I'm proud to report that I've finally managed to complete draft one of my first novel length project, The Cortez Case!
The editing process has begun, and will take much time to perfect I'm sure. I am excited to have seen the story through, and hope this may one day be in print or E-book for all to enjoy. I cannot share an achievement like this and leave you, the faithful readers, hanging... so, without further ado, here's a previously unreleased clip of The Cortez Case.
Spade shaped leaves hindered Susan’s vision of the garden
shed. To the left, up the slope of
backyard lay the Cortez mansion. The
right rolled downhill into the night, the dock and private yacht obstructions against
the moonlight on the sea. She dug her
way onto the property under a boundary of solid stone wall.
She had to return.
All her federal belongings were tucked away in the safety of the garden
shed.
The Cortez father and daughter would never venture into a
shed dedicated to their staff; and Gerard the gardener would not be so curious
as to check the deepest reaches of the loft.
Everything she needed to defend herself lay just twenty feet into the
backyard, and inside.
She listened for the yapping of the poodle’s response to her
preplanned deterrence. Susan arranged
pizza delivery. She crept to the outer
wall of the shed and around the corner facing the ocean. She shimmied to the shed door.
The door was ajar. A
dim light shined from within.
She knew the hinges to have a terrible creak. She stepped back from the building and
sidestepped to peek through the crack between the doors.
Her knapsack contents were sprawled across a folding table
beside a lantern. The wet suit,
passport, spare cell phone… all right there, in the open.
A closely-shaven man examined her pistol, peered around in
caution, and shoved it into the backside of his belt.
Gerard.
Susan knew she could take him… if she could get to him. As soon as she touched the doors, her
presence would be known. Would Gerard
shoot her? Had Gerard ever shot
anything? Was his allegiance to Cortez
that strong? Did he even know what was
going on? Surely Sierra had been found
by now. Would the information of the
traitor-maid be privy to Gerard’s ears?
Perhaps she could waltz in as if she hadn’t made herself a
public enemy. Gerard would think no
different. The maid, showing up near
eleven PM in the garden shed, in Sierra’s clothes. Damn that Sierra. Of all Susan’s belongings in Gerard’s
possession, she most coveted the spare cell phone, since the little diva Latina managed to drop the miniscule
phone from her garter belt into a fish tank before Susan bound and gagged
her. Bitch.
She released a measured exhale to remain silent. Gerard paused to listen before continuing
examinations.
No. She could not
risk it. She did not trust him. She did not know anything about him. She wasn’t the only one on high alert. No doubt Gerard might panic if discovered by
a Cortez agent right now. His nerves
might just get the best of him, and he’d shoot at whatever entered.
The spare phone beeped quickly.
An incoming call. Oh no, Ed!
Gerard eyed the cell for several seconds. He finally answered.
“Bonjour.”
Now was her chance.
“Non, je parle francais.
Parlez-vous francais si’vous-plait?”
Susan threw the door open.
An agonizing creak ran through the shed.
Before she could step inside, Gerard swung around, gun drawn remarkably
fast.
“Salut Monique.”
She threw herself sideways and ran. The gardener fumbled into the backyard.
Gerard shouted, “Monique, arête!”
She yelled over her shoulder, “ACTIVATE PHONE SELF-DESTRUCT
SEQUENCE!”
“Eh?” Gerard paused
as if to interpret her words, and gasped.
“SELF ZEESTRUCT?” He tossed the
phone onto the grass and dove.
Gerard covered his head.
One second.
Two seconds.
Five seconds.
Nothing.
He finally opened his eyes.
The phone sat innocent on the soft grass, still illuminated with a call
in progress. Susan had disappeared into
the brush.
He retrieved the phone, stared awkwardly, and brought it to
his ear.
“Allo? “
The phone went dark.
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