Running Away From Loneliness — Mary M. Cushnie-Mansour

Jack, a retired police officer, decides he and Toby, his oversized orange tabby, need a holiday after their last big case so Jack rents a lake cottage in the Kingston area.Violet is lonely and tired of being everyone's go-to. having wanted to write a novel for years, she decides the only way she will be able to is to run away. She also rents a lake cottage not far from Kingston.Syd has escaped from the Kingston Penitentiary and is looking for a place to hide out. Thinking the cottage he comes across might be empty, he enters, only to be confronted by Violet. He knows there is an overzealous, crooked prison guard after him, who will do everything in his power to ensure Syd isn't delivered alive back to the prison. Can this woman, who is interested in his horrific story, possibly help save his life?Toby doesn't want to go fishing with Jack, instead, he takes a walk along the shoreline and comes upon Violet's cabin. His detective senses tell him something is wrong. Toby realizes right away Violet is in trouble, but how does Detective Toby get word to Jack to save his new friend?Running Away From Loneliness takes you on exciting twists and turns as our favourite cat detective, Toby, gets down to the business of saving Violet!An Excerpt...Chapter OneSome things in life are worse than loneliness. Everyone around you thinking that all is good in your life--that you are a rock they can come to, to pour out their troubles to, that you will fix everything with a smile and an assurance all will be well in their lives and in the world-that is worse than loneliness.Such a person was Violet Saunders, but she had finally come to a breaking point. She was tired of being there for everyone else. She was tired of trying to fix everything for the people around her. She was tired of not having the moments to herself she longed for, for so many years--for too many years. She was just plain tired of her lonely life...Chapter ThreeA week after Violet made the decision to do something about her life, she was driving along a country road toward a cabin she'd rented just outside Kingston, Ontario. Her mind wandered over the events of the past few days, to the working out of her plan. Violet felt guilty for leaving the way she had, but hopefully, in the long run, she would be able to repair any damage she might have inflicted on her relationship with her husband. She'd left Frank a letter explaining why. She had faith he would understand and give her the time she needed. She hoped, anyway.The song on the radio finished and the newscast started with the breaking story of an escaped killer from the Kingston penitentiary. Chapter TwoJack Nelson, a retired cop who lived with his oversized orange tabby, Toby, was tired. He needed a break from the everyday routine. The Camden Gale case had drained him mentally, especially when Toby was recovering from the injuries he'd sustained saving the final victim of Camden's scourge, Jack's friend, Andrew...But Toby was wholly recovered now ... Jack decided he and Toby should take a short, but well-earned, vacation. He knew of a quiet little lake up in the Kingston, Ontario area, and had a friend who owned several cottages there. The cottages were spread far apart so Jack could be assured of peace and quiet...Jack continued on with his plans. I'm not taking a radio or television or computer with us, old man; I've no desire to know what is going on in the world. Just two old boys having a few days relaxing on the beach...maybe doing a bit of fishing...Hmmm...fish... Make my day, Jack! As long as you're the one in the boat doing the fishing. Toby rubbed around Jack's legs. For now, I'll settle on some kibble. He looked at his dish and gave a hungry meow...Early the next morning, Jack and Toby left for their quiet vacation on a remote lake in the Kingston area...