Lorelei Confer

Deadly Deliverance

2012-01-03T12:23:00.000-08:00

DEADLY DELIVERANCE AVAILABLE JANUARY 17TH.

Things get personal for Sam Brower, undercover task force detective for human trafficking, when his niece, Autumn, goes missing. To make matters worse, he’s forced to work with his ex-girlfriend, Lisa Conover, former DC cop, when she’s assigned to a cold case involving his long lost brother.

After infiltrating the gang responsible for the multiple abductions, Sam and Lisa try to unravel the stories behind the kidnapping of Autumn and the disappearance of Luke before their cover is blown.

Undercover work doesn’t lend well to trust. Even if they work together like a fine tuned instrument, will Lisa and Sam be able to salvage love after all they’ve been through?

STORY EXCERPT:

“Ahh!! Oh!! Yes! Yes! It feels so good! Right there! Please, don’t stop, please,” Lisa Conover muttered. “Harder, harder! No! Don’t leave now!” She groaned as she pounded her fists into the hardwood floor. “Damn it! Why did you stop?” she asked Godiva, her twenty-two pound silver tabby cat, who had jumped off her back and now sauntered over to a sunny spot on the carpet, flopping down in a very unladylike manner. Just like Sam used to do years ago, gets me feeling comfortable and then he takes off.

Lisa’s aching back muscles were so tight from hunching over her computer ten to twelve hours a day every day for the past weeks. She needed a massage. Better yet, she needed a vacation.

She rolled over onto her back and stared above at the open-beamed ceiling of her log cabin in the North Carolina Mountains outside Hickoryville. She studied the accumulation of dust bunnies along the beams.

The setting sun cast shadows across the room as she gazed out the two-story floor to ceiling windows on one wall. The view of the tranquil scenic mountains in its resplendent fall glory replaced some of the angst she felt about her work. She relaxed and stretched her arms above her head. Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t had any lunch today.

She stood, trying to stretch her still-aching muscles by turning side to side at the waist, touching her toes—or attempting to anyway.

Then maybe she could get a few more hours of work done before bedtime.

After putting down fresh water and food for Godiva she opened the fridge hoping to find something for dinner. She knew what she would find but she looked anyway. It was empty except for a couple of eggs, and an older-than-she-knew container of yogurt she couldn’t trust anymore.

She glimpsed down at Godiva who had already finished her dinner. “I think I’ll run down to The Barn and get something to eat. You can hold down the fort here for a while, right?” she asked Godiva who sauntered away licking her lips.

She walked the short distance from the kitchen to the corner of the large open room to her desk which held her state-of-the-art computer system with three screens and a laptop. She sat down to start turning everything off when the phone on her desk rang.

“Conover Investigations, Lisa speaking.”

“Hi, is Sam Brower there?”

“Sorry, but I haven’t heard from Sam in years. How did you get my number?”

“This is the last number I had for him. I really need to talk to him ASAP.”

“Maybe I can help you. What’s the problem?”

“No, I need to talk to Sam.”

“I’m sorry I can’t help you. Give me your name and a number where he can reach you, and if I hear from him I’ll let him know you’re trying to get in touch with him, okay?”

“My name’s Luke and he can reach me at …” Then the phone line went dead. He had hung up.

What is it about men? They never say good-bye.

ADULT EXCERPT:

“Sam, have you really thought this through?” Lisa asked as she pulled her hair away from her face.

“Of course I have. Do you think I really want to give up what we’ve just renewed?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, back the truck up,” Lisa said as she pushed away from him, her hands on his chest. “What do you think has been renewed? Yes, we shared a couple of ‘hello’ kisses for old time’s sake, but that’s all.”

Sam turned and moved closer to her. “Let’s take care of that right now. I know I want more out of our relationship, maybe even something permanent, don’t you?” He put his hands on her shoulders and attempted to pull her closer. She resisted.

He leaned in and kissed her shoulders, moving to her neck. She moved away. He pulled her closer and continued kissing her long neck, ears, and cheeks, moving toward her open and groaning mouth. Her hands moved to his elbows and then up to his shoulders until they were around his neck where she hung on for dear life.

His mouth moved to encompass hers, his tongue tangling with hers. He groaned as he pulled her closer to rub against his erection. He walked her backwards toward the bed until the back of her legs could go no farther. They slowly tumbled to the bed without breaking the kiss. He held her in his arms, plundering her mouth. His hands moved up her side and found her breast. She wiggled. His fingers found her nipple and gently squeezed until it became erect and hard. He pulled up her blouse and broke the kiss to take his wet mouth to her breast. He moved her satin-and-lace bra out of the way and plundered her nipple. She groaned and arched toward him. His hand pulled up her skirt and reached for her feminine curls finding soft, satin-and-lace matching panties. He pulled them aside and reached for her hot wet spot waiting and ready for him.

His hand slid between her legs and brushed the dewy petals of her damp folds, sending a zing of electricity through her entire body. Working a finger inside her, he growled, “Keep going,” with a jerk of his chin at her still hands.

