The Vigilante
by Jacqui
Morrison
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
It
isn’t safe for men who work in the porn business in the city of Toronto.
When
porn producer Sal Turbit is found dead in his apartment, no one seems to care.
No one, that is, except Detective Lynette Wilton. Lynette has been a homicide
detective for only three months, and has yet to earn her stripes.
Murder
is murder no matter who the victim is—and Lynette is out to catch a
killer.
Could
the killer be Wanda Chambers, a mentally ill woman who hates the “scumbags” who
prey on the vulnerable? Wanda’s beloved sister, Cathy, was one such woman.
Cathy became a porn actress and then took her own life when her sleazy
manager/boyfriend, Gil Lee, wouldn’t let her go.
Lynette’s
sergeant doesn’t think it’s possible. Wanda has a debilitating illness. But
Lynette believes that Wanda’s hatred and harsh childhood make her a prime
suspect, and she proves it by catching Wanda in the act of attempting to shoot
Lee.
Renowned
defense lawyer Maxine Swayman takes on Wanda’s case; Maxine has a different
view of the accused. She wants to help Wanda get the help that she needs, and
it’s not going to happen in a prison cell.
As
the trial proceeds, will Maxine prevail and save Wanda, or will Lynette be able
to tie Wanda to Turbit’s murder as well?
"Morrison
knows how to create suspense! She brings readers on a roller-coaster ride that
leaves you breathless from start to finish!" —Trey Anthony, star and
producer “Da Kink in Da Hair”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
Chapter 1
“Hey,” Sal
said, “come on in. You’re right on time. Good to meet ya.” He left the visitor
in the living room of his shabby apartment in a grungy, low-rent building, and
slipped into the kitchen. The metallic pop of a beer bottle opening echoed in
the other room. Then another.
Six empty
beer bottles, a heaping ashtray, and assorted marijuana paraphernalia were
already strewn across his table. The grandfather clock struck four times. Sal
stumbled back into the room. “I got you a beer.”
Glassy-eyed,
Sal said, “I’ve got lots of great products for you to move today.” He showed
the visitor the cover of a DVD. “This one is new. It’ll sell out. She’s a real
sweet thing. Told me she was eighteen ’n had the ID to prove it. Likely just
some little tramp from nowhere-ville. Came to the big, bad city for
excitement––”
The metal
felt cool as the visitor pulled out a gun.
“What the
hell?” Sal screamed, just before the bullet penetrated his skull.
He fell onto
the sofa, blood oozing out the back of his head. His face was contorted, almost
angry looking. Certainly surprised.
The spent
cartridge from the handgun ricocheted against a metal garbage can––reminiscent
of the pop of a beer cap––and then landed on the carpet.
The murderer
studied the victim’s splayed body, feeling a sense of elation and satisfaction.
Out came a Swiss Army knife, and the killer wordlessly hacked off a section of
Sal’s hair, stuffed it into a small plastic bag, and then threw it into a
knapsack. The killer then picked up the half-spilled beer that Sal had been
handing over when the shot was fired. Perfect. Grinning, the murderer chugged
the beer, retrieved the spent cartridge, and smugly looked at Sal Turbit’s
still body, now surrounded by pooling blood.
Still wearing
leather gloves, the murderer put the beer bottle and hot metal bullet charge
into a knapsack and fled, smiling, into the dense night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
I am Jacqui Morrison. I started writing poems and short stories as
a child. I also enjoyed public speaking in elementary school and at University.
In High School, a great teacher, Lenore Hawley, inspired me, and in 1995 I
pursued my life-long passion for writing.
My career is a complicated
web and includes: owning an ice cream parlour and fine food shop, teaching
life-skills management to adults, teaching computer applications, social
service work and marketing.
From 1994 to 2003, I assisted survivors of domestic violence in
both criminal and family court as a support worker. I’ve always had a strong
interest in law and justice.
I love to write and I am happiest writing or encouraging others to
fulfill their writing dreams. I facilitate writing seminars for Canadore
College and various agencies.
I live in northern Ontario, Canada with my daughter Alison, my
husband Wayne, and a three-legged dog named Willow. Our daughter has convinced
us to adopt four cats so Felix, Sasha, Nikke, and Angel round out our family.
Angel, at four-months-of-age, was abandoned by her owner and we rescued her in
-15 degree weather.
Alison has a future in politics, animal rescue work, or sales …
because I’m not really a cat person and she’s persuaded me to adopt four.
My parents are the late Drs John and Irene Morrison. Mom was a
family physician and a competitive swimmer. My father worked for the Provincial
Parole Board. Dad enjoyed writing fictional stories in his spare time. He was
my mentor, my editor, and my hero. I have one sister named Trish. She is a
competitive swimming coach. Trish resides in southern Ontario with her husband,
four children, two dogs and a cat.
In our spare time we like to cruise Georgian Bay on our boat or
spend quality family time.
Her Website: http://jacquimorrison.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacqui.morrison
Thank you for hosting
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