Sunday Snippet: It's Academic

Ugh. A long week again. At least it was more about recovery than ongoing crises. Had a flurry of work projects come in and I'm glad to have some new stuff to dive into.

Had a short week of television viewing. I started with The Brokenwood Mysteries and quite enjoyed the episode, which featured sharks and spiders and I'm not a huge fans of either so there's that.

Finished up an episode of Blue Heelers and started another one. I'm kind of amazed how themes from almost twenty years ago are even more prevalent today. The episode focuses on colonization and theft of indigenous artifacts. Very interesting.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness. I remembered bits of this one but not all of it. Should finish up the second part this week.

Caught the second to last arc of season 18 of Classic Who. The Master has returned and I'm pretty sure he'll be then end of Four. Sometimes I like not remembering how and when the regenerations occur.

Finished up UFO Witness and enjoyed the series overall. I'll be starting a new series this week but haven't decided what it'll be yet.

Watched two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Helen Reddy and Harry Belefonte were the guest stars. I really enjoyed Harry's episode.

Started a rewatch of Prime Suspect. I'd forgotten how thoroughly asshattish the men were toward Jane in the early seasons. I wanted to kick all of them in the balls.

Finished out the week with Peak Practice. Can't say I'm a big fan of Will's lady friend but I can't quite put a finger on why I'm not fond of her. Overall a good episode.

That's pretty much it for this week. Tonight's post is from It's Academic, a novella where the characters clash on the regular but eventually figure out how to coexist.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Chaos and control don't mix, but Kari Pride and Thorn Summers must find a way to balance the two or drive each other mad when they become roommates. By the end of the semester, Thorn tempers Kari's sloppy habits and she makes him yield his ruthless organization for some much needed spontaneity. When their relationship gets personal, they have to figure out how to navigate new territory.

And a preview snippet…

The elder precept, Arnold Markum, led Thorn to his dorm, rambling on about familial tradition.

The older gentlemen all but quivered with giddiness. "And it's my fortunate luck having a former legacy member in good standing with the mage society stop in with you."

Thorn's grandfather couldn't stay, but at least he'd dropped Thorn off and helped unload his stuff. His mother couldn't be bothered, the rift with her father too deep to set aside. Thorn loathed being in the middle of their tug-of-war.

The man rattled on again but finally said something that interested Thorn. "You'll be sharing your room with someone." They entered the building and started for the stairs.

Thorn welcomed having a roommate. He needed to interact with people and stop going it alone all the time. His brother Thrace relished the social scene and group gatherings. Thorn wanted to break out in hives thinking about it, but having one other person would be a good start.

He hoped he got along with whoever he shared space with.

Markum slid his finger down the check-in sheet. "Ah, yes. Kari Pride. She's just arrived and should be joining you shortly if she's not already in your room."

Kari. Female. Thorn blinked. He didn't realize the academy had coed rooms.

The elder clucked. "Hope you don't mind. We've gone mixed gender in the last three years, but only when necessary. We're full up this semester, so you're in the coed dorm." He nodded down the hall.

Thorn shrugged. "I'm thankful to be here. I don't care who I room with."

Pride. Not a legacy name. His grandfather made him memorize all the first families. Thorn looked forward to expanding his horizons with someone other than a supposedly approved name.

Markum handed Thorn the key then knocked twice on the door. "Thorn Summers arriving. Okay to come in?"

A muffled response came back. "Sure."

Thorn unlocked the door and cracked it open to find his new roommate Kari riffling through a box. She angled around and lifted her chin in a greeting. Her amazing green eyes spared a glance before turning back to finding whatever she searched for.

Wow. This could be an interesting semester.

Thorn and Kari will have some bridges to build and it's so much fun writing them while they figure it out.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: In Enemy Territory (A Blackraven Banner novella)

Wow, another rough week on the home front. My middle kiddo is really struggling right now and I hate not being able to help him even though he's an adult. He's really tired of landing in the emergency department but we might be getting closer to figuring out what's going on with him. A few specialist appointments in September might help even more.

Didn't get as much television viewed but had a decent amount nonetheless. Started out with The Brokenwood Mysteries and thoroughly enjoyed the episode. I really like seeing previous characters in their recurring roles.

Finished up Silent Witness's second episode and don't remember watching it during my first viewing. Glad I got to see it.

Watched an arc of Classic Who and should be finished up with the season eighteen soon. I think it might be the last one for Four.

