Reflection
by Kim Cresswell
Reflection is Kim Cresswell's debut novel. The sequel, Retribution, will be released later this year.
Description
Whitney Steel found her big story ... Now it may kill her!
Florida investigative reporter, Whitney Steel, has lived in the shadow of her legendary father long enough. To prove herself she needs to find the "big" story. She finally found it, and now it may kill her.
After receiving a lead pointing to the world's first cloned human, now a small child, Whitney vows to unravel the truth. However, sifting through the facts proves to have dangerous results, including death threats and murder.
When she's nearly killed, but is saved by undercover FBI Special Agent, Blake Neely, he refuses to let her get in the way of his own objective - at least not right away.
Caught in a lethal game between a billionaire obsessed with genetic perfection, his hit man's thirst for retribution, and a Colombian drug lord fresh out of prison determined to make Blake pay for his twin brother's death over a decade ago ...
Can they save an innocent child before it's too late?
Faced with tough choices, with deadly consequences for many - Whitney soon realizes that sometimes a story becomes more than just a story.
Excerpt
Mason Bailey gulped down his third Glenlivet. “I didn’t kill her.”
How many times had Whitney Steel heard those words? Dozens. But never
from the mouth of a United States senator. For all she cared, the man could
drink himself to Mars, but not until she got what she’d come for. An exclusive.
Under the awning shading the Pink Flamingo Club’s patio, she took a sip
of her lime daiquiri, and couldn’t help notice the way the mid-afternoon
sunlight brutally magnified every line on Mason’s tanned face.
“Of all the reporters in Panama City, let alone Florida, why me? We cut
our ties years ago.” And our losses, she wanted to say, but didn’t.
“I know I can trust you.” His gaze darted across the street then back to
her. “Besides, we were married once. That should count for something.”
Whitney straightened. Anger coiled in the pit of her stomach. “Give me a
break. For a year and a half, I thought we were married. Too bad your
girlfriends didn’t know about our little legal arrangement.” Especially, your twenty something assistant.
“Damn it, Whitney. I didn’t ask you here to rehash our past.” He yanked a
monogrammed handkerchief from his jacket pocket and dabbed the sweat from his
forehead. “I need your help. I know why Carmen Lacey was murdered.”
Her eyes widened. Now they were getting somewhere. “You have my full
attention. Are we on the record?”
Mason shoved his empty glass aside. “Yes.”
Her heart thumped with anticipation. This story would be the topic du
jour for months. Her ratings at WBNN-TV would soar, and finally her colleagues
would take notice and treat her with the professional respect she deserved.
For the past twelve years, her colleagues said she’d had a free ride
because of her father, an award winning war correspondent, and her ex-husband’s
political connections. This time she’d prove them wrong.
She rummaged through her leather bag, placed her digital voice recorder
on the table and gave the record button a firm push. “For the record, Senator
Bailey, did you kill Carmen Lacey?”
“No.” He leaned back in the chair and loosened his pinstriped tie. “It’s
true. I was the last person to see her alive. But there’s more to this than you
think.”
Brown eyes that once set her heart hammering now conveyed a chilling,
hollow look. Was it guilt? Desperation?
No. Fear.
Uneasiness slid down her spine. She stopped the recorder. “Mason, you’re
scaring me. What the hell is going on? It’s been over three years since we last
spoke. Then, out of the blue, you beg me to meet with you today. I know the police
don’t believe you killed that woman.”
“But do you, Whitney? Do you believe I killed her? I need to know. It’s
important.”
Stunned by the urgency in his voice, she answered carefully. “Of course
not. You’re many things, but you’re not a killer.”
“Thank you. That means a lot to me.” He reached for his empty glass and
tapped his chunky gold ring against the side.
Whitney turned the recorder on again.
“Carmen was a scientist working for a biotech company in Nevada.
ShawBioGen. Heard of it?”
“Who hasn’t? They were one of the first to clone animals in the eighties.
Caused quite a stir. But I don't understand. What does that have to do with
Carmen’s death?”
He opened his mouth to answer.
The large window behind them dividing the patio from the main restaurant
exploded. A storm of glass rained down, showering the patio.
There was no warning. Everything moved so fast, yet in slow motion as if
part of a horrid nightmare.
Screams. Rushed, heavy, thumping footsteps.
A few feet away, a male waiter dropped the two plates of food in his
hands. He froze.
“Get down!” Mason yelled.
Whitney dropped. She huddled into a ball under the table and squashed the
side of her face against the patio stones. Amid the chaos, a gunshot echoed and
the waiter ran for cover.
A bullet ripped through the man’s shoulder and spun him around, the force
slamming his body against the restaurant door. He folded to his knees and
howled out in pain.
