Introduction:
May 12, 2017 will be quite the exciting day for those who love the Lei Crime Kindle World. A grand total of 11-ish new titles will launch that day. Join us for a Facebook Party too. It runs 3-11 PM EST on Friday, May 12, 2017. You’re cordially invited to come hang with us, chat, win prizes, and check out the sweet books releasing that day.
Echoes (Excerpt From Chapter 1): Out of the Past
Dylan nodded slowly and took a deep breath. “Cole’s wanted by the police. They say he shot two cops.”
“I know.”
“You know?”
“I’m a cop. FBI. Did you think the Oahu Field Office wouldn’t get notified about the shooting of two officers on the same island? And, of course, I recognized the name.”
“You knew? And you’re not doing anything about it?”
“I was pretty shocked, Dylan. I couldn’t imagine little Cole getting into any kind of trouble, let alone shooting anyone. But I read the reports. Although he hasn’t been convicted yet, he has a pretty long record for possession of drugs and association with criminals. He’s supposed to be a pretty big supplier of marijuana, ecstasy and other drugs on Oahu. And he apparently has been trying to move in on the heroin trade.”
She leaned in. “I’ve been following the case daily. You’re right. He’s gone dark. There’s an all-island alert for him, but no sightings since he burned down a house he was dealing from outside Hamika and shot two officers to escape.” Only then did she realize her hand was on Dylan’s knee.
He glanced down and smiled, but the smile vanished. “Can you help him?”
Vanessa withdrew her hand and looked at the ground. “Dylan, if he really shot two cops, he’s going to have to take responsibility for it.”
“You mean, he’s going to have to die for it?”
“No. Luckily, neither cop was killed. One’s still in hospital, the other’s out. Lucky for Cole, too. But he’s going to have to stand trial, and if he’s guilty, he’s going to have to serve time.”
Dylan snorted. “You know the cops in Hamika. They’ll never let him live long enough to get to trial. If they find him, he’s dead.”
He turned toward her and took her hand between his. He looked into her green eyes, and Vanessa suddenly felt like she was 17 again, like that night, the last time she had seen him until now, looking into Dylan’s eyes as dark and rich as chocolate. Her throat felt dry. She used sipping her iced coffee as an excuse to tear her eyes away.
The thinking part of her brain reminded her then that fifteen years had passed since that night, that special, so very important night.
She calculated. There were no urgent cases on her plate right now. She could tell Waxman, the Special Agent in Charge of the Honolulu Field Office, that she needed to take some personal time. The Bureau owed her more than a week.
“All right, Dylan. I’ll help you, but it can’t be in any official capacity. So far, Cole’s case belongs to the Honolulu Police Department, specifically the Hamika detachment. I can take time off to help find Cole and convince him to turn himself in.” She touched his shoulder to stop his protest. “That’s all I can do, Dylan. And I’ll be acting in my own capacity, which means I won’t be able to use any Bureau files, networks or other resources. It will be personal.”
Dylan looked into her eyes again, but she was ready for him this time. He wasn’t going to wear her down today. After a beat, he nodded. “Okay. That will do.”
“And Dylan? You’re going to tell me about that night fifteen years ago. The truth. That’s the deal.”
Dylan sighed, not breaking eye contact. “That night. The truth. Deal.”
About Echoes:
“I am hopelessly in love with a memory. An echo from another time, another place.” — Michel Foucault
In 1999, the Kahuna was The Man on Oahu’s west coast. The coolest guy at the wildest parties, with the coolest posse, the best weed and the most beautiful girlfriend.
Then he disappeared.
Fifteen years later, that girlfriend is no longer a high school senior. She is FBI Special Agent Vanessa Storm, and she sees through every lie the Kahuna spins when he shows up again to beg her help.
How can she say no when the Kahuna wants her help not for himself, but to protect his little brother. Young Cole ‘Aukai is ready to set fire to the whole Oahu illegal drug trade—for revenge.
Echoes is Scott Bury’s fourth Lei Crime Kindle World title, joining:
- Torn Roots (2015)
- Palm Trees & Snowflakes (Christmas, 2015)
- Dead Man Lying (2016)
About the author:
Scott Bury can’t stay in one category.
After a 20-year career in journalism, he turned to writing fiction. He has written children’s fiction, mysteries, historical magic realism, action thrillers, memoirs and erotic romance.
In between writing books and blog posts, Scott helped found an author’s cooperative publishing venture, Independent Authors International. He is also President of author’s professional association BestSelling Reads.
You can find more about Scott Bury, and contact him through his website, http://www.writtenword.ca, his blog, Written Words, and on Twitter @ScottTheWriter.
Thanks for hosting this excerpt!