Unleashed (A Sydney Rye Novel, # 1) (39 page)

“I don’t think I can.” I felt my face grow hot and tears well in my eyes. Mulberry grabbed the collar of my shirt and hauled me out of my seat. Blue stood up from under the table and growled.

“Don’t give me that bullshit.” I pulled at his hand, but although his belly had softened, his arms were still made of boulders. “You know what you are. There’s nothing else you can be. Do you get that? You don’t have a choice. You’re stuck, as stuck as me.” I looked up at him and realized he was right. “You’re a detective, God help you. You’re Sydney Rye, private investigator now, and you better stop crying and start thanking me for saving your sorry ass.” He dropped me back into my chair, turned, and started to walk up the beach. I sat for a moment, regaining my breath. He was right, I thought. I wasn’t Joy anymore. I hadn’t been for a long time. Somewhere between the beginning of this story and the end, without even trying or knowing or wanting to, I became Sydney mother-fucking Rye.

The last glint of the sun dropped into the sea leaving the sky streaked with violet, soft-pink, and pale baby blue. I looked at Mulberry’s retreating figure and yelled, “Wait!” Mulberry didn’t turn. “Wait!” I hauled my sorry ass out of that chair and ran down the beach after him, Blue on my heel.

* * *

The next Sydney Rye Mystery, DEATH IN THE DARK, comes out December 2012

Read the following excerpt for a taste

DEATH IN THE DARK (A Sydney Rye novella, #2) Excerpt

The pain preceded consciousness. Blinking my eyelids sent ripples of hurt across my face, around the back of my head, and down my neck into my shoulders. I heard myself groan.

Forcing my eyes open I tried to focus them. My chin was resting on my chest and I was looking down at my wrinkled linen shirt. Slowly I was able to make out the fabric’s grain. The splotches of blood dripping from my nose made me feel the itch of dried blood on my cheeks.

With a Herculean effort I lifted my head and tried to take in my surroundings. It appeared I was alone in a large, empty room with a high ceiling. There was a doorway in front of me pockmarked with holes and standing slightly ajar. Moonlight streamed through the opening’s landing onto a dusty, uneven wooden floor. There were two windows on either side of the door coated in dirt so thick I couldn’t see through them. I sat on a wooden chair with my wrists bound behind me.

I looked over my shoulder and saw I was wearing handcuffs. Looking down I saw that my ankles were chained to the chair legs. I took a deep breath and silently thanked Merl for all the times I’d woken up pinned to my bed. I gritted my teeth prepping for the excruciating and awkward pain. I struggled not to cry out as I slammed my thumb against the chair.

My hands free, I leaned over to inspect the chains that bound my ankles. These guys were either amateurs or had severely underestimated me. I stood up, my head spinning, and sat back down.

Reaching up, I found the source of all that blood on my shirt and the dizzy spell. A clotted mass of hair and an open wound was at the base of my skull. When I touched it I almost threw up. I took a minute and a few breaths before trying to stand again.

The chains tinkled as I attempted to rise. They were wrapped around my ankles and in-between the legs of the chair. All I had to do was pick up the chair and shake off the chains to be free. Granted, my ankles were still chained to each other but at least I wasn’t stuck with the chair.

With my new freedom, I walked over to the windows on the far wall. Peering through a broken pane, I saw another building and an alley lined with tall grass and trash. Hearing a scrape behind me, I wheeled around.

Merl was standing there, leaning casually against the decrepit wall. Blue charged toward me and after sitting at my feet, leaned against me. I crouched down and embraced him. Merl’s three dogs flanked him, their eyes reflecting green in the darkness. “One thing we didn’t go over was how to not fall into a trap,” Merl said. “Obviously, you still have some things to learn.”

I smiled at him. “I am really happy to see you.”

Merl pushed off the wall and crossed the room. He approached the window and peered through its grimy pane. “Did you really think I was going to let you get yourself killed?” he asked without looking at me.

“I’m fine. But thank you for coming.”

“You’re not fine. You’re holed up in an abandoned building hunting mass murderers. Alone.” He craned his neck to get a better look the base of my skull. “With a head wound.”

“Well, I didn’t think you’d want to help.”

He turned toward me. “I don’t.”

“Then what are you doing here?”

He smiled. “You didn’t leave me any choice.”

I bit my lip. “Well, thank you. I appreciate it.”

Thunder, who’d stayed by the entrance, gave a low growl of warning. Merl crossed the room without a sound and looked out into the night. “The young one is getting something out of the SUV.” I heard the thunk of a car door slamming. “He’s headed back inside.”

