In the middle of the congregation stood Luke. Around him, a sea of American flags waved and signs bearing ‘Onessa for Senate’ bobbed up and down. At the sight of Onessa, screams and shouts erupted all around Luke, but he never moved. He stood tall and silent, hands by his side. His eyes never left Henry Onessa.
The Senator took his place behind the podium for the victory speech and pointed at someone in the front with a big smile. Henry Onessa gripped the podium and smiled, waiting for the cheers and whistles to fade.
“Ladies and gentlemen. My fellow Americans. Friends. We did it!” Henry Onessa raised his hands high with a big smile. The crowd erupted again. Onessa scanned the throng with a satisfied smile, his gaze snagging on a single static figure in the frenzy. His smile faltered, and he dropped his hands when he saw Luke. The politician recovered quickly and continued waving.
Luke turned and pushed through the crowd. Tully was right. No one was innocent. But if she paid, they would all pay. Washington would burn.
Acknowledgements
This book was a ten-year self-discovery journey more than a hobby. Through every moment of that ten years - every meltdown, every doubt fueled pity party, every hour spent in isolation - my husband Jake stood by me, cheering me on with his calm and surprising insight. I don’t think I would be here without him, much less this book. Also, thanks for updating all my electronics.
A big thanks to my copy editor, Stephanie Phillips, for mitigating my chronic overuse of commas and utter disregard for consistent tenses. Without her keen eye, this work would be much far less polished.
Thank you to Tara, Kevin, and Stacia. Your support and feedback were a confidence builder. Authors are weenies when their work is being judged, so thank you for your willingness to critique and offer suggestions. And thanks for being so kind about it. Your input is priceless.
And most importantly, I’d like to acknowledge my Lord. When I thought I’d lost my way, You saw where the path - and the lessons - would circle back around. When I blamed You for the pain, You knew something beautiful would come from the scars. I just couldn’t see it.
About the Author
Rebekah Strong is a veteran police officer serving for (redacted) years. She resides in Northern Virginia with her husband Jake, and son. Her current main hustle as a Crime Scene Investigator finances her reading, writing, travel, and English bulldog habits. She is a deep south native of Georgia mixed with half Alabama hillbilly on her mother's side.
Armed with a law enforcement and forensic background, her goal is an unfiltered real-life spin on the traditional ‘strong’ female character, and to expose the challenges police officers face through the filter of fiction.
Luke Marshall will return.
Copyright information
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
The Last Innocent
Copyright © 2020 by Rebekah Strong. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form, without express written consent of the publisher, except for brief passages that may be cited for a review.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.
Printed in the United States of America.
First Printing, 2020
ISBN: 9798640664386 (print version)
The Last Innocent Page 30