by Dane Cobain
“Do I get bonuses for kidnappings?”
“Don’t joke about that,” Leipfold said. “And keep carrying that pepper spray.”
“Why can’t I joke about it?” she asked, scowling like a little kid who’s been told to turn the TV off and go to bed. “I’m not going to let that creep ruin my life. Besides, he’s been arrested. He’s not a threat anymore.”
“He’s not the only creep on the streets, though,” Leipfold reminded her.
“So what? Let me help you take some of them down. Let’s get them off the streets before they hurt someone.”
“We can try,” Leipfold said. “But we’re not the police, and you need to remember that. We’re not working for the common good. We’re working to turn a profit.”
“They’re not mutually exclusive,” Maile said. “Minimum wage, huh?”
“To start with,” Leipfold replied. “If business goes well – and it looks like it will once I start invoicing – then we’ll start you on a salary.”
“It’s not about the money,” Maile said. “I can make plenty of that when I want to.”
“How?”
“I’m good with computers.” She flashed him a smile and then shrugged, casting her eyes across the contract. “Let’s just leave it at that. There’s money in it if you’re willing to play fast and loose with the law.”
“In that case, I don’t want to know,” Leipfold said. “So what do you reckon? Are you up for it?”
Maile beamed at him, took the pen that he offered and signed on the dotted line. She offered up a mock toast with her coffee cup.
“To the future!” she said.
THE END
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THANKS FOR JOINING James, Jack and Maile for the first instalment of the Leipfold series. Whether you loved the book or you hated it, I want to know what you think. Join the conversation by tweeting @DaneCobain or visiting me on Facebook, and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for more releases in the Leipfold series.
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Acknowledgements
IF YOU ENJOYED DRIVEN, it’s because of the tireless work of my editor and partner-in-crime Pam Elise Harris. Cheers, Pam. Thanks also to Larch Gallagher for the kickass cover design – and here’s to many more.
Thanks are also due to my friends and family, and to Donna Woodings, Carl Woodings, Heather and Dave Clarke, Alan and Olga Woodings and Rebecca Groves in particular.
Driven is inspired by the works of classic crime writers like Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but all of my books are inspired in part by the works of other authors. This one is dedicated to everyone who’s written a book that I’ve read, from R. L. Stine and Terry Deary to Terry Pratchett, Graham Greene, Charles Bukowski and Ernest Hemingway.
A big shout out is also due to the Indiegogo crew: Mark Allard-Will, Neil Denham, Donna Woodings, Alan Woodings, Heather Clarke, Rebecca Groves, Carl Woodings and Charlie Ferguson.
And, as always, a huge, heartfelt thanks is due to you, the reader. Writing a book takes a lot of hard work, but it’s all worth