He worked two fingers into her wet passage and stretched her wide. Her back arched as delicious tremors and hot shocks of pleasure streaked through her body. His eyes as deep and dark as night, his gaze caressed her, traveling over her body to rest where his hand had disappeared between her legs.

Eyes heavy-lidded, he murmured, “I want to lick you all over like an ice cream cone.”

His heated look inflamed her blood, and a film of perspiration covered her skin. She tried to fill her restricted lungs, but there wasn’t enough air in the room.

He moved his fingers inside her. He was huge, jutting past his belly button, a network of veins distended in stark relief along the length.

He was stroking himself while he was pleasuring her. He rolled on top of her and, finding the exact spot, he thrust inside her. She arched her hips toward him, wanting more, and he thrust deeper. In and out, in and out, their rhythm soon matched until they both spiraled out of control and into ecstasy.

Sam moved off her but lay close beside her, wrapping his arms tightly around her. He didn’t want to let her go.

WwW.bookstrand.com/deadly-deliverance

CHRISTMAS AWAKENINGS

2011-12-01T11:08:00.000-08:00

Christmas Awakenings is a compilation of four short, uplifting and

Inspirational Christmas stories.

AVAILABLE NOW AT AMAZON AND BARNES & NOBLE FOR $.99

A Star Bright Christmas

A young family can’t be late with their mortgage payment again. So two days before Christmas, at the onset of a blizzard, he goes to town leaving his wife and two young sons alone to endure a blackout on the 24^th of December. Will he make it back in time for Christmas?

Christmas Promises

When a young newlywed soldier recently returned from Iraq tells his young wife he has to work Christmas Day she goes ballistic. He had promised her they would never have to spend another holiday alone. When she wakes one morning she finds his things removed from the apartment as well as all the furniture and fixtures not the ones they had picked out together. She cries herself to sleep on the ‘new’ couch and wakes up to discover the true meaning of spending the holiday together.

Christmas Salvation

A widower and a younger woman get to know each other better but not until after he accepts the concept that ‘life goes by in a flash and you don’t want to miss anything’.

A Palm Tree for Christmas

A young family travels from the northeastern United States to the hot sweltering south for a better way of life. Sunny days, sandy beaches, and summer heat. Their dreams are squashed when neither can find jobs and their surplus of money from the sale of their house is down to their last pennies. Until Christmas Eve!

Top 5 Erotic Romance Pet Peeves: As A Reader

2011-10-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

Firstly, a big thanks to Lorelei for having me on her blog! Although I write, I’m also a more prolific reader. I go through 8-10 books a month divided between paper and online. As such, I thought I’d post my top 5 pet peeves when reading an erotic romance or in fact any romance story.

I’m sure many readers will relate, let me know :) Ready?

When an author likens the hero to a famous person. E.g. He reminded me of the actor who played Superman! (This really happened and in a very well known author’s book!). Now for me, having not seen the latest Superman movie, all I see is Christopher Reeves when she describes the character. And the 80s version of Christopher Reeves just does not do it for me as a modern day alpha hero.
When the female character goes on for ten pages per chapter on how hot, gorgeous, divine she thinks the hero is, then proceeds to describe every inch of him in graphic detail. He’s hot, we get it.
When characters are based on common tropes and clichés without further explanation to their characterization. E.g. The bitchy popular blond; The Xbox playing nerd; The mad scientist etc etc
When the couples falls madly in love too quickly without valid cause other than how hot the other person is. I do believe in love at first sight, but there has to be a bit more to it after the initial sighting. If the heroine comes across as unlikeable or doesn’t say/do enough to hold the hero’s interest other than be beautiful, then it makes me wonder…
My favorite of all time pet peeve? When the heroine orgasms within five seconds of the man fingering her or giving her a muff dive. Yep, it happens. We could all be so lucky.

DEADLY REVENGE REVIEW

2011-09-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

August 20th, 2011

Deadly Revenge by Lorelei Confer

Deadly Revenge by Lorelei Confer
Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand Publishing
Genre: Mainstream Contemporary, Romance Suspense
Length: 201 pages

Summary:
[BookStrand Contemporary Romantic Suspense]
Tory Richards returns to North Carolina to help her mother set up a B&B, never expecting to stumble across several murder victims, fall in love, or get abducted by human traffickers.
Fortunately, when she’s run off the road on her way into town, Dave Miller, who is working undercover on the task force for human trafficking, comes to her aid. She blows off the near fatal accident as just that—an accident—but she rethinks her position once events escalate.
Someone is trying to kill Tory. Failing that, she’s being set up as a suspect in four murders. As Dave falls more deeply for Tory, how will he tell her who he is and what he does? Will she ever trust him?
Trust becomes a moot point when Tory is abducted and everything points to the group of human traffickers Dave’s had under surveillance. He calls in the task force, but will they reach Tory before she’s used as a sex slave?
A Book-Strand Mainstream Romance
Deb’s Review:
This is my first taste of Lorelei Confer’s work and all I can say is that I want more.Deadly Revenge was a well-written, on the edge of your seat suspense with a strong dose of white hot passion.
Tory the heroine of this book sure knows how to attract trouble. I truly felt sorry for her. It seemed as though every turn she made beckoned trouble. Even after years away from the home where she grew up, the mome she returns, she finds herself drawing the worse possible attention.
Sexy Detective Dave also returns to his home town to stop a human trafficking ring, but what he stumbles across shocks him to his core.Ms. Confer did you plan on writing so many facets of Dave? I found myself trying to pinpoint whether I liked it or not.
The only bit in the story that threw me for a loop was the initial hook-up between Tory and Dave because of their constant mantra of “We can’t” over and over. I was like “For real People”. *g* However, when they finally get to the hot passion that’s been simmering to a heated boil, trust me, it’s well worth the wait.
The secondary character’s helped build the story without taking the shine off the true purpose of the book. Ms. Confer added some twists in the plot that had me shocked and intrigued. It is easy to root, for Tory and Dave in the end, that is if they make it out alive.
If you enjoy a good dose of Romantic Suspense, give Deadly Revenge by Lorelei Confer a try. Trust me when I tell you that you will want more. I know I do.
Rated 4 Delightful Divas by Deb!

