’s daughter, Jalyon Welsh-Cole, also suffered the
terrible legacy of her family when she was abused by her eldest brother.
She wrote the epilogue to I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE – A MEMOIR, an essay she called BURNING HOUSE, in response to the continued pattern of abuse that formed her familial legacy.



“Most of my family members who have learned of this are dealing with
it as well as one can,” Welsh-Cole says. “However, others are still in
disbelief and struggle to understand. For over two decades I kept this
heinous secret to myself. I have had time to bury it, cry over it, and
finally seek therapy and come to grips with it.”



Welsh-Cole’s mother’s story “made me feel as if our bloodline was
full of secrets and lies that I wanted to expose,” she continues. “I
knew after learning of my grandmother’s story that I wasn’t alone.
Today, I cannot allow this to continue to happen in our family.”

As dark and unrelenting as it is, the story told in I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE – A MEMOIR leads to a conclusion of overcoming tremendous odds, leaving readers riveted, inspired, and empowered.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Excerpt:

A ferocious human predator ripped through our
family, drooling over the innocent―leaving none untouched. Generations of child
predators have devoured their vulnerable offspring and siblings, molesting our
family’s youth unconcerned about the magnitude of their actions. Silence has
become the gateway to mental health issues throughout our lineage.  I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir
exposes generational secrets, lies, cover-ups and denial and their
consequences. Told from my perspective, this is my family story, a glimpse into
four women irreversibly scarred by traumatic abuse.

            The
family matriarch, my grandmother, a prolific mother of ten, sets the tone for
all of us women who would place our feet in the footprints of her journey. Her
decisions transform her ancestry for generations to come. Refusing her child
love, protection, safety and happiness for material wealth is significant to
her legacy. Her story sheds light on the transgressions she not only allowed
but participated in.

            Next,
there is the vulnerable, shy girl who endured the death of her childhood at the
hands of her stepfather. Incest, abuse, betrayal, humiliation, and rape
inhumanly tore through her seven year old body. Well before puberty she was
sexually exploited in her own home, her childhood, mind and body all repeatedly
violated. While her mother, my grandmother, lived in denial of the events
taking place in their home, this innocent child was consistently, savagely
tormented by her stepfather who exercised power and control over her. To
survive she separated her two worlds, disconnecting from the brutality she
incessantly endured. Inevitable, at twelve years old that vulnerable, shy girl
gave birth a child. She gave birth to me!

            Then,
there is me, born on a filthy basement floor to a twelve year old. I Am the
Product of Rape. I am an adoptee, I am a daughter, and I am a mother of
three. In search of my future, I found the weighted baggage of the past.
Catholic Social Services documents helped to chronicle my life, as did the many
conversations I have had over the years with sometimes very reluctant people―relatives,
social workers, and paper pushers, all of whom seemed to guard my past as it
floundered aimlessly, leaving lingering, unanswered questions. Through the
process of connecting with my past much was revealed. I came to learn that from
my first breath I was discarded, unwanted, unloved and homeless. My journey
through foster homes the adoption system, and the intense emotional peaks and
valleys concluded with me being adopted becoming the fourth member of a middle
class Catholic family.  The mother of the
family had love enough for one of her children and I was not that child.

            Finally,
along this sexual-abuse sojourn, I unfortunately discovered my daughter's
devastating experience. Crushing my very core, this revelation sent my life
careening in another unexpected direction, straight through my children's lives
into a fourth-generation nightmare. The ripple effects of demoralizing incest,
the sexual slavery of serial rape, and the brutality of molestation go beyond
their impact on the direct victims, transmitting a trauma that oozes
intergenerationally. This story intertwines the DNA of my family's bloodline.

            In conclusion, I Am the Product of Rape―A
Memoir initiates family table talks that have kept incest secrets silent
for generations. Our goals are to make I Am the Product of Rape ―A Memoir
and our other materials available to everyone, have I Am the Product of Rape
―A Memoir translated into the worlds languages and make I Am the Product
of Rape ―A Memoir and our other materials part of the global platform for
eliminating disparities. My daughter and I conclude by saying you are not
alone.

Catherine Wyatt-Morley is the founder, chief executive officer and heartbeat of Women On Maintaining Education and Nutrition,
a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social service organization for the at-risk and
HIV-positive community. In 1994, Wyatt-Morley founded Women On Reasons
To Heal (W.O.R.T.H.), the first and what has become the oldest
HIV-positive women’s support group in Middle Tennessee.