Got another episode of UFO Witness viewed and rather enjoyed this one. Still feels staged but I liked the deep dive into whether there's a secret underground base of operations for aliens.

Caught two episodes of The Muppet Show with Raquel Welch and James Coco as the guest stars. About halfway through season three and looking forward to more.

Finished out McCartney 3, 2, 1 and would love to see more. So many great moments and songs in this brief look into Paul McCartney's journey as a musician.

Watched another episode of Peak Practice and ended up liking it a lot. Will can be such a prat sometimes but I like that about his character.

Enjoyed another lesson on Master Class. LeVar Burton focused on reading to children and interacting with them about the source material. Very interesting!

Started Inside the Episodes: The Witcher and loved going back to revisit the first episode. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Caught another episode of New Rugrats and loved it. I really enjoy the updated version of this show.

Finishing out the week with Chicago Med and it's a heat wave episode. I'm totally feeling that this week. It got hot again.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from In Enemy Territory, a Blackraven Banner novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Verity Jones and Emory Cavendish welcome a new CO under the Blackraven banner. Lawrence Worthington hits the ground running and gets up to speed quickly. He has to—the mission rate doubles when a group of resistance teams get ambushed simultaneously. He needs every member—including Verity—at the top of their game and he has to find out how the enemy got their hands on the base locations.

And a preview snippet…

Verity scrubbed the grease off her hands and redid her ponytail. Nervous tension roiled in her gut about meeting the new CO. She grabbed the edge of the sink and exhaled slowly.

"Probably just feeling some guilt over Whitcomb's downfall." Then again, the guy tried to get her killed.

Pushing away from the sink, she finished getting cleaned up and exited the head. Standing outside, she stripped off her coveralls in the hall. The door opened and a major entered the corridor, no doubt the new commanding officer.

Verity hoped he'd walk right on by and give her a few moments to get situated. She thought she might be in the clear when he strolled past but then he paused and turned around.

He spoke to her back. "Soldier, is there a reason you're stripping in the corridor?"

Verity froze for a second. Damn. It figures. Nothing for it, she'd have to brazen it out.

She stepped out of the coveralls, squared her shoulders, and turned to face the new CO. "It's specialist, sir. I'm a civilian. As for removing my coveralls…" She rolled the clothing up, starting with the legs. "That was to make myself presentable … to meet you, sir." She tucked the rolled-up garment under her arm and thrust her hand forward. "Specialist VJ Jones."

He shook her hand, giving her a curious once-over.  "Jones as in—"

She nodded, assuming he meant her dad. "As in. Yes, sir."

His lips curved in a wry twist. "So, you're Cavendish's girl."

What did he mean? "Excuse me?" Her head spun with the abrupt change in topic.

She usually had to chitchat about her dad before switching gears. She had a whole spiel ready to go. Discussing her relationship with Emory didn't seem appropriate.

The major nodded. "The CAG sings your praises, Jones. You feature prominently in his reports."

She ducked her head. "I do my part, sir. No more or less than anyone else around here."

He gave her a long look. "You're nothing like your dad. Which means you and I are going to get along just fine." A sheepish chuckle followed his statement.

She barely had time to process the comment before Emory's voice preceded him down the corridor.

"Jones! Hop to it—" He stopped short then snapped to attention. "Major Worthington, sir. The men are in the briefing room, awaiting your arrival."

The pieces clicked into place when Verity heard his name. Major Lawrence Worthington—the second best pilot of the united forces. That explained the earlier comment.

Verity turned to face Emory. "Sorry I'm late. I found the new CO—or move to the point—he found me."

They walked toward Emory and Worthington sent him on to get the men ready. Verity stopped to put her coveralls in the wash station.

She fell into step beside the major. "So, you're…"

Worthington cracked a smile. "Yeah, I am." He entered the briefing room and headed to the front of the space.

Verity grabbed a seat in the back and settled in for the opening remarks. Life would certainly be interesting from this point forward.

I love how this series is coming together. Verity and Emory are a joy to write and the secondary characters are also fun.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Illustrious Curse (a Lantern Jack tale)

Ugh. Had a rough week in general. My work project is coming along nicely but we had storms blow through and lost power a couple of times, which kind of harshed my vibe in a big way.

I got less television viewed but I did get to finish out the second season of the Passionflix original Driven. Man … what an ending. I'm truly excited for season three next year.

I did catch another episode of New Rugrats. I'm thoroughly enjoying this show and I'll state for the record that I hope there will be another season. So much fun.

