Armed with Steele: Hometown Heroes, #1

By Kyra Jacobs

What happens undercover, stays under covers.

 

Jessica Hartley is looking for answers surrounding the mysterious car accident that nearly claimed the life of her best friend. She's willing to risk it all, even her fledgling business, to find the person responsible and bring them to justice.

 

Nate Steele is more than willing to help Jessica, but for reasons all his own. He's been watching the infamous Maxwell Office Solutions for some time now, convinced there is more going on than meets the eye. When his chief issues a cease and desist order yet again, Nate has no choice but to accept inexperienced Jessica as an undercover partner outside the letter of the law.

 

Will Jessica and Nate be able to flush out Maxwell's elusive villain, or will their growing attraction for each other sabotage their undercover ploy? Motives aren't always what they seem when Jessica finds herself armed with Steele.

 

CONTENT WARNING: Beware drool-worthy men in uniform, touchy-feely coworkers, and vindictive ex-girlfriends.

 

Book Title: ARMED WITH STEELE
Author: Kyra Jacobs
Series: Hometown Heroes
Order in Series: Book 1
Number of Pages: 330

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kyra Jacobs
• Release date: Mar 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9780997671933

Book preview

ARMED WITH STEELE

a Hometown Heroes novel

by

Kyra Jacobs

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Copyright © 2013 by Kyra Jacobs

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in book reviews.

Edited by Piper Denna.

Cover Design by Kyra Jacobs.

First electronic publication: October 2013

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Acknowledgements

Other Books by Kyra Jacobs

About the Author

To the power of true friendship, and the bravery it can inspire.

Chapter 1

I shot out the door of Serenity Spa and made a beeline for my car. One call. All I had to do was answer one, simple phone call. But did I? No, I’d let it go to voice mail. Blew it off because I knew Grace would bring up tonight’s dreaded double-date—the one thing I’d done my best not to think about all day. Well, that, and the sizable gap between my date’s two front teeth. Damn my temper. Answering her call could have changed everything.

The flimsy pedicure flip-flops provided little comfort to my tender feet as I raced across the parking lot. Nail tech Kitty had been brutal with that paddle-sized callus remover of hers. But sore feet were the least of my worries right now. There’d been an accident, a bad one, and Grace had been rushed to Glenview hospital. And that’s where I was headed, come hell or high water.

Thankfully the spa was on the same side of town as Glenview. I took every shortcut between the two I could think of, and somehow managed not to hit anyone along the way. At least not that I know of. When I finally got off the residential side streets and pulled onto East State Boulevard, I pressed the pedal to the metal. My little two-door Civic whined in response.

A moment later, flashing reds and blues illuminated my rearview mirror. The shrill cry of a police siren immediately followed.

"No, no, no!"

I looked around, hoping, praying, the siren was for someone else. Maybe the sporty blue Mazda to my left, or the red rust-bucket pickup truck in front of me. Just not me, not today. I had to get to Grace, and I had to get to her now.

A second glance in the rearview mirror and my heart sank. A sunglass-wearing patrolman in the cruiser now on my tail jabbed a finger toward me, then the curb. My right foot hesitated on the gas pedal, but the debate between braking and flooring it quickly ended. There was no way my little coupe could outrun one of Fort Wayne’s finest. I pulled over and slammed my car into park.

The green digits on my dashboard clock flipped from 6:08 to 6:09 and I pressed both hands to my forehead. Tried not to panic about the seconds ticking by. Seconds my best friend might not have.

...rode in the ambulance with her to Glenview...

Her boyfriend’s words echoed through my head, bringing with them a fresh wave of guilt. Why had I picked today of all days to ignore her call? Had I picked up, she might have been delayed. Avoided the accident. If only I had a do-over button. Something to take me back in time and prevent me from making that mistake again. A silent prayer formed on my lips as I asked God not to take her from me. Especially not before I’d had a chance to see her again.

My gaze shifted to the blue and white sign that loomed over the nose of my car. A cruel reminder that I’d gotten to within four blocks of the hospital before getting snared by this speed trap. The patrolman responsible had yet to emerge from his cruiser, busy doing whatever cops do when they first pull people over.

And doing it slowly.

