Two blonde women in little black dresses emerged from the hallway leading to the restrooms.
“Did you see that guy?” one of the blondes purred. “Not so hot on the face, but the rest of him was yummy. I’d like to ride that mountain of man-meat.”
Shay’s face twitched and five different ways of killing the women popped into her head as they passed her.
Huh. So this is what jealousy feels like.
By the time James returned to the table Shay had made it up to a sixty-fourth way of taking out the blondes, each more painful than the last.
“Something wrong?” the bounty hunter asked. “You have a funny look on your face.”
Shay shook her head and forced a smile. “Just thinking happy thoughts, Brownstone.”
Epilogue
“Bring it to me,” Grandfather thundered. “I need to see it for myself.”
The junior Harriken kneeling in front of him jumped to his feet and scurried off.
The global head of the Harriken sat in his chair reflecting upon the failures in America; failures brought about because of one man’s vendetta.
Their operations in America had been crippled, and he would have to appoint a new leader to control the area. He wasn’t sure their operations would ever recover after the losses they had taken.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “And all over a fucking dog.”
The other man rushed back in carrying a hinged box. He stepped toward Grandfather cautiously and offered him the box with both hands.
Grandfather accepted the box and opened it; inside was a severed left hand packed in dry ice.
“Ikeda, you manage to disappoint me even in death.”
FINIS
Author Notes - Michael Anderle
Written April 30, 2018
James rubbed his jaw as he looked down at the guy wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans. “You want me to say something for your Author Notes?”
“Right!” Michael responded. “I think that since these stories are about you, Shay, and Alison, it would be nice if you said a few things. You know, ‘meet the fans?’”
The Author started sweating; he could feel it on the back of his neck. Writing about James’ exploits and actually looking up at the man were two completely different experiences.
“I’m not sure. That doesn’t sound simple,” James told him doubtfully. “Don’t get me wrong; I appreciate you telling the stories, although having the people come up and offer their barbeque recipes to me from the back of the books was a little weird. However, a couple of those recipes were damned good.”
“It won’t be a problem. Look here.” The Author pulled out his iPhone, put it up to his face so it became active, and started looking for the app. He glanced up a moment later and caught a look of distaste on Brownstone’s face. “Oh, technology…right. Not your favorite thing.”
“It breaks,” he grumped.
“Yeah, but it’s cool, too. See, I’m going to turn on the recorder using an app. I don’t have to carry around a…a…” The Author noticed James’ expression. “Right, you don’t like technology, but you aren’t ignorant about it.”
James eyed him. “Well, that’s true as well, but I was more annoyed that you would even try to pitch me on the use of technology. Which part of ‘I’m not fond of it’ don’t you understand?”
“Frankly, all of it,” Mike responded, sliding the phone into his t-shirt pocket. “It makes my life so much easier.”
“Until the battery dies?” James asked.
“Well, yeah, but that’s why I have chargers by my bed, at my desk…” Michael had started lifting fingers and raised the third one. “And in the car, and I carry a ten-thousand milliampere battery plus a charging case I bought at the uhh…A…uh… fuck. The convention for audio and video.” Michael grimaced. “That fucker cost me $85.00 and probably isn’t worth $15. I was scammed.”
James raised an eyebrow. “So you paid $85.00 for a special case to hold your phone so it didn’t die?”
Michael shrugged. “Well, yeah. They use power. You can’t carry the capabilities of a super-computer in your pocket and not expect to pay a cost in energy.” Michael scoffed.
James looked at him. “How about I don’t pay at all?”
Now Brownstone was just being aggravating. “Fine, ok. Simple life, happy life,” Michael grumbled. “So, what’s your favorite color?”
“Why would I have a favorite color?” he asked, clearly confused. “I could answer black, for shirts and my truck. Maybe a deep red for hiding blood. The white that is coming out in Alison’s hair. Maybe that color on…” James stopped himself.
“Maybe what?” Michael asked.
“Doesn’t matter, and hell no.” He shook his head, “Not allowing anything like what I was thinking in the back of the book. There’s enough of it coming out already.”
Michael blew out a breath. It was a lot easier getting the demon Pandora to do his Author Notes for donuts than getting Brownstone to talk.
“What are your thoughts about the various woods used for smoking?” Michael asked.