Romantic Hearts and Sexy Tarts

2011-08-31T09:25:00.000-07:00

ROMANTIC HEARTS AND SEXY TARTS (multi-published authors Eliza March, Elizabeth Marchat, Kathy Lane, Lorelei Confer and Sharron Riddle) will be chatting at the Latte Lounge at Coffee Time Romance on Sep 8 from 10 am to 9 pm. They each will also be giving away a copy of an eBook and all you have to do is click on the following link and you're there. Leave a comment along with your email address to be eligible for one of the drawings. Hope to see you there!!
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=435

DEADLY REVENGE

2011-08-31T09:18:00.001-07:00

On sale now at Amazon for $3.60 so get it while you can.

Blogging on Friday July 15, 2011

2011-07-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

I have had such a great time blogging in the last few weeks that I'm doing it again. On Friday, July 15, I'm blogging with Bonnie at Coffee Time Romance. Here's the link:

http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/

Hope to see you all there!

Quest blogging tomorrow July 6, 2011

2011-07-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, July 6, 2011, I will be guest blogging with Liz Velez at http://www.coffeeandromance.blogspot.com/. Come on over, leave a comment and be eligible in a drawing for my latest book concerning human trafficking, DEADLY REVENGE. Hope to see you there.

Last week's blog tour for Deadly Revenge

2011-06-27T16:39:00.000-07:00

      Last week was so exciting for me. Not only did I have a new book release, Deadly Revenge, but I did something new, for me anyway. I did a small blog tour Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with some great bloggers all over the world to promote the second book in the series of 'Deadly' which deals with human trafficking.
     First, on Tuesday, release day for Deadly Revenge, I visited with Jillian Chantal at www.jillianchantal.com. It was a great visit with comments from other Siren pubbed and unpubbed authors. I also had a contest to give away a copy of my new release. I put the names of each commenter on a small piece of paper and put them all in a hat. Yes a real hat. Then I had my husband draw one of them and the lucky winner is Ciara Knight. Congratulations Ciara and enjoy.
     On Wednesday, I visited with Jocelyn Modo at www.jocelynmodo.blogspot.com and once again had great comments and chatted with authors and readers. The interview she prepared for me was very interesting and a few commenter's that knew me learned a few new tidbits about me. I met and made so many new friends.
     Then on Thursday, I guest blogged with Margaret West from England at
Margaret-paranormalromanceauthor.blogspot.com. A psychic from England, Margaret had a great interview prepared for me and it was lots of fun. I think, according to the comments anyway, it opened both our readers to another realm all together. Human trafficking is a world-wide epidemic not just third world countries and effects all of us everywhere.
     I'd like to thank Jillian, Jocelyn and Margaret for having me and introducing me to the blogging world. I had so much fun I'm doing it again on Tuesday, June 28th with Dawn Roberto from Dawn's Book Nook at www.lovesbooksandmore.blogspot.com. I'll also be guest blogging again July 6 with Liz Velez and then on Boonie's blog July 15th. Hope to hear from you all soon.

DEADLY REVENGE

2011-05-26T07:59:00.001-07:00

Deadly Revenge (Coming in June)
Tory Richards returns to North Carolina to help her mother set up a B & B never expecting to stumble across several murder victims, fall in love, or get abducted by human traffickers.

Fortunately, when she’s run off the road on the way into town, Dave Miller, working undercover on the task force for human trafficking, comes to her aid. She blows off the near fatal accident as just that--an accident, but rethinks her position once events escalate.

Someone is trying to kill Tory. Failing that, she’s being set up as a suspect in four murders. As Dave falls more deeply for Tory, how will he tell her who he is and what he does? Will she ever trust him?

Trust becomes a moot point when Tory is abducted and everything points to the group of human traffickers Dave’s had under surveillance. He calls in the entire task force, but will they reach Tory before she’s used as a sex slave?

DEADLY DECEPTION

2011-05-25T11:02:00.001-07:00

DEADLY REVENGE BLURB

2011-03-24T17:34:00.001-07:00

Tory Richards returns to North Carolina to help her mother set up a B & B never expecting to stumble across several murder victims, fall in love, or get abducted by human traffickers.

