Anticipating a much-needed weekend together, Beck gets a call from Zach.
“I’m not
going to make it this weekend,” Zach said.
The pleasant expectation Beck had built all week collapsed into a black hole of disappointment. Not again, damn it. A month of relative solitary confinement—thirty days without a visit. Beck stalked through the warren of packed boxes cluttering the house. Damn it to hell. He struggled to keep the accusatory tone out of his voice. “This is the fourth weekend in a row you’ve canceled.”
“I know.” Instead of an explanation, there was silence.
This could only be… Aw, fuck. “Don’t tell me it’s a callout case.”
“ViCAP got a hit matching one of my assignments.” The words were filled with apology.
Beck felt the need to punch something. He tried to avoid sounding pissed off. “Christ, they’ve got other profilers. Can’t Ruskin handle it?”
Zach heaved a sigh. “Look, I’m sorry. I did the original profile, and Sands is insisting. It’s just one more case.”
One more case. The same refrain, fracturing their time together.
The pleasant expectation Beck had built all week collapsed into a black hole of disappointment. Not again, damn it. A month of relative solitary confinement—thirty days without a visit. Beck stalked through the warren of packed boxes cluttering the house. Damn it to hell. He struggled to keep the accusatory tone out of his voice. “This is the fourth weekend in a row you’ve canceled.”
“I know.” Instead of an explanation, there was silence.
This could only be… Aw, fuck. “Don’t tell me it’s a callout case.”
“ViCAP got a hit matching one of my assignments.” The words were filled with apology.
Beck felt the need to punch something. He tried to avoid sounding pissed off. “Christ, they’ve got other profilers. Can’t Ruskin handle it?”
Zach heaved a sigh. “Look, I’m sorry. I did the original profile, and Sands is insisting. It’s just one more case.”
One more case. The same refrain, fracturing their time together.
~*~
Coldhearted Concept is available at Loose Id, All Romance Ebooks,
and Amazon.
More about Coldhearted Concept:
Detective Beck Stryker has a
lot to juggle: his long-distance relationship with FBI profiler Zach Littman,
the family issues of cop widow Marybeth Halliday and her two boys, and the ups
and downs of being out and proud. To top it off, Beck must work with his
closeted ex-lover Van on the case of a skeleton discovered in the woods.
FBI profiler Dr. Zach Littman has been working on an exit strategy for months. Every time he’s on the brink of resigning, Minneapolis Unit Director Sands comes up with “one more case,” one that only Zach can manage. It’s a situation that frustrates Beck. Zach has promised he’ll leave the FBI and profiling behind—as soon as his Colorado medical license comes through. It may be easier said than done. Zach has reservations about uprooting his life and moving to Denver.
A killer leaves a grisly invitation insisting Zach participate in a deadly game, the rules of which are known only to the psychopath. It’s clear he won’t stop until he’s taken out Zach. It’s a race against time for Beck and Zach to capture the killer before the psychopath finds Zach and declares Game Over.
FBI profiler Dr. Zach Littman has been working on an exit strategy for months. Every time he’s on the brink of resigning, Minneapolis Unit Director Sands comes up with “one more case,” one that only Zach can manage. It’s a situation that frustrates Beck. Zach has promised he’ll leave the FBI and profiling behind—as soon as his Colorado medical license comes through. It may be easier said than done. Zach has reservations about uprooting his life and moving to Denver.
A killer leaves a grisly invitation insisting Zach participate in a deadly game, the rules of which are known only to the psychopath. It’s clear he won’t stop until he’s taken out Zach. It’s a race against time for Beck and Zach to capture the killer before the psychopath finds Zach and declares Game Over.
~*~
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I hate when work gets in the way of life. I'm sure he'll make it up to Beck.
ReplyDeleteHe will. Oh, he will. :)
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