Tempting the Light: Legends and Myths Police Squad (L.A.M.P.S. Book 1)

TEMPTING THE LIGHT

BONNIE GILL

SOUL MATE PUBLISHING

New York

TEMPTING THE LIGHT

Copyright©2016

BONNIE GILL

Cover Design by Fiona Jayde

This book is a work of fiction.  The names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.  Any resemblance to actual events, business establishments, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher.  The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law.  Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

Published in the United States of America by

Soul Mate Publishing

P.O. Box 24

Macedon, New York, 14502

ISBN: 978-1-68291-085-6

www.SoulMatePublishing.com

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

To Dion, Nicole, and Jessie,

thanks for believing in me.

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks and love to the follo
wing:

The reader who bought this book—thank you for taking a chance on a new author. I hope you enjoy Abby and River’s story.

Dion, Nicole, Jessica, Brenda, Becky, Jane, and my parents—your support and encouragement allowed me to follow my dreams and believe in myself. I can never thank you enough.

God, who has carried me through some tough times and gave me strength when needed. 

Paula Millhouse, my fabulous critique partner—your critiques and insights helped me grow as a writer. This story would have never made it without you. I can’t thank you enough.

Terry Spear, my mentor— your friendship means more to me than I can ever express. You are an inspiration and a true professional.

The amazing Margie Lawson, whose classes not only taught me how to edit but also helped me find my voice.

Lynn Johnson, Pauline Gruber, Stacy McKitrick, Kayle Allen, Cindy Maday, Dawn Chartier, and Maria Entenman—your friendship, expertise, and critiques were superior. You guys rock.

My editor Cheryl Yeko and Soul Mate Publishing, for making my dreams come true.

Fiona Jayde—for creating the most awesome cover.

The Windy City RWA chapter—for your friendly support and informative meetings.

Last but not least, Kerry, Mary, Susie, Karen, Ellen, Katrina, Mary Beth, Chris, and Debbie—your friendship is priceless. Love you guys!

Chapter 1

Abby Fitzgerald didn’t expect a surprise birthday party when she got home today. She didn’t expect bold colored daisies or pretty wrapped gifts. But most of all she didn’t expect to find her live-in boyfriend Burt, engaged in a spooge-a-paloosa fest with a chick dressed as a mime. Her crazy old grandmother warned her she would be cursed on her twenty-fifth birthday, but who would have believed it?

Burt slapped his body up against the mime from behind in a vigorous frenzy on the sleigh styled queen-sized bed. The woman’s hands and painted white face pressed up against an invisible window with his arm wrapped around her waist to keep her vertical.

Seeing Abby, the mime’s lips parted into an “O” breaking the sex-me-up red heart painted across them. She covered her mouth with her gloved hands.

Abby stared in horror at Burt with his mouth open and eyes closed, savoring the sheer ecstasy of screwing the mime. Her heart shattered shooting pulmonary shrapnel up her throat. He never looked like that when they were together.

“You’re freaking cheating on me?”

Burt’s eyes popped open, before he leaped from the bed. “Son of a . . .”

Abby dashed into the hallway bathroom, and rummaged in the crowded cabinet under the sink. “Where’s the damn Scrubbing Bubbles? Or better yet, the Borax?” She tossed a mildewed loofa and a half used bottle of honeysuckle hand lotion over her shoulder. They landed not far from Burt’s bare feet.

“Abby, I’m sorry. I was going to wait until after your birthday to tell you.” He placed his hands on both sides of the bathroom door trim and leaned into the room. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m trying to find something to scour the sick image of you and your mime girlfriend
from my eyes. Better yet, I’ll get the melon ball scooper.” Unable to contain herself, she whipped a can of lemon-scented shaving cream at his head.

He ducked but the foaming missile bounced off his hair-sprayed-until-bullet-proof hair. His nostrils flared like an enraged bull. Too bad that was all he had in common with the animal. “You’re acting irrational. Stop it.”

True. Right now she couldn’t even think straight. “Get away from me.”

“It doesn’t have to be like this,” he said under his breath.

She ignored his statement and shoved his skinny five-foot-four-inch unclothed body aside and marched back into the bedroom.

The mime perched on the edge of the bed with a sheet wrapped around her naked body. She held up both hands in a stop gesture and waved them back and forth.

“Abby. Please settle down.” Burt trailed behind her.

“Settle down? Do you know why I came home early?”

“No.” He glanced at his watch then looked absolutely baffled.

“Because I got fired today, Burt.”

He tilted his head to the side and wrinkled his rather large forehead. “Oh. Well, how were you planning to help me pay the rent then?”

She wished she had a gun to shoot the stupid out of him.