Fortunately, when she’s run off the road on the way into town, Dave Miller, working undercover on the task force for human trafficking, comes to her aid. She blows off the near fatal accident as just that--an accident, but rethinks her position once events escalate.

Someone is trying to kill Tory. Failing that, she’s being set up as a suspect in four murders. As Dave falls more deeply for Tory, how will he tell her who he is and what he does? Will she ever trust him?

Trust becomes a moot point when Tory is abducted and everything points to the group of human traffickers Dave’s had under surveillance. He calls in the entire task force, but will they reach Tory before she’s used as a sex slave?

Chapter 2 of Deadly Deception

2011-02-15T12:49:00.000-08:00

Chapter 2

Denver suburb

Two hours later

Twenty-eight-year-old Isabella Donnelly pulled her car over to the curb as she came to a gated four-way stop and studied the directions Amanda Nelson had given her. She looked for street numbers up and down the beautifully landscaped yards of the condominium buildings on all four corners.

Wow! These are nice! Amanda’s done well for herself! Girls’ night out is looking good so far.

When Isabella heard Amanda call her name, she quickly closed her mouth to hide her astonishment and turned to see Amanda on the second floor of the condo to her right. Amanda waved to her from the front porch.

“Hey, Isabella, park right here in front.” She motioned with her hands to Isabella.

“Okay!” The gates swung open on the right so Isabella could enter and park her car where Amanda was indicating. When she got out of the car, she approached the building and, once again, heard Amanda call her name from the balcony above.

“Isabella! Did you have any trouble finding the address?”

“No, not really. Your directions were very good.”

“Well, that’s great. Come up to the second floor, and I’ll meet you there.”

As soon as Isabella stepped through the foyer of the apartment building, she knew she had stepped into affluence. A uniformed guard was hanging up the phone.

“You must be Isabella. Please, let me get the elevator for you.”

When the elevator door opened on the second floor, an excited Amanda, wearing her usual jeans, t-shirt, and see-through stilettos, raced down the hall to greet her.

“I’m so glad you’re here.” Amanda ushered her down the hall and into her apartment. “You can relax, make yourself at home, and I’ll go order the pizza. We’re going to have a wonderful girls’ night. I have everything planned down to the last detail.”

When she entered the condo, the stale smell of cigarette smoke overwhelmed her. Isabella swallowed hard and followed Amanda into the spacious, wide-open apartment with side and front balconies that let in tons of natural sun light. She noticed there were no photos, knickknacks, or floral arrangements—nothing personal to indicate what the person was like who lived there.

“Isabella, could you give me a couple minutes to make a personal call?”

“Sure, go ahead,” she said with some reluctance. “I’d still like to get my daily run in before it gets too late, so I don’t want to stay too long.”

After Amanda disappeared down a short hallway and closed the door behind her, Isabella wandered around the beautifully decorated room, realizing how little she really knew about this woman. She began to have a gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She had met Amanda at the gym across the street from the elementary school where she worked as a second-grade teacher. They had joined at about the same time and attended the same sessions. They had become supportive of each other’s efforts and the accountability that came along with working out regularly. They got along great right from the start and had become close friends. They’d gone out for dinner together, went to a movie, but Amanda had never invited Isabella to her home. This was her first visit, although Amanda had been to her tiny apartment many times. Thinking about it now, she thought their relationship was odd.

Although she had to admit that, during the time they had spent together, she had done most of the talking. Amanda simply asked her a question and she blabbed the hours away, confiding in her about her breakup with Michael.

Isabella’s stomach growled. She began fidgeting, folding and unfolding her arms.

Humph!

She turned down the hall toward the room into which Amanda had gone. She paced in front of the door, wondering if she should knock.

“Amanda, wha... what’s taking so long?”

When she didn’t get a response, she pounded on the door and called out, “Amanda!” much louder.

“I’ll be right out, Isabella. Just give me a sec. I’m calling Joe about the pizza,” Amanda said with annoyance in her voice.

Isabella’s fists clenched, and anger and dread filled her chest. What kind of game is she playing with me? Who’s this Joe, and why is she calling him about pizza? This is supposed to be a girls’ night, so where are all the other girls I’m supposed to meet? Why is she acting so secretive and weird now? She had always been so kind and considerate to me.

“So much for being nice,” she muttered. “I’m done playing games.”

She let her animosity get the best of her. Standing firm with her feet apart and her hands on her hips, she bellowed, “Amanda! How long does it take to order a pizza, for heaven’s sake? Did you order the pizza or not?”

Amanda finally opened the door and sauntered into the small living area, with a cat-who-swallowed-the-canary smirk on her face.

“Amanda, I’m outta here. I need to get home and get my run in, so I’ll see yo—”

“No, no, you can’t go yet. You have to stay. The pizza will be here any minute. Please, I insist.”

Isabella wanted to forget the pizza and leave right away. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. Amanda wasn’t normal. She could see it, feel it, and she wasn’t comfortable anymore. But she was torn. She wanted to see it through and not hurt Amanda’s feelings by leaving without eating, so she acquiesced. “Well, okay, but just long enough for a slice of pizza. Then, I really need to go.”