Wyatt-Morley has appeared in countless media outlets nationwide,
including SELF Magazine, the Today Show, A&U Magazine, POZ Magazine,
CNN, Voices of America, MSNBC, Talk America Radio, FX Radio, SiriusXM
Satellite Radio, the Palm Beach Post, the Indianapolis Indiana Recorder,
the Los Angeles Times, the Canadian Sun, Nashville Scene, and the
Tennessean.



Jalyon Welsh-Cole has been director of Women On Maintaining Education and Nutrition,
a 501(c) (3) nonprofit social service organization, since 2010.
Welsh-Cole began writing when she was very young, starting with short
stories and poems. As a teen, she was inspired to draw, finding comfort
and creativity in her art. She joined forces with Wyatt-Morley to share
her story in I AM THE PRODUCT OF RAPE – A MEMOIR. Together, they also have created #HealingSecretHurts workshops, which bring the spectrum of traumatizing sexual assault into the light.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Interview with Catherine Wyatt-Morley 

How did you come up with name of this book?

I created the name I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir after several chapters began to come together. The name portrays the true essence and nature of the book. As I shared the title with others, some recommended that I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir was too harsh, and suggested I soften it a more “acceptable” title but, I felt it important that I own my truth starting with the title.

Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre?

Yes I do read. I enjoy reading true stories, stories of empowerment and self-help. I enjoy reading stories that enrich my life, contribute to my life and tell me something that I can use and share with others.

Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?

I have the ability to shut out the world around me when I write. I get into what I am writing. I go to place in my mind, no matter the noise, the conversation from television, radio, people talking I can shut it all off, turn it all out and concentrate on writing.

What do you feel you can accomplish with this book?

I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir has already accomplished many family table talks that have kept incest secrets silent for generations. It has provided some readers the courage to uncover long hidden abuse secrets within their family. I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir has provided some readers the courage to seek mental healthcare, and other readers who are victims of sexual assault have found the bravery to report  the abuse to authorities. I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir has set the stage for adoptees to begin the process of locating their birth parents. I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir has opened the doors of conversation in several support groups for those who have been rejected, isolated, diagnosed with HIV/AIDS bipolar or some other mental health challenge. I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir has encouraged women to get involved in social issues.

My daughter and I can accomplish and intend for I Am the Product of Rape ―A Memoir and our other materials to be made available to everyone that needs them. We can accomplish and intend for I Am the Product of Rape ―A Memoir to be translated into the worlds languages including audiobooks and make I Am the Product of Rape ―A Memoir and our other materials a major part of the global platform for eliminating disparities.  

What is your next project?

My daughter and I would like our next project to be working with major film producers in the process of transforming I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir into a major motion picture.  

Additionally, in conjunction with I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir, my daughter and I have developed an interactive Workbook titled #HealingSecretHurts or (#HSH). I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir, #HSH and other tools are used to conduct small to mid-size acquisition sessions which, with attendees, explores the raw subject matters exposed in I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir.  Sessions are implemented in safe, confidential, comfortable environments. Making trauma a priority, my daughter and I listen, believe, and care then encourage, empower and initiate behavior change. As authors of I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir my daughter and I want to help others in need of healing from trauma.

Visit us at Pump Up Your Book!

The Charly Stevens Series by Two Sharpe

Awakening

The
Charly Stevens Series Book 1

by
Two Sharpe

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

What
do you do when tragedy comes into your life and takes everything
away? Charly Stevens’ life was turned upside down when a drunk
driver took her beloved husband Kevin from her, making her a widow at
24. Charly has two choices, stay in the dark pit of despair that has
become her life for almost a year, or take a chance and enter the
world of the living and move forward again. Lucky for Charly, she has
some excellent friends who support her, but she will also have to
face the next step in her life when a man from her past reappears and
shows definite interest. Charly gets caught up in a murder
investigation with some unusual help from her rescue dog, Lola. After
Kevin was taken, he finds a way to help Charly realize her place in
the world again with Lola’s help.

