3 Lies (39 page)

The corporate communication department at CatSat Laboratories churned out press releases to keep up with the changes, expectations, speculations, and rumors. As the new CEO of CatSat Laboratories, Clint hired an industry outsider, one Mycroft Merlin, to the position of Chief Administrative Officer. The CAO was the personal delegate of the CEO, and Clint’s second to oversee CatSat transmissions. In his first official act as CAO of CatSat Laboratories, Mr. Merlin fired the legal firm of Jared, Bryant & Lambert.

Clint and Merlin kept their unofficial offices at the marina. They held routine briefings on the water, in the restaurant, and occasionally in the bar. Clint created a new position of President, so someone could do some real work while Merlin and he fished.

While the CEO and CAO conferred at their off-site facilities, many an eager candidate vied for the position of President of CatSat Laboratories. Resumés poured in from across the globe. The firm’s new legal counsel conducted the preliminary interviews for the position and handled a formal complaint to the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine against Dr. Ritchie Compton. They filed a second to the bar against Paige.

Clint had told Beth everything about the saga with Paige. Beth said she appreciated his dilemma. It even pleased her, the importance that he attached to marriage and family.

He felt a little sorry for Paige. She was desperate not to look like another Westerfield stray. Respectability came with marriage, and Todd wasn’t offering her either. Unlike his feelings for Louie, Clint harbored no need to mourn his waning marriage. The final divorce decree, due within ninety days, was the only personal tie remaining between him and his can’t-wait-until-she’s-an-ex wife.

As the ocean breeze swelled, Clint leaned in to kiss Beth. Her hair fluttered against her back. She turned over the box and released the last traces of Louie into the wind.

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Thank you for reading 3 LIES.
I hope you enjoyed it and will consider leaving a review because reviews are like tips to a waitress. As an indie author, I rely on your support and encouragement. If you like what you read, I'd love to hear from you, and I’d be grateful if you’d tell a friend.

A personal note about 3 LIES:

I wrote 3 LIES, in part, out of my own struggle to untether from the digital world. It seemed impossible to completely disengage from technology. While the ability to stay connected offers amazing advantages, it can also draw us away from the very people within our reach. As with so many things in life, balance is essential. Here’s to healthy tension in the gap.

As for me, I'm not a corporation. I'm an indie author with a couple of goofy dogs and an active keyboard who relies on satisfied readers to survive. I appreciate connecting with my readers. If you've got a great book recommendation, let me know. I read too.

Thanks. It means a lot to me.

All the best!

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HelenHanson.com

BY

3 LIES

THE MASTERS' KEY ~ a 3 LIES sequel coming Mar 2015

~

DARK POOL

OCEAN OF FEAR

Bestselling author Helen Hanson writes thrillers about desperate people with a high-tech bent. Hackers. The CIA. Industry titans. Guys on sailboats. Mobsters. Their personal maelstroms pit them against unrelenting forces willing to kill. Throughout the journey, they try to find some truth, a little humor, and their humanity — from either end of the trigger.

While Helen writes about the power hungry, she genuinely mistrusts anyone who wants to rule the world.

Helen directed operations for high-tech manufacturers of semiconductors, video games, software, and computers. Her reluctant education behind the Redwood Curtain culminated in a B.S. in Business Administration with concentrated studies in Computer Science. She also learned to play a mean game of hacky sack.

She is a licensed private pilot with a ticket for single-engine aircraft. Helen and her husband spent their first anniversary with their flight instructor studying for the FAA practical. If you were a passenger on a 737 trying to land at SJC, she sends her most sincere apologies. Really.

Born in fly-over country, Helen has lived on both coasts, near both borders, and at several locations in between. She lettered in tennis, worked as a machinist, and saw the Clash at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium sometime in the eighties. She currently lives amid the bricks of Texas with her husband, son, a dog that composes music with squeaky toys, and another dog that’s too lazy to bother.

Writing a novel requires more hours of solo time than it takes to earn a pilot’s license. Yet this story became a richer work because of the thoughtful contributions of others. Those logging the most hours with me, my phenomenal writing tribe: Jayme Durant, Sonjia Bradshaw, Ashley Moreno, and Skip Skipworth. Each possesses a writing voice worthy of La Scala.

Jayme is the professional book editor among my tribe, and the ace of hearts up this writer’s sleeve. Her learned opinion gave me reasonable hope for reader acceptance. All the members of my tribe scrutinized every word, helped me decide which ones to trim, and offered polish for those that remained. Sonjia, chief de-dangler and word technician; Ashley, rhythm queen; Skip, preeminent teller of tall tales: The generous offering of your time and talent blesses me far beyond this single novel. Thanks, guys. You rock in 5/4 time.

Hannah Wright, my sweet sister and goal partner, who laughed aloud at my first attempt at dialogue because it was that bad. Now she is the gentle spur in my writing saddle, keeping me focused and lined-up for the writing week ahead. Did you hit your word count? Did you finish that blog post? Seriously, what
have
you been doing all week? I love you, Sis Face.

Michael Stamp, whose off-hand prodding to bring
something
to the next writers meeting, encouraged me to lift my gaze for the top of the next hill. Fans of Ted Dekker or Frank Peretti need to check out Michael’s work.

Jan Winebrenner, a powerful writer, dynamic speaker, and dedicated leader, who urged us to press onward to excellence. She speaks with wisdom and kindness.

As for research, thanks to Chuck Domino, RN, and my wonderful brother (I love you!), along with Richard L. Mabry, MD, for medical information used within this work.

Patricia Feeley of the Social Sciences Department and Betsey Lippmeier of the Government Documents Department at the Boston Public Library, both knowledgeable and friendly, they provided key details during my research. My thanks to them. As there have been changes at the library since I wrote this, their accurate information may no longer be in play.

Thanks to Itai, from Zip Aviation in Manhattan, for kindly offering the correct name of the Bell helicopter referenced in 3 LIES.

To the multi-talents at Tekeme Studios for my cover art, George and Ashley Weis. Thanks for your vision.

Thanks to Liz Brown, from Next Stage Medical in Lawrence, MA, for insight into the equipment requirements for dialysis patients.

My Michaels, husband and son, my heart is yours. You are bigger than my dreams and better than I deserve.

Maybe I should leave out my Lord, Jesus Christ, because His example loses vibrancy in me. I struggle, flounder, and stumble. Through Him, somehow, it all still works.

In the end, any errors, omissions, or epic fails are fully mine. Thank you for reading.