I contemplated making a run for it, to just open my door and sprint the remaining distance to Glenview. But running had never been my strong suit, and I really didn’t relish being Tasered. Or, worse yet, shot. So I stayed put, cursing as the last of rush hour traffic continued on its merry way.

After three more excruciating minutes, Officer Slowski finally exited his vehicle. I rolled down my window and watched in the side mirror as he strode toward my car, his dark uniform an ominous contrast to the blinding autumn sunset.

License and registration, please.

Please, officer, I don’t know what I did, but whatever it was, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. Just let me go so I can get over to Glenview—my best friend was in a terrible accident!

The cop nudged his shades down, exposing a set of brilliant blue, yet clearly unconvinced, eyes. Uh-huh.

You have to believe me! I clutched at my doorframe and searched his face for any hint of mercy. Instead, I found only the hard line of his jaw, a pair of furrowed brows, and my own distorted reflection in his copper shades. Look, can’t you just give me a quick lecture or something?

His brilliant blues narrowed. Ma’am, you were going fifteen over the speed limit in a residential area. And you nearly hit a pedestrian when you blew through that red light.

I ran a hand through my hair. The light had been yellow. Maybe burnt sienna. And that little old lady hadn’t even reached the street yet. But—

License and registration, ma’am. He pushed his shades back into place.

Officer, please! I don’t know how much time she’s got left!

He sighed and leaned down, providing me a look at his nametag: Officer N. Steele. Steele? What kind of name was that for a cop?

Ma’am, I don’t care if your friend is the Queen of England and she’s up the road having an emergency appendectomy. There’s no excuse for driving recklessly. Ever. Now, I’m going to ask you nicely one last time. License and registration. Please.

I hated to admit defeat, but it suddenly dawned on me that the longer I argued with him, the longer it’d take me to get back on the road. So I reached across the front seat to retrieve my registration from the glove box. Its latch stuck at first, then sprang open, dumping the box’s entire contents onto the floor in one fell swoop. Sweat beaded at my hairline. I glanced from the mess to my dashboard clock.

Ten precious minutes. Gone.

Officer Steele cleared his throat. My gaze darted back to the passenger’s side floor mat. Miraculously, a familiar-looking white rectangle sat atop the pile. I snatched up the registration, retrieved my license from my purse, and thrust both out the window toward him. Please hurry!

Officer Steele took a moment to compare me with the photograph on my license, then gave a quick nod. Thank you Miss Hartley. Now sit tight.

Sit tight? Where the hell did he think I was going?

I took a deep breath and tried to think positive thoughts. Maybe Grace wasn’t badly hurt. A little bump on the head, a sprained wrist...

Oh, who was I kidding? Not knowing the extent of her injuries was enough to drive me mad. And being trapped in my car just a few blocks from her made it that much worse. I leaned my head back against the headrest and groaned.

Two more minutes passed. Out of sheer boredom, I decided to tackle the mess on my passenger side floor. Just as I finished cramming everything back into the glove box, my cell phone came to life. I swiped it from my purse and checked the display. There was only one number I wanted to see right now: her boyfriend Matt’s. This, however, wasn’t it.

Hey, Mom. Listen, I can’t talk right now.

Hi, sweetie. Getting ready for your big date tonight?

I pinched the bridge of my nose and tried to keep my temper in check. I’m pretty sure our date’s getting cancelled.

Cancelled? Now Jessica, I know you’re having a hard time getting over Da—

Grace was in an accident on her way home from work, Mom. An ambulance took her over to Glenview. I’m headed there now. At least, I was, until a certain someone pulled me over.

I scowled at my dashboard clock. What was taking him so long? Probably playing a few games of Solitaire just to piss me off...

Oh! Oh, how awful! Is she alright?

I don’t know. I was on my way there when, uh... I glanced up at the flashing lights in my rearview mirror. You called.

Well, has anyone called her parents?

I’m not sure. All I know is that Matt told me to get over there ASAP. I’ll call you as soon as I—

Miss Hartley?

I jumped at the sudden reappearance of Officer Steele. The phone bobbled in my hands.

Sorry, gotta go. I hung up on my mother and batted my eyes at the patrolman. Yes?

