Title: One Eight Seven

Author: H.L. LeRoy

Series: ALT. Jack Daniels/Jillian Varela Mystery (A loosely tied together series. But any of the stories can be read as a standalone.)

Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Publisher: Kindle Worlds

Release Date: Mar 2, 2015

Edition/Formats Available In: eBook

Blurb/Synopsis:

Lt. “Jack” Daniels’ mom doesn’t just enjoy guilt trips she buys your ticket, packs your bag, and stamps your passport. Now she has Jack reluctantly heading to San Francisco in an effort to solve the murder of a drag queen superstar.

Teamed up with a tough-as-nails local P.I., Jillian Varela, Jack figures it will be an easy case. But what her mom didn’t tell her was that she would be helping a Mafia don with a long list of enemies.

As the bodies begin to stack up, it becomes obvious that Mom’s “simple job” has turned into something both dangerous and deadly.

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It was three-fifteen in San Francisco making it five-fifteen p.m. in Chicago. Herb would already be down the stairs and headed to his car. That left one person I could call. My erstwhile partner, Harry McGlade, now a third-rate, bordering on worthless P.I. Besides being a major thorn in my side, Harry had sold a stupid TV series, Fatal Autonomy, with a supporting character based on me. The writer had placed the fictional Jack Daniels on the extreme low end of the stupid scale, and the whole thing had damn near ruined my police career.

I decided that I didn't want to talk to Harry after all, and I started to hang up.

Too late. The phone rang once and he picked up. "Thank God. After the ball gag problem last night, I was worried you wouldn't call me again."

"Harry, it's Jack."

"Jackie! I thought you were my date from last night. She—"

"Stop! I don't want to hear about it."

"Okay. Sure. Hey, I hear you're in San Francisco consorting with drag queens."

I'm going to clobber Herb and his big mouth. "I need you to check out a P.I. for me. Name of Jillian Varela, based in San Jose."

"Give me a second." I heard Harry tapping on his computer.

Harry whistled. "I've got a picture. Get a load of her. She's hot."

There was silence for a few seconds. Silence where Harry was involved was never good.

"Harry? What are you doing?"

"I'm—uh . . ."

"Never mind. Forget I even brought it up."

"Say, can I come out and help you?"

Having Harry come out ranked right up there with removing my eyes with a grapefruit spoon. "No, you can't come out. Tell me her background."

"She's thirty. Her dad and mom escaped from Cuba. They had two daughters, Jillian and Lisa. Jillian joined the Marines, staying two tours as an MP. Um. She became a cop, but only for a couple of years. She quit and opened a gym. She runs her P.I. business out of the back. At least ask her if she needs a partner."

"Background, McGlade."

"She's had success. She solved a child killer cold case. When she caught up to the guy he was trying to snatch a ten year old off the street and she beat the crap out of him before calling the police. Then she got the goods on a skeevy cop taking protection money from an underage prostitute. She also caught a serial killer who'd been active in three states. She fights MMA for fun. She sounds even tougher than you."

Not likely. "That it?"

"When the two of you team up, you'll be Jack and Jillian. That's pretty good, huh?"

"Shut up Harry. Is that it?"

"No. Tell me again why we shouldn't get married."

"We're not the same species?"

"Jackie, you hurt me."

"It'll be okay, Harry. You'll find someone to love, someone who won't turn you in."

"Maybe."

"Goodbye Harry."

"Wait a minute. Tell your blubbery partner I found his mom on the internet. She looks— "

I hung up.

Harry's the guy who asks, "What is that perfume?" right after he farts so everyone takes a deep breath. What an idiot.

I called the number Phil had given me. Jillian answered, directing me to an address on Broadway.

Okay, Jillian Varela. You sound professional, and you've been successful. I'll talk to you, but I'm still going to be on a redeye.

Author Information

H. L. (Holly) LeRoy is an award winning, American short story writer and novelist. Born in San Jose, California, LeRoy currently resides in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with his family.

When J. A. Konrath approached me with the opportunity to write in Lieutenant Jack Daniels’ world, I jumped at the chance. Since my other works are in the mystery/thriller/action/adventure genres and tell the stories of strong female protagonists confronting impossible situations, I knew it was a perfect fit.

Amazon Publishing has secured licenses from Warner Bros. Television Group's Alloy Entertainment for Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and The Vampire Diaries; Valiant Entertainment for Archer & Armstrong, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Shadowman, and X-O Manowar; J. A. Konrath's Jack Daniels series, Hugh Howey's Silo Saga; Barry Eisler's John Rain novels; Blake Crouch's Wayward Pines series; and The Foreworld Saga by Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear, Mark Teppo, Eric Bear, Joseph Brassey, Nicole Galland, and Cooper Moo. Licenses for more Worlds are on the way.

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Other Works by H.L. LeRoy

Kindle World

(A LT. Jack Daniels/Jillian Varela Mystery)

One Eight Seven (1)

Can Be Read As a Stand Alone

Remember the Dead (2)