Linda Kay Silva - Delta Stevens 3 - Weathering the Storm

• Dedication
  
• About the Author
  
• Weathering the Storm
  
• Chapter 2
  
• Chapter 3
  
• Chapter 4
  
• Chapter 5
  
• Chapter 6
  
• Chapter 7
  
• Chapter 8
  
• Chapter 9
  
• Chapter 10
  
• Chapter 11
  
• Chapter 12
  
• Chapter 13
  
• Chapter 14
  
• Chapter 15
  
• Chapter 16
  
• Chapter 17
  
• Chapter 18
  
• Chapter 19
  
• Chapter 20
  
• Chapter 21
  
• Chapter 22
  
• Chapter 23
  
• Chapter 24
  
• Chapter 25
  
• Chapter 26
  
• Chapter 27
  
• Chapter 28
  
• Chapter 29
  
• Chapter 30
  
• Chapter 31
  
• Chapter 32
  
• Chapter 33
  
• Chapter 34
  
• Chapter 35
  
• Chapter 36
  
• Chapter 37
  
• Chapter 38
  
• Chapter 39
  
• Other Books in the Delta Stevens Mystery Series by Linda Kay Silva
  

Without good characters, there can be no story.

This book is dedicated to two characters who live in my heart as well as my head. To Delta and Connie, for laughing with me, for sharing my days, for inspiring me to look beyond myself, and most importantly, for allowing all three of us to grow.

Being a writer means spending a great deal of time in my head. It means conversing witht he muses, chatting with the various neing in my subconscious, and transporting my spirit to whatever realm my fictional characters happen to be. It is an odd profession few truly understand. but for those who have tried and been slightly successful, i wish to offer these thanks:

GINA: The Wonder twin. Through it all, we still managed to laugh, to dance, and sto stay the best of friends. To me, you will always be a fairy princess.

CHLOE: In the “gardens and gardens of lesbians,” you are truly the most remarkable flower of them all. Thank you for being a part of my dram.

JENNIFER: For giving me the chance to watch and grow. You are even more amazing than I envisioned all those years ago.

NICKY: Because thousands of miles can’t diminish the love and adoration I feel for you.

VICKI: For giving me such a great job. I’ve learned more from you in one year than a decade worth of college. Thanks just isn’t enough.

KATHLEEN D.: For believing in me enough to take a chance. You’re the best!

HOPPER: Hands down, pal, you’re the most fun a girl can have!

MY MOM: For always being there. I love you.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

ALI: Thucydides said, “The secret of Happiness is Freedom, and the secret of Freedom, Courage.” Thank you for possessing the Courage to find me and the Freedom to love me.

Linda Kay Silva, an ex-cop, lives and teaches in Oregon. She holds a Masters in English with an emphasis in 18th Century British Literature and a passion for anything Medievil. When she isn't inspiring students to contemplate the world in which they live, she's reading and writing and dreaming up more stories than she can write out long hand with her Pentel mechanical pencil (yes, she writes her first draft long hand, even as both a Mac and an IBM are at her disposal). On the rare sunny Oregon day, she can be found puttering in the greenhouse, making bird toys in her "fort" or sitting on her deck over-looking her pond.

Linda Kay has recently completed the sixth novel of the Delta Stevens Series, and is rewriting a new novel set in medieval England and modern day America. The novel deals with past life, as two women search to see if the connection they share isn't much deeper than what this life can meld together. Linda Kay invites your comments, questions and quips, about anything ranging from writing to the rain forest. She is an avid naturalist, a beginning gardener, a Harley enthusiast, a lover of all things Celtic, a fan of Elizabeth Peters and Diana Gabaldon, a teacher, a macaw owner, and the pet of Milo, her beagle. Linda Kay plans on writing until the day she can no longer hold a Pentel.

“I am truly sorry that it has to end this way for you, Delta Stevens. I admire your courage and your guts to confront us by yourself, but this little party is over.” Rubin turned to the man called Dice and said, “Take her to where we dropped that kid off and finish her there. Meet us at—” Rubin hesitated before writing something down on a notepad. “We’ll be here,” he said as he handed the paper to Dice.

Dice took the piece of paper before grinning menacingly at Delta. “You’re a dream come true, little lady. You don’t have any idea how many nights I laid on that lousy bunk dreamin’of getting even with the cops who let that fuckin’ mutt tear my fingers off. I musta done something real good for you to end up right in my lap.”