“Sure that’s okay, I understand,” Amanda said, her gaze darting around the room.

“Do you want a beer or something else to drink?”

“No, I’m good, but thanks anyway.”

There was a quick knock at the door. The door opened and the smell of pizza filled the room with a mixture of baked cheese, Italian spices, and a man’s cologne. The man who had brought the pizza was tall and rangy, wearing a sports coat over his T-shirt and jeans. His face was attractive yet rugged. In fact, Isabella had never seen anyone look so rough. His nose sat crooked on his face, indicating that he was obviously a scrapper. In general, he gave Isabella the creeps.

“Isabella, this is Joe Sneed, a good friend of mine,” Amanda said as she took the box of pizza from him and put it on the table.

With his dark eyes, he stared blankly at Amanda for a moment. Then, quickly, he nodded in greeting as he tied his thick, black shoulder-length hair back in a ponytail. His reaction to her was as immature as one of her second-grade students.

“Hi, Joe. Nice to meet you.” Isabella nodded at him, ran her fingers through her hair, and looked away as she straightened the wrinkles in the front of her slacks.

“Want a beer, missy? It’s cold.” Joe licked his lips and grinned wide, revealing yellowed, decaying teeth.

His beady eyes traveled lecherously up and down her body. With his yellow fingernails and teeth, he could be a poster child for the effects of long term smoking.

“No thanks. I’ll just have some water.” Her hands were shaking as she turned away from him and grabbed a slice of pizza on her way back to the couch. Amanda handed her a glass of water, and after a few sips and a couple more bites of the pizza, she was finished eating. She sat on the couch waiting for the right opportunity to make her getaway, say her good nights, and get the hell out of there.

Edgy and impatient, getting more eager to leave by the minute, Isabella squinted at her watch. She groaned inwardly. It’s early. I can still get my run in if I leave soon. She yawned. Her face flushed, and her eyelids began to droop. Why am I so tired?

She felt so dizzy.

The room began to spin in front of her.

Drowsy.

Hoping to clear her head, she leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes.

She woke up groggy, her eyelids heavy, hard to keep open. Amanda’s face loomed above her as if from inside a fish bowl. Her words were muffled. Isabella giggled. Something about Amanda’s voice reminded her of how the adults spoke on a ‘Charlie Brown’ show she once saw: “Wah, wah, wah, wah.”

“Isabella, please, let Joe drive you home. It’s gotten late, and you’re too sleepy to drive. I’m afraid you’ll fall asleep or get lost in my neighborhood. In fact, I insist.”

Isabella hesitated, cleared her throat. Thinking about a drive home with creepy Joe made her uneasy, especially since her arms and legs felt like jelly. She struggled to keep her eyes open and was too weak to argue.

Joe half carried her out of the house and placed her in his van.

“What’s your address, missy?” he asked as he backed the van out onto the street.

When she tried to reply, her tongue was tied in knots, swollen in her dry mouth. She licked her rough lips, attempted to swallow, and tried again to form words she didn’t know if he would understand.

“I’ll have you there in no time.” He smiled. “Just sit back and relax.”

His words dripped with reassurance.

* * * *

The van had stopped moving.

Isabella’s heavy eyes fluttered open. She tried to take a deep breath and coughed. Stale cigarette smoke, dust, and old-car smell filled her nostrils. She tried to move her arms and legs, but they were stiff and felt weighted down. Rubbing her eyes, she tried to remember. She had a brief recollection of something about a man helping her into his van to take her home.

She blinked her eyes open, and she squinted, trying to bring her surroundings into focus. She attempted to sit up, swallowing to keep down the rising bile. Turning her head to look out the window, she didn’t recognize the railroad tracks or the blinking red vacancy sign of an old, oddly named motel. Not my neighborhood, that’s for sure.

She sank back into the seat and closed her eyes surrendering to the black clouds swirling behind her eyes. Where the hell am I?

Her head felt enormous and her vision was blurred as Joe half led, half dragged her up the porch steps to a two or three-story house with two dark blue doors, one on each side. Or maybe she was seeing double, she couldn’t be sure.

He guided her through the door on the left and pushed her down onto a small bed. The mattress smelled sour and a spring poked at her hip. She concentrated on lying still, trying to stop the room from spinning. She blinked her eyes and probed at her surroundings, glimpsing the bare outline of three or four single beds in a small room, no night tables or lamps. When her attention settled on Joe sitting in a chair beside the bed, she tried to sit up, but he shoved her back down, his burly, hairy arm stretched across her chest, restraining her.

“What are you doing? Get your filthy hands off me,” she screamed, slurring her words, fighting against him with her arms. “Where am I?”

Joe snarled. “Just shut up an’ don’t give me any trouble. I’ve got a job to do, and I’m gonna make sure it gets done right. You got that? Now drink this.”

He pressed her head back against the pillow, cramming a bottle into her mouth, forcing her to swallow a few sips of foul-tasting soda. She had to swallow or choke. Some ran down her chin dripping onto her clothes. Soon the heaviness signaled the onslaught of black oblivion.