Officer Steele tapped a pen on the notepad in his hands. I found no prior traffic violations in your records, and your plates and registration are all up to date. He handed my license and registration card back to me then cleared his throat. And while I do not condone your reckless driving today, I’m going to let you off with a verbal warning.

He leaned down and nudged his shades to reveal those piercing blue eyes once more. Don’t let me catch you driving like that around here again. Had you been going much faster, I would have hauled both you and your car downtown. Do I make myself clear?

Y-yes, officer.

He slid his shades back into place and straightened up. Good. Now get out of here, he said, and rapped a fist on the roof of my car.

Relief washed over me. Oh, thank you, officer! Thank you!

I turned my key in the ignition, waited for a break in traffic, then zipped away. One quick glance in the rearview mirror was all the more attention I gave to the man who’d stolen fifteen minutes of my life. Then I set my sights on the road ahead, intent on reaching the one person I couldn’t bear to live without:  Grace.

* * * *

Eight minutes later, I dashed into Glenview’s emergency room waiting area and scanned the room for any sign of Grace’s boyfriend. Thankfully, it took only a second for me to spot him among its orderly array of blue vinyl seats. At six-foot-four and built like a brick you-know-what-house, Matt was usually fairly easy to find. He sat perched on the edge of his seat near the registration desk, head bowed, arms crossed, and right knee bouncing at the speed of light.

I crossed the room and skidded to a stop in front of him.

How is she?

He looked up, a mixture of frustration and worry upon his face. I don’t know. They shooed me out of the examination room as soon as we got here.

You don’t know? I planted a hand on my hip and worked to catch my breath. Matt, you rode in the ambulance with her. Didn’t the paramedics tell you anything?

"I tried to stay quiet and let them take care of her. Besides, I don’t speak ER, Jessica. Hell, I didn’t understand half the shit they were saying. He shook his head and looked down at his hands. I don’t understand any of this. Why Grace?"

I’m sorry, I said, and lowered myself into the seat next to him. I’ve been a nervous wreck since you called. And then I got pulled over—

Pulled over? For what?

It doesn’t matter. I ran a hand through my hair and tried to ignore the overwhelming smell of industrial-strength disinfectant permeating the room. So, what happened?

Matt slid back in his seat, knee slowing to the speed of sound. I was on my way home, coming across North River Road like I always do. Only, traffic was horrible, barely crawling. A DJ came on and said there was an accident near North River and Maysville. And about a blue car in the ditch.

The ditch?

He nodded, avoiding my eyes. I tried calling Grace, but she didn’t answer. And somehow I just knew... His knee went slack. He sucked in a ragged breath and turned his pained face toward me. When I saw her Infiniti, Jess, I nearly lost my mind.

I put a hand on his shoulder and tried to come up with something comforting to say. Something that would ease both our worries. But I was at a complete loss for words.

For as much as I loved my best friend, Matt’s love for her went to an entirely different level. They’d been together almost two years now—long enough that I’d started bracing myself for the day when he might pop the question and steal her away from me.

His gaze returned to the floor. By the time I got there, they were getting ready to load her into the ambulance. A cop tried to hold me back, but after I explained who I was, he let me through. Matt shuddered. "There was just so much blood..."

Blood? Definitely not one of my favorite subjects.

From the cut on her head. They think she got it when her car rolled.

My stomach began to do some rolling of its own. I changed the subject in a feeble attempt to keep whatever was left of my lunch down. Was anyone in the other car hurt?

There wasn’t another car. Just hers.

Well, did she tell you what caused her to go off the road then?

Matt’s shoulders slumped. No. She was unconscious. Has been this whole time.

Oh. My voice sounded a mile away. I struggled with the image of my fun-loving roommate, my vibrant best friend, unconscious and bleeding atop some wobbly gurney. I needed to see her, to know she would be okay. Then it dawned on me, so did her parents. Did anyone call Sharon and Norm?

Yeah, I did. Her folks got here about ten minutes before you did. A nurse rushed them back to see Grace. They’ve been gone ever since.

They’re here? We should go find them! I hopped to my feet and started forward, but Matt caught my arm.

Can’t. He tipped his head toward the hallway behind the registration desk. Only family’s allowed back there.

Says who?