Delta sneered at him. His breath was foul, his body odor rank, and he was the epitome of a disgusting slob. But worse than his appearance, was his demeanor. Dice had a score to settle and settling it meant taking Delta down.

Delta nodded at his two-fingered hand. “It’s a shame the dog didn’t rip your throat out as well. Poor dog probably gagged on your rancid flesh.”

“You fucking bitch,” Dice growled, raising his hand to hit her.

But before he could swing, Delta grabbed his wrist and yanked him to her. “You may be able to kill me you sick piece of shit, but I’ll see you in hell before I become your punching bag.”

Enraged, Dice rammed the butt of the Uzi into Delta’s left cheekbone. “I oughta kill you right now.”

“That’s enough, Dice,” Rubin ordered. “Don’t you see, she’s just trying to get to you?”

Dice looked over at Rubin and slowly lowered the gun.

“Now, get her out of here and erase any evidence of her presence here. When you’re through, meet us like we planned.”

Dabbing the blood off her cheek, Delta shook her head slowly. “I thought you were smarter than this, Rubin. If I disappear, every cop in the country will be after you.”

Rubin shrugged. “From what I’ve seen so far, I’m not impressed. Now, get her out of here. Dice leered into Delta’s face. “Can we have some fun with her? She did cost me three fingers and a hell of a time in the joint.”

“I don’t care what you do as long as she can’t be found.”

On her way out the door, Delta turned to Rubin. “You’re going to burn, Rubin. I swear to God, you’re going down.”

Rubin shook his head. “I’m afraid you’re the only one `going down,’ Stevens. It’s a shame, really. I hate wasting a good looking woman.”

Sticking the Uzi into the small of her back, Dice walked Delta to the car and pushed her into the back seat. Then he reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. “Revenge is grand, ain’t it?” Dice said to Jake, who grinned. Reaching over the back seat, Dice slammed the cuffs on Delta’s wrists.

“Some of your personal sex toys, Dice? I doubt you could get a woman to sleep with you voluntarily.”

His answer was a stinging slap across the face. “Bitch.”

Delta grinned and ignored her throbbing cheek. “Is that the best you can do, you little dickweed.”

“Why you stupid bi—” Dice yelled, backhanding her again. “You don’t even know who you’re messin’ with.”

“Hey,” Jake’s voice boomed in a low baritone. “Chill out, Dice. You’re making a fool of yourself. Wait until we get her out of the city before you start that crap.”

Dice held his raised hand in the air for a second before lowering it to Delta’s right breast. “Yeah. Okay. I get it. You think you’re a tough bitch, don’t you? You’d rather I beat the shit out of you than have my own fun. Yeah. I get it.”

Delta visibly cringed under his touch. “You’re a sick piece of filth, you fingerless bastard. You get your dick anywhere near me and I swear, I’ll tear it off.”

Dice lifted his hand and slapped Delta again. “Shut up!”

“Cool it, Dice,” Jake bellowed again. “I mean it, man. It’s too hard to drive with you acting like a maniac. Wait until we get there, ’cause you’re starting to piss me off.”

Delta grinned into Dice’s face and whispered, “And I wouldn’t piss him off, Dice, because he’s way more of a man than you’ll ever hope to be and if he wants me, I’d rather have him.” Delta was desperate. If she could divide their attention, if she could get them arguing between themselves, she might have a chance to snatch Dice’s weapon from him. It was the only chance she’d have, and it was a slim one at best.

Grabbing her right breast again, Dice moved his face right up to Delta’s, “Oh, we’re both gonna have some fun with you, little lady.”

In a flash, Delta reared her head back and bashed her forehead into his. A sickening crack resounded through the car as their heads collided. Delta had seen her best friend, Connie, do that once, and it worked.

“Goddamn whore!” Dice cried, grabbing his bleeding forehead. Delta had smacked him hard enough to cut his forehead open. “Pull over!”

Jake did not.

“I said pull over!”

“You ain’t giving the orders here, Dice.” Jake looked into the rearview mirror and grinned. “I told you to let her alone until we get there. Now look what you’ve done.”

“Damn you, Jake—”

“Chill out little man, ’cause if I pull this car over, it’ll be to kick your ass. Now just sit there and shut up.”

Dice opened his mouth to respond, but said nothing. Instead, he pressed his two-fingered hand against his forehead while poking the muzzle of the Uzi into Delta’s ribs.