Planning Vengeance excerpt

This is an excerpt from my first novel, Planning Vengeance, published in November, 2019. Feel free to check out my Amazon Author's Page for this and my other titles. If you like this, I'd love for you to check out my Vocal Profile as well.

Amy held the keys to the Camaro as he walked her to the driver’s door. Always the gentleman, as he opened her door, she slipped him the keys and deftly scrambled over the console and shifter into the opposite bucket seat. Jack stood there in amazement that she could not only slip from one side of the car to the other but do it while making it look so effortless. Read Less

Not one to argue… at least with her… Jack dropped behind the wheel and keyed the Chevy 302 to life. It didn’t have the roar of his Shelby, and not even the staccato bark of the Boss Mustang, but it had a very satisfying burble coming from the dual exhaust.

“Walk on the beach, my love?” Jack said… not really intending to drop the L-word.

“Absolutely,” she responded, suppressing a giant grin. Him using that word had not snuck past her unnoticed.

As they made their way to Buckroe Beach to take a moonlight stroll, neither noticed the black BMW skulking along behind them. Paul hadn’t forgotten that he wanted revenge, he just knew he needed to be careful of when he took it. He had no desire to be caught… and it was something he thought about. But it wasn’t enough of a deterrent to stop him completely from seeking his revenge. He was still enjoying the lessons he had taught that stripper and her friend. These two weren’t going to get the same treatment, but he was still looking forward to it.

***

As Amy and Jack walked on the beach, she turned to him and said, “Do you remember on the day that we confronted Paul… I was telling you how I felt?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Jack replied with a gentle smile. “You told me that you liked me and one of the things was that I made you feel like a princess.”

Amy smiled. “That is probably about what I said… but what I meant was that you made me feel like a valuable person. I know I shouldn’t have felt the way I did before, but I didn’t feel like I had value.” She reached her arms up around his neck and Jack wrapped his arms around her lower back. “But when I was talking to you, I stopped short.”

“I remember… something about what your mom said. You said you’d tell me later. You can tell me anything. I’ve fallen in love with you, Amy. I knew I liked you. I knew that in fourth grade. I’ve known that every time I saw you in the hall at school. But I didn’t know you would make me feel the way you make me feel.”

“I love you, too, Jonathan. I always hoped I would have the chance to know you like this… and to love you. Thank you for giving it to me.”

“So, Amy, what did your mom say?”

Amy smiled. She kissed him gently on the lips. Then she laid her head on his chest, looking up at him. “She told me that night… that very first night when you asked me out… She told me that after she talked to you, she knew that you were the kind of boy I should marry. I don’t know what life holds for us, but I know that I want us to spend it together.”

***

In the parking lot, Paul sat in his darkened car. He was holding a rifle scope in his hand. From his vantage point, all he could see above the seawall was Jack’s head. If he thought he could make the shot, he would get the rifle from the trunk and take it. But he knew better. He’d been practicing, but he wouldn’t be able to make a head shot at this distance, especially not without even a warm-up shot, or some way to tell how close the shot was and how to adjust.

***

A block away sat another car. In the driver’s seat sat a young woman named Melody Jenkins. She was holding binoculars and watching the driver of the BMW. She knew his name was Paul and he was her mark. She had been following him for a couple of days. She was pretty sure he’d not spotted her. But she took her training seriously and knew more about him than anyone else. She had taken one of her shifts off and had a teammate cover for her. That had given her the chance to gather some other intel.

She knew this was a training exercise, but she was beginning to think it was something more. First thing in the morning, Sunday or not, she needed to have a conversation with Mr. Dixon.