Watched a full episode of Chicago Med and started another one. I'm not sure about the new head of Rhodes's department but their interactions are very interesting.

Got another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries out of the way and one of my favorite things about this show is how we see some familiar faces from other episodes pop up. I really like that, especially since they were suspects before in a different case. Very cool.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness. Interesting concept on this one and I vaguely remember bits and pieces from the episodes but can't remember how things got resolved. I'll look forward to seeing the second part.

Enjoyed another arc of Classic Who. Interesting concept and the resolution ended up being something I didn't expect. Hope to start a new arc this week.

Caught another episode of UFO Witness and rather enjoyed it. This one had a regression so an abductee could maybe remember what happened to him. Ended up being pretty interesting to watch.

Watched two episodes of The Muppet Show with Liberace and Marisa Berenson as the guest stars. Enjoyed both.

Still loving McCartney 3, 2, 1. I always end up being blown away by something every episode. It's also a lot of fun to watch Paul pick up an instrument and play or see him sing along at the mixing board. Love this show.

Enjoyed another Master Class with LeVar Burton. This lesson focused on the imagination being our superpower. I love listening to LeVar talk about storytelling.

Started an episode of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and … well … I didn't finish it. I really enjoy most of the characters, especially Hilda and Ambrose, Doctor Cee, Theo, Harvey, and Roz. I like Nick a lot. Even the weird sisters are often entertaining. But it really bugs me how Sabrina started out being decent at communication and now she massively sucks at it. The whole asking for advice then doing the exact opposite—without a really good reason other than it's what she wants to do—is starting to annoy me enough to stop watching for now. I might come back to the show eventually but there are other things on Netflix I'd like to get to so Sabrina can wait for bit.

Watched another episode of Star Trek: Discovery. Man. I'm starting to really love this show. There's a lot of nuance, which I enjoy and I like trying to figure out if Lorca is an asshole or a genius … or both. Michael intrigues me to no end. I love mix of Vulcan logic with human foibles. She's such a cool character.

That's pretty much it for the weekly viewing update. Tonight's post is from The Illustrious Curse, the final installment of the Lantern Jack series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right his final wrong. Inara Ives is a distant descendant of Jack's wife, the former banshee queen. Her royal blood is diluted, but still strong. Taben Tarrah can trace his ancestry back to the cursed goblin king, Lantrien Jacquard, but his noble blood is tainted by the lineage. Jack brings the two together to finally put his past to rest and join his deceased bride in the afterlife. The duo won't make it easy … but Jack's success over the years means he won't be thwarted.

And a preview snippet…

Inara Ives blinked, shook her head, and finally met her grandmother's gaze. "Why am I only hearing about this now?" Apparently, the family secrets went much deeper than Inara imagined.

Her grandmother's beringed hand tightened on her cane. "Because you didn't need to know before this very moment." She pounded the floor with the strikingly carved walking stick. "Do not presume to question me on this."

Inara bit back a sigh. "Yes, Grandmother." Irini Ives didn't appreciate any challenge to her authority. "It would have been nice to know I carry royal blood … no matter how diluted it is." Her bloodline descended from Esmera Edwards Jacquard, the banshee queen.

Stunned didn't begin to describe Inara's reaction to the news. Confused would be a better fit. Why reveal the connection now?

Irini made a garbled sound. "Change is afoot and it's time we step in." She explained about the curse the banshee clan put on Esmera's husband because they blamed him for her death.

Inara tilted her head to one side. "You condemned a grieving king to thousands of years of existence as a pumpkin and now that he's finally doing penance, you want to what? Curse him again?" She didn't understand the rage behind her grandmother's raving.

Irini sat up, her back going ramrod straight. "It's not about cursing him again. We want proof he was behind Esmera's death. If we find it, he'll be beyond redemption and banished to live out his eternal afterlife without his queen."

Inara wisely kept her opinion to herself. She wouldn't wish an eternity of being along on anyone—not even her worst enemy. But … she'd hear her grandmother out and hopefully get the full story.

Inara exhaled slowly. "What do you want from me, Grandmother?" No way would the matriarch spill the family secrets unless she needed Inara's help with something.

Irini leaned forward. "You're going to the archives and you're going to summon whatever information you can find on what happened to our beloved queen."

