The Tempest
by Karen Troxel
ISBN: 1-59279-427-0 (Electronic)
ISBN: 1-59279-772-5 (Paperback)
Cover by Trace Edward Zaber
Copyright ©2005
BUY IT NOW from Amber Quill Press

It seemed to Ally the moment was in slow motion. She hated that feeling for it brought back, much too vividly, another time when she’d been locked in a frozen tableau. Then she saw the car splinter in a thousand pieces with hunks of metal and glass flying in several different directions.

She was already running and screaming when she saw C.J. hit the ground. By the time she reached him, people were streaming from the buildings lining the street, and she heard the sound of an ambulance and the volunteer fire hall siren going off in the distance.

As she reached C.J.’s prone form, she prayed, “Please God, let him be okay. Please.”

She turned him over on his back, taking in the pallor of his skin, and only started breathing again herself when she felt the faint pulse beating at the base of his throat. She swiped at the tears falling silently down her cheeks as she made a quick, gentle examination for injuries.

“Is he alive?” Ally felt Duffy touch her shoulder.

She nodded, not trusting her voice.

He handed her a blanket. “The rescue squad is on its way. Try to cover him to prevent shock. I’ve got to go see who else is hurt.”

Ally remained beside C.J., keeping up a litany of prayers and promises until an EMT, with acne still covering his face and carrying a trauma bag, ran up to her.

“Miss? I’m Andy. You’ve got to let go of his head, ma’am. I need to examine him before we take him to the hospital.”

Ally looked at the man blankly.

“Please, ma’am. We need to find out if there’s a head or neck wound before we move him.”

“He’s alive,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am, but I still need to check him out.”

Ally nodded slightly and started to stand. She felt a hand under her elbow and knew it was Duffy helping her up. His steadying grasp and a deep breath also helped her pull her emotions under control. Now she wanted answers.

“Anybody else hurt?” she asked, looking at the shattered windows of the Register and the pieces of sheet metal scattered along the square and street. Ally’s gaze swept over Gertrude Magruder and several townspeople lined up in front of the town hall building. She sensed concern along with avid curiosity.

“A few cuts and abrasions, but so far nothing serious,” Duffy said.

They watched a moment as Andy the EMT continued his examination of C.J. and motioned for a stretcher.

“Are you going to have enough evidence to nail the person who did this?” Ally inquired, feeling her quest for revenge settle in the cold rage zone.

“You know I can’t discuss any aspects of an investigation with a civilian,” Duffy began. “Besides, we don’t know there was any foul play involved with this incident.”

“Cut the crap,” Ally snapped. “You know as well as I do that was a bomb. You also know it was probably wired with TNT or dynamite. That’s not standard car alarm equipment.”

Duffy sighed. “Look, Ally, you’re probably right, but we can’t do anything until we have the facts. This could be totally unrelated to what’s been going on. I don’t know, maybe some crazy got mad about an editorial he wrote. We just have to wait until we have some information. We won’t have that until we gather what’s left of the evidence and send it down to Knoxville. Even then, I’m not allowed to give you any of the information we get.”

“Look, I’m a licensed private investigator and he’s my client. I have a right to know any information that’ll help me keep my client alive,” Ally said, hurrying after Andy and the other emergency technician as they wheeled C.J. to the ambulance. “If you try to shut me out on this, you’re going to know trouble like you’ve never seen before. That’s a promise.”

As she climbed into the ambulance, Ally felt eyes boring into her back.

REVIEWS:

“a wonderful, fast paced book that grabs you at the first page. The characters are lively and their banter keeps the story flowing smoothly. I really enjoyed C.J.’s determination to hold onto something that he loved when he realized that Ally was worth ever bit of a fight. This is a great story with some twist and turns that will have you cheering for C.J. and Alley in the end. They make great partners whether searching for a killer or cuddling behind closed doors. This book should definitely be showcased on a bookshelf. It is a keeper!”
5 Angels, Linda, Fallen Angel Reviews