Goodreads
* Amazon

Excerpt:

Mrs. Paulson was just sitting down at the table with a cup of coffee in front of her, and there was a second cup sitting in front of the chair across from her, steam rising from the cup. 

“Take a seat dear, I won’t bite.”  

I smiled and slid into the chair across from her, all the while trying to figure out how she knew I was coming, there is steam coming out of the cup meant for me! 

She lifted her eyes to meet mine, “When did you lose him?” 

“Almost a year ago,” stuttering at first. Just saying it out loud felt like someone just stuck an ice pick in my chest. “How did you know?”

Mrs. Paulson, “EJ” as she told me to call her again, began “I was married to a wonderful man, Harold, for 36 years. We were never blessed with children, but Harold and I loved animals something fierce and we spent our love on our animals. Harold was such a wonderful man, he would give you the shirt off his back...actually, that’s how we met,” she said with a wicked little smile.  

I chuckled as EJ continued, a sparkle in her eyes, “Harold was always helping people, he would deliver meals to people who were sick or injured. We both volunteered at the local animal shelter to help them find people to adopt the animals that came in. One night, Harold was on his way home after delivering meals and a drunk driver came careening through a red light and struck my Harold broadside, he died instantly according to the police.”  

I made an audible gasp and my hands started shaking while tears fell down my cheeks. EJ smiled a half smile and put her hand over mine, “Harold and I had 36 beautiful years together, I can’t complain.”  

I grabbed a napkin from the holder and dried my face and blew my nose. I was just about to say something when EJ continued. 

“I took Harold’s death hard, he was my everything. I didn’t handle it well at all, I kind of checked out for a while. About a year after Harold’s death, I began having this vivid dream with Harold and me. It was the same dream every night. Then one night the dream changed. Harold said something in the dream that he never had before. I didn’t think much about it at first and then I found that the things he was saying to me in the dream, were real.”  

My eyes bulged almost out of my head when she said this, and she smiled, knowingly at me. 

“It took me some time, but I eventually pieced together what he was telling me, and I ended up finding Pookie. He was abused, emaciated, and in terrible shape, but I found him just where my Harold told me to look in my dreams. That was 15 years ago.” EJ looked over at me and smiled, then she patted my hand and said, “You can take a breath now dear.”  

I didn’t realize I was holding it as I let out my breath loudly and took several more to steady myself. This was unbelievable, EJ had just given voice to what I have been thinking for several days, I thought I was just going mad! 

Taking another breath, I said, “That is a lot to take in. I have to say I have been having a similar experience, but I thought I was going crazy.”  

EJ started laughing and said, “Dear, do you think I thought I had all my cookies in the jar after all that happened to me? It took me a long time to let my mind accept what was happening.”  

“Is that it, is that all that happened? You found Pookie?” I asked after taking a few moments to process.

“I figure that each of us that have been given this gift are given the responsibility that goes along with it. It was not only for my benefit that this happened. Over the years Pookie and I have helped rescue over 100 animals that were lost or being abused. And over those same years I have asked myself all the time why this ability, this gift? All I can think of is that Harold and I shared a love and passion for animals. I think maybe when someone is taken suddenly, the way Harold and your Kevin were, their love, or at least some of it, stays here with us. Maybe that is how this connection or bond is formed.  

“Harold came to me in my dreams until I found Pookie and then believe it or not, Pookie was the one that helped me find the others. I think Harold might be speaking to me through Pookie. If you pay close enough attention, they are speaking to you in their own way.  I stopped asking questions a long time ago and just started paying attention and trusting my instincts...and Pookie’s.” She smiled.

Acceptance

The
Charly Stevens Series Book 2

Charly
Stevens has come to accept that it is time to move forward with her
life, so she and Lola are plowing straight ahead… into even more
mystery and intrigue. With the help of her faithful friends Hadley
and EJ, the team takes on a case to find a missing dog and they
inadvertently cross paths with Charly’s new love interest, Riley
Jordan. Riley and his partner, Tank, are investigating a string of
break ins in the surrounding area and find clues that link back to
the murder of Riley’s father, when Riley was young. Working
together to help solve the case is exhilarating for the new couple,
but it also places both of them in harms way. Come along on this next
adventure in the Charly Stevens series: Acceptance.

