Mistaken Trust — Shirley Spain

Introducing Jewels, a sexy investigative reporter with the uncanny knack for attracting deadly trouble in the first novel of the exciting dark and chilling “Jewels Trust M.U.R.D.E.R.” series. Deception. Torture. Murder. At a remote cabin in the Uinta Mountains of Utah, a handsome and intelligent man kidnaps and kills women to practice the gruesome “cleansing” procedure he plans for Sweet Cheeks -- Jewels -- the woman of his dreams. Within a radical domestic terrorist organization called Jefferson's Warriors, he's known as the mysterious “Commander” and concocts an elaborate plan to use the Warriors to possess Sweet Cheeks.Jewels, an award-winning investigative reporter, is hurled into a web of deception when she receives a desperate call from an old high school friend with urgent information; life and death information that can only be safely shared in person. Jewels breaks every speed limit to arrive at their designated meeting place, but finds her friend has been stabbed and is dying by the time she arrives. Before succumbing to death, Jewels' friend hands her a crudely drawn map to an unknown destination and makes her promise not to give the map to the cops. With her dying breath she warns Jewels not to “trust the old times.” Tempted to tell the FBI Special Agent who's been hounding her for a date since her husband died in a freak accident at the Press, Jewels instead heeds her friend's advice. Tells no one about the map or the warning, yet takes precautions in case she ends up dead because of the map.Before Jewels can figure out the meaning of her friend's warning to not “trust the old times” or decipher the map, she's kidnapped and held prisoner in a secret mountain compound. Jewels must escape before the mysterious Commander takes possession of her and performs the hideous cleansing ritual. Her best bet for survival is to form an alliance with someone in the organization. But whom shall she trust? The rough-handed he-man designated to keep her imprisoned? The militia's kind-eyed doctor? Or wait to be rescued by her friend in the FBI?Will Jewels make the right choice in time to be spared the savage mutilation the Commander has planned for her? Or will mistaken trust lead to her torturous demise?