Deadly Deception First Chapter

2011-02-06T13:41:00.001-08:00

DEADLY DECEPTION

LORELEI CONFER

Copyright © 2010

Chapter 1

Somewhere outside Suffolk, Virginia

Wyatt Bowman paused in the doorway of the small conference room as he looked around for an empty seat. He spotted his partner, Dave Miller, motioning to him—he had secured two seats on the far side of the room. Wyatt stopped at the refreshment table and poured himself a mug of coffee, then walked toward Harry Edwards, who was wearing sunglasses, a cup of black coffee already in hand.

“Late night, Harry?” he asked his colleague with a smile.

“Don’t ask. Then I won’t have to lie,” Harry responded by raising his cup to Wyatt as if in a toast.

Wyatt slapped Harry on the back and turned away, almost bumping into Olivia Winters, another member of his team.

“Well, fancy meeting you here.” He chuckled.

“Good morning, Wyatt. Ready for another go at it?” Her lips curved into a smile and her blue eyes sparkled with sexual innuendo.

“If you’re talking about the new assignment, yes. Anything else you’ll have to get back to me with more details.” He winked at her, grinned, and patted her arm as he left her side.

As he took his seat, he greeted other colleagues, careful not to spill his coffee on anyone while shaking their hands. He sat in his chair and placed his folder and pen on the table in front of him while Richard Mullins, agent in charge of the two task forces assigned to Human Sex Trafficking, began the morning briefing.

“Good morning, everyone. You have in front of you the pertinent information related to our most recently assigned abduction case, which happened outside the Lakes Shopping Mall in Denver. For those of you who can’t read,” he teased with a smile, “I’ll reiterate. Mall security cameras were able to capture the license plates of both vehicles involved, and from further investigation, we were able to identify the victim as well as the suspect.”

As Richard continued his diatribe about the victim, Wyatt sat listening. His mind was in turmoil. When is this going to be over? When will I walk into a meeting and there won’t be ‘the latest victim?’ There are so many now that we are constantly searching for and more every day. When will it end?

“The victim, Megan Witherite, according to her driver’s license information is twenty-eight years old, about five feet, seven inches, one hundred twenty pounds, blonde hair, and green eyes. In addition, her cell phone left in her car had a GPS in it that we were able to track down to a motel in a seedy part of town known for drug trafficking and prostitution rings.

“Tire tracks left behind on the pavement near where the victim parked her car match those of a newer model van belonging to our suspect, Steve Spikerelli, aka Spike. He’s a wannabe big-time mobster with a long rap sheet. His previous arrests and activities range anywhere from money laundering, car thefts, prostitution rings, drug trafficking, and anything and everything in between. He’s also known for his international activities in human sex trafficking in Bolivia, Guatemala, and most of Central America. He’s apparently decided to add sex trafficking to his infamous list of illegal activities here in the United States, primarily in the Denver area.

“Some of you may be familiar with him since we have been working his case for quite some time. Those of you who aren’t, pay attention to his dossier. Any questions come to me or your team leader.”

Richard reached over to a laptop computer on a nearby desk, clicked a key and a picture of Spike appeared on the large screen on the wall.

“We need to focus on this guy and his organization before there’s another victim like Megan,” he said as Spike’s picture on the screen was replaced with a picture of an attractive young woman.

“Bowman, your team will focus on Spike and his internal operations. We already have an undercover operative, so we should be getting some viable information there. Miller, your team will concentrate on the victim’s family background with jealousy, relationships gone bad, grudges, et cetera. You all know the routine.

“As usual, I’ll need full reports from both your teams within forty- eight hours. Let’s hope you have some good news for me.”

“Yes, sir,” Wyatt said. He gathered his paperwork and stood to leave.

“See you in Denver, Dave.”

He looked back at his partner as he left the meeting room and saw Dave gaping at his quick departure.

* * * *

Denver Airport

Two days later

Wyatt leaned his head back on the headrest of the airplane seat, closed his eyes, and rubbed out the furrows in his forehead with the palms of his hands. The events of the past few weeks swirled in his mind. He was tired. No, he was more than tired—he was fed-up, weary, and worn-down. And he still had an overabundance of paperwork to catch up on.

He sighed deeply, thinking about his career with no typical days in his life anymore—every day was different. His work on the Human Trafficking Task Force made it necessary for him to be available 24/7, responding to crimes. And lately, there were too many crimes and too many responses for his six-member task force. No wonder I feel so overwhelmed.

“Whew!” Wyatt blew out a deep breath as Dave settled in the seat next to him. “I really thought we had the bastard this time.”

“Yeah, I did too,” Dave replied.

“We’ll get him. We know it’s just a matter of time. The way Spike’s organization is expanding, the sooner we get him the better. I’ve been meaning to ask you, Wyatt, what’s eatin’ at you? I’ve known you for a long time, and I know when something’s troubling you. What’s up?”

“I don’t know how much longer I can run Dad’s company, be a part of the task force, and do a good job at both. I’m torn between them, Dave.”

“Well, unfortunately, buddy, you’re the only one who can make that decision. Sorry I can’t help you.”