Says the woman behind the desk.

I glanced over at the forty-something heavyset woman with fresh-out-of-the-box platinum blonde hair popping her bubble gum behind the desk. She looked harmless enough.

You don’t think I should try and ask to see Grace? I said in a hush. Maybe she just didn’t like you.

He shook his head. No way. I don’t want that temper of yours getting us both kicked out of here.

My gaze shifted from Blondie back to Matt. Okay, maybe I wasn’t always the queen of tact. So sue me.

Jess, he warned.

I sank back down, arms crossed. Stupid rules. So, what do we do now?

We wait.

* * * *

At seven o’clock, we’d both had enough of the hurry up and wait routine. Matt took off to locate a vending machine with the ulterior motive of trying to find an unlocked door that might lead us back to Grace. I remained behind on the lookout for any signs of Mr. or Mrs. Sullivan, my patience waning by the minute.

If I didn’t get an update on Grace soon, heads were going to roll.

Once Matt was out of sight, I traded our front row seats for two in the far corner of the room. From there I kept watch for Grace’s parents, relieved to have put some distance between myself and the near constant stream of people with varying ailments shuffling in and out of the lobby. Head wounds, broken arms, bad colds—you name it, they were here.

And every single one of them made me uneasy.

There was a reason I’d chosen computers over nursing—flesh wounds and runny noses weren’t exactly my cup of tea. In fact, I usually did my utmost to avoid any medical-related environments. Especially hospitals and nursing homes.

Matt re-appeared fifteen minutes later, a bottle of Diet Mountain Dew in one hand and a Coke Zero in the other.

I pulled the collar of my t-shirt, which I’d been using as an impromptu respirator, down from my nose. No luck?

He lowered himself into the seat next to me and handed over the Coke. No, dammit. This place is locked down tighter than Fort Knox.

It figures. Well, thanks for trying. And for the drink.

Sure.

Of all the guys Grace had dated over the years, Matt was by far my favorite. He always focused on her, never on me. Around him, I could relax and be myself.

We soon fell into a comfortable silence. Well, as comfortable as we could be, considering where we were and why we were there. I’d just recapped my drink when Matt suddenly planted his elbow into my side.

Hey, Jess!

Pain radiated from the point of impact. What? I asked through clenched teeth.

See the cop walking toward the registration desk?

I glanced across the room at the man in uniform approaching Blondie, then shot Matt a dirty look as I rubbed my sore ribcage. Yeah. So?

I think he’s the one I talked to when they were loading Grace into the ambulance.

Oh, yeah?

Matt and I stared at each other for half a second, then launched from our seats, hungry for answers.

The officer stood with his back to us, absorbed in conversation with a young, busty nurse who’d just emerged from the back hallway. Even from behind, I could tell he wasn’t the middle-aged, ex-marine with a spare tire around the middle and salt-and-pepper buzz cut that I’d expected to see after hearing Matt speak of him earlier. He couldn’t have been much older than me. And no evidence of midriff excess...or excess anywhere else, for that matter. His broad shoulders tapered down to a slender but solid waist, giving his upper body a nice, well-defined V-shape. The back of his neck still held a trace of summer tan, and not a single gray hair could be seen throughout his thick mane of dark, wavy locks.

Shame on me for having such a lackluster imagination.

It was a view I might have enjoyed, had our circumstances been different. Eye candy or not, his failure to turn around after thirty seconds or so began to piss me off. I faked a cough, which garnered a nasty look from the nurse.

The officer turned toward the sound and his gaze fell upon Matt. Recognition soon washed over his face, and he extended out his hand. Mr. Harris.

The front view of Mr. Officer was even better than the one from behind. I scanned his face, and couldn’t help but admire his smooth jaw line, perfect nose and brilliant blue eyes. Blue eyes?

Oh, no.

Officer Steele, Matt said, extending his own hand out.

Chapter 2

I clenched my eyes shut. Please tell me I heard wrong, please tell me I heard wrong... Unfortunately, I hadn’t. When I opened them again, the jerk who’d delayed my arrival at Glenview was still standing there in front of me. Only this time, instead of his perpetual scowl, an amused smirk played at his lips.

And I see you made it here okay.