Goodreads
* Amazon

Two
Sharpe Publishing was created as a company to publish some books that
my daughter and I wrote together.  This was not something Amanda
nor I had ever even dreamed of, but then life has a way of sending
you down the path that it wants… regardless of where you were
planning on going.

On
September 16, 2015, Amanda’s husband Kevin was on his way home from
work late one night and was waiting for traffic to clear in the left
turn lane about a mile from their home.  A drunk driver coming
from behind Kevin, at what was estimated 75 mph in a 45 mph zone,
veered out of the travel lanes and struck Kevin in the rear of his
Dodge Neon with a full-size SUV.  Kevin was killed instantly in
the crash.

Several
months after Kevin’s death, Amanda wrote an autobiography of her
life with Kevin called Stolen and
she asked me if I would help edit the book.  Once we put the
finishing touches on Stolen, we decided we would cowrite a fictional
series called The Charly Stevens series.

People
deal with the loss of a loved one in many different ways. After
starting the Charly Stevens Series, we came up with another fictional
series called Road Rage The Blog. It is a real time blog written by
Simon, a man who has a great deal of rage, especially when he gets in
a car.

Once
we had an idea for the above projects, we needed a Social Engineer to
handle publishing, website development, cover art, and social media
for our company.  We were lucky enough to convince Kris Spoon to
join our team.  Kris has a wide range of experience in the world
of publishing and social media and has used those unique skills to
create a platform for not only the works we have created to date, but
for those to come.  We hope in the future to be able to help
other authors bring their works to life through our company.

Thank
you for reading about Two Sharpe Publishing!

-Amanda,
Kris, & Scott-

Website
* Facebook
* Twitter * Instagram
* Goodreads

Follow
the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vigilante Assassin Jake Wolfe Book 2 by Mark Nolan

Vigilante
Assassin

Jake
Wolfe Book 2

by
Mark Nolan

Genre:
Thriller

Every
marriage has a secret, but this one is deadly. Lauren Stephens wakes
up to find her husband, Gene, has vanished during the night. His
phone is dead. Desperate, she hires Jake Wolfe and his war dog, Cody.
They search the house and discover something so disturbing that Jake
won’t allow Lauren near it. “No, if you see this, there is no
unseeing it.”

Lauren
thought she had it all: a loving partner, two great kids, a
successful business, and a beautiful home in the San Francisco hills.
But all of that is about to come crashing down, due to a missing
husband, a hidden past, and a frightening secret that will shock a
trusting wife to the core. Gene has enemies, and now they want
something from Lauren.

Jake
Wolfe is a flawed man who has a habit of being in the wrong place at
the wrong time. He wants to leave his secret, violent past behind
him, but when Lauren and her children are threatened, his protective
instinct takes command. Jake soon finds himself involved in a
dangerous conspiracy, targeted for death, and engaged in battle with
a powerful, unseen group who will stop at nothing to get what they
want.

Jake’s
going to have to think fast and fight hard to protect Cody, Lauren
and her kids.

Vigilante
Assassin is “Jake Wolfe book two” in the ongoing series. It can
be read as a stand-alone, or you can start with book one, titled:
Dead Lawyers Don’t Lie. 

Both
of these Kindle Unlimited books in the Jake Wolfe mystery thriller
novel series are available to read for free with your subscription to
Kindle Unlimited.

Goodreads
* Amazon

Dead
Lawyers Don't Lie

Jake
Wolfe Book 1

A
mysterious killer who calls himself The Artist is assassinating
wealthy lawyers in San Francisco. When war veteran Jake Wolfe
accidentally takes his picture during a murder, The Artist adds Jake
to his kill list and he becomes a target in a deadly game of cat and
mouse that only one of them can survive. How far would you go to
protect your loved ones from a killer? Jake wants to leave his top
secret, violent past life behind him. But the reluctant, flawed hero
can't ignore his duty and his personal moral compass.

This
gripping thriller is full of suspense, plot twists and surprises. It
features a cast of interesting characters, including several
strong-willed women, two wise-cracking San Francisco Police Homicide
Inspectors, one highly intelligent dog, and a philosophical killer
who shares Jake's admiration for Van Gogh paintings but still plans
to kill him anyway. As Jake gets closer to unraveling a merciless
conspiracy, his life gets turned upside down and the danger level
increases, adding to the growing suspense. This entertaining
page-turner starts out as a murder mystery and then shifts gears into
a high-speed action thriller that takes you on a roller-coaster ride
to the riveting ending. A good read for those who enjoy mysteries,
suspense, action and adventure, vigilante justice, unique characters,
witty dialogue and a little romance too. Now on sale in over a dozen
countries around the world. Be the first among your friends to read
it.

