Fire and Obsidian – Sneak Peek


This is the fourth story in the Carlisle Deputies series and I love these stories because I get to set them in my home town. I also pull the theme of each story from a news story from my area so the stories will be fresh. It releases May 7!

I love getting to share some of my home and my town with you.

Oh and I just love the cover model. Too bad I don’t see him in uniform whenever I’m downtown!

A Carlisle Deputies Novel

Can a couple be more opposite than a thief and a cop? Or do they have more in common than they think?

Mattias Dumont stole to survive. He was damn good at it. But there’s no such thing as a victimless crime, and when he saw how his theft hurt people, he resolved to change. Now he works as a consultant, and while helping to investigate a rash of burglaries, he crosses paths with James.

Police Officer James Levinson doesn’t trust thieves, and that includes Mattias. James’s father stole to support himself, and James knows firsthand how that can destroy lives—it inspired him to go into law enforcement. Mattias is no different, from what he can tell… at first. 

As they work together, Mattias and James realize there’s something deeper between them than just the physical attraction neither can deny. Given time, they might even grow to trust each other—unless the case they’re working on dredges up pasts both would rather forget. 

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Excerpt:

“All right. Everyone stand up, please,” Mattias said calmly. “Someone identify an object that you want me to take.”

One of the officers held up a watch. It was plain and nothing that would ever have interested him during his career, but for demonstration purposes, it would do.

“Perfect. Put that back on, and I’ll demonstrate. I’d like you all to stay standing as I attempt to take the watch.” Mattias cleared his throat and pretended to think about how he was going to proceed. He wandered up and down each aisle, working his way over to the officer in question, who stood near the back, in the far aisle, with another officer in front and in back of him.

Mattias kept his expression neutral, as though he were concentrating, his gaze rarely wavering from his quarry. As he got closer, he nodded to the officer, whose gaze locked on to him. Mattias could almost feel his quarry’s heart rate increase the closer he got. This man knew something was going to happen, and he was prepared for it. Mattias turned the corner, anticipation building in the room, so thick that he could taste it. Every eye was on either him or his quarry, which was fine. Mattias was calm and cool, no worries. As he got closer, his quarry’s arm jittered slightly. Mattias watched it for a second and then lifted his head, meeting the gaze of the men and women around him. Passing by his quarry, Mattias smiled and continued back up to the front of the room.

“I still have the watch,” the officer said, holding up his wrist, and the others in the room clapped.

“I guess you aren’t as good as you thought.”

Mattias waited until the ruckus and self-congratulations died down and they all turned back to him. He cleared his throat. “And you are?” It was best to confront this type of adversary head-on.

“Detective James Levinson. I’m working with the sheriff’s department as a consultant on the robberies in the area.” His steely gaze held Mattias’s, and he didn’t look away. It was a test of wills, and Mattias enjoyed it, especially from the stunning man who made his body temperature rise and his heart beat a little faster just from the intensity in his eyes. This was a man who didn’t back down from a fight and who held tightly to his convictions. Mattias’s lips curled upward. He got the feeling that this was also a man who never admitted he was wrong. Good. Mattias liked that.

Mattias was going to love making him eat his words.

“Let’s see. Being a good thief is about doing what isn’t expected.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a wallet, and opened it. “Pierre Ravelle.” He smiled and held up the wallet. “I believe this is yours.” The others in the room snickered as Pierre approached and accepted his wallet back. “No hard feelings,” Mattias said as he handed it over.

Pierre blushed slightly and returned to his seat. “Come on, guys,” Pierre said, to try to stop their razzing.

“Pierre isn’t alone.” Mattias began emptying the inner pockets of his jacket of their contents, including one more wallet, a pair of handcuffs, and a flashlight, as well as half a dozen other things. “Check to see what you’re missing and come up to retrieve it in a moment,” Mattias said, then slowly reached into an inner pocket, close to his body. He used his fingertips to pull out the service revolver and gently lay it on the table.

The room went silent, with each officer checking his belt.

“Detective Levinson, I believe this belongs to you.”

One Response to “Fire and Obsidian – Sneak Peek”

  1. Jane

    Oh my, I have the 7th and 8th off so I will not have to worry about constantly reading…….

    Reply

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