“Dad worked so hard to build the company, and if I sold it, I’d feel like I was letting him down. He always wanted me to take over some day, but he went along with me when I wanted to become a cop. He never pressured me about it.”

“That’s true, he never did pressure you. Maybe he should have.”

Now that I’m involved with the task force I feel like I can fill a void that’s been left inside me. There are so many kids and women who need me to help them.”

“They don’t need just you. They need all of the task force. You’d be replaced by someone real soon if you choose to back out.”

Wyatt laughed. “Bet they wouldn’t be as good as me, though.”

“Probably not.” Dave nodded in agreement. “But, unfortunately, you are the only one who can make this decision and from the looks of your tired-ass eyes you need to make it soon, my man.”

Wyatt settled back into his seat. He listened halfheartedly to the copilot announce the not-soon-enough-for-him departure. His mind wandered. In a few hours, he would be home, back in Virginia, leaving Denver far behind. He planned to take a day to rest and catch up on the local news.

He also needed to follow up on the client he had visited in Denver and make sure he handed all the information over to his sales manager. Managing his father’s company and staying with the agency were taking its toll on him.

The special arrangement he’d made with the agency when his father died a few years ago allowed him to indirectly manage the company. But he would have to make a decision between the two and soon. He needed to choose whether to stay with the task force or to fully assume the role of CEO in his late father’s company.

The company was continuing to grow and was suffering the pains of progress like any other company, taking up more of his time. He had hired a sales manager, Matthew Miles, who came very highly recommended. He could now turn clients as well as hands-on management over to Matthew and let him take care of them with his trusted expertise. Probably something I should have done years ago.

Too much to do, and so little time to do it in. He needed a nap. Sleep, sure that’s all I need.

As the plane taxied down the runway, he made a mental to-do list, sorted through unfinished business, along with some new endeavors he had on his mind and worried about completing all the necessary paperwork.

When the plane lifted off the ground, he finally relaxed and drifted off to sleep.

DEADLY REVENGE BLURB

2011-01-27T12:52:00.000-08:00

DEADLY REVENGE is my wip at this time. Here is a little blurb to titillate your senses.

North Carolina is the eighth likely state to have human trafficking because of its Interstate highways and its close proximity to Washington, D.C.

Who knew? Not twenty-six-year old Victoria (Tory) Richards. On her way home to Hickoryville in the North Carolina Mountains to help her mother set up a Bread and Breakfast, she’s run off the road.

Dave Miller comes to her aid. He’s an undercover detective assigned to the task force for human trafficking, while he’s visiting his folks in Hickoryville. Instead of the rest and relaxation he expects, he ends up getting reassigned to work undercover on surveillance of a suspected ‘trail’ of traffickers.

He and Tory are immediately attracted to each other and become more involved as she coincidentally stumbles across four separate murder victims. Will she trust him after she finds out the truth about who he really is?

When nothing points to her being a suspect, Dave wonders who’s setting her up and is determined to protect her. The entire task force gets called in after Tory is abducted by the traffickers.

Will Dave find her in time when she’s abducted by the traffickers before she is transported out of state and used as a sex slave?

KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK a possible trafficking victim:

2011-01-18T12:55:00.000-08:00

Human Trafficking is one of the most lucrative and growing businesses today. Have you ever wondered how YOU could help stop human trafficking in your area? Visit ElizaMarch.blogspot.com to find out how.

DID YOU KNOW: In June 2003, the FBI in conjunction with the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children launched the Innocence Lost National Initiative. Their combined efforts were aimed at addressing the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States. In the five years since its inception, the initiative has resulted in the development of 24 dedicated task forces and working groups throughout the U.S. involving federal, state and local law agencies working in tandem with U.S. Attorney's Offices.

Human Trafficking Success Story

2010-12-28T12:34:00.001-08:00

SUCCESS STORY

•Susie, 39 years old, was in high spirits at the airport in Mombasa. She boarded a plane on her way to Germany to spend a three-month holiday, courtesy of her 'boyfriend' who had lavished gifts on her. All hopes of an exciting, wonderful stay in a foreign land were shattered on arrival in Germany, when her boyfriend/trafficker confiscated her passport and denied her food for several days before informing her that she would work as a sex slave. She was raped repeatedly, beaten, and threatened with death. After enduring gross exploitation, Susie used a cell phone to call police.

Human Taficking-Did You Know

2010-12-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

DID YOU KNOW: In June 2003, the FBI in conjunction with the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children launched the Innocence Lost National Initiative. Their combined efforts were aimed at addressing the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States. In the five years since its inception, the initiative has resulted in the development of 24 dedicated task forces and working groups throughout the U.S. involving federal, state and local law agencies working in tandem with U.S. Attorney's Offices.

Statistics (as of June 2008)
Children Recovered: 433
Seizures: Over $3 million
Convictions: 308
Task Forces and Working Groups: 24

Investigations have successfully led to the conviction of more than 300 pimps, madams, and their associates who exploit children and women through prostitution. These convictions have resulted in lengthy sentences including multiple 25-year-to-life sentences and the seizure of real property, vehicles, and monetary assets.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

2010-12-06T07:28:00.000-08:00

Human Trafficking is the exploitation by force, fraud or coercion of vulnerable people for forced labor, domestic servitude or commercial sex operations.

