Here’s a Teaser for Show No Mercy

Excerpt from Chapter One

On a Sunday in October, Cade Mellencamp took his Cadillac out for a leisurely drive through the country to quiet his mind. The afternoon seemed harmless enough—blue sky, open road—offering the discovery of a new picturesque route. Nothing warned him to turn back. Nothing suggested this drive would be any different from all the others.

His wife, Miranda, called his 1966 Cadillac DeVille Convertible “the Boat.” Yes, it was long and sleek and drove like a yacht gliding over still water. Cade had chased that dream for years—one day owning such a car. It was his baby, and he kept it stored in the garage when not in use, protected and preserved under a tarp of heavy canvas.

The heart of the Cadillac was a powerful 429-cubic-inch V8 that delivered a smooth, effortless ride. Cade never tired of slipping behind the wheel and settling into the luxurious interior. The soft leather seats, gleaming chrome trim, and sweeping dashboard transported him to a different era. Every curve of the DeVille’s long body and every flash of chrome reflected the elegance and craftsmanship of a golden age in American automobiles. For Cade, a drive with the top down wasn’t simply a way to pass the time, it was a celebration of classic car culture. His fascination with the 1966 Cadillac DeVille began as a teenager when he spotted a photograph of one in his father’s copy of Car and Driver. From that moment on, he knew he had to own one.

Whenever he’d invite Miranda for a Sunday drive, she’d wave him off, busy with other plans. She once said, “You loved that car more than me, so go ahead. Have a good time.”

It wasn’t true, but he’d refused to argue with her and ruin his afternoon.

The classic convertible had been his first big purchase, back in 2006 when he first achieved fame and fortune. Not bad for a twenty-five-year-old man. Only eight years later, he walked away set for life, far richer than he’d ever dreamed possible.

But the other thing he walked away from was different. That choice settled on him like a weight he carried everywhere, even on good days. A flash of memory. The tears in someone’s eyes. No, he wouldn’t dwell on what had been. No use poking at a wound that would never heal.

Maybe that’s why taking out “The Boat” felt like therapy. A distraction. On quiet Sunday drives through the countryside, he found the peace that eluded him everywhere else.

Now meet the man behind the investigation: CMPD Homicide Detective Colt Jessup

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON IN PAPERBACK AND KINDLE. FOR A SIGNED COPY, ORDER DIRECTLY BY SENDING AN EMAIL THROUGH THE CONTACT TAB ABOVE. THIS IS BOOK 7 OF THE COLT JESSUP SERIES, BUT IT CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE.

Literary analysts have compared this book to The Harry Bosch series and The Lincoln Lawyer, both by Michael Connelly. Also Mystic River by Dennis Lehane.