More shots rang out. Debris spewed through the air. Food, glasses,
plates. The sickening smell of deep fried food and scorched cordite assaulted
her nostrils. She gagged.
Crimson snaked toward her hand. The warm, sticky liquid met her
fingertips.
Blood. Lots of blood. But it wasn’t hers.
Her gaze snapped to Mason, lying on his back. Dark red blood pumped from
a gaping wound in his chest, soaking his white shirt. She held her breath to
keep from screaming.
He raised his arm and reached for her. “I swear—I didn’t kill her. I
swear.”
“I believe you.” Whitney kept her head down and inched her body closer.
She grasped his hand. “I do. Oh, God.”
Please don’t die. Her pulse roared so loud
in her ears she couldn’t hear her own words. “You’re bleeding so much. Someone
help us!”
Another bullet whizzed through the air and slammed into the bottom of
wooden table leg.
Needle-like splinters from the wood slashed through her pants and drilled
into her thigh like a hundred slivers. The pain knocked the breath from her.
The world twisted and turned yellow. Darkness thickened and threatened to
overpower her. Can’t pass out…help Mason.
He gasped a ragged breath and shoved a key into her bloody palm and
curled her fingers closed. “Don’t trust—anyone.”
She clutched the piece of metal. A knot wedged in her throat, one she
couldn’t swallow. “I’m going to get help.”
“No—stay.” Blood bubbled at the corners of his mouth and trickled down
his jaw. “They cloned…”
His eyelids slid shut.
“What Mason? They cloned what?”
Whitney lowered her head to his chest. “Oh, Mason, no.”
Book Trailer
Review
By RJ Parker
Reflection by Kim Cresswell is her debut novel featuring FBI Special Agent Blake Neely and Journalist Whitney Steel.
I was drawn in and engaged with the story from the first page. The story is captivating and the characters likable. This book has it all the ingredients: mystery, suspense, romance, action and a touch of humor.
Agent Blake Neely has been deep undercover for almost a year as head of security for Biotech owner and Billionaire, Nathan Shaw. Shaw has cloned the first human who is a small female child, but the outside world is unaware of this, although there are rumors. Even Blake hasn't seen the child. But another purpose of Blake being undercover is because he believes Shaw is responsible for his sister's death.
Whitney's ex-husband and Senator was recently gunned down in her presence. Shortly after his demise, Whitney receives a video that her ex-husband had in a safe, proving that Shaw has indeed cloned a small child.
Now the action really starts. Both Blake and Whitney have recently survived attacks, now they team up to expose Shaw, take him down, or out, and save the child.
Fast-paced and gripping, this is a riveting story that action readers will enjoy.
Interview With the Author (reprinted from Amazon.com)
Q: What inspired you to write Reflection?
A: The story evolved after Clonaid (a company founded by the religious sect called the Raelians) announced the birth of Eve, the "first human clone" in 2002 using the similar technique to clone Dolly the Sheep. About 160 nations in the world have yet to outlaw the birth of human clones and others are allowing the creation of human clones as long as they are not put into a woman's womb (how do we know they aren't implanted?). Add a kick-ass heroine, a sexy FBI agent, and a villain you love to hate, thus, Reflection was born.
Q: Are the names of the characters in your novels important?
A: They are, especially the main characters. My heroine is strong, independent, an investigative reporter. I wanted her name to reflect her character traits and career, so I chose Whitney Steel.
Q: Why do you think what you do matters?
A: Being an author does matter. I'm a huge supporter of freedom of speech. I also try to use some type of controversial topic in all my books. Human cloning is one of them and has caused lots of debate over the years. It gets people talking.
Q: What's next for you?
A: Next comes Lethal Journey. A killer lurks in the shadows of Hyde Park, New York ... waiting. Also, great news for fans of Reflection. Blake and Whitney's story isn't over ... yet! Retribution is coming in late 2013! I'm also thrilled to announce I'm one of ten authors contributing to the True Crime Serial Killers Anthology (2014) due for release in December 2013!
About the Author
Kim Cresswell resides in Ontario, Canada. Trained as a legal assistant, Kim has been a story-teller all her life but took many detours including working for a private investigator, running a graphic design business, and teaching computer classes at a local business school. After becoming disabled with Fibromyalgia and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome, Kim returned to her first love, writing. For her, writing suspense fiction is an incredible adventure and she's surprised where the journey takes her. She's also an avid reader who enjoys playing computer games, ghost hunting and loves anything paranormal.
Her debut romantic suspense, Reflection, has won numerous awards including; UP Authors Fiction Challenge Winner (2013), Silicon Valley's Romance Writers of America (RWA) "Gotcha!" Romantic Suspense Winner! (2004) and an Honourable Mention in CARWA's The Writer's Voice Contest (2006).
Kim has a few new books in the works including the sequel to Reflection which will be released in late 2013.
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