Chimera

By Tamsen Schultz

Artist Alexandra Battista thinks a six month apprenticeship in Venice is the perfect escape from her overbearing family who all seem more upset over her recent break-up than she is. Two months into it, she’s finding it’s everything she hoped for and more. Until the night she hears her mentor being murdered.

Sent by her family to check on Alex’s well-being, Dan “Fawkes” Fowler is nearly certain she won’t welcome his interference—not after the steamy one night they spent together or the morning after when he woke to an empty bed. But when he finds her running down a darkened street, fleeing from a murderer, he knows there’s no other place he wants to be other than by her side to protect—and maybe even love—her.

Fun loving playboy Fawkes first appears in THE PUPPETEER, the prequel to the Windsor Series. The former Navy SEAL likes nothing more to flirt the night away...until he meets his match. Now if only he can keep her out of the crosshairs of a killer.

This story is connected to the award-winning Windsor Series but can be read as a stand-alone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tamsen Schultz
• Release date: Jan 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005258498

Tamsen Schultz

Tamsen Schultz is the author of the romantic suspense Windsor Series and the short story, American Kin. She's an RWA Daphne Du Maurier Excellence in Mystery finalist and three time finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association annual contest.In addition to being a writer, she has a background in the field of international conflict resolution, has co-founded a non-profit, and currently works in corporate America. Like most lawyers, she spends a disproportionate amount of time thinking (and writing) about what it might be like to do something else.She lives in a small rural town, not far from Napa, full of males including her husband, two teenage sons, four cats, a dog, and a gender-neutral, but well-stocked, wine rack.Visit Tamsen at www.tamsenschultz.com or on facebook www.facebook.com/TamsenSchultz.To stay up to date with new releases, discounts and giveaways you can sign up for her mailing list and receive a free sampler set of the first 4 novels of The Windsor series as a welcome gift: http://www.tamsenschultz.com/newsletter/

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Dan Fawkes Fowler reclined in the first-class lounge in Rome’s Fiumicino airport and stared in disbelief at his phone. Finally, he put the device back to his ear and spoke. You seriously think Alex is all brokenhearted about things ending with Harrison Crawford the Third?

Alexandra and Harrison have been together for four years, Roddy Battista said. Roddy was Fawkes’ friend and colleague, but he was also Alex’s brother. They were committed to each other. They were even talking marriage. Then, they break up and she takes off to Venice. I don’t think she’s fine.

Fawkes had to stifle a snort at that. Harrison might have been talking marriage, but he wasn’t any more interested in it than Alex was. And Fawkes had first-hand knowledge of just how uncommitted Alex had been to the idea. Of course, that wasn’t something he could say to Roddy.

"Your sister is fine, he repeated. And I don’t think she’d appreciate me showing up on her doorstep and checking in on her." Yeah, he was pretty sure he knew exactly what kind of reception he’d get, and it wasn’t one he had any interest in weathering. Not that he didn’t like Alex. He did. More than he should. But when she’d made the decision to participate in a six month apprenticeship with one of the most renowned mask makers in Venice, he knew it wasn’t just the opportunity that she’d run to. No, as much as he loved and adored the Battista family, there wasn’t a shadow of doubt in his mind that part of Alex’s decision was based on needing to get away from them after she’d left Harrison. And he wasn’t about to be the one to intrude.

Roddy sighed. Look, I know you probably want some down time after the assignment you just wrapped up.

That was an understatement. As an explosives expert, he’d just finished a three week assignment working with the FBI to identify the materials that had been used to tear apart the car a US ambassador and his family—including his two kids—had been traveling in. There was very little he hated more than working cases that involved kids. Scratch that, there was nothing more he hated.

Oblivious to the nausea the reminder of the last few weeks caused Fawkes, Roddy marshalled on. But it’s only an hour flight from Rome. And you know my family will pay for the trip.

That wasn’t the issue.

Alex might not ask any of us to come, but she’ll be glad to see a familiar face.

No, she wouldn’t.

But most of all, Noni wants to know she’s okay. Alex is her youngest grandchild and only granddaughter…

Well, fuck. Roddy’s ninety-four year old grandmother ruled the Battista clan with an iron fist and a strong wooden spoon. But she had a soft spot for Fawkes—as did he for her—and loath as he was to make the trip, he’d rather risk Alex’s wrath than risk disappointing Noni.

Book the damn flight and let me know what gate, he grumbled, not wanting to make it too easy for Roddy. If he arrived in Venice that night, he could check on Alex tomorrow and be out the next day. And I want a return flight back to Boston no later than the day after tomorrow, he added.

Roddy let out a deep breath. Thanks, we owe you. Really. I’ll let Noni know you’ll be checking on Alex and I’ll text you the flight and gate information in a few minutes. Talk tomorrow?

Fawkes agreed then ended the call. He let the phone dangle between his fingers as he contemplated what he’d just signed up for. Four months ago, he and Alex had spent one steamy night together. Ever since then, those eleven hours had served as the fantasy movie track for his mind whenever he’d needed something good to think about. Or when he’d had too much to drink or felt lonely, the latter of which seemed to be happening more frequently since that damned night.

He’d never admit it, though. Not in a million years. Especially when Alex had done an Oscar-worthy job of acting like it had never happened at all. As a former SEAL, he was pretty good at hiding things, but he had to hand it to her, there was nothing in the way she’d behaved toward him afterward that had even hinted at the things they’d done. No lingering gazes, no inquisitive looks, no discomfort. There was a time or two when even he questioned if he’d imagined the