“What did he get out of the truck,” I asked.

“A chainsaw.”

“Jesus,” I said.

Merl leaned against the wall and rested his hand on Thunder’s head. Clouds shifted and the pale light of the moon was blocked. A cool breeze blew through the open door stirring up the smell of sawdust.

“Did you have a plan?” Merl asked.

I smiled. “Plans are God’s favorite joke.”

Merl smiled. “Okay, well, what’s the joke of the evening, then?”

“Not sure. I just woke up and managed to free myself.”

Merl looked down at my ankles. “You’re not that free.”

“I don’t have a chainsaw,” I smiled.

Merl chuckled.

“What’s the deal, where are they?” I asked.

“There are three of them. They are holding Malina there.” He pointed across an expanse of cracked pavement and weeds at a large building. It appeared deserted with broken windows and patches missing from its roof. But a light burned inside, bright in the dark desert.

“They took my gun,” I said “I don’t see how we can get close enough to these guys for hand-to-hand combat.”

Merl smiled, showing off his big-gapped teeth. “I brought my throwing stars.” He opened up his trench coat to reveal a vest lined with multi-sided blades. “Quiet, accurate, deadly. More than I can say for your pistol.”

I realized my mouth was hanging open and snapped it shut. “That is seriously awesome.”

Merl nodded. “I know.”

“Will you teach me-”

He held up a hand to stop me. “Let’s see how we do here. If we survive, I’ll think about it.”

“Right. If we survive.”

“I did bring you a weapon, though.” Merl reached under his coat and pulled out a long knife. A strong wind blew across the desert and whipped around the building pulling dust with it. The door banged on its hinges and Blue growled at the sudden movement. The bluster passed as quickly as it arrived and an eerie silence fell over the compound. “Now or never,” Merl said, handing me the blade. It felt heavy in my hand and I looked down at my bound ankles. “Just remember to take tiny steps,” Merl advised, following my gaze. I nodded.

Merl tapped his hip and headed out of the door. His three dogs lined up behind him. I followed them, shuffling, trying to contain the clinking I made. Blue stayed close behind me. Merl moved across the broken pavement of the parking lot barely making a sound. The whirl of a chainsaw broke the silence, followed by a woman’s scream.

Merl sped up and hunkered under one of the building’s dirty windows. He motioned me down and I crouched by his side. Sliding up the side of the building, Merl looked through the window.

“I see two of them,” he said just loud enough for me to hear over Malina’s terrified screams. Merl lowered himself back down. “Take a look.”

I rose up until I could see into the room. It was large and lit by fluorescent fixtures that stretched the length of the space. The one closest to the door flickered, casting a light of unreality onto the whole scene. Malina was tied to a chair, she had swelling around her mouth and her dress was ripped open exposing one of her breasts. Malina’s rich hazel eyes were glued to the whirling blade of the chainsaw which Adolfo held in front of her. His back was to the door but I suspected he wore the same stony expression as at the cockfight.

Benito was pacing behind Malina. He was saying something I couldn’t hear. Not far out of Benito’s reach was a small table covered in tools and I spied my pistol. Scanning the rest of the room, I didn’t see Frito.

“Here is what we are going to do,” Merl said. I tore myself away from the horrific scene inside and concentrated on Merl’s plan. “What we’ve got is the element of surprise, you, me and four dogs.”

About the Author:

Emily Kimelman lives on a boat in the Hudson Valley with her husband, Sean and their dog Kinsey (named after Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone). Kimelman has a passion for traveling and spends as much time as possible in the pursuit of adventure.

Her Sydney Rye series feature a strong female protagonist and her canine best friend. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!

The first book, UNLEASHED, was released in October, 2011. DEATH IN THE DARK, a novella length Sydney Rye mystery came out in December 2012. The third installment in the series INSATIABLE, is due January 1, 2013

If you've read Emily's work and want to get in contact with her she can be reached via email
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A Note from the Author:

Thank you for reading my novel, UNLEASHED. I'm excited that you made it through my whole bio right here to my "note". I'm guessing that means that you enjoyed my story. If so, would you please write a review for UNLEASHED? You have no idea how much it warms my heart to get a new review. And this isn't just for me, mind you. Think of all the people out there who need reviews to make decisions. The children who need to be told this book is not for them. And the people about to go away on vacation who could have so much fun reading this on the plane. Consider it an act of kindness to me, to the children, to humanity.

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