Fans
of new Kindle Unlimited novels will be happy to know this book is one
of the best financial thrillers in kindle unlimited books.

Goodreads
* Amazon

Excerpt:

Excerpt 1:

San Francisco Superior Court Building

Criminal Courtroom Number 8

On the morning before attorney Richard Caxton was shot, he spent an hour in court doing what he did best—lying to the jury.

This time around, Caxton’s client was the son of a wealthy mortgage banker. Brice Riabraun had “allegedly” been driving under the influence of alcohol when he’d crashed his luxury SUV into the Tate family’s economy car. In court, Caxton claimed that the police had mishandled the case.

In Caxton’s successful cases, he often found a loophole in the law, or a small procedural error by the police, or a semibelievable alibi that would hold up just long enough to bamboozle a jury. He exploited these opportunities with the smooth-talking technique of a used car salesman. Other attorneys in the city marveled at—and envied—the creatively dishonest con man.

After arguing relentlessly for his version of the truth, Caxton listened to the court clerk read the jury’s verdict aloud and pronounce Riabraun not guilty.

Judge Emerson frowned. Caxton had to make an effort not to laugh.

Brian Tate bolted from his chair and railed at the jury. “How could you find him innocent when he was driving with a 0.15 blood alcohol level? Witnesses said he drank seven beers before he crashed into our car and almost killed my wife and kids!”

Tate’s wife, Judy, sat next to him with her arm in a plaster cast. The twelve jurors seated in the jury box averted their eyes and didn’t reply to him. Tate turned and stared at Caxton and his client with the righteous fury of someone who had been cheated out of justice.

Judge Emerson slammed his gavel down. “Order! Sit down, Mr. Tate.”

Caxton and his client just sat there gloating, and trying not to laugh at Tate, the working man in his department store suit and tie.

Tate curled his lip and ignored Judge Emerson’s warning and jabbed his finger at Caxton. “Anyone else would be going to prison now, but your client had the cash to hire the best lying lawyer that money can buy. Somebody ought to teach you two a lesson—the hard way.”

“Mr. Tate, that is enough!” Judge Emerson said as he banged his gavel again. “Do not test my patience, or you will find yourself held in contempt of court.”

Tate took a deep breath and let it out, struggling for control.

“Yes, Your Honor.” He sat down, but continued to glare at Caxton.

Caxton shrugged and maintained his cool and professional appearance. He had perfect teeth, a year-round tan, manicured fingernails, and the latest hairstyle. His suits, shirts, and ties were all custom-made by the finest tailors in the Financial District.

Caxton was used to having that level of helpless anger leveled at him by now. He couldn’t have cared less about it. He’d earned a reputation in San Francisco as the lawyer you loved to hate. But as he often said, being hated sure did pay well.

Caxton’s favorite story was about a client who had asked him if he could seek justice. He’d answered, “Yes, and how much justice can you afford to buy today?”

“You are now free to go, Mr. Riabraun,” Judge Emerson announced.

Riabraun grinned and shook hands with Caxton, then exited through a side door. He was already sliding into a waiting limousine when Emerson dismissed the jury.

Caxton headed toward the front entrance of the court building with his head held high. He went outside and faced the news reporters and gave a brief but well-rehearsed speech. “Today, justice was served. My client was found not guilty by a jury in a court of law. Thank goodness we live in a country where lawyers can protect honest, hardworking people such as my client from false accusations.”

Reporters began yelling questions at Caxton, but he walked away, looking pious. His publicist would issue a statement to the press any minute now. As he strolled toward the parking lot and his brand-new BMW, he didn’t notice someone sitting in a car watching him.

Mark
Nolan is the author of Dead Lawyers Don't Lie, and the sequel,
Vigilante Assassin. Right now he's busy writing Jake Wolfe Book 3. He
also tries to make time every day to answer emails from readers. You
can reach him and subscribe to his newsletter at marknolan.com.

Website
* Facebook *
Twitter * Bookbub
* Amazon
* Goodreads

Follow
the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway