Another double celebration – last excerpt from Book 1 (we start Book 2 tomorrow) and my half birthday!  Remember when you said “I”m 6 and 1/2!” – well, now I will admit to the 1/2 but not the first part…  Leave a comment, I’ll be giving away something!

Excerpt 5 – Book 1

David knew he should never have waited this long to check out Amanda’s apartment for some clue. There had still been no contact from her. Over seventy-two hours. None of his contacts had called back either. Were they too busy or was he persona non grata everywhere now?

The no-contact could not be Amanda’s choice. He was confident of that. Somehow he could feel it. He knew she hadn’t returned to her apartment, therefore he’d thought there was no need to come over.

He should have checked it out anyway. Her car sat in its normal slot, which had to mean she’d been taken rather than joining of her own volition.

Damn, he could feel her missing deep in his very soul. His numerous attempts at getting past the guard at the Walter Reed project, and then his attempts to reach someone at the CDC and WHO had been as completely rebuffed as his government contacts. They had been respectful at first, but that had changed as things had worsened. This global warming flu—David liked the name at least—was so much worse than the mainstream media had let on. Even the short time Amanda had been missing things had worsened beyond his imagination. At least the information had. Some news agencies were leaking the incredible death toll figures and if they were even half way accurate, this was beyond scary. He’d seen unofficial photos of mass graves on one website before it was yanked. He didn’t have to stretch to believe they were real. He had a stiff neck and headache himself, but ignored it in his need to locate her.

The news had broken officially that the contagion began on those cruise ships when they had been exposed to some thawing virus. It wasn’t what he’d anticipated in his studies, but he wasn’t surprised as so many of his fellow academics tried to pretend to be. Where did you send an “I told you so” this big? He hadn’t been contacted for any quotes either, which grimly amused him at least. His popularity with the remaining administration was no doubt suffering even worse, since he’d been proven more right than even he had seen coming. Rising water levels weren’t nearly as immediate.

David was unable to reach Scott any longer. The situation had worsened at all hospitals,. Pathology had been closed down to free up all health care workers to aid in the pandemic. Cause of death wasn’t as important as treating the still living, though it had been a jolt to reach an answering machine at the morgue. He could only hope his friend was still alive.

He’d watched a run on a pharmacy on the news last night. Things were degenerating into fear-induced riots in some cities. Regular looting of unimportant things, like TVs, happened as well, but less than he would have thought. Food and drugs were the items of choice now.

At least one small town in the upper mid-west had instituted a mass grave. That news report had aired once, then been removed, but there wasn’t time or space for anything else. No one had said cholera, at least on the news, but that would be next if anyone survived. David was sure more than one place had begun the same grim practice.

He ignored the headache, which had increased even since he’d arrived at her complex. He wasn’t sleeping well and not only from lack of Amanda. He had dreams of people wandering lost. He tried to herd them to him, so they could at least be together, but so many weren’t listening.

He didn’t have time to get sick. He had to find Amanda. She would not have remained silent this long of her own free will. While being held prisoner sounded harsh, he had no doubt that’s what the government would do. He let himself into her apartment. Things didn’t look disturbed, at least there had been no fight, but she hadn’t taken the time to get ready to be away either. The trash hadn’t even been emptied. Of course regular pick up of trash had halted a couple of days ago.

He headed into her bedroom. The bed had been hastily made and her small suitcase gone. She hadn’t expected to be away this long, or she would have taken the larger suitcase and more clothing.

He turned toward the dresser and something shiny on the floor caught his eye. He bent over, causing his headache to grow, but not as much as recognizing what lay in front of him.

Her cross lay on the carpet. She had gone with them, but under duress. She had to have left this for him to find. How the hell had he allowed himself to be lulled into . . . Fuck! He grabbed up the chain and with shaking hands shoved it into his pocket.

Leave a comment for a chance for a free copy of The Melting, Book 1 – The Infection

Excerpt 4 – Book 1

Amanda jerked awake at the pounding on her door. What the hell? She glanced at her clock. It read 2:47 a.m. She had a momentary flashback to her residency, but she was home. People rarely needed emergency autopsies. She grabbed her robe and shoved one arm in as she raced to the door. A quick look out the peephole showed her at least three men, two in military uniform, one in a suit. The man in the suit held up a badge or shield of some kind to the peephole. It wasn’t a badge she recognized from around here.

As a pathologist, Amanda worked with the police. It was normal in her field, but not the military. And she’d never been roused like this in the middle of the night. She drew herself up to her full height, tightened the sash of her robe and opened the door as the suit lifted his hand to bang on her door again.

“What are you doing?” she demanded. “It’s the middle of the night.”

“Dr. Sutton?” At her nod he continued. “I’m Patrick Boynton. We have a national emergency and I have been sent to collect you.”

