is featured on Barnes & Noble as a Nook or adaptable to your home computer. It can also be purchased at Amazon.com, as a Kindle book. Don has arranged with Book Locker to make it available at many places including in format compatible to Apple products like Apple's IPad. The exciting book is only the first of a series of Rip Rhymer--Cassandra Quick novels. Currently, under production is a new novel starring these two characters called
Florida and Africa. Also coming soon will be a third Rhymer-Quick novel entitled
The
Exterminator
by
Donald M. White
BOOKLOCKER EDITION
The Exterminator
Copyright@2011by Donald M. White
All rights Reserved
No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from Donald M. White
Edition License Notes
This Ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to BookLocker and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Author's Note: While this is a work of fiction, it contains considerable current perspective and background. The author likes to call this dystopian novel reality fiction. Nonetheless, names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or, are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
One
Pete Williams was a rookie reporter for the Tampa Tempo. On his mind was a promise he had made that became the deciding factor landing him the job: “In a month I’ll break an important story or be gone.”
The month was almost up for this recent graduate of the University of South Florida. He had been temporarily assigned to the obit desk, with afternoons and nights dedicated to investigating and writing that blockbuster article—something really important that would solidify his position on the staff.
But time had passed quickly and he had just three days left to complete his research and scoop everyone else.
The Tempo was not accustomed to yellow journalism, but it had to do something to stay in the game. When Pete bragged to Managing Editor Harry Lindstrom that he was confident of breaking a big story, he didn’t realize that investigative journalism was tough and sometimes highly dangerous.
Pete’s interview with Lindstrom had been uneventful—until he suggested that the paper could fire him after a month if he didn’t break a major scandal. It was then that the editor’s pessimistic eyes opened like melons. Locked in a circulation battle with the liberal rag, the St. Petersberg Mercury, Pete’s promise had been the door opener.
This challenge consumed his mind as he gulped down a foamy Samuel Adams at the Lucky Bar and Grill that fateful night. Then an absolutely drop-dead gorgeous blonde came in and sat down beside him. “Can I buy you another drink?” she asked.
It was late afternoon, but not yet dark. Pete had been biding his time before returning to the hotel following an eventful day of investigation. He had met Roger Thoreau, a local resident leading the charge of angry utility customers against Advance Energy and its new fast meters.
At the conclusion of the interview, Thoreau asked Pete to turn off the recorder as he studied the young man’s face. “You’re an aggressive sort. I hear the leader of Advance Energy, George Roth, is in town this week. Why don’t you go down there and demand a hearing. Tell the receptionist you’re a reporter for the Tampa Tempo. Say you want only fifteen minutes with the CEO. Tell them you are breaking a major story that will blow the lid wide open on their alleged fraud if it gets printed without Roth’s side of the story. Be confident and aggressive. That’s the only way you’re going to get in to interview this man. And above all, be careful. He’s a dangerous man.”
Pete took Roger’s advice. He rode the elevator up to the fourth floor and noted the large Advance Energy lettering. Without breaking step he flung open the glass door and did his interpretation of what Thoreau had prescribed. In a loud commanding voice he said: “I’m a reporter from the Tampa Tempo. I’m about to break a major investigative report that will destroy Advance Energy and put your CEO in jail… unless I get to see Mr. Roth right now. Please don’t guard-dog him from me.” His voice had an air of urgency and power.
Two
If the charmer at the front desk didn’t believe Pete, it was her fault not his. Pete was relentless. “In a day or two your boss will read my story, whether you let me talk to him or not. If it goes that way, everyone here will be in hot water. The story I’m writing is very important. If Mr. Roth hasn’t had a chance to rebut it, you could lose your job, Ma-am.”
The receptionist was a large woman, not easily intimidated by a pip-squeak like this. At five-ten, Pete was strong but slight of build. Looking at the big woman now standing defiantly before her desk, he suddenly realized that she was larger, taller, heavier—and perhaps even stronger than him. Her deep-frozen frown convinced Pete that she was no pushover. This barrel-chested woman had big arms and large football-player calves. She could have been a tag-team wrestler for all he knew. Pete envisioned her capable of booting a guy his size out the door. His heart was racing when he finished his emphatic demand.
But she wasn’t buying. “I have a mind to call the police on you,” young man.”
“And if they won’t come…?”
She paused, then moved toward Pete who back-peddled. ”I’ll hit you once, then scrape you off the floor and kick your butt all the way down the marble hallway to the elevator where you’ll bang your head, and I hope you’ll die instantly. Now how do you like them apples, smart ass?”
Though his heart beat faster, Pete said nothing. He didn’t want to further infuriate her. He just stood there starring at her strong canine jaw thrust out like she was ready to pounce, bite his behind, and chew him up. One false move and he knew he was dead.
Pete’s plan was simple: Her first move towards me, it will be fright and flight. I’m out of here.
This female grizzly not only meant every word, but she was capable of slamming him to the ground. But Pete Williams was on a mission—his feet were glued to the floor. He hadn’t accomplished his goal of interviewing George Roth.
What the line backer separating him from Roth’s office didn’t realize was that clipped to the outside of Pete’s suit coat lapel pocket was Pete’s BGB high resolution DVR spy pen with webcam and mike. Not only was he recording the sound, but taking pictures of this episode. Every threatening word would end up in his story.
When Roth’s secretary just stood there with that intimidating smirk on her face, the young man decided he had to move from defense to offense. “You look big enough to move a tank,” he said, defiantly.
Her face tightened and became red as a beet. “I’ll kill you for that remark. And you know I could do that, don’t you?”
“Pardon the expression, Ma-am, but you do resemble a tank, or a woman wrestler—and you know it. But if you toss me and I hit my head on something, I’ll sue. Plus, the story will get out about how you treat reporters—you threatened bodily injury to me. Do you realize that? That’s an actionable offense because I was standing close enough to you for your words to put me in imminent fear of harm from your physical powers. It’s probably how your company treats all of its angry customers, isn’t it?
She shook her head no.
“If that story gets out you’ll be toast.”
She had heard enough. She about-faced and marched to the large office at the end of the hall. Pete knew he had won round one, but he worried about what would happen next.
Once your book is polished, it’s time to think about a marketing plan. There are things that you can do to help your book find its wings. Send advance copies out to reviewers, set up blog tours, so when your book hits the shelves, it’s already being talked about. Join a community and connect with others to help you promote your book (I hear WoMen’s Literary Café rocks! Lol).
