Hide & Seek by Aimee Laine

The following is an excerpt from Hide & Seek, the first 500 words in fact. Read on and make your guess below!

The strand of empty coastline stretched for miles before Lexi Shepherd. Hair as dark as the night sky whipped around, slap- ping at her face. Clumps of sand kicked up as she ran barefoot at the surf ’s edge, the hem of her gown trailing in the water. Private deck and promenade lights outlined her path on one side while the moon guided her with a stream of ethereal illumination on the other.

The ocean’s roar reverberated as waves crashed at her feet, send- ing sea spray into the air. Lexi slowed her pace upon reaching the pier, leaned against a thick pylon and inhaled the scent of coffee and tobacco.

“Do you have it?” His voice came from nowhere.

Lexi withheld a gasp but not the shiver that ran the length of her body. The man hid within the darkness of the structure.

“I . . . do.” Sorta. She masked nerves with a voice of confidence. Why’d I agree to such a late delivery again?

“May I have it?” Based on the volume of his voice, Lexi guessed him to be a yard or two away.

She stepped into a tiny circle of light created by one of the overhanging deck lamps. Her gown, a tangle of matted Carolina blue silk, had plastered to her legs, the ends trailing in the water. Still, she could not see him.

In her palm, she held a three inch square box. “Why do you want this, Robert?”

“It’s personal.”

She kicked up water with her toe, adjusting her angle and catching his silhouette within a circle just a few feet away. “Your wife said it isn’t yours.”

A quick intake of breath and a low growl emanated from him. “I hired you to find it, not ask questions.”

“You did. You did.” She tilted her head from side to side. “Though … you breached the contract. I don’t look for stolen property.”

He materialized within the blob of light closest to her.

Lexi’s breath caught.

His eyes narrowed, lips pursed. “That’s of no consequence to you.” His palm reflected the glow from above as if she would automatically place the box within it.

“But, well … it is.” She laid one hand over her heart, which beat at a frantic pace. “I won’t be a party to theft.”

“Give it to me!”

Her body trembled as she backed away.

He launched himself toward her.

She tossed the box, but instead of toward him, it arced, flying through the air, and landed within the ocean’s grip.

“No!” His snarl kick-started a rush of adrenaline in Lexi.

Lexi gathered the folds of her dress and took off into the dark, running as fast as her attire permitted. Only fear chased her, the man’s bellows quieting behind the crash of the ocean waves. She slid her fingers along the chain around her neck until she touched the pouch hanging between her breasts.

Why did I want to get into this line of business?

[…]

More coming March 5th!

Now … guess what line of business she’s in by posting in the comments. Do so by Friday, January 13th at 5:00 pm, and I’ll randomly pick from all guessers for a copy an ebook ARC copy of Hide & Seek (that means a pre-release copy!)

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