“Get out of my house.” She jerked on the mime’s cover-up sheet. The mime pulled back. Abby yanked again but then let go, the mime did a back-flip somersault off the bed. Her pasty white face popped up on the other side of the mattress like a demented rodent in a whack-a-mole game.

“This is
my
apartment,” Burt raised his voice louder and pointed at the mime. “
You
don’t have to go anywhere.”

The mime amplified her smile by pointing to the corners of her lips and twisting her fingers in her imaginary dimples, then she proceeded to skip and do a naked happy dance in circles around Abby.

Abby gave her a shove out of her way. “What the heck is her problem? Doesn’t she talk?”

Burt shrugged. “I don’t know. She hasn’t said a word since we met. It’s one of her perks.”

Abby slammed her fist into the side of her leg to keep from punching the detestable smart-ass smirk that spread across his face. Her fantasy of a blissful marriage and white picket fence shattered in one measly, heinous moment.

“How long has this been going on? Wait, don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.” She marched over to the closet, grabbed her blue duffle bag, and stuffed a few pairs of her size two jeans into it. She then looked down at his exposed mini-manly parts and raised a questioning brow.

Burt’s eyes widened to a bug-eyed look and then he scattered to pull on a pair of whity-tighties.

She stalked over to her dresser, pulled out different colored T-shirts, and a stack of clean underwear to shove in her bag. She hesitated for a moment. “The other day, I saw you in the jewelry store buying something. I—I thought you might.”

Before she could finish, the mime flashed the back of her hand at Abby. A pink princess cut rock set in a platinum setting adorned the ring finger of her left hand.

Burt sent a reprimanding scowl in the mime’s direction. “It just happened.”

Her heart went numb first, before the shredding feeling of a weed-whacker tore through it.

“Wonderful.” She stormed out of the room and into the kitchen, pulling worthless knick-knacks from their displayed posts and cramming them in her bag. A satisfied smile lifted her cheeks when she held up Burt’s prized Fifty States Commemorative Quarter collection for him to see.

“You wouldn’t dare. Put that back.” He swiped at the coins but missed.

“Yes, I would and I’m leaving you.” She jammed the cardboard display in the duffle, and swung her bag of belongings over her shoulder. “I hope you have many ugly clown babies.” She slammed the apartment door behind her.

While trudging to her car the whooshing blood of each heart beat thumped like sonic booms in Abby’s ears. She tossed her bag into the trunk and marched over to Burt’s yellow Volkswagen Beetle. She pulled back her foot and gave it a hard kick in the tire.
I wonder how many girlfriends he can cram into that thing at one time?

She sat behind her steering wheel in silence. Too bad she couldn’t pull a do-over for the day. Her grandmother must have been psychic.

Abby pulled her car into the town of Haber Cove where her best friend Pepper lived. Old brick and stucco buildings lined the street with trees strategically placed to give it a more green feel. Shoot, she’d promised to help her at the pet expo today. Carefully, she looked both ways to make sure no one was driving down Main Street and performed a U-turn. Pressing the accelerator, she headed back to the highway.

Blue lights flashed in her rearview mirror.

“Oh crap.” Her pulse sped up. Worst day ever and now she would get a ticket.

She steered the car over to the far side of the road.

Haber Cove’s finest parked behind her. A policeman walked up to her window and knocked on the glass.

“I need to see your driver’s license and registration, ma’am.” His voice was cool and gun metal smooth.

Abby didn’t even look at the officer before she dug around in her purse. “I have it. Hang on.” She grabbed the items requested and held them out the window.

The policeman wore a Navy blue uniform and mirrored Aviator sunglasses. He stood to check her license, his groin even with her eyesight.

She turned away at first but couldn’t help sneaking in another look. His flat stomach, strong chest, and narrow hips indicated a man who worked out a lot. Nice bulge too. Not that she was looking at it.

He bent down to look in the window. Blond curls framed his face and swayed in the wind. “Happy Birthday.”

Wow, he was the first person to wish her a Happy Birthday. “Thank you, sir.”

“You preformed a U-turn in the middle of the street.”

“No signs are posted. I wasn’t aware I did anything wrong.” Just great. This escapade would delay her even further.

He scribbled on his pad of paper and tore off the sheet and handed it to her.

“I checked both ways. Look, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.” Men. Right now she wished the earth would eject them from the surface. She pictured a space shot of the marbled planet and men shooting from it like rays from the sun. She giggled inside.

The officer cleared his throat interrupting her fantasy.

“Sorry. Today hasn’t been the greatest.”

He grinned wide. “Well, your day is looking up. This is just a warning, but if you attempt to pull a U-ey again, I’ll have to fine you.”

Abby forced a smile. “Thank you, Officer.”

“My name is Sheriff Stone. If you need anything here in Haber Cove, don’t hesitate to call.” He knocked on the roof of her car and headed toward his own.

