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A Texas Multi-Billion Dollar Lure!
Following a tactical raid at an Oklahoma farm, a phone call sends U.S. Deputy Marshal Piper McKay rushing back to the East Texas cattle ranch where she grew up. Her grandmother, Jennie Layton, is near death from a crushed skull. When local authorities claim the cause of the injury was an accident, Piper isn’t convinced.
Who wants Jennie dead and why? Is the reason connected to a dubious contract Piper finds in Jennie’s desk?
Piper realizes her grandmother isn’t the only one in danger when she barely escapes a deadly attack. Thrust into the middle of a high-stakes, high-risk shell game, Piper’s become the target. The case takes a bizarre turn when Piper unknowingly crosses paths with a Special Ranger. If he can’t derail her investigation, it could cost him his life.
With
millions of dollars on the line, nothing will stop a ring of cold-blooded
killers, including the murders of a U.S. Marshal and a Special Ranger.
Deadly
Business: It’s not the Old West.
Guest Post
by Anita Dickason
I’m always on the hunt
for interesting topics for a book. About two years ago, I came across a news
article in Florida. The article dealt with the conclusion of an extensive
investigation into cattle rustling. The break in the case came from the DNA on
file for one of the animals. This was something new, animal DNA. At the time, I
thought, wow, this is high-tech stuff and would make a great story.
It wasn’t until late last
year after I finished Operation Navajo, my fourth FBI Tracker novel,
that my thoughts turned to what is next? The DNA story came to mind. So I
started researching and was blown away by the magnitude of the problem.
In Texas, cattle rustling
is big business for the crooks. If a thief breaks into a house and steals a TV,
they can only get pennies on the dollar when they sell it. Steal a cow, and you
can get the full value that can go upwards to over a couple of thousand bucks.
When I delved into the
DNA research, it got even more interesting. The use of cattle DNA is an
international, multi-billion dollar business.
I had the basis for a
story. Not the Old West, but the New West, where the crime not only involves
theft but has also turned into white-collar crimes of financial fraud.
My next decision was
whether to make the book another FBI Tracker novel or use an entirely new cast
of characters. It wasn’t a hard decision as my research had also discovered the
Special Rangers.
I’ve been a cop in Texas
for close to 27 years and never heard of a Special Ranger. Most people are very
familiar with Texas Rangers. Special Rangers are on the same level. In fact, they
are commissioned by the Texas Department of Public Safety, just the same as a
Texas Ranger. The difference is who pays the salary. Texas Rangers are paid by
the state. Special Rangers are paid by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle
Raisers Association. In several cases, they have an edge over the Texas
Rangers. Special Rangers based along the Texas/Oklahoma border have a dual
commission, Texas and Oklahoma. It means they have jurisdiction to investigate
crimes in both states. What I learned about this truly unique group of officers
made me wish I would have had the opportunity to have been one.
In Deadly Business,
I weaved my plot around a crime that extends across three states. In addition, I
used DNA to add a unique twist. The cast of characters includes a Special
Ranger and a U.S. Marshal who find themselves tripping over each other. U.S.
Marshal Piper McKay is bent on finding out who tried to kill her grandmother
and in the process becomes a target. Special Ranger Cade Tanner is trying to
derail her investigation to keep from getting killed.
As one reviewer stated,
“The plot is fast and furious.”
FOUR WINNERS:
1st: Autographed hardcover copy + tote back, mousepad, pen, & bookmark;
2nd: Tote bag, coaster, pen, & bookmark;
3rd & 4th: eBook copy.
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