Emotional Fire — A.J. Rich

San Diego. It brings to mind warm sunny days, miles of breathtaking sandy beaches and vibrant neighborhoods. Visitors experience a California laid-back vibe as they mix with friendly locals at attractions, museums and on the streets. Then it's off to enjoy fresh ocean air and a delicious fish taco from the famous Fish Market. But, hidden behind this idyllic veil is the sinister side of the city; a dark underbelly of shabby drinking holes, endless hustlers on sidewalks selling drugs side by side with others selling their bodies. The drugs, danger and violence engender a hopelessness that steals dreams and bright futures. The year is 1986 and the San Diego Police Department has its shining stars as well as its darker side of corrupt and deviant cops. It's a place where careers can be made, developed, and destroyed in seconds. Intelligent and sensual, Jessica Ann Stewart is a passionate Police Dispatcher in San Diego who is searching for what is missing in her life. Is it Rick, Jake or something else? She uses her authority and power in her job as well as in her personal life, especially with those close to her. Rick, her rock-solid cop husband, loves her and is deeply committed to her. David Marshall, the junior partner, is exceedingly loyal to both of them. But, he hides a secret that can destroy him and those he loves. Jake Ruskin, the hot shot cop who hates authority and is fervently obsessed with Jessica, is married -- not only to his wife but to his job. He loves his exhilarating work and lives his life to the fullest, without boundaries, often at the expense of others. His female partner, Cassy Triggs, exotic, voluptuous and uninhibited, is addicted to any kind of eroticism. She struggles against the male domination she faces on the job as well as in her exhilarating and daring personal life. Her Homicide Detective husband Sammy is a manipulative wife abuser with a personality disorder and public phobia. He is psychotic and has lost contact with reality -- but is still on the street. Downtown, Detective Brent Magana, saddled with a bumbling and obese partner Frank, sets out to solve the most difficult Internal Affairs cases shoved onto his desk. All of the cases are different and complicated but Brent faces every challenge head on. Each case gives him the feeling he can right the wrong. That is, until he comes up against Jess and her friends. Alone together on a dark night, Jake and Jess are stealing time and forbidden love. They played a sexually dangerous game that forces them towards a destiny that is unavoidable. Jake reached for his handcuffs clipped on his gun belt; there was a sharp snap as they broke free. Turning to Jess he reached for her. She gasped as she felt her heartbeat accelerate… Within a few short months, these complicated lives entwine and come crashing together, bound to each other by their demanding careers and personal challenges. Torn between love and lovers, desperate with fear for each other, they must make agonizing choices, before their worlds implode. Emotional Fire is a fictional novel about two women's foray into the law enforcement profession and the affect they have on the men who they come in contact with. It is a vivid tale of sex, obsession and deceit that leads to murder -- all underpinned by personal denial. In the end, what will they choose? The excitement of living on the edge? Or the reliance on enduring love? It is the first book in the Dark Shades of the Badge series.