Rivers don’t let rocks hold them back.
River Nightingale has decided to blow past the rocky men in her life. She’s played by the rules for too long—especially when it came to her career as a cop. She was the top closer of cases for years, but promotions in her small town cop shop went to her less productive male counterparts. River’s friends, three other women cops, are also ready to change careers. Together they leave behind their small towns, become their own bosses, and purchase a Seattle private detective agency.
Homicide Detective Gage Hamlin takes pride in his job; he closes cases and fosters justice. All that changed the day River Nightingale sauntered into his office. River has him questioning his pride, his cases, and his aversion to private detectives, especially beautiful private detectives.
River’s client thinks Gage got it wrong, and River is forced to prove Gage missed a murder. Will River and Gage find a way to play nice, or will River be forced to leave Gage behind?
1st EXCERPT
She put her mojito down on the coffee table, and stretched out on her sofa. Laptop on her lap desk, she switched it on, sipped on her mojito, and waited for the screen to come to life. She opened her favorites and clicked on Lady Cops. Chats were in full swing as she scrolled through to see what was happening.
“Hey River, what no hot date tonight?” Maile asked.
“Not hardly, Bear Creek is lacking in the hot date department. What about you?”
“I do have a date, with my newly purchased novel, print copy I might add.”
“Now that’s pitiful—a date with a book.” River giggled. “Are Cassie and Shay on-line?”
“Hey, I’m bored. Please tell me one of you ladies have something juicy to share,” Shay said.
“Have you been following the discussion on the shipment of guns intercepted here in Arizona? Not anywhere near me, of course,” Cassie said.
“Guns? At least there’s action where you live,” River said. “We had a herd of mountain goats on Main Street this week—that’s what qualifies for action in Bear Creek.”
“It’s all about your perspective. Mountain goats walking down a street in Prescott, Arizona would be news here.” Cassie laughed.
2nd EXCERPT
“Ah yes, River Nightingale is one of our primary investigators. She just happens to be in the office. If you would take a seat, I’ll ask if she can see you now.” She disappeared into the next room.
The receptionist returned moments later followed by a petite girl. She smiled directly at him, her blue eyes quickly tracking up and down his body. He nearly blushed. As she rounded the counter she held her hand out to him.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Baxter, I’m River Nightingale. Cory tells me that Mike referred you?”
“Um, he did, but I understood you to be a seasoned policewoman,” Blake said. Geeze, she couldn’t be more than nineteen or twenty. Is this a joke? he wondered.
“Yes. I served in a police department in Montana for ten years and no, I’m not a teenager, I assure you. I happen to be in my mid-thirties.”
“I see. I’m sorry for my ill manners.”
“No worries, you’re not the first person who has thought that and certainly won’t be the last. My only hope is when I’m seventy, people will think I’m fifty.” She smiled at him again. “If you’re still interested in a P.I., I’m sure I can help you.”
“Yes, by all means, Ms. Nightingale.”