Sunday, June 16, 2013

HER HONOR'S BODYGUARD

HELLO, MY FRIENDS 
THIS IS THE OPENING FROM HER HONOR'S BODYGUARD
MY BEST SELLING NOVEL 


ENJOY

What in the hell am I supposed to do now? Noella Peterson stopped walking along the street as she studied a car that was slowing while it passed by her. While hesitating, she had second thoughts in revealing where she was heading. Although she felt like she had eluded everyone, she couldn’t be absolutely sure. She waited in the midday sun for the car to disappear quietly around a corner.
The office front of this older building near the college in downtown Tampa offered her little to use for cover. She inhaled deeply, hoping the door would be unlocked so that she could enter quickly and disappear before the car made a circle.
She studied the name on the window, which reassured her that she had the right place. Vance Mills, private detective, was about to obtain a new client. She twisted the polished, brass door knob and swiftly pushed the door open. Her heart raced as she rushed inside and closed the door behind her.
After studying the dimly lit waiting area, she waited for someone to notice that she had entered the office. She heard no music playing, or in fact any sounds at all to interrupt the pounding of her heart. After studying the deathly quiet sensation of the vacant office, she wondered if she should come back later. No, she had come this far.
A small light glowing above the desk, and another one on a table next to several chairs, sent additional quivers to her stomach. Still, with the lights left on, someone must be here.
“Is anyone here,” she shouted, as the sparsely furnished room allowed her voice to echo. When she suddenly heard a bump coming from a side room, she realized that someone was there after all. She straightened her back and waited.
The door swung open and in walked Vance who was wearing gym shorts and a muscle type t-shirt. The sweat glistening on his skin highlighted his rock hard body. Damn, she knew she shouldn’t stare, but he looked hot. As her heart raced, she refocused on his eyes which were attempting to make contact with hers.
After several long agonizing seconds, he pulled the door closed behind him. “Hello, Noella, or should I call you judge here also?”
“Vance, this isn’t my courtroom, so you know you don’t have to call me judge.” This was difficult for her, and it appeared that he wanted to make the moment as tough as he could for her. “I need to talk to you. Vance, I need your help.”
“My help?”
“I know you’re mad at me, and for good reason. But . . . what you don’t know is what I’ve recently found out. I highly suspect that you were framed.”
Vance strolled over to his desk as she watched his movements. Memories of her making love to him many years ago resurfaced. He looked even better than she could remember.
If he thought he could turn on any kind of recording device—well, forget it. “I don’t know. Maybe this was a bad idea.” She hesitated, hunting for the right words. “But I remember you from back in law school. You were the one who always held the ethical high road, and I always respected that.”
Vance pointed to a chair for her to use, but he remained silent. His solid black hair had become slightly longer over the last year, and it now reached closer to his shoulders. His deep, penetrating, almost wolf-like, grey eyes had retained their effectiveness in unsettling her.
She forced herself to speak slowly. “I need to hire a private detective to do some work for me and keep it quiet. I might also need some protective services, if you are available.”
Vance motioned again for her to have a seat, but didn’t wait for her as he slipped into his chair. “How did you find me? I don’t advertise, and I take on only a select number of clients.”
“I understand how you’re keeping a low profile. You really made some enemies in the police department.”
“Not everything is as it appears. I still have some friends there.” He grabbed a towel, and wiped sweat from his neck. “You’ll have to excuse me, I just started working out.” He pointed to the side door. “My gym.”
“It’s good to see that you stay in shape—it shows.” Perhaps she didn’t need to make such a comment. The short fling they had earlier had ended years ago, and there was no sense in reuniting those memories now. But . . . how could she ignore his body that he flaunted in front of her?
“I’m sure there’re many competent people you can work with around town.”
As she allowed herself to breathe, the scent of his workout sweat reached her, making it harder to hide her emotions. She had to act professionally, she had to. “I’ve been getting threatening calls and messages.”
He smirked. “That sounds like something you can turn over to the police.”
“I have talked to them and I’ve gotten nowhere. The only comments that I have received from them is that maybe if I can’t take the heat of being a judge that just maybe I should think about stepping down.”
“How are you being contacted?”
“Phone calls with hang ups. People in the distance studying me. Cars following me. Nothing I can use to charge anyone with. It’s as if they know the limits, and stay slightly outside them.”
He hesitated this time before he asked, “Again . . . have you had any direct threats?”
“If I did, I could have better protection from the Tampa police and the state, but I don’t. Vance, this is why I would like to hire you.”
“You mentioned that you thought I was framed.”
“Thinking and proving are two different things. Listen, we both know that I shouldn’t be discussing this with you.”
“As you probably remember, about a year ago I was advancing with the police department and getting close to obtaining funds for me to go back to law school. That was before you stepped in.” His eyes refocused on her, and immediately increased the stress ravaging her body.
“I know, and I’m sorry. I’m sure that you think I’m the reason that you lost your job. What you don’t know is that I’m the one who stopped you from being prosecuted.”
“So you struck a deal without even consulting me.”

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