Um, yeah. I felt my cheeks warm. Thank you. Again.

Wait, Matt’s brow furrowed. You two know each other?

I’ll explain later, I muttered under my breath. Would have explained it to you earlier if you hadn’t blanked on his damned name until now.

Okay. He turned his attention back to Officer Steele. So, did you figure out what happened?

No, not yet. I’d hoped to ask Miss Sullivan a few questions so I could close out my report, but she’s still out cold.

Out cold implied she was still breathing, which gave me hope. I put my irritation with the patrolman aside and refocused my energies on Grace. But surely you’ve come up with something.

Officer Steele glanced around the crowded waiting area, then tipped his head in the direction of a nearby door. Why don’t we continue this conversation somewhere a little more private.

The room he directed us to was barely larger than a broom closet. Yet some brilliant administrator had decided to try and wedge a small, round oak veneer table and four matching chairs inside. We had no choice but to sit. Being the smallest of the group—five foot two on a good day—I took a seat in the back corner.

My fingers drummed a will-you-hurry-it-up-already rhythm while I waited for the men to get situated. Officer Steele took the seat to my left, and a cologne I hadn’t noticed before began to tickle at my nose. Something cool and clean, with a hint of spice. Definitely not something Matt would wear—Grace preferred him in more of an evergreen aroma. The whole pine needles scent wasn’t really my thing, but this...

You need to find a new nail tech.

What? I glanced up at Officer Steele, then followed his gaze down to my hands on the table. One set of fingers was without polish, the other now an apricot nightmare. Oh, that. I withdrew my hands to my lap. Let’s just say today’s appointment got cut a bit short. By a certain phone call, about a certain best friend of mine.

Matt dropped into the chair across from us, and I took it as my cue to begin our interrogation. So, Officer, what happened to my roommate?

The teasing look in his eyes vanished. I’m not entirely sure. We got a call from the resident at 7101 North River Road at approximately five fifteen this evening. She’d been in the bathroom and heard a loud noise outside. When she... He cleared this throat. "Finished her business, she looked outside and spotted Miss Sullivan’s car in the ditch to the east. The woman called 911, who then dispatched the call to me.

When I arrived at the scene, the paramedics were also just pulling up. We made our way to the car, and found Miss Sullivan unconscious. While they worked to extract her from the car, I surveyed the accident site. Deep ruts just off the road indicate her vehicle made a hard right, which caused the car to roll once it met the embankment. The car eventually came to rest upright against a utility pole, the impact pinning the driver’s door shut.

Oh, God, I breathed.

Matt shifted in his seat. How did you get her out?

Through the passenger-side door.

An image suddenly came to my mind. One of Grace, just a few months back, prancing around her new car like a small child around the tree on Christmas morning. I groaned at the thought of how it must look now. Officer Steele’s gaze shifted to me, one eyebrow raised.

Sorry, I said, and wrung my hands together under the table. I’m just picturing you guys having to break a window to get her out. Grace loved that car.

We didn’t break any windows—the doors were unlocked. Not that it really matters. He looked over at Matt. I’d be willing to bet my next paycheck the car’s totaled.

I blinked a few times. Really?

Yeah, Matt nodded. Her car was in pretty bad shape.

I rubbed my temples, trying to stave off the headache threatening to erupt. No, I mean, really? The doors were unlocked?

Officer Steele retrieved a familiar-looking black notepad from his belt and flipped through a few pages. They must have been, he said after a moment and snapped it shut. I don’t have any notes about breaking windows or having to jimmy the door open.

"How is that possible?" I closed my eyes and tried to think back. Hadn’t Grace been all excited when she discovered her fancy new car automatically locked the doors once she put it into drive?

Matt interrupted my concentration. So, what caused her to go off the road?

I’m afraid I don’t know. There was no indication that her vehicle came into contact with anything other than the utility pole. Now, toxicology results have yet to come back—

"Toxicology reports? The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention. It was one thing to pull me over for some ticky-tack traffic violation, but to imply that Grace was hitting the bottle on her drive home? She didn’t deserve that. You’ve got to be joking. She’d just left work!"