Inara gave a nod. "Yes, Grandmother. I'll get started right away." She got up and turned to face the exit. "By your leave…"

Irini waved a hand and the double doors opened to let Inara leave. She crossed the threshold before she risked letting out a sigh. Her grandmother didn't give Inara a specific time have the information gathered by, but All Hallow's approached and no doubt would be the best time to invoke additional punishment on the goblin king.

Inara stopped when she reached the bottom of the stairs leading away from Irini's wing of the manor house. "Maybe I'll find something that clears Lantrien Jacquard instead of damning him." Because, honestly, the stories she'd grown up with about Esmera weren't all sunshine and roses.

A banshee's work often brought grief and sadness, especially when a family had unresolved issues. The queen could pick and choose who received her gift and she sometimes settled scores with enemies by withholding the wailing cries. Esmera's rule didn't go completely unblemished but most of the fae considered her a fair and just leader.

"Maybe the best place to start is with those old grievances." With that plan of action settled, Inara stopped by her room to pack for a lengthy stay in the archives.

I have so much fun with Lantern Jack's story. The goblin king will finally have an answer to his fate one way or the other.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Ill-Timed Case

Whew. It's been a week. Had another trip to the emergency department with a family member and, thankfully, things seem to be okay and we're getting closer to having some answers.

Had an okay week of television viewing, mainly because my brain was kind of scattered all over the place. Started out with watching the behind the scenes and episode breakdowns for Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries. Thoroughly enjoyed both.

Caught both episodes of a Silent Witness two-parter. This is one I kind of remembered and I ended up liking it a lot. Some cool intrigue mixed with the science.

Enjoyed two more arcs of Classic Who. I believe there will be a new companion joining the crew but I'm not sure how soon that happens.

Watched two more episodes of UFO Witness. This one isn't nearly as entertaining as the lost evidence series but I'll finish it out.

Caught four episodes of The Muppet Show. Pearl Bailey, Jean Stapleton, Loretta Lynn and Alice Cooper were the guest stars. I'd forgotten about the Alice episode and really enjoyed watching it again.

Enjoyed two more episodes of McCartney 3, 2, 1. It's so cool to watch the breakdown of how many happy accidents shaped the sound of Paul's career.

Watched two more Master Class lessons with LeVar Burton. The first was a case study of Roots and how that story impacted so many. The second was about the importance of the oral storytelling tradition. I'm so glad I gave this series of lessons a try.

Got two more episodes of Peak Practice viewed. I didn't finish the second episode, mainly because one of the characters annoyed me so much I couldn't watch it. I'll pick back up with the next one and see if I missed anything important.

Caught another full episodes of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and I'm almost finished with another one. I'm sort of on the fence with this show right now. I literally hate Blackwood with a passion and I'm close to saying I'm done because I can't stand him.

Enjoyed another episode of Star Trek: Discovery. I gotta say I'm impressed with the narrative so far. There's some serious intrigue I'm enjoying along with a mix of new concepts that I'm fascinated with. Lorca is compelling to watch.

Watched another episode of Chicago Med. I'm enjoying the second season a lot and I might have to go look up the crossover episodes again.

Caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I really love this show. I switched to a different streaming provider and should be able to continue the second season without a delay.

I'll probably finish out the week with another episode of New Rugrats and another Chicago Med. I'll discuss those next week.

That's it for television recaps. Tonight's post is from Ill-Timed Case, a novella with a little cat and mouse between the characters while they try to piece together a mystery.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Rex Van Adder, private investigator, has more cases than he can handle. Enter Gracie Lee, along with a dead body, and Rex scrambles to keep his head above water, especially since he knows Gracie is involved but can't figure out how.

And a preview snippet…

Nighttime excursions were Gracie's favorite. "But I'll have to be extra careful from this point forward." Lover boy could be bothersome.

She'd only caught a glimpse of him and, even with his hat pulled low on his head, no one could mistake the chiseled cheekbones and day-old scruff on his face. One of my weaknesses. He walked with confidence and his keen gaze missed nothing. He'd spotted her, which rarely happened when she didn't want to be seen.

She shivered a little. "And he's taking up entirely too much space in my head right now." She shifted a little closer to the burning flames under the mantel.

The heat of the fire warmed her while waited for Sam Baldwin, the deputy police commissioner. The nights they'd spent by the hearth were too numerous to count. Her lips curved. She loved the man like a father—even though he'd fired the shot that killed hers.

