Exclusive Peek: Evil's Witness by Autumn Jordon

From Autumn Jordon:

Let me throw two lines at you. Life is stranger than fiction, no truer words have ever been stated, and life is filled with drama and drama is what makes good fiction. Do you see the connection?

Many threads of my new release, EVIL’S WITNESS, are based on actual occurrences, such as my heroine’s, divorce and harassment from her ex-cop husband, a tractor-trailer targeted by the mafia, an infiltration of a government agency by an outsider and two people meeting under dire circumstances and falling in love.

You want to know where writers get their ideas for their stories, look at your life. If you’ve ever grabbed the aspirin bottle or shed a tear, you’ve had drama in your life. My son is getting married in a few months. Here we have the mingling of two families. Have you ever seen that scenario in a book or on the big screen? Sure you have—Romeo and Juliet or My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I have family serving this country and the stories they can share with me cause me to tremble. The Green Zone comes to my mind.

Life is real. By reading we learn the drama of others and put ourselves into their shoes, or we escape our own drama and get whisked away into other world where our drama doesn’t seem as bad.

Here is a little drama from EVIL’S WITNESS. I hope you enjoy.

Exclusive Excerpt:

Gene aimed his gun at Victor. “You’re not going to hurt them. If you try, you’ll have to go through me.”

Victor’s spine stiffened. His glare smoldered like an enraged Satan.

The urge to turn and run made Stephanie quake inside. She knew running was no longer a possibility. Gene couldn’t take on all of them. They’d be gunned down within seconds.

“Don’t be stupid, son.” Morse put up his hand.

“Shut up. I’m not your son, and I’m not going to let them hurt Stephanie and my kids.” Determination made Gene’s tone dangerous.

She stared at the back of the man she’d once loved with her whole heart and had hated with her whole heart. He stood tall with his shoulders squared. He was laying his life on the line for Bobby and Em. And for her.

Gene was doing his part to save their children. She had to do hers.

The shadow crawled on his knees toward the embankment.

Mac’s and Dog’s full attention was on Gene.

If she kept herself in between the men and the kids, maybe, just maybe her children would live. She couldn’t think about her fate or Gene’s.

She inhaled and let Em slip to the ground, keeping her close while Gene’s stand against the man began to heat.

She squeezed Bobby’s small hand. He looked up at her; fear dulled his beautiful blue eyes. She nodded toward the back of the trailer and motioned with her hand for them to stay below the high grass. She mouthed, car. Behind her back she pulled them together and placed Em’s hand in Bobby’s. She waved them off, hoping Bobby and Em wouldn’t run but would back away slowly while she and Gene distracted their enemies.

Somehow she had to help Gene and draw attention away from them. Taking a deep breath, Stephanie swallowed her fear, gathered her nerve and pulled her flashlight from her belt.

“Gene’s right,” she said loudly, stepping forward. Her legs shook with each step, but she kept moving away from Bobby and Em. “You can trust me. I won’t say a word.”

She reached out and touched Gene’s arm. He didn’t look her way, but she knew by the way he leaned slightly into her touch that they were making their peace with each other for the sake of their children. “We didn’t see a thing. And we won’t tell anyone.”

“I don’t want to kill no kids, Victor.” Mac danced in place ready to dodge Victor’s wrath.

“You will do as I say,” Victor snapped.

She looked at the dead driver. His lifeless stare pleaded to her for justice.

“Don’t trust her,” Sheriff Morse ordered, turning his gun on her.

Stephanie refused to flinch under Morse’s scrutiny.

Gene moved in front of her. “Frank, what the hell are you doing? You’ve known Stephanie all her life.”

“There is too much at stake, Gene. She saw me kill that guy. I’m not going to jail.” Morse’s tongue skimmed his lips. “Why the hell are you trying to protect her anyway? You two have been fightin’ like junkyard dogs for years. You complain every day she’s milking you dry. This is your chance to be rid of your mistakes.”

“Steph was never a mistake to me,” Gene’s voice rose in response. Then it softened. “I was hers.”

Tears threatened to blur her vision and she blinked them away. She squeezed Gene’s arm and glanced at her ex-husband’s profile. He remained focused.

“Touching,” Victor said. “But, sorry, no. They must die here.”

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Book Summary:

The Zosimosky Files

Elementary school nurse Stephanie Boyd's ordinary world changes forever when she and her children witness a blood bath. To escape the wrath of the Russian Mafia, she has no choice but to help the FBI uncover the Mafia’s mole inside the U.S. Treasury. While on the run with the handsome agent who is willing to die for them, Stephanie learns the meaning of self-sacrifice and love.

Agent John Dolton's only break in solving the case that cost him everything is a couple of kids and a beautiful woman. But keeping his witnesses safe seems impossible when their every move is foreseen by their enemy. Within weeks, Stephanie and her children soften the loner’s heart and John allows himself to let go of his all-consuming sorrow.

This time John vows not to fail to protect the family he loves.

Available at Wild Rose Press (ebook), (print).