His blue eyes lasered to mine. It’s standard protocol for those tests to be run, Miss Hartley, before the hospital can treat her. It also helps to ensure that we have all the facts for our investigation. And without an eye witness, we have to consider every possibil—

You mean to tell me no one saw anything? Matt cut in. Just after five o’clock on a Friday night?

Unfortunately, no. Our officers went door to door after you left, but no one besides the 911 caller appeared to be home.

I scowled. What about passing motorists?

Officer Steele shook his head. No vehicles were waiting there when we arrived, and no one stopped to say that they’d witnessed the accident. And since we don’t have surveillance cameras along every inch of road in this city... He paused, eyebrow raised again as if daring me to ask why not. I’m afraid we don’t have much else to go by.

Matt rubbed his face. Unbelievable.

Officer Steele looked from me to Matt and sighed. Look, the case won’t get closed until tomorrow since I left before the tow truck arrived. Maybe the back up officer who stayed behind to assist with wreckage cleanup will discover something I didn’t. He fished two business cards from his uniform shirt pocket. In the meantime, if either of you are around when she comes to, call me.

Will do, Matt said as we stood and each took a card. And hey, thanks for letting me, you know, ride here with Grace.

Officer Steele clapped a hand on Matt’s shoulder. You’re welcome. If it’d been my girl, I would have wanted to be right there with her, too.

Out of sheer habit I glanced at his ring finger. Bare; not that it mattered. I didn’t expect to see Officer Steele again, nor did I want to—he’d probably ticket me next time for sure. All I cared about was getting Grace upright and back home, where the biggest decisions we had to make were no bigger than what to wear or whose turn it was to take out the trash. Decisions that would take my mind off Officer Blue Eyes and that annoyingly intriguing cologne of his.

* * * *

Sharon Sullivan finally surfaced around 7:30. The older, softer version of Grace, she was always perfectly dressed—clothes without wrinkle, not a hair of out of place. Even now, as she clickety-clacked toward us in conservative pumps that complimented her khaki slacks, ivory tank and chocolate cardigan, she looked every bit the modern day June Cleaver. And her demeanor matched the look. Sharon had always been the cool, calm, and collected ying to my mother’s domineering, twenty-questions-every-conversation yang.

Today, however, her usual soothing countenance had some visible cracks. She stayed only long enough to give us a brief update on Grace. X-rays had come back clean. So had the MRI.

So, she’s awake?

Sharon shook her head. Sorry, dear, but no. Grace is still unconscious. But we’re...hopeful...that it won’t be long now.

I gave her a hug and smiled, determined to hide my disappointment—she had enough on her plate without having to worry about me. Matt offered a few words of support and hugged her as well. Then she was off, allowed admittance to the ER by the reception desk’s hefty blonde sentinel.

Around 8:30, Matt had a friend swing by so they could go and retrieve his abandoned SUV. With

Reviews for Armed with Steele

[annmwilson09 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I normally read YA or Paranormal books, but was given the opportunity to read and review this book, and I am so grateful for that! “Armed with Steele” went above and beyond my expectations, and I look forward to reading more from this talented author.

Jessica and Grace have been best friends since College, when they met at a local coffee shop. They are now roommates, and Grace just landed herself a new position at Maxwell Office Solutions, while Jessica does Web Design from home. Grace is fortunate enough to be in a wonderful relationship, and has been trying to set Jessica up with someone for a while. One day in particular Jessica avoids Grace’s phone call because she didn’t want to be reminded of the double date they have after work, and wishes she could somehow get out of it. And then she gets a call from Matt, Grace’s boyfriend- there’s been a bad accident. Grace slips into a coma and Jessica beats herself up for not answering that call- perhaps Grace would not have drove off the road and end up in the hospital.

Of course, in a hurry to get to the hospital, hoping she makes it in time to see her best friend, her roommate, Jessica gets pulled over. The officer doesn’t buy her excuse that her friend is in the hospital, in critical condition, and she needs to get there, right now. After a traffic stop that seems to take longer than it should, she is sent on her way. Matt fills her in on what he knows, which isn’t much, and she is left with even more questions than before. Nothing about this makes sense, but who is going to believe her that she smells foul play?

