Hey there,
I hope you’ve had a lovely week. I’ve been very busy travelling back and forth, dealing with fantastic people who have lifted me and boosted me; some not so nice people who, in Aeron-speak, need pickle juice and have enjoyed working on getting The Empath edited (I’m up to chapter 37 if it helps… I’m getting there!) and I have chapter 3 for you to enjoy below.
As for Aeron’s story, as you will see in this week’s chapter (which is snappy and short), I had made some changes to the book. One of benefits of going back and revisiting a book when you’ve finished the series is that you can insert detail that you couldn’t the first time around because you never know when you’re going to reveal certain information. I felt I’d withheld more information than was needed but also that I’d introduced Renee’s POV quite late and, because I do listen to feedback, I noted that not everyone had read The Whistleblower (which I will release as a proper book eventually!) and it was probably a good idea to make sure all readers had an inkling of who Susan Gossett was.
I’m really enjoying putting those parts right and putting more into the relationships and characters… it’s a great excuse to hang out with the characters, because, like you, I miss them a lot when I haven’t hung out with them in a while. Lots of you have told me that you want more stories from Aeron and co… and I’m really thinking about it… so please keep heckling because it’s good to know you care. 🙂
Here is Chapter 3!
Copyright © 2014, 2022 Jody Klaire
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher
Chapter 3
Outside of Serenity, in the nearby town that shared its name, gold and red leaves danced on a gusty wind down a rain-soaked lane sweeping by a nettle filled field weaving in and out of a broken fence until landing on the wind shield of a slick matt-black car with one-way windows which sat waiting as a chunky black flatbed truck with razor sharp rims rumbled to a stop in front of it.
A tall, rigid woman with spiky white-blonde hair eased out of the slick car with a paper file in her hand and strode over to the truck.
‘Ma’am?’ a cultured female voice asked as she rolled down the window.
‘You said you didn’t want to retire,’ the white-blonde woman flicked a curious glance over the solid black luggage rails on the roof said. ‘I expect you to get her released, Black.’
Black flicked away her shaggy golden blonde hair and flicked through the file. ‘Released?’.
‘Released.’ The woman narrowed icy blue eyes. ‘Those are your orders. Get her released and extract yourself.’
Black tried to school her features but the confusion showed in her stormy gray eyes. ‘I’m not sure she’s going to trust me. She’s high-risk—’
‘You said you could still do your job,’ the woman handed over the file. ‘If I think you can’t, I will pull you out and retire you.’
‘I can still do my job, Urs.’ Black’s voice wobbled, the uncertainty through it. Still, she held the woman’s gaze, sure but determined.
The woman with icy blue eyes scoured her, searching for a weakness, a reason to pull the file back but then flicked her gaze over the dash. ‘I expect you to report in regularly.’ She nodded to the truck, letting through a half smile, then started to walk back toward her car.
‘Urs,’ Black blurted, gripping the strut on her front windshield.
The woman stopped but didn’t turn around.
‘Thank you for believing in me,’ Black said and roared off.
The woman watched the truck disappear, sighed, then pulled out her phone and hit her speed dial. ‘I have given her the orders but you know my feelings on this.’
‘Yes, but she is the best at her job and I need the best on this,’ the strained voice said. ‘Just be there to back her up.’
‘She shouldn’t even be driving.’ The woman pulled her battered leather flight jacket around her. ‘I’m only allowing this because you need a favor.’ She studied the carpet of gold and brown leaves at her feet. ‘If I think she is at risk, I will pull her out. I will not see her hurt again.’
‘Of course,’ the voice said.
The woman cut the line and pulled the leaf off her windshield. ‘She shouldn’t even be driving,’ she mumbled to it. ‘Snow is forecast as it is.’ She sighed then got back into her car, checked the rear-view with icy blue eyes, slid her aviators on, and sped off.
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