Murdock for Hire

by Robert J Ray

Overview

When software mogul Eddie Hennessy dies of a heart attack, there's no reason to suspect foul play ... except that the family man was in bed with a masked call-girl and snorting cocaine at the time. And that the death scene closely resembles that of two other recently deceased executives. Eddie co-owned a boat with ex-cop and private-eye Matt Murdock. If Murdock can help out the widow by finding Eddie's missing coin collection, maybe he won't have to sell the boat. Murdock's investigation leads him to Lido Enterprises, operated out of the magnificent white stone Hotel Bougaineville. For a hefty chunk of change, upscale ladies of the night dally with stressed out businessmen, initiate them into the pleasures of bondage and high-grade cocaine and then hold their reputations for ransom. Can Murdock infiltrate their inner sanctum and break their hold on Newport Beach's corporate class? Sure, but not without stirring up a hornets' nest that threatens to take out both Murdock and his shady lady love.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781603818834
Publisher:	Camel Press
Publication date:	08/15/2012
Series:	Matt Murdock Murder Mystery , #2
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.58(d)

About the Author

Ray is also the author of a popular non-fiction series on writing, The Weekend Novelist, and he shares writing techniques on writing at bobandjackswritingblog.com. A native of Texas, Ray holds a PhD from the University of Texas, Austin. Tuesdays and Fridays, he writes at Louisa's Bakery and Café in Seattle.

Read an Excerpt

Going up the narrow stairs, I thought again of that look that had passed between him and Sally Anne. We were back on deck, hauling canvas, when I asked him. "What do you think of Midge's friend?"

"Never trust a woman in dark glasses." Tommy handled the wheel with an expert touch. "Too much like a mask."

As we passed Bay Isle, Midge left the bow and came back to join us. Midge's smile was bright, perky, and full of push as she jabbed me in the ribs. "My chair's empty, Heathcliff. Why don't you fill it?"

"Tough act to follow, Midge."

"Oh, you men! Go on!" Midge pushed me a couple of steps toward Sally Anne. "Earn your Heineken."

I walked forward. Sally Anne had left the chair and was now sitting, feet together, on a boat cushion on the deck, peering westward through the dark glasses. The sun hovered carefully against the sky. I said hello. She said hello. I said, "Nice evening." She agreed. I asked her how long she had known Midge. "A couple of weeks," she said. I asked her what exercises she did. "Abdomen," she said. And legs and hips and arms.

She was in good shape. "Are you a TV actress?"

Flicker of a smile. "No, I'm not. But thank you."

Cooling to my task, I asked a couple more questions. Where did she work? At a decorating firm in Newport Beach. Did she like it? It paid the bills. Her mechanical answers got shorter and shorter. She didn't ask me any questions. I got the feeling she was on vacation from being whoever she was when she was on shore.

When we passed by the breakwater of West Jetty and hit the Pacific, where the waves were bigger, Laredo II started to buck and roll. It was almost six and we had about an hour before the breeze died. Captain Tommy instructed me about setting the sails. For five or six minutes, Midge and I were busy shuffling canvas. When we were running smooth again, heading toward Hawaii, Midge asked me how it had gone with her friend.

"I have this feeling she'd rather be someplace else."

"She has seemed a little blue today. Maybe something happened at work."

"Maybe she wants to buy Hennessy's half of the boat."

Midge nodded absently, then moved past me to take over the steering while Tommy went below to use the head.

It was cooler now, racing west. I pulled on a shirt, went forward as the Laredo II heeled over. "Hang on," I warned Sally Anne.

Midge stood at the wheel, legs spread for balance. She'd put on yellow driving glasses.

Tommy hadn't been gone a minute when a big boat appeared, driving at top speed, coming up on us fast. I called a warning to Midge.

"I see it!"

"We're in the way!" I yelled.

"It's our right of way, Heathcliff!"

Editorial Reviews

"The Robert Ray talent unfolds with every book and Matt Murdock becomes more and more likable and his friends more lovable." --Amarillo Sunday News-Globe
"The central character is a rare find--tough, lonely, and incurably romantic."
--Booklist
"The writing is clear and direct, there is plenty of action, and even a romance."
--The New York Times Book Review

From the Publisher