Clues that may help you identify a possible trafficing victim:

1) Accompanied by a controlling person or boss: not speaking on own behalf
2.) Lack of control over personal schedule, money, I.D., travel documents
3) Transported to and from work; lives and works in the same place
4) Debt owed to employer/crew leader; inability to leave job
5) Bruises, depression, fear, overly submissive

Release of Deadly Deception

2010-11-26T12:42:00.000-08:00

Deadly Deception is available now for preorder at a 15% discount for four weeks only. Go to www.bookstrand.com/deadly-deception

Human trafficking. One of the most prolific and profitable businesses in the world and growing every day. But that's only in third world countries, right?

Isabella Donnelley finds out the answer the hard way--through personal experience--when she is drugged at a friend’s house and transported from Denver, Colorado, to Stoney Creek, Viriginia, to be sold to a crime boss as a sex slave.

She puts her life in the hands of a man she finds intensely attractive but also distrusts. Now she must rely on him to keep her safe from her pursuing abductors--and maybe from him, too.

Wyatt Bowman, former-cop-turned-detective, is assigned to the Task Force of Human Trafficking. Sparks fly when a young and beautiful woman bursts into his house. But what neither one of them counted on was how much their lives would change.

Still waiting

2010-11-21T08:25:00.000-08:00

I 'm so exicted about my upcoming release, Deadly Deception about Human Sex Trafficking, scheduled for release in Dec sometime from Siren-Bookstrand. I haven't even seen the cover and the final copy yet. It'll be out in paperback in May 2011. I'm so excited for everyone to read it, including me, I can hardly stand it. Hope you, the reader, will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed researching and writing it.

BOOK REVIEW

2010-10-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

Just finished 'Shoe Addicts Anonymous' by Beth Harbison and it was definitely addictive. Four different women. One common shoe size. And a shared lust for fabulous footwear.

Helene Zaharis's politician husband keeps her on a tight leash and cancels credit cards as a way of controlling her. Lorna Rafferty is up to her eyeballs in debt and can't stop her addition to eBay. Sandra Vanderslice, battling agoraphobia, pays her shoe bills by working as a phone-sex operator. And Jocelyn Bowen is a nanny for the family from hell (who barely knows a sole from a heel but who will do anything to get out if the house).

On Tuesday evening nights, these women meet to trade shoes and, in the process, form friendships that will help them each triumph over their problems--from secret pasts to blackmail, bankruptcy, and dating. Funny, emotional, and powerful, Shoe Addicts Anonymous is a perfect read for any woman who has ever struggled to find the perfect fit.

Do you have a Kindle or e-reader?

2010-08-06T15:01:00.000-07:00

If you have a Kindle or E-reader of some sort hopefully you'll be able to help me out. My first book comes out in e format in Dec 2010 and I want to be able to make intelligent recommendations to my readers. I would value any input you can provide me.

What do you like about your Kindle or ereader? What don't you like about it? Are they proprietary to certain companies, i.e The Nook to Barnes & Noble, etc. What should I look for when purchasing one? What's new on the horizon in ereaders? Are they here to stay or simply a trend? I know they have come down in price significantly so what should I expect to pay for one?

I would greatly appreciate any and all advice you can provide to me. Thanks so much for your valuable time!!

Book contract

2010-07-22T08:06:00.000-07:00

I receved my first offer for a book contract on my romantic suspense about HUMAN TRAFFICKING last week. Of course I answered yes to the offer and now I'm waiting for the actual personalized contract. The e-pub for DEADLY DECEPTION will be available December 2010 and paperback available May 2011. I'm so excited since it is not only the first novel I wrote but now I can finally get the message out there about how prevalent human trafficking is in our everyday lives, everyday towns and cities, etc.

History of Father's Day

2010-06-01T06:18:00.000-07:00

It would be interesting to know how Father's Day came into practice and celebrated worldwide with an equal sincerity and respect as any other significant holidays. Here's a short history on the holiday, and meaning of the different colors of roses to be worn that Day.

About 4,000 years ago a young boy named Elmusu wished his Babylonian father good health and a long life by carving a Father's Day message on a card made out of clay. No one knows what happened to Elmesu or his father, but the tradition of having a special day honoring fathers has continued through the years in countries across the world.

The Countries, where the Catholic Church were of significant influence on the culture of the society, Father's Day is celebrated on St. Joseph's Day (March 19). However, a more secular celebration which is not associated with any religion is followed in recent times to highlight the increased diversity among people from all over the globe coexisting together in one place.

Father's Day is celebrated popularly on 3rd Sunday in June in many parts of the world. The idea for creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington. A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a mother's Day sermon in 1909. Having been raised by her father, Henry Jackson Smart, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Sonora's father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910.

In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. President Nixon, in 1972, established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June. So Father's Day was born as a token of love and gratitude that a daughter cherishes for her beloved father. Roses are the Father's Day flowers: red to be worn for a living father and white if the father has died.