ACFW March New Releases

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Contemporary Romance:

Wild Mint Tea by Valerie Comer -- A local-foods chef caters events to keep her farm, but the first wedding comes with a ruggedly handsome brother-of-the-bride with no interest in settling to one place. (Contemporary Romance from Choose Now Publishing)

Dancing with Fireflies by Denise Hunter -- Jade McKinley felt like a weed in a rose garden growing up in Chapel Springs. When she left, she thought she'd never look back. But now, pregnant, alone, and broke, she has no other choice but to return. The mayor of Chapel Springs, Daniel Dawson, has been an honorary member of the McKinley family for years. While his own home life was almost non-existent, Daniel fit right into the boisterous McKinley family. He's loved Jade for years, but she always saw him as a big brother. Now that she's back, his feelings are stronger than ever. Contemporary Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing [Thomas Nelson & Zondervan])

Love Redeemed by Kelly Irvin -- Phoebe Christner is thrilled when the families of her close-knit Amish community decide to spend a week at the lake. And it doesn't hurt that Michael Daugherty will be coming along. They'll find ways to spend time together--she's certain of it--and their romance will have time to blossom. But when tragedy strikes, Phoebe and Michael are torn apart by their pain and the knowledge of their guilt. (Contemporary Romance from Harvest House Publishers)

An Amish Garden by Beth Wiseman, Vannetta Chapman, Kathleen Fuller, and Tricia Goyer -- A collection of charming Amish stories centered around the theme of gardening by four of this genre's most popular authors. (Contemporary Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing [Thomas Nelson & Zondervan])

Historical Romance:

Healer of Carthage by Lynne Gentry -- A modern-day doctor gets trapped in third-century Carthage, Rome, where she uncovers buried secrets, confronts Christian persecution, and battles a deadly epidemic to save the man she loves. Historical Romance from Howard [Simon & Schuster])

Tide and Tempest by Elizabeth Ludwig -- Two years ago, her fiancé perished during their voyage to America. Now she discovers it may have been murder... (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker] Publishing)

Vow Unbroken by Caryl McAdoo-- Susannah Baylor, a spunky young widow with a young daughter and teenage nephew in her care, raises cotton on a small farm in northeast Texas. When a local buyer reneges on his offer to purchase her crop, she finds herself with only one option: cart her cotton to market in Jefferson herself. Sue employs Henry Buckmeyer to accompany her and the children. Facing the elements and other dangers, the foursome starts out with the common goal of getting their goods to market. (Historical Romance from Howard [Simon & Schuster])

The Guardian's Promise by Christina Rich -- An evil queen and her royal guards will stop at nothing to find - and kill - the rightful heir to the throne of Judah. When their pursuit leads them to Mira's village, only her father's bond servant, Ari, a man shrouded in secrets, can keep Mira safe. (Historical Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Contemporary:

Because of the Rain by Deborah Raney -- One unimaginable night changes a couple's lives forever. Their love for God and for each other is put to the ultimate test as they confront heart-wrenching decisions. (Contemporary from Greenbrier Books)

The Shepherd's Song by Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers-- Psalm 23, written on a piece of paper, travels around the world changing the lives of twelve people. (Contemporary from Howard [Simon & Schuster])

Faith Departed by Elizabeth Maddrey -- Starting a family was supposed to be easy. Twin sisters June and July have never encountered an obstacle they couldn't overcome. Married just after graduating college, the girls and their husbands remained a close-knit group. Now settled and successful, the next logical step is children. But as the couples struggle to conceive, each must reconcile the goodness of God with their present suffering. Will their faith be strong enough to triumph in the midst of trial? (Contemporary Women's Fiction from HopeSprings)

Romantic Suspense:

Beneath a Navajo Moon by Lisa Carter -- What happens when love and danger collide deep in the heart of the Navajo Nation? (Romantic Suspense from Abingdon Press)

Stolen Memories by Liz Johnson -- Attacked and left for dead, "Julie Thomas" has amnesia, and doesn't know why anyone would want to hurt her. But when surveillance video of that night shows Julie holding a baby—a baby nowhere to be found—she panics. Is the child hers? Where is she now? With no answers and no place to go, Julie accepts Detective Zach Jones's offer to help her solve both mysteries. The handsome, loyal cop makes her feel safe. But someone is trying very hard to make sure her memories stay buried forever. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Dark Tide by Susan Sleeman -- When the woman Derrick Justice has never stopped loving and the baby he's come to adore are in a killer's crosshairs, can Derrick trap the cold-blooded murderer before he strikes again? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Historical Mystery:

Death by the Book by Julianna Deering -- Drew Farthering is determined to convince his American sweetheart Madeline Parker to accept his marriage proposal and stay on at his English country estate, but a series of baffling murders, each with a cryptic clue pinned into the body of the victim, might keep him from doing so . . . permanently. (Historical Mystery from Bethany House [Baker] Publishing)

Mystery:

Final Trimester by Dianna T. Benson -- Paramedic Jodi Duncan recognizes the work of a serial killer before Myrtle Beach PD even suspects a connection between the deaths of two pregnant women. Despite the vast differences in the two cases, Jodi urges Detective Nate Quigley to think outside the box. After digging deep into the separate investigations, Nate finds no evidence to support a serial killer theory, and he warns Jodi to back off police business, which only fuels her obsession with the cases. (Medical Mystery from Ellechor Publishing House)

Murder Simply Brewed by Vannetta Chapman -- When the coffee shop manager is murdered in Middlebury's Amish Artisan Village, two women from different walks of life must join together to solve the mystery and in the process renew their faith in God's promises. (Cozy Mystery from Zondervan)

Red Gold by Sandy Nadeau -- When someone tries to sabotage Mandy Phillips' Colorado guest ranch, she risks everything to protect her guests and the land she loves. (Mystery from Harbourlight Books [Pelican])

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A Captain for Laura Rose

A Captain for Laura Rose
Stephanie Grace Whitson
(Faith Words)
ISBN: 978-1455529056
March 2014/336 pages/$15.00
Laura Rose White's late father taught her everything he knew about piloting a Missouri River steamboat. He even named their boat after her. Despite that, it seems that Laura will forever be a "cub pilot" to her brother Joe, because in 1867, a female riverboat captain is unheard of. That is, until tragedy strikes and Laura must make the two month journey from St. Louis to Fort Benton and back in order to save her family's legacy, her home, and the only life she's ever known.

The only way for her to overcome the nearly insurmountable odds is with the help of her brother's disreputable friend Finn MacKnight, a skilled pilot with a terrible reputation. Laura loathes having to accept MacKnight as her co-pilot, especially when she learns she must also provide passage for his two sisters. Straight-laced Fiona has a fear of water, and unpredictable Adele seems much too comfortable with the idea of life in the rough and tumble environment of the untamed river and the men who ply it. Though they are thrown together by necessity, this historic journey may lead Laura and the MacKnights to far more than they ever expected.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Grace Whitson is the author of over 20 inspirational novels and two works of nonfiction. When she isn't writing, speaking, or trying to keep up with her five grown children and perfect grandchildren, Stephanie loves to take long distance rides aboard her Honda Magna motorcycle named Kitty. Her church and the International Quilt Study Center and Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska, take up the rest of her free time. She received her Master of Arts degree in history in the spring of 2012. Her passionate interests in pioneer women's history, antique quilts, and French, Italian, and Hawaiian language and culture provide endless story-telling possibilities.

MY THOUGHTS

A Captain for Laura Rose provides a new and fresh angle to the theme of a woman resisting societal expectations and striving to make her way in a male-dominated profession. Both the title and the story play cleverly on the fact that the young woman and the steamboat share the same name. Whitson has created an eclectic array of characters, filling this story with life and color, from spunky yet tenderhearted Laura Rose to the reputed reprobate Finn and his vastly different sisters, prudish Fiona and capricious Adele--as well as the crew and those they encounter on their journey. Love and loss, choices and consequences, grace and forgiveness and new beginnings flow through this story as surely as the river runs its course.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from Faith Words/Hachette Book Group as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Dating, Dining, and Desperation

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingDating, Dining, and DesperationB&H Books (March 1, 2014)byMelody Carlson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Over the years, Melody Carlson has worn many hats, from pre-school teacher to youth counselor to political activist to senior editor. But most of all, she loves to write! Currently she freelances from her home. In the past eight years, she has published over ninety books for children, teens, and adults--with sales totaling more than two million and many titles appearing on the ECPA Bestsellers List. Several of her books have been finalists for, and winners of, various writing awards.

She has two grown sons and lives in Central Oregon with her husband and chocolate lab retriever. They enjoy skiing, hiking, gardening, camping and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Daphne Ballinger has learned to accept her deceased, eccentric aunt’s strange request that she marry in order to inherit her estate, along with taking over her aunt’s hometown paper’s advice column.

But knowing and accepting that God’s will be done becomes harder when a new neighbor, a divorced socialite, learns of Daphne’s predicament and takes on the task of finding her the perfect man, even if it includes speed dating. When God does open Daphne’s heart, it is instead to take in a young girl left parentless and in the care of her dying grandmother. It may be a temporary arrangement until the girl’s uncle returns from the Marines, but God uses Daphne to speak His heavenly love and protection into the life of the child -- whom Daphne soon discovers has a very handsome and single uncle.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Dating, Dining, and Desperation, go HERE.

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Distortion

Distortion
(Moonlighters Series)
Terri Blackstock
(Zondervan)
ISBN: 978-0310283140
March 11, 2014/352 pages/$14.99
A husband’s lies can have deadly consequences.

When Juliet Cole’s husband of fifteen years is murdered before her eyes, she thinks it was a random shooting. Devastated and traumatized, she answers hours of questioning, then returns home to break the tragic news to her boys. But a threatening voicemail takes this from a random shooting to a planned, deliberate attack.

Juliet realizes that she and her children are in danger too, unless she meets the killers’ demands. But as she and her sisters untangle the clues, her husband’s dark secrets come to light. The more she learns, the more of her life is dismantled. Was her husband an innocent victim or a hardened criminal?

Pre-order a copy for just $4.99 on Kindle, Nook, iTunes, or the eBook version on CBD until March 10th.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Terri Blackstock has sold over six million books worldwide and is a New York Times bestselling author. She is the award-winning author of Intervention, Vicious Cycle, and Downfall, as well as such series as Cape Refuge, Newpointe 911, the SunCoast Chronicles, Restoration, and Moonlighters. Find out more about Terri at her website and on Facebook and Twitter.


MY THOUGHTS

Terri Blackstock delivers another nail-biting suspense with Distortion. As part of the the Moonlighters series (so-called because Juliet and her two sisters are "moonlighting" as assistant private investigators), this novel can easily be read as a stand-alone, although you really don't want to miss the first book, Truth Stained Lies, which I reviewed here. I was captivated from the opening pages as Juliet's husband was gunned down and a seemly random shooting quickly escalted into a more sinister case, with danger threatening Juliet and her sons, and previously hidden secrets revealed a different reality of her husband's life. Juliet's struggles as she battles grief, disbelief, and a wide variety of emotions, all while she and her sisters race to solve the mystery of her husband's death--and life!--are authentically portrayed and easily relatable. Plenty of heart-pounding moments kept me glued to the pages. Fair warning: this is not a casual read, and you will find yourself continually saying just one more chapter until you reach the end! This series is going on my keeper shelf, and I'm already looking forward to the third novel!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from Zondervan and Litfuse Publicity as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Don't miss Terri Blackstock's latest release in the Moonlighters series, Distortion.

The book releases March 11th, and Terri will be kicking off the release with a fun Facebook Distortion party and giving away a Kindle Fire HDX. PLUS readers can pre-order the ebook for just $4.99 between now and 3/11 everywhere ebooks are sold.

One winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire HDX
• Distortion and Truth Stained Lies by Terri Blackstock

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 11th. Winner will be announced at the Distortion Facebook Party on March 11th. Connect with Terri for a "suspenseful" book launch party with prizes, a book chat, and more.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN on the event page. Tell your friends via 
FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.
Hope to see you on the 11th!

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Life's Interruptions

I have a great new book to tell you about but a death in my extended family has interrupted my blogging this week. I'll be back soon!

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The Dream Dress

The Dream Dress
Weddings by Design
Janice Thompson
(Revell)
ISBN: 978-0800721541
February 2014/336 pages/$13.99
Big dreams take big leaps of faith . . . but what if you trip on the way?

A lowly seamstress at a swanky bridal boutique, Gabi Delgado dreams of doing more than ripping out seams and fitting dresses to doe-eyed brides. She wants to see her own original dress designs gracing the young women of Texas. But when Jordan Singer, reporter for Texas Bride magazine, visits the shop to do a feature, Gabi is humbled in his influential--and unnervingly handsome--presence.

Convinced she'll never get her dreams off the ground now, Gabi needs lots of encouragement--especially from her friend Bella Neeley--to take a chance and start her business. And as she gets to know Jordan, she discovers that she may have to take a chance on love as well.

Read an excerpt.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and screenwriter. An expert at pulling the humor from the situations we get ourselves into, Thompson offers an inside look at the wedding business, drawing on her own experiences as a wedding planner. She is the author of the hugely popular Weddings by Bella series and the Backstage Pass series, as well as Picture Perfect, The Icing on the Cake, and The Dream Dress. She lives in Texas. Learn more at www.janiceathompson.com.

MY THOUGHTS

Janice Thompson writes such delightful books, and her Weddings by Design series is pure fun! The first two books, Picture Perfect and The Icing on the Cake (click the titles for my reviews) were just what their titles implied, and this third novel charmed me as well. Galveston, Texas is once again the setting for a story about a seamstress whose job is making other brides' dreams come true but who wonders if her own dreams will ever materialize. Thompson deftly combines authentic conflicts and struggles with humorous, laugh-out-loud moments, all of which draw the readers deeper into the story and endear Gabi to their hearts. With appearances by a few of the characters that made her earlier Weddings by Bella series so engaging, The Dream Dress is a fitting addition to a much-loved saga, and it's difficult to believe I won't actually encounter any of these folks the next time I'm on the Strand in Galveeston! Fortunately, we don't have to say good-bye just yet as a fourth book, A Bouquet of Love will be coming in August. Don't miss any of the books in this series!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from Revell as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Enter Today | 2/10 - 2/23!


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Sadie's Secret

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

KATHLEEN Y'BARBO

and the book:

SADIE'S SECRET

HARVEST HOUSE (FEB 1, 2014)

***Special thanks to GINGER CHEN of HARVEST HOUSE for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee of fifty novels with almost two million copies of her books in print in the US and abroad and nominations including a Career Achievement Award, Reader’s Choice Awards, Romantic Times Book of the Year, and several Romantic Times Top Picks. A proud military wife and tenth-generation Texan, she now cheers on her beloved Aggies from north of the Red River.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

From bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo comes Sadie’s Secret, the third book in The Secret Lives of Will Tucker series. These historical novels capture the romance of the South mingled with adventure and laced with secret identities and hidden agendas.

Louisiana, 1890—Sarah Louise “Sadie” Callum is a master of disguise, mostly due to her training as a Pinkerton agent but also from evading overprotective brothers as she grew up. When she takes on a new assignment with international connections, she has no idea her new cover will lead her on the adventure of a lifetime.

Undercover agent William Jefferson Tucker is not looking for marriage—pretend or otherwise—but his past is a secret, his twin brother has stolen his present, and his future is in the hands of the lovely Sadie Callum. Without her connections to the world of upper-crust New Orleans, Jefferson might never find a way to clear his name and solve the art forgery case that has eluded him for years.

Only God can help these two secret agents find a way to solve their case and uncover the truth about what is going on in their hearts.

MY THOUGHTS:

I loved the first book in this series, Flora's Wish (reviewed here but somehow missed the second one, Millie's Treasure. However, Sadie's Secret can be read as a standalone so it was no problem to jump right in and become engrossed in the story. Kathleen Y'Barbo has created quite a fun and clever tale, and it's a wonder she kept it all straight while writing it! Creating two brothers with the same first name provides for all sorts of mayhem, especially when they choose opposite sides of right and wrong to govern their lives. Sadie's job as a Pinkerton agent fascinated me and provided a fresh variation to the theme of a young woman breaking out of her family's and society's expectations. Adventure and suspense combine with romance and a bit of humor in this enjoyable and satisfying novel. Recommended for your spring reading list!

Product Details:
List Price: $13.99
Paperback:$13.99
Publisher: Harvest House
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736952152
ISBN-13: 978-0-7369-5215-6

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

May 10, 1889
Louisiana State Penitentiary
Angola, Louisiana
Detective William Jefferson Tucker of the Criminal Investigations Division, London Metropolitan Police, stepped across the threshold of the sewer pit known as the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola with one purpose in mind. To see his brother, also named William.
William John Tucker.
His twin. His polar opposite.
With his first order of business being an explanation of exactly what John had done this time, he turned toward Major Samuel James’s office. When in doubt, go to the top, that was his motto. And Major James was the top dog around here.
“Hold on there,” someone called. Jefferson turned to see a uniformed guard coming toward him, one hand on his holster and the other pointing in his direction.
“Just paying a visit to the warden,” he said with all the charm his mother had taught him. “Nothing to get upset about.”
“We’ll just see about that,” the guard said as he nodded toward the other end of the dimly lit hall. “Just come on back here and sign in, and then we will see if the warden’s interested in visiting today.”
Shaking his head, Jefferson tried not to show amusement at the man’s pompous behavior. While he had seen the other side of a jail cell on many occasions, it had always been in the position of arresting officer and not prison guard. To spend day after day in this place would cause anyone to own an ill temper.
When the papers were produced, Jefferson signed them. “Anything else you need?” he asked as politely as he could manage.
“Any kind of proof you are who you say you are would be appreciated,” he said in a tone that just barely toed the line between polite and sarcastic.
“Gladly.”
“And I will be needing your weapon.”
Routine procedure in prisons, and yet Jefferson hated it. Reluctantly, he removed his revolver and handed it to the guard.
“That all you got?” He gave Jefferson a sweeping look. “Nothing else you can hurt anybody with?”
“Just a folding knife.”
“Hand that over too.”
Jefferson offered up his knife and then reached for his identification, carefully selecting the papers that would not give away his current undercover role in London. Placing what he had on the rough slab of wood that served as a desk between them, he stood back and waited while the guard examined the documents.
“And what brings you here?” The guard took in an exaggerated breath and then pretended to cough. “Sure can’t be the fresh air and sunshine.”
Jefferson played along, pretending to find the gag amusing. “I am here to see my brother.”
“Your brother?” The guard clutched the papers as he looked up at Jefferson. “And just who would your brother be?”
“John Tucker.”
“John Tucker,” the guard echoed as he opened an oversized leather book that sent a cloud of dust into the already rancid air.
The odd idea that this process was beginning to feel very much like checking into a hotel occurred. Jefferson decided he would keep that thought to himself.
“Don’t see any John…”
“William John,” he amended, irritated not for the first time that his father had insisted on giving both his sons the same first name and then calling them by their middle name.
The guard’s grimy finger paused below a line of scribbling. “Tucker. Well, here we go. William J. Tucker.” He looked up at Jefferson, his face now unreadable. “Wait here.”
Without another word of explanation, he hurried off down the hall, Jefferson’s credentials still clutched in his hand. A door shut somewhere off in the distance and then opened again.
“Initial for your property here,” he said when he returned.
Jefferson noted the date and the items he had just surrendered and then placed his initials on the line beside them to indicate agreement.
“All right. Come with me, Mr. Tucker,” the guard said, not quite making eye contact.
Detective Tucker, he almost said. Instead, Jefferson kept silent. Better not to make enemies of anyone in this place. “Yes, of course.” He followed the guard past the warden’s office and around the corner, stopping at an unmarked door.
“Right in there,” the guard said as he used a key from his vest pocket to open the door.
The room was dark, but a lamp in the passageway sent a weak shaft of light across what appeared to be a table and a bench. “I would be much obliged if you would turn on a light in here,” Jefferson said, the last of his patience with the ridiculous situation disappearing fast.
“Just go on in and a light will come on.”
He was about to protest when the guard shoved him inside and turned the lock.
“Open this door!” Jefferson demanded. “This is not funny. I demand to see either my brother or the warden immediately.”
“You just wait right there, Tucker. You will see the warden for sure.”
Jefferson felt along the edge of the wall, his fingers sliding across a combination of dirt and slime held together by something so foul smelling he refused to contemplate its source. A moment later he found the bench and managed to sit.
Outside the door footsteps approached and then halted. He heard voices arguing, their words indistinguishable through the thick walls.
Finally, the door opened and a man whose attire told Jefferson he might be the warden stepped inside. The guard shadowed Major James, as did another underling of some sort.
“Look,” Jefferson said, “all I wanted was to see my brother. Is this how you treat all your visitors, Major?”
“The major isn’t here today, but I am the man in charge. You can call me Butler. Won’t need any name other than that. And as to your question, no. This is the way we treat those who belong inside a cell.”
“Inside a cell? What are you talking about?”
Butler thumped Jefferson’s credentials with his free hand. “These here papers say you are Jefferson Tucker. Is that correct?”
He gave the man a curt nod. “It is.”
“So what you’re saying is that you are indeed the man whose name you have given to the guard?”
“Yes,” he said, this time with far less respect.
“And that you have a brother currently incarcerated in our fine facility.” When Jefferson nodded, he continued. “And what is that inmate’s name?”
“His name is John Tucker,” Jefferson snapped as he sensed a shakedown of some sort in the offing. It was time to tell them who he really was. “William John Tucker. Look, I know how these things work, and I am not someone you can play around with. I have credentials that prove I am a detective with the London Metropolitan Police.”
The man’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not sure I would believe that. You certainly don’t sound like no foreigner, so I suggest you change your tune and own up to the truth.”
“Here’s the truth for you. Either let me see my brother or the warden, or you can give me the reason why.”
Butler chuckled. “Oh, we will do better than that.” He nodded to the two men, who approached Jefferson. Though he tried to resist, they slapped handcuffs on him. “We are going to put you in his cell.”
“What are you doing?” he demanded as the two men jerked him out into the passageway.
“Taking you to where you belong, Jefferson Tucker,” said the guard who was still in possession of his revolver and the folding knife.
“I do not belong in a cell!” Jefferson protested even as he was being dragged through the doors into a cellblock that smelled worse than it looked. And that was saying something.
Instantly a deafening noise began as prisoners shouted and banged whatever they could grab against the iron cell bars. The guard took out his pistol and fired one shot.
Silence quickly reigned.
Up ahead a door swung open. “Looky here, Tucker,” the other guard sneered. “Your room is ready. Welcome home.”
“Wait,” the man in charge said. “Let’s let these boys say their howdys first.”
A prisoner stepped out of the cell. He was dressed in clothing so dirty that Jefferson could not discern a color or what kept it from shredding into rags. Legs shackled, the prisoner shuffled toward them. And then Jefferson knew him.
“John? Is that you?”
His brother heaved himself against Jefferson. Though the smell caused Jefferson’s eyes to water, he stood his ground as John held him tight.
“What have you done, John?” he said to the man who, under different circumstances, would be nearly a mirror image of him.
“Just what I had to,” was John’s quiet reply. “I hope someday you will forgive me, Jeff, but I wasn’t built for a place like this.”
“Neither of us were. And rest assured Mother has no idea her boy’s in trouble. It would kill her if she knew.”
“She always did see the good in me,” John said.
“She still does.”
“Even though she never could see to give me Father’s gold pocket watch when I asked for it first.” John looked down at Jefferson’s vest. “I see you’re wearing it now.”
He glanced over at the man calling the shots. It took Butler only a moment to reach down and rip the watch from Jefferson’s pocket.
“Neither of you’ll get it now.”
“The major will hear about this,” Jefferson said, earning him a punch in the gut that took his breath away.
The warden’s underling fixed John with a glare that shut him up quick. “All right, Will Tucker,” he said to Jefferson. “Are you verifying that this man is your brother, John Tucker? And that he is your twin?”
“I am,” Jefferson said through the pain in his gut as he took in the sight of his always well-groomed brother with streaks of dirt on his face, his hair coated with grease and, from the look of this place, thick with lice.
“Well, I believe that is proof enough for me.” Butler tapped John on the shoulder. “You were right in saying you were not Will Tucker, John. On behalf of the state of Louisiana, I hereby declare you to be a free man.”
John grinned like a fool and then nudged the bully. “Does that mean I get the watch that is rightfully mine?”
“Don’t press your luck, son. Just get yourself out of here while I am still in a mood to let you. Major James might insist on a trial to settle the facts, and you know how long those things take.”
“I know when I’ve been bested, so you can keep the watch.” John shuffled off behind the guards without so much as a backward glance.
A moment later, the cell door clanged shut behind Detective Jefferson Tucker of the London Metropolitan Police, leaving him once again in the middle of a mess his brother had created.