Unholy
Alliance
(2nd book in the Irish American Donahue Cousins series)
Blurb—
A decade ago, Tori Rourke, and her cousin, Vivienne, ran from the Irish
mob after witnessing a brutal murder. Tori was framed by the mob, and while she
served time in prison, she worried that the killer, Seamus McGinn, had
kidnapped her missing cousin.
Attorney Grady D. Fletcher, defender of the wrongly condemned, appeals Tori’s case and wins her release. Now, going by Victoria Morningstar, she runs a food truck from a seedy waterfront neighborhood, hoping to find her cousin's kidnapper.
When Grady agrees to defend a new client, Samuel Peterson, who’s been accused of beating to death the wife of a noted professor, the evidence mounts. The professor is missing, as well as his laptop that contains data dangerous to national security.
And Seamus McGinn is back, and rumors of a massive annihilation is about to begin. As they race to assist the FBI, the bonds between Grady and Tori are about to be tested. It becomes clear Grady and Tori are falling fast for each other, but what to do about it is a different story. He’s a divorced dad who wants more time with his kid. She brings danger to his front door.
Grady has questions of his own; Is Vivienne at the center of the mob’s operation? How much will it cost Tori before she learns the truth? All Grady knows is the biggest danger is the one standing right behind you.
Attorney Grady D. Fletcher, defender of the wrongly condemned, appeals Tori’s case and wins her release. Now, going by Victoria Morningstar, she runs a food truck from a seedy waterfront neighborhood, hoping to find her cousin's kidnapper.
When Grady agrees to defend a new client, Samuel Peterson, who’s been accused of beating to death the wife of a noted professor, the evidence mounts. The professor is missing, as well as his laptop that contains data dangerous to national security.
And Seamus McGinn is back, and rumors of a massive annihilation is about to begin. As they race to assist the FBI, the bonds between Grady and Tori are about to be tested. It becomes clear Grady and Tori are falling fast for each other, but what to do about it is a different story. He’s a divorced dad who wants more time with his kid. She brings danger to his front door.
Grady has questions of his own; Is Vivienne at the center of the mob’s operation? How much will it cost Tori before she learns the truth? All Grady knows is the biggest danger is the one standing right behind you.
Excerpt—
“Don’t let the anxiety of freedom consume you.” Attorney Grady Donahue Fletcher clenched his
teeth and rehearsed what he’d say to his client, Victoria Morningstar. He’d won
her appeal and drove to pick her up at Gladstone Penitentiary. “At least you
won’t be placed in solitary.” That was worse.
Six months earlier Grady had phoned a reporter at the Los Angeles Globe. "Drew Barker.
Grady Fletcher here.”
“Ah, the lawyer. Calling about a tip?”
“I am. Here's something you can investigate. Tori Morningstar, did she
murder Irene Brennan?"
"I wrote that story many years back," the journalist had said.
“I assume you have new discoveries.”
"Fraud, illegal testimony. Do you want the story first?" A
second passed. "Otherwise, I'll call the Orange County Guardian."
"Okay, okay. We want it."
Three days later Grady had a hand in writing the first article in Drew
Barker’s column. "The public labeled Tori Morningstar as an undesirable.
Not black and poor, but disfavored, accused, incarcerated, and wrongly
condemned. Her cellphone has been recovered. Her call to 911 identified her
voice and substantiated screams of the victim in the background. Could she have
beaten someone while speaking to dispatch at the same time?"
The reporter had written the second article. "People who get their
ideas about criminal lawyers from TV probably would be disappointed in Grady
Fletcher. He lacks flash but stands up straight, his posture neither ramrod nor
slouched. He doesn't smoke, doesn't wear thousand dollar suits. His voice is
soft and low, one of his assets. He speaks truth with a voice inviting
confidences."
As nice as that was, Grady’s stomach cramped over pressure and strain
from Drew Barker’s final article with the headline, Tori Morningstar, Released Today. Picked up by the online service,
Newser, KTLA, and CBS Los Angeles, they planned to broadcast his arrival to
escort his client from Gladstone.
Tori’s decade-long prison sentence ended today but with a sobering fear
over tomorrow.
When was a July morning this hot? Grady balanced her release papers on
his lap as he rolled up one sleeve then the other while gripping the damp
steering wheel. Sweat blossomed on his throbbing forehead, wrapped like a
python’s grip. He adjusted the dial for the AC and embraced the challenge of
helping another client get back on track. Embrace and conquer. Or at least
sound like it.
You will find all buy book links for Unholy Alliance here:
A
little more about Kathleen Rowland—
Book Buyers Best finalist
Kathleen Rowland is devoted to giving her readers fast-paced, high-stakes
suspense with a sizzling love story sure to melt their hearts. Writing a romantic suspense Irish American
series for Tirgearr Publishing, Deadly
Alliance is followed by Unholy
Alliance. Bittersweet Alliance is in the works. Keep an icy drink handy while
reading these hot stories.
Kathleen used to write computer
programs but now writes novels. She
grew up in Iowa where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and raced her
sailboat on Lake Okoboji. Now she wears
flip-flops and sails with her husband, Gerry, on Newport Harbor but wishes
there were lightning bugs in California.
Kathleen exists happily
with her witty CPA husband, Gerry, in their 70’s poolside retreat in Southern
California where she adores time spent with visiting grandchildren, dogs, one
bunny, and noisy neighbors. While proud
of their five children who’ve flown the coop, she appreciates the luxury of
time to write. If you’d enjoy news, sign up for Kathleen’s newsletter at http://www.kathleenrowland.com/
http://www.kathleenrowland.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/romanticsuspense.kathleenrowland/
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