Southern Crossed

Phil Perkins

Description

Southern Crossed s a classic cop novel with a multiple twists. This cop is trying to retire. How's that working out for him?
Retired Atlanta police detective Mac Burns was trying to enjoy retirement in the lowcountry town of Bluffton, South Carolina. He had planned to live a quiet, solitary life after a challenging career and messy divorce.
Mac's dislike of the gated communities cropping up on Hilton Head Island and even in Bluffton was obvious to his friends, Richard Percival (Percy) and his college buddy and realtor Dan Wheeler. They'd often heard their friend talk about the restrictions of homeowner's associations and the boards that run them. He hated the incursion of planned developments that eat into the serenity of Old Town Bluffton.
When his younger lady friend, Shelby Crewe, pressed him to look into a situation with a widowed neighbor who was being taken advantage of by a developer, he reluctantly agreed to investigate. He had no idea of the layers of deceit and corruption that investigation would uncover. So much for retirement.

Sujets

• Thrillers
• Suspenso
• Suspense
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: AuthorHouse
• Date de parution: 20 novembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781665574617
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

SOUTHERN CROSSED
 
A Mac Burns Novel
 
 
 
 
 
 
PHIL PERKINS
 
 
 
 
 

 
AuthorHouse™
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.authorhouse.com
Phone: [phone]
 
 
 
 
 
 
© 2022 Phil Perkins. All rights reserved.
 
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
 
Published by AuthorHouse  11/16/2022
 
ISBN: 978-1-6655-7458-7 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6655-7461-7 (e)
 
