The Second Soulmate
()
About this ebook
Catherine Mallory was one of Frangeles' best detectives, until the day that her partner was killed by an unlucky stray bullet. She quit her police job and started operating a forklift by day, serving drinks at night. Both jobs together pay her rent and her food and keep her from brooding over how she failed her teammate.
One day, though, she finds the dead victim of a violent crime, and her old job instincts kick in. She decides to investigate and interfere. She can't know that this decision will lead her into deeper trouble than ordinary mortals could imagine.
Valerie J. Long
Author of the Zoe Lionheart series (in German and English), living and writing in Germany.My english books have a separate smashwords profile (for being maintained by my publisher), see me again at http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/valjlong and http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/valariejlong
Read more from Valerie J. Long
Forgotten People Time of War Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Second Soulmate Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to The Second Soulmate
Related ebooks
The Second Soulmate Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHunger and other stories of horror Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsReckless Dreams: Stories from the Dream Realm, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Girl In The Mirror Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFinal Stand: Northwest Counter-Terrorism Taskforce, #5 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Sacrificial Lamb Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTalking Can Be Dangerous Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCrux: Intergalactic Dating Agency: Dragon Brides, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crux Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCompanions of the Night Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Black Widow Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pretty Girls: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Time We Saw Her Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Deep Blue Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Alone Among Spies Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDouble V Mysteries Vol. 1-3: Double V Mysteries Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Secret Mark An Adventure Story for Girls Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Death of a Doxy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIn the Arms of the Enemy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Identity: Carver Ranch, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDon't Look for Me: A Carter Blake Thriller Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Plan (A Secret Past - Volume Four): A Secret Past, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRead It and Weep! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Silver Canyon: Southwest Treasure Hunters, #3 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Painter’s Requiem Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Woman With Secrets Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Possessed Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Scarlett Fire: A Mystery Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMortis Unbound Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHidden Legacy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Suspense Romance For You
Wicked Villain Shorts: Wicked Villains, #7 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Seven Years to Sin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Diary of an Oxygen Thief Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Tell Me Lies: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Submitting to Him: Book 1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Red Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5365 Days Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Master Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Professional Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Nurse: A gripping psychological thriller with a shocking twist Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fated Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Heartbreaker Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Midnight Rainbow Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Keep Her Safe: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pride and Pleasure Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chill Factor: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bound (Book 1): Sokolov Family Mafia, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Twisted Love: The Smith Brothers Series, #1 Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Yesterday Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When She Remembered Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The A.I. Who Loved Me Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Knotted: Trails of Sin, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lace Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Black Iris Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lover Arisen Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Merry Men of the Dark Web Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hardy Boys Collection Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5White Hot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Riskier Business Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5At His Mercy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Second Soulmate
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
The Second Soulmate - Valerie J. Long
Dedication
For Catherine.
Chapter One
Two dark silhouettes stepped out of a shadowy passage ahead. Seven inches of metal reflected the dim light of one of the few working street lamps.
Cat shrugged and flexed her fingers. The side streets of Frangeles late at night were no place for a girl on her own. That was what Joaquin had always said, and Joaquin’s advice had usually been good.
But Joaquin was dead now, and Cat no longer cared. She wore shorts, boots, and a loose-fitting shirt. Her pockets contained a multicard, a lighter, and a lipstick she hadn’t used for years.
There was nothing to gain for the occasional street rat but trouble. Trouble everyone could easily have avoided—she by sticking to the main roads, them by staying out of her way.
The man with the blade stepped forward. All you got, now!
Yeah, exactly. Cat’s foot kicked the knife from his hand. Two quick strikes took the air out of his lungs, and a sharp hit with the edge of her hand almost shattered the other thug’s lower jaw.
She assumed the playful tiger stance and waited.
Her opponents glanced at her, made up their minds, and hurried away.
Once they had disappeared, Cat straightened herself and continued on her way.
Something made her pause before an old warehouse entrance.
The door stood invitingly ajar. She listened before she entered, but couldn’t hear anything. Her curiosity won.
The empty floor gave her no clue, either, so she slowly advanced along one side wall toward the rear end of the almost dark hall. A few cubicles there might once have served as office space, but now they were as deserted as the rest of the building.
Or that was what she initially assumed. Upon a closer look, the first cubicle wasn’t entirely empty. The floor was covered by a motionless body in a large puddle of fluid.
The man had to be dead. Nobody could still be alive with half of his throat torn out.
Cat didn’t give in to the upcoming feel of nausea but fought it down, refusing to add to the mess on the floor. She didn’t have to remember Joaquin’s advice in order to be cautious around a fresh victim.
The killer might still be close, hiding in a shadow or behind the next cubicle wall. Reflexively, she reached to her hip, where her gun holster used to be—in her former life.
She shook her head. No more.
Without a gun, it would be hard to fend off a determined killer. Her chances, if any, lay in close combat. So she decided to check out the next cubicle.
Empty.
The third and last one was empty, too, but with an open window. On its ledge she found a small drop of blood.
She couldn’t tell if it was the victim’s blood or the killer’s, but he had to have left this way.
Cat relaxed a little. Unless she dared to follow through that window, she should be safe, and she didn’t feel reckless enough for such a stunt. Not my business anymore.
Flashing red and blue lights tore the large hall from darkness and announced the arrival of those whose business it was.
Cat stepped out of the last cubicle and waited. There was no point in trying to leave now.
When the first torch found her, she closed her eyes against the light and slowly raised her hands.
Freeze,
a dark male voice commanded.
She obeyed, waiting for the policeman to cross the hall.
When he arrived, his torch still pointing at her face, she said, Please.
He took the torch down, now highlighting her chest, and she opened her eyes and smiled at the handsome young man.
Who are you and what are you doing here?
Catherine Mallory. I found that dead body in the first cubicle.
He glanced sideways. What dead body? Why didn’t you call the police?
That dead body with the ripped-out throat, and I didn’t call you because I don’t own a com.
Now he shook his head. Who doesn’t own a com?
I don’t. Now, please, may I put my arms down? As you can see, I’m unarmed and cooperating.
He nodded. Yeah, okay—you know you’re on private property?
She put her arms down and shook them. I know. The door stood ajar, and I—I don’t know if I heard something or what else it was, or just curiosity, but I had to check it out. Old habits, I fear.
Now he grinned. So you made visiting abandoned buildings a habit?
No. I made checking for looters a habit. Eleven years Metropolitan Police, six years homicide squad, Senior Detective until I quit.
Uh-oh-sorry, I didn’t know—
How should you? I have no badge anymore.
Before he could dig deeper, she said, I didn’t enter the first cubicle. No need to contaminate the scene, okay? Why don’t you call the forensics now, officer?
Sure—uh—I’ll have to ask you to accompany us to the precinct later, for your report, if you don’t mind.
"No, I don’t mind. I’ve