Play It Cool — Gregory Payette

Writing about crime is a lot more fun than being caught up in it...After former crime journalist Joe Sheldon is forced to resign from one of the nation's leading newspapers, he finds solace in sipping his vodka cranberries, listening to vinyl records in his high-rise Miami apartment.But the bills are piling up, and Joe can't seem to catch a break.When old friend and bookie Dickie Caldwell tries to rope him into tracking down a gambler who owes him a lot of money, Joe knows his wallet could use the boost.But he's not quite sure it'll be worth the risk.Dickie has a young, flirtatious girlfriend. And when a ransom note is left in his door after she disappears, it becomes clear Dickie has to pay if he ever wants to see her again...The problem is, Joe's not so sure it makes much sense.Is it all some kind of a setup?He makes a promise to Dickie he'll find the girl and get some answers, and without hesitation dives headfirst into her alleged kidnapping. But trouble isn't far behind. It's about to get dangerous...Can an out-of-work wordsmith outsmart the bad guys? Joe has his doubts, and it soon becomes clear one wrong move means Joe will be forced to pay the ultimate price.