Glenn Lee grew up with Sam but they'd landed on opposite sides of the law. As a beat cop, Sam arrived at a private residence when the silent alarm had been tripped. He'd followed procedure, identifying himself and ordering the thief to stop. But Baldwin also followed protocol when the robber drew a weapon and fired a shot.

Sam's heart broke when he discovered Glenn Lee under the black ski mask. Baldwin had tried so hard to keep Glenn on the straight path, but old habits were hard to break. Not even having a twelve-year-old daughter made a difference. And it should have.

Of course, when Sam found Gracie sound asleep in her dad's car, he immediately took her in and raised her as his own.

"And I've been with him ever since." Going on twelve years now.

Sam came in and settled beside her. He and Gracie discussed McGuiness's murder. After giving her initial impression of the room and the shambles it had been left in, she recalled her narrow escape.

She shrugged. "Avery Marlow got the call out. And he was joined by some lo— er, lordly-looking guy in a fedora and trench coat." Geez, she'd almost used her nickname for him, but covered just in time.

Baldwin slid his gaze sideways for a moment. "I'm guessing your mystery man will end up being Rex Van Adder." He paused a moment. "You'll have to be cautious. He has a nose for solving his cases." He chuckled. "I'd love about a dozen men like Van Adder to counter my straight-shooters like Marlow, but Van Adder doesn't play by the rules."

Gracie smirked. "Neither do I."

Baldwin gave her a long, level look. "Just be careful, Gracie. There's more to this business with McGuiness and his gem. Use Van Adder if you can to find out why this rock seems to be so damned important."

Gracie nodded. She would enjoy the challenge of snaring Rex Van Adder.

I'm having a lot of fun with this one. I've got a love for trying my hand at writing with a noir flair and this story lends itself nicely to creating that style.

That's it for this week.

 

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Hot Target

So … I can't believe it's already August. I'm kind of not ready for the summer to be waning down and fall to gear up. Because once fall hits, the holidays are around the corner and I'm not quite ready for that yet. LOL

Had a decent week of watching television again. I finished up the last two episodes of Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries. They were set around the holidays but the Christmas one only hinted about the season. The finale took place on New Year's Eve and I loved it. LOVED IT!! Even Percy the Putz didn't annoy me overmuch. And Peregrine and James are kind of back on track and that makes me very happy. I'm very much looking forward to a third series and crossing my fingers that it happens.

Caught both episodes of Silent Witness's season twelve opener. I should have remembered these but I didn't. Enjoyed the cases and look forward to more. Twelve is a little longer than usual so there's that, too.

Finished up season seventeen of Classic Who and started season eighteen. I'd forgotten Four got a different scarf but rediscovered that fact in the first arc of eighteen. I like the first one the best.

Watched two more episodes of UFO Witness. These episodes feel a little staged but they're interesting. I'll finish out and see where it ends up.

Started season three of The Muppet Show and got four episodes watched. The guest stars were Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson, Leo Sayer, Roy Clark, and Gilda Radner. I like the small changes to the opening and the show set-up. Looking forward to more.

Began a new documentary series with McCartney 3, 2, 1. I watched two episodes and loved both of them. I'm excited to see the rest because it's not focused only on the Beatles. It looks like we'll see a full scope of McCartney's music.

Caught two more Peak Practice episodes. So far, season four is pretty solid. I'll look forward to seeing the rest of the season.

Was able to catch two more Master Class lessons with LeVar Burton. He spoke about authentic storytelling and connecting with your audience. I got some good information from both lessons. I also enjoy listening to him speak; he's very eloquent without being stuffy.

Ended up watching two episodes of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I thoroughly loved the Doctor Cerebus episode and I'm going to keep all the scenarios in mind for later seasons. I have a feeling several easter eggs were dropped in that one. Not as much of a fan of the dark wedding episode. I absolutely loathe Blackwood and I'm hoping it's not going to become a case where my dislike of him ruins the show like it did with Hiram and Riverdale. I literally can't watch any scene he's in without hating it.

Watched two episodes of The Brokenwood Mysteries. Finished up the first season and started the second. Nice to see and learn a little more about Breen. This show is just quirky enough to really hold my interest. I got annoyed with one of the detectives in the finale, but I'll reserve judgment because I love her otherwise.

Caught the second episode of Star Trek: Discovery. It went in a direction I totally didn't expect but I'm down for being surprised. So far, I'm enjoying the show and look forward to a redemption arc for Michael.

Finished up season one of Chicago Med and truly enjoyed the finale. Colin Donnell continues to be amazing to watch. I loved him in Arrow and really enjoy him in Med. The opening episode of season two is very entertaining.

