Slightly Murderous Intent

Slightly Murderous Intent

Can a lawyer, her computer geek boyfriend and her assistant solve a case faster than someone in law enforcement. There is a shooter loose whose aim is not so great and at aiming but has hit some targets but who is this person aiming for? Corrie Locke, Michael, Veera and two assistant DA’s are part of her A team who seem to have to ability to solve cases before the police even get a handle on what is going on. Detective Abby Rosewater has been assigned this case and Corrie has not intention of allowing her to get the collar. She is perceptive, astute and her method of investigation might be unorthodox and unique, but will she stop this shooter before a murder is committed?

Corrie witnesses a shooting in a restaurant owned by Big Sam and the events that follow make her determined to find the shooter. Senior Deputy District Attorney Bruce Beckman, DA investigator Ramsey and Assistant Deputy James Zachary are at dinner when things get nasty and Corrie is angry when her dinner is not served. But the server claims he brought them all out. Going up to find the manager little did she expect a shot to ring out and things got tense from then on. Going after the shooter hoping to catch this person Corrie’s two attempts failed but she was not likely to give up. Everyone was in panic mode, but Beckman was shot and the police on the way. Beckman was the target they think yet James might be another one too. Was this some type of vendetta against the police department ? Running the police investigation was Detective Abby Rosewater and Officer Fisher who seemed to have the pulse on what was happening even before his boss. The celebration was for James, but it turned almost deadly. The triggerman still had a job to do and Corrie and her team would waste no time in getting involved. The four of them Michael, James, Corrie and her assistant Veera would hit the streets and find an informant and hopefully solve the case before the police. Sam’s diner was the center of what happened and Sam wanted to hire them to find the shooter blaming it on his competition thinking he was the man who sent this person to shoot someone in his diner and ruin his business.

Finding witnesses that might have seen the shooter and what happened, Sam insists that Gordon Joshua, celebrity British chef was behind it all. Big Sam was determined to have Corrie solve the case and she needed to interview his entire staff on duty that night.

Different sightings bring various results and different takes on the get away cars used by the shooter various times. Detective Rosewater resents her interference and wants her to stay out of it, but Corrie is relentless and follows her own rules and breaking them and lying does not seem to phase her. Watching the tapes might help at least to get a description of the shooter and even a get away car if there was one. There was something else that was unique and that was a finger that appeared visible on the tape. Was it a real finger, pygmy finger or prosthetic? Thinking the shooter was named Nappy they checked his folder and realized that the gunman had papery skin on his cheeks and lines etched from the corners of his mouth to his nostrils. The author continues with an even more vivid description of this man. Was the intended victim Beckman? What was the motivation? Where would they be safe and is it safe for Beckman to be in the police department’s office and were they going after James too.? Trying again the followed James home and now he needed to be in some type of lockdown to protect him, but would he remain in one place? The Ford Focus was one vehicle that they learned might be involved. Then they saw a group of cops and police vehicles surrounded an old black sedan. Another attempt was made, and no one was hurt at least not yet. The shot rang out from across the street from where they were either from the church or office building next door to it. Beckman needed to get inside, and Corrie shot up and ran past the sedan hoping to catch this buy. Only one shot was fired. Sniper style.

Yet,  Sam thinks that Gordon was behind it all and demands that Corrie arrest him. But, when things get even more tense and a witness enlightens the team they learn the name of someone that might be involved in the shooting and then thinks take off from then on. Then someone is killed a drug dealer named Tulep that the police arrested but had to let go at one time and someone was out to silence him permanently but why? Things get tense and then Corrie learns the name of the female accomplice of the man behind the shooting and files are read and reread, lies are told, betrayals too and one investigator decides to hide from the team, rigs his kidnapping until he and several others are taken by the person who set this whole thing up. Tulep knew the guy that knocked him out, the same guy shot the side of his car a few days before as the author creates an ending filled with tension, danger, high octane suspense and places Corrie and her team in grave danger it they cannot stop what someone has started. Questioning Gordon brings to light that he is well stocked with guns and knows how to use them plus could enlighten the team as to what gun ranges this person might frequent. Just who was behind the entire enterprise and what happens when the four people this person blames are kidnapped? Why did this person kill Tulep and will Corrie and her team get there in time before they are put to death or better yet thrown into a shallow cave and buried forever?

The ending is shocking and the final face off places Corrie in a vulnerable position as she falls for a lie, does not realize that she is the target and has to hope that Michael and her team rescue her from a deadly shooter and killer. Betrayals, pasts, deceptions, revenge, hate, misuse of a position, drugs and one man that wants to take aim at the police will he succeed? Corrie and her team make a final decision at the end will create their own PI firm? Will they have the money to fund it? What will they do with their GOFUND Me money and will they continue to try and solve cases? Author Lida Sideris leaves us wondering what is next for our lawyer sleuth, computer geek and her assistant Veera plus the rest. Characters that are quirky, smart, astute and a sense  of humor injected within Corrie plus a touch of sarcasm as you wonder what her future brings will it include another SLIGHTLY MURDEROUS INTENT? “Fran Lewis Just reviews