“National emergency? Collect me? What are you talking about?” Her mind clicked back to the news, the flu had come out of nowhere. She’d gotten her hands on one of the victims.

****

Amanda looked up at this Patrick Boynton and the feeling of being enclosed in the hazmat suit returned. Could this be related? No, he’d said national emergency. Had it gotten that bad?

“You are being strongly requested for a task force at the CDC.” He held out his shield again. “We will accompany you to the plane to Atlanta.” Requested was a misnomer in this case and she knew it.

Shit, she had jumped to the right conclusion. “Is this about those cruise ship deaths?” It wasn’t public information. She’d had to dig for the data. The cruise ships hadn’t been mentioned in what little real news coverage was out there about this flu. It was all being downplayed. Speculation and rumor were ruling the day. Maybe not for long if these guys were in the picture.

“I am not at liberty to discuss the particulars. You will be briefed on the plane. You need to dress and bring clothing for several days.”

Amanda stood there staring at the man in disbelief. She wasn’t at her best this time of the morning, especially when she’d been asleep about an hour. Her hair, normally her best feature, hung loose around her face and no doubt looked like she saw it when she woke in the mornings. She had on a light nightgown and a robe, but no underwear and was barefoot. She hated the feeling of disadvantage, but it was no doubt part of his plan. Damn, she was paranoid.

Are you enjoying crisp fall weather where you are?  It’s great here – wearing a sweater in the office and it smells good.  Seeing more leaves change each day as I commute in.  Makes me want to curl up with a good story with some pumpkin flavored drink.

Have excerpt 3 for you today and a chance to win a copy of  The Melting, Book 1 – leave me a comment

Excerpt 3 – Book 1

CDC, Atlanta

“Chip, glad I caught you.” Steve sounded anxious, never a good sign.

“Barely. I need to get a cab if I’m going to make my flight.”

“That’s why I called. You need to head to San Diego.”

“Are you kidding me?” He had plans for tonight. Kristi was coming in from Ghana and they were supposed to have at least three days together. At least this job was never boring. He could use a little boring.

“Nope. We have four deaths from what appears to be a virus. A pair of newlyweds and two people from her office.”

“Airborne?” Now Steve had his attention. Chip, or Dr. Ken Kyzer if you went by his diploma, was a senior investigator for the CDC, this was the kind of thing he’d studied for.

“That’s what we’re thinking. Dr. Turner wants you on the ground today to get all the information you can.”

“Turner, huh? So you’re thinking viral. At least it’s not a jungle, right? Okay. Any arrangements made?”

“I’ll make sure everything is sent to you. Your flight’s been booked. I’ll have your hotel by the time you land.”

“Look, if you hear from Kristi, tell her this was your fault.”

“Will do. She might even be joining you there if we get any more reports. Everything we know will be on-line for your eyes only.”

Chip paused. “How bad are we talking?”

“Use precautions. One of the people in the office of the bride had a compromised immune system. She died the day after the newlyweds. It’s nasty.”

“Great. I’ll be in touch.”

 
Day 2 – leave a comment for a chance to win a Melting bookmark by Swagmaster!

Excerpt 2 – Book 1

More than tired of being hauled out for these events, David Morrow had joined the party under protest. The donor had probably made his money in oil or coal or deforestation, somehow raping the land. David hadn’t bothered to look him up this time. The man would no doubt try to corner him somewhere and attempt a debate on how wrong David’s theories were. The planet wasn’t heating up and even if it were, it was probably some cyclical thing. Nothing that the congressman’s industry could be condemned for. And certainly nothing he would spend funds to fix.

Projecting much?

He wandered toward the ballroom where he heard the noise and stepped inside. He scanned the room and his eyes were drawn to a young woman in blue, her long blonde hair spilling past her shoulders. And she looked at him.

He took an involuntary step forward, inexplicably drawn to her. But the hand on his arm stopped him. It took a heartbeat before he recognized Phyllis Lawrence as the owner of the hand.

“I didn’t know you’d be here tonight. We could have come together,” the woman fussed coyly at him. Was she flirting?

If he’d known she would be here he’d have worked harder not to be. “Sorry, I barely had time to get here from the lab. I won’t be staying long,” David replied.

“You will if the Provost sees you. Drinks later?”

He managed not to sigh. Phyllis had been a mistake and it looked like he’d be paying for it forever. She had been a good tutor in all things sexual, but the attraction no longer existed. David could see her now for the—oh, hell, say it—the star fucker she was.

“I need to make it an early night. Let’s see how long this thing takes.”

She nodded but seemed disinclined to leave his side until a professor joined them and distracted her. David silently wished the man luck and scanned the room for the woman in blue.