Loved Passionflix's season two episode of Driven. I'm thrilled there are two more eps to watch and another season to follow.

Last but not least, I got another episode of New Rugrats watched and I have to admit I love the new version. Definitely not the same as the classic version but the updates are spot on and fun to watch.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Hot Target, a novella where the characters have to snare a killer before they lose more of their friends.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Yates and Baylor work undercover for the mage council. They make a great team, but rarely see eye to eye. When their magical brethren start dropping like flies, one of them must become a hot target. Yates decides he'll do it … Baylor's a better shot.

And a preview snippet…

Baylor sat nursing a drink—she'd just made last call. Not that Deuce would kick her out. He'd keep pouring until she said stop.

"Good to have friends in low places."

Deuce slanted her a sideways glance. "I heard that."

She lifted her tumbler and gave him a mock toast.

Yates came in, flanked by Mills and Tango. At least the council gave them competent help. Not that she really wanted assistance, which kept her butt parked on the stool and her eyes straight ahead.

Yates jerked his thumb toward the rear hallway. "Backroom free?"

Deuce lifted his chin. "For as long you guys need it." He wiped down the bar and announced five minutes to close.

Baylor's gaze tracked the trio until they entered the dingy space Deuce used for storage—and who knew what else. Baylor stayed put. Her willingness to cooperate teetered on the brink.

Deuce tapped the bar in front of her. "Bay, get your ass in there and play nice." He lowered his voice. "They came to you. That's a point in your column."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I'll do my best." She got up and took her drink with her. "Don't wait up. We'll make sure to lock up when we leave."

Deuce snorted. "As if anyone would fuck with this place. I picked this spot for a reason." And he enforced his rule of law with big, meaty fists if necessary.

Baylor walked in to the backroom to face a wall of defeat, depicting the victims of Wiley's carnage. Yates had a makeshift planning center ready, using a white menu board that probably hadn't been used in a decade. Mills and Tango each had a spot by the doors, just in case.

Baylor dropped down on a leather sofa and kicked her feet out. She didn't speak, just waited for Yates to work the plan. She gave him credit—he didn't show an ounce of frustration with her. By now, she'd be pissed off if he pulled the lack of cooperation she used at the moment.

Tango and Mills offered up suggestions. Some good. Some not. They weren't heavy into research like she and Yates had to be.

Yates finally paused and gave her a level look. "What's your assessment of Wiley's habits. Would they have changed?"

Why the hell did it matter? He'd gone completely off book with his revenge plot. Then again, she didn't think Wiley would alter much, yet she hesitated to share her thoughts. Yates only blinked when she shrugged and opened the floor to Mills and Tango, who basically threw shit out until Baylor finally got up and cut them off.

"Look, you're all overthinking this now." She laid everything out. "Wiley struck hard and fast to get our attention. Now he'll probably toy with us a little. He wants me worried and off my game." She paced back and forth, sinking deep into Ledbetter's mindset. "I'll admit I'm getting into conjecture here, but I think Wiley will keep going after people close to me or who he associates with me and his dismissal from the apprentice program." She paused a moment. "Or … he'll come after me directly. He's not patient by nature." But her gut said Wiley would string things out a little more.

Tango grunted. "We need to give him a hot target."

Mills gave a nod. "Yeah, put someone out there he won't be able to resist."

Yates put the marker he'd been using down and lifted his hand. "That would be me."

Baylor went ape, stalking over and jabbing her finger into his shoulder. "No way." I'm not okay with him being in harm's way. "You're not going to play bait."

Yates cut off more protests. "By association, I already am." He held her gaze and all but dared her to argue.

She couldn't. Because, yeah, just by being with her he'd already be on Wiley's list.

Yates grabbed his jacket and shrugged into it. "Look, we've got a little time. Let's sleep on what we have so far and pick back up in the morning."

Baylor agreed—reluctantly. "Yeah, fine. Let's go." She followed Tango out through the bar and waited for Yates and Mills to lock up. Tango rode with her and stayed blessedly quiet on the way to the duplex she shared with Yates.

Good thing Tango had the good sense to leave her alone. I'm pissed off. Keyed up. And very unhappy.

And Yates would bear the brunt of that when he got home.

I'm having fun with this story. I love writing an established couple that has to face an obstacle. Baylor and Yates definitely have a big hurdle to get over.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye