Two Weeks Under The Maple Tree: A Collection of Short Stories

By M.E King

"Two Weeks Under The Maple Tree" is a collection of short stories that will take the reader on an enticing journey of integrity, spiteful revenge, and romance. Follow the likes of a man on the edge, a young Dominican girl dealing with love, a vengeful victim of bullying, and a growing boy dealing with the realities of small-town living. There's something for everyone in this page-turning collection, making it a must-read in the modern pantheon of thrilling, fictional anthologies.

Jakob Xavier Francis is a man on the edge. His tormentor is alive and well, and it turns out that they're up to their old tricks again. Will Jakob win in a race against time, or will he fall short of the most important assignment of his career?

As Rikki walks the streets of a small Dominican town, she ponders her life and the short-lived romance that has changed her forever, but his carefree attitude is all too much for her to handle. Will she bend under the pressure, or return to the life she's trying to leave behind?

To say Linda Roark was a victim of a bully would be an understatement. 20 years have passed and now it's time to exact her revenge.

A growing boy in a small town has his parents put between a rock and a hard place. Thomas Kennedy will soon find out the harsh realities of life in a small town and must come to grips with their decision.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Mar 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781667833491

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Copyright © 2022 M.E. King. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-66783-349-1 (eBook)

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Contents

The Indifference of Linda Roark

Thomas and the Big Red Bike

To Leave Something Behind

Time and Tide Wait for No Man

The Indifference of Linda Roark

It came as a surprise when she opened her Facebook account that morning. Not her actual account, but her Linda Roark account. To her amazement, there was an open invitation to her high school reunion. No doubt, a blanket message sent to the 200 or so fellow graduates from that year. However, Linda Roark was not the name she went by anymore. Not in this line of work anyway. This profession required her to have complete anonymity. Much easier to distance herself from the consequence of her actions.

Computer virtuoso was just the tip of the iceberg for her. In fact, she was an online anti-hero that would check and correct a person’s attitude if required. A talent that was for hire, but all of that would be on hold for now.

For twenty years, she had thought about this day. Twenty years of waiting to ruin his life. Twenty years of watching his online footprint. Twenty years of gathering as much information and dirt on Ronald Tate as she could get. All his banking, work e-mails, Instagram, and Facebook posts were now at her fingertips, and when the time was right, she would turn the life of her high school tormentor into a living fucking hell.

First, a quick reply stating that she would indeed attend the reunion. Plus one? No need, there would be more than enough people to witness the events of the evening.

A well-put together woman in her late thirties. Holding a computer engineering degree from a local community college with modest grades were all that she needed to land her a job as research clerk for the law firm of Alcock and Brown. A firm started by two African American law graduates from Yale. The name was what stood out for her at the time. Stating during the interview that she just had to apply sealed the deal for her employment.

Maddison Richards was not the woman that graduated high school as Linda Roark. She was unrecognizable, and getting the look she wanted came at a great cost. Much like a Hollywood starlet, nipped and tucked to perfection, she blossomed. Becoming a different person came with assurances. The tormented Linda Roark was gone, and it was worth it. Therefore, Maddison Richards was born out of necessity, leaving behind a painful past.

As her career blossomed, she became a premier investigator and from there, a computer hacker that used her abilities for good.

Digging into a husband’s phone records for a put-down wife or finding hidden dirt on an abusive spouse was the least she could do. She saw the world differently, knowing that there were many kinds of bullies out there. She was not having it. Therefore, as time went by, she dove deeper into the history of men that she felt were in the wrong.

Adulterers were her favorite. So easy, she thought. Get the basic information from the wife. Build a file from the information that she gathered. Then set about using an online presence to find their kink. Every man had one that would lead him into her trap. Then drop the info into the lap of the despondent. That was how it worked. Quite simple really. Eventually, it would come full circle, ending up in her work file all nice and legal-like. Forward that to the lawyer and case closed. Cocaine and whores, the downfall of all men, or at least she thought so.