James shrugged. “Depends on what type of meat you’re working with. However, just about any properly-seasoned wood will beat any green wood you have if you don’t know how to use it. The effort to burn through the moisture can provide some problems with too much smoke and heat. You will see the professionals with their large pits that can handle the heat use it with no problem. However, for most I don’t suggest it. Now, for general efforts newbies can probably use oak as a good base. It will give you a medium-to-strong flavor that is seldom if ever overpowering. If you want to add some sweet flavor, perhaps apple or pecan. Now, if you are going to smoke a heavier meat like a beef or a pork, you will want to go with a hardwood. If you are going to do a lighter meat, like chicken or fish, you want a lighter hardwood. Don’t ever…”
He looked Michael in the eyes to make sure he was paying attention.
“And I mean ever, use a resinous wood like pine or cedar. You will kill the food, and you run a good chance of ruining your smoker.”
“Ok.” Michael reached up to his pocket to pull out his phone and hit the stop button. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
James eyed Michael. “You recorded all of that?”
Michael nodded, confirming that he’d hit the right buttons and now had the recording saved. “Yup, just have to transcribe it and add it to the end of the book. I’ll tell the fans that we appreciate their support and their reviews, and certainly telling their friends about you guys. From there they can check out the Facebook group for our company and like it.”
“They do all that?”
“Well, certainly. Some do, some don’t. It’s ok either way.”
“Huh.” He looked down at The Author, making him squirm just a bit. “So, let me tell you the right way to season wood…”
Michael looked around, hoping something would happen to save him.
—
I’d like to thank James for allowing me to interview him for these Author’s Notes. I have no idea if I’ll EVER do that again.
If you enjoyed it, hit us up in the reviews or over on Facebook or wherever and let us know. I’m sure I can get James to talk barbeque anytime, anywhere.
Ad Aeternitatem,
Michael Anderle
Other Revelation of Oriceran Universe Books
The Unbelievable Mr. Brownstone
* Michael Anderle *
Feared by Hell (1) - Rejected by Heaven (2) - Eye For An Eye (3) - Bring the Pain (4) - She is the Widow Maker (5) - When Angels Cry (6) - Fire with Fire (7) - Hail To The King (8) - Alison Brownstone (9) - One Bad Decision (10) - Fatal Mistake (11)
I Fear No Evil
* Martha Carr and Michael Anderle *
Kill the Willing (1) - Bury the Past, But Shoot it First (2) - Reload Faster (3) - Dead In Plain sight (4) - Tomb Raiding PHD (5) - Tomb Raider Emeritus (6)
School of Necessary Magic
* Judith Berens *
Dark Is Her Nature (1) Bright Is Her Sight (2) - Wary Is Her Love (3) - Strong Is Her Hope (4)
Rewriting Justice
* Martha Carr and Michael Anderle *
Justice Served Cold (1) - Vengeance Served Hot (2) - Bounty Hunter Inc (03)
The Leira Chronicles
* Martha Carr and Michael Anderle *
Waking Magic (1) - Release of Magic (2) - Protection of Magic (3) - Rule of Magic (4) - Dealing in Magic (5) - Theft of Magic (6) - Enemies of Magic (7) - Guardians of Magic (8)
The Soul Stone Mage Series
* Sarah Noffke and Martha Carr *
House of Enchanted (1) - The Dark Forest (2) - Mountain of Truth (3) - Land of Terran (4) - New Egypt (5) - Lancothy (6) - Virgo (7)
The Kacy Chronicles
* A.L. Knorr and Martha Carr *
Descendant (1) - Ascendant (2) - Combatant (3) - Transcendent (4)
The Midwest Magic Chronicles
* Flint Maxwell and Martha Carr*
The Midwest Witch (1) - The Midwest Wanderer (2) - The Midwest Whisperer (3) - The Midwest War (4)
The Fairhaven Chronicles
* with S.M. Boyce *
Glow (1) - Shimmer (2) - Ember (3) - Nightfall (4)
Brownstone on Audio
Have you heard the audiobooks for this series? Book one, Feared by Hell is available now.
Order Now at Audible or Amazon
Books by Michael Anderle
For a complete list of books by Michael Anderle, please visit
www.lmbpn.com/ma-books/
All LMBPN Audiobooks are Available at Audible.com and iTunes. For a complete list of audiobooks visit:
www.lmbpn.com/audible
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The Unbelievable Mr. Brownstone Boxed Set One (Books 1-3): Feared By Hell, Rejected By Heaven, Eye For An Eye (The Unbelievable Mr. Brownstone Boxed Sets) Page 60