She looked at the paper, which read: Warning. No U-turns on Main Street. I’ll be watching you.

Damn, Pepper’s been holding out on dishing info about the hot sheriff. She’d have to give her a hard time.

Abby parked her car in the enormous convention center parking lot, checked her watch, and swore under her breath. Today topped her list for crappiest day ever. No stranger to lousy luck, but today—today shot up like a skyscraper of dung towering over her usual poop-pile life of wacky horrors. And now she’d arrived late at the Pet Expo, the largest summer event in New Jersey.

She dashed inside and hurried, past the doggie dress boutique, rhinestone cat collars, and iguana rock booths. She high-tailed around the corner, her two-inch heels clip-clopping a ping-pong rhythm on the cement floor.

Pepper’s booth had to be somewhere close.

She ran down a few more aisles and skidded around another corner.

“Hey. Over here.” A tall blonde waved long arms over her head.

“I’m so sorry I’m late. Wow, I love your new display.” A blue and yellow banner draped overhead with Pepper’s logo and she had stacked the table with her homemade vegan dog treats.

Pepper waved off Abby’s apology. “Na. No big deal. Happy birthday.” Pepper, also born and raised in Jersey, drawled out the words with a faux southern accent, a souvenir she picked up from a weekend in Texas.

“Thanks so much. Twenty-five isn’t starting out so great.” She let out a long breath.

“Oh, sweetie, what happened?” Pepper wrapped her arms around Abby for a big grizzly bear hug.

“Well, I got fired today from the sewage treatment plant. Due to”—she made quote marks with her fingers—”budget cuts.” She exhaled and continued. “I can’t believe they did that, after I stayed late all last week reorganizing their entire filing system.”

“Talk about a crappy job.” Pepper laughed and then snorted.

Abby gave her the best scowl she could muster.

Pepper nudged Abby’s bicep with her fist. “I’m kidding, get it? Come on you usually laugh at my corny jokes.”

“But that isn’t all. I stopped by the apartment to let Burt know I was going to help you today and I caught the jerk screwing another woman.
In my bed
.” She crossed her arms in front of her and plopped down in an empty chair. His betrayal tore her heart from her chest leaving a big pit of bottomless emptiness.

“What? Burt cheated on you?”

“Yes. With a chick dressed as a mime.” She controlled her words so the hurt wouldn’t leak through. She pulled out her lip balm and smeared the soft cherry-scented wax on her lips—a quirk she’d had since she was a child. It calmed her nerves. A habit that also drove Burt insane.

“Bless your sweet little heart.” Pepper sat quiet for three seconds with a puzzled look on her face. “You mean one of those performing people who don’t talk?”

“Yes. The chick even had the gloves and white mime make-up. Believe me, you don’t want to hear the details. Oh, I’m never going to get the visual out of my head. I should have dumped him when I found his subscription to the clown porn site.”

“Honey, who knew he was so twisted?” One side of Pepper’s lip inched up and her eye squinted to confirm that Burt’s outrageous fetishes weirded her out, too.

“Maybe he’ll catch a STD,” Abby said in a quiet voice not far from Pepper’s ear.

“Yeah, and they can call it Mime Disease.” Pepper didn’t miss a chance to throw her snark around. Both the women laughed. Pepper never failed to make her feel better, even now when Abby swore her stomach felt like it had been put in a blender on the puree setting.

Her friend’s playful tone switched to serious. “Hey, why don’t you move in with me? I have all those extra rooms. It would be nice to have you there. And, I was going to ask you if you wanted to work at my store. With the doggie cookies doing so well, I could really use the help.”

“Oh, you are the best.” Abby couldn’t believe her luck. At least something good had come from all this. “Do you think this bad luck has anything to do with that curse my grandmother warned me about?”

“Na. Didn’t you say your grandmother was crazy-nuts?”

“True.” She had hoped the curse was only the ranting of a loony old woman, but now she had her doubts. Maybe her grandmother had told her the truth? “So what’s the scoop on the hot new sheriff?”

“Heck if I know. I’ve never met him.”

“Well I have. He’s not bad.” Gorgeous but Abby wasn’t looking at the moment. “He might be a good one for you.”

“I’ll have to check him out.” Pepper glanced at her watch. “Can you watch the booth for the rest of the day? I got a call from the Humane Society. They have some puppies whose time has run out and if I don’t take them, they’ll be euthanized.”

“They put puppies to sleep?”

“Sometimes. This is a high kill shelter. I know I can find proper homes for them.” Her smile disappeared. Pepper ran a rescue mission through her store for the animals she saved.

Abby waved her hands in a shoo gesture. “Yes, of course. Go save the puppies. I can handle this.”

“Thanks. Oh, the cookies sell for six dollars a box. There are more boxes under the table.” She gathered up her purse and took off down the aisle.