Coincidently, the officer that was at the scene of the accident stops by the hospital, hoping to get some answers himself, and Jessica gets her chance to question him herself. Never did she think it would be the same officer that just pulled her over, the one with the striking blue eyes, Officer Steele.

Jessica even drives by the scene of the accident, not intentionally, and decides to step out of her vehicle. There she finds something that disturbs her, and is certain this was no “accident”, and the clue left behind points to someone from Maxwell. Matt doesn’t want to believe that someone was trying to kill Grace, so she is left with no other option but to rely on the ever-so handsome officer. Unfortunately, the case is closed, and Nate Steele offers her another route- go undercover. Of course, Nate has some secrets of his own, and his own reasons for wanting to find out who is behind this all.

Is Jessica strong enough to go undercover to find out who is behind all of this? And will she make it out alive, or suffer the same fate as Grace? And will Grace ever come out of her coma, and possibly provide some unanswered questions. And can Nate and Jessica continue to fight the attraction to each other, or are they brave enough to find out what can become of them?

If you are interested in mystery and crime stories, with just a bit of romance mixed in for good measure, then you will not be disappointed by “Armed with Steele”.

[tammydewhirst · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Cozy characters have to be imbued with a special confidence that says everyone is getting it wrong and I need to look closer. The character forgets the danger and dives in feet first with a strong sense of justice outweighing every dangerous consequence that may occur. Jessica has a very personal connection to the event. The victim is someone as dear to her as family. When Jessica hears that her friend’s beloved designer purse is open and spilled everywhere she doesn’t buy that perhaps it fell as a result of the accident. Jessica smells a rat and knows the only way she can keep her friend safe is to make sure anyone and everyone responsible for the attempt on her life is locked up.Jessica is a great cozy character. She is over the top in the way women often aren’t but in a way that leads a reader to nod knowingly and say, “If anyone is going to do that, it’s this character.” There is a solid confidence built in Jessica that she is not just a pretty face despite her first meeting with Officer Steele might tell us and she will get to the bottom of this case and get the job done. Her confidence is reassuring and slightly dangerous as she may get it done but that’s not to say there may be some loss on the way.If you expect all sex and no story from “Armed with Steele,” you’ll be disappointed. Jacobs’ novel suffers a bit from a belabored start but once it gets going the story is compelling and well crafted. Once working undercover at Grace’s (the friend nearly killed) workplace, Jessica just happens to have the right skills and just happens to fit the bill and just happens to be hired. Someone I worked with many years ago said “Everyone hates the new person.” In real life this is true but in cozy stories especially the new person always finds someone with wide eyed trust and verbal diarrhea who is willing to run down the suspects and call me cheesy but I just love that. Of course, Jessica learns that the mystery is deeper than she ever suspected and rather than candy coating and moving on from the new information, Jacobs develops the story for the reader. What’s a little embezzlement between friends?If you like cozy mysteries, I highly recommend “Armed with Steele.” If you pick it up, be sure to contact Jacobs to inquire about a follow up novel involving one of the male background characters in this book. You’ll know who he is.

[beccaannes · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR HONEST REVIEW

This was a good fast paced story. There's mystery, some romance, and even some laughter.

Jessica Hartley doesn't believe that the car accident that left her best friend, Grace, in a coma was an accident at all. She believes that someone tried to kill Grace. The clues point to someone who works with Grace at Maxwell Office Solutions. When she tries to tell Matt her suspicions he doesn't want to hear it. Leaving her only one person to turn to. The cop assigned to the case, Nate Steele.

Nate Steele is only to happy to look into things for Jess. That is until the case gets closed. Leaving them only one option at this point to find out the answers and that is for Jess to go undercover. She can apply for Grace's old job and see what she can figure out from the inside. Nate has his own reasons for helping Jessica out. He's been watching Maxwell Office Solutions for awhile and this could finally be the chance he needs to bring them down.

Will Jessica find out who the culprit is before they catch on to her? Will Grace come out of her coma and be able to give them some of the answers they are searching for. Will Jessica and Nate's attraction to one another interfere in their investigation. To find out the answers to these questions and so much more you will have to buy the book. You won't be disappointed. I do wish that the author would have shown more of the chemistry between Jessica and Nate. Other than that this is a good book that I will recommend to my friends.