 
Cover design, photography, and graphics by Sandra Dube
 
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
CONTENTS
Dedication
 
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
DEDICATION
As I mentioned in the dedication that preceded Porch Rocker , my second Mac Burns novel, I’ve been trying to take particular care in writing this part of my books. For a time, I had the habit of leaving out people I clearly should have mentioned. My only excuse was that I’ve had so many influences during my lifetime and so many friends and family that have positively impacted my life that it’s just plain difficult to give them all their due. So, I took a different approach on the last book and will continue with this one.
When I read a novel, I pay close attention to character development. If a character in the book whether protagonist or antagonist or even bit player is well defined and three dimensional the reader will accept them. They may love or hate a particular person in a book. They may root for the hero or against the villain. But part of the fun of immersing yourself in a good book is anticipating a character’s next move. It can become a little movie in your mind. At least it does in mine.
I want to start with the characters that emerged in no small part because of my wife Sandi. Not only have we enjoyed a long and loving marriage, she’s been my partner in every sense of the word. You’ll find that Shelby Crewe in Lowcountry Boil, Porch Rocker, and this book owes her empathy and sense of responsibility to others to Sandi. The character Abby in my first novella, The Legend of Corky Sandoval , owes her independence and creativity to Sandi. Greg’s wife Lee in Corky’s Beach Bar owes her ability to keep her perspective and stay strong in the face of adversity to Sandi. You’ll find lots of Sandi’s loving nature in all of my books. I can’t hope to repay her dedication to making every day a better one. My books in some small measure pay tribute to how she has changed my life.
You’ll find other loved ones and friends in my books as well. The dashing character Duke in the first Corky book is based in part on my equally dashing brother Randy. The fiercely competitive female surfer Alexa in the same book owes a debt to my sister Bethany. Both of my siblings are also authors, btw. Couldn’t be more proud.
The disbarred attorney, Percy, in the Mac Burns books has a bit of my brother-in-law Peter, mixed with my old friend Fergy.
And the list goes on. I thank our cousins Lana and Josh up in New England for our longstanding friendship. You know you’re in more than one of the books and your love and dedication inspires us.
I thank our nephew Jeff for his friendship and family devotion. You’re a good man, Jeff and knowing you helps shape some of our characters.
To the boys in our band Libra Sun, you’ll have to look but you’ll find yourselves in there from time to time. Our work together brings back all the fun of music from our younger selves.
And another quick thank you to magazine editor Annie Tobey who asked me in an interview why there are dogs in each novel. I told her because they just make life better. Thanks, Annie, for doing me the honor of publishing some of my articles.
They say write what you know. I also write who I know. Just sayin.
…and here’s to Mac and Hero wherever they are.
CHAPTER ONE
Mac Burns hated to see it happen. The retired Atlanta detective had moved to Bluffton, South Carolina to enjoy an easy and quiet existence. Now housing developments were springing up all along what they called the 278 corridor. Highway 278 as it passed through Bluffton was also known as Fording Island Road. Nobody could remember why. It certainly didn’t traverse an island. Nope, Bluffton was on the mainland, a reality that many folks across the bridge on Hilton Head Island liked to point out. Of course, once you crossed that bridge…to a real island….278 becomes William Hilton Parkway. Somebody just screwed up the naming conventions.
But Mac’s concern was that his chosen hometown was growing just a bit too fast. Palmetto Bluff was the first sign that the area had grown trendy. Homes there could easily reach well beyond a million. And there were several more developments that had sprung up in the area, some closer to Interstate 95 and some just a little too close to Old Town, where he lived in a modest two-bedroom cottage. Mac realized that growth was inevitable but hoped it wouldn’t spoil the feel of life along the beautiful May River. His angst was really piqued when he found out that Jimmy Buffett had decided that the area needed a Latitudes community. Oh well.
Shelby Crewe was the young lady who had changed his life and his plans for retirement. Several years his junior, she had renewed his interest in love itself. She was an independent and intelligent woman who held her own in any petty conflict they could dream up. Shelby maintained a residence in a newish townhouse community along the Bluffton Parkway. The couple acknowledged that eventually they would need to consolidate residences, but things were comfortable for the moment and they agreed there was no need to rush.
Mac’s next-door neighbor was one Richard Percival, a disbarred attorney who preferred to be called Percy. Percy was somewhat older and had lost his license to practice law after being jailed for fraud. Percy vehemently defended his innocence and Mac had begun to believe he was railroaded. Living with Percy was a young man named Kevin and his dog Hero. Kevin was as much of a rescue as was his dog. Mac and Percy had helped the young guy stay out of jail for a botched robbery and arranged for him to do community service at the food bank under the watchful eye of Mac’s neighbor.
Evening cocktails on Mac’s porch had become a pleasant routine. Percy had a knack for inventing new cocktails or at least versions of favorites like the mint julep. Shelby joined the men when she could. She worked as a server at a local fish house. She had tried to restrict her schedule to the lunch crowd but on occasion was called upon to pull dinner duty. She loved the extra money the evening yielded but lamented the lost time with Mac.
On this particular evening, as Shelby worked, the topic became Mac’s concern about the unbridled growth of the Bluffton area.
“Doesn’t it seem that it just happened all of a sudden?” Mac asked Percy.
“I don’t know where you’ve been, Mac, but serious building started maybe ten years ago.” Percy countered, “Most of the new housing had been west of here because of access to the interstate. I guess it inevitably started moving east.”
“Did you ever drive through any of those cookie cutter neighborhoods?” Mac asked.
“One or two of them. There are some nice-looking homes but not my cup of tea.” Percy responded.
“I just find those communities kind of sterile.” Mac said.
“I suppose I agree with you there. Of course, that’s why both of us live in these little post war gems rather than condos near the highway.”
Mac looked around appreciatively.
“During one period when I was married we lived in a planned community. Little ranch houses all in a row and pages and pages of rules. One guy wanted to put a flagpole in his yard for the stars and stripes. Nope, against the rules.” Mac told Percy.
“You’re kidding?” Percy looked incredulous, “There as a rule against the American flag?”
“Not the flag itself, just the pole that it would fly from.” Mac explained.
“What happened?”
“The lawsuits and counter suits went on for years. Finally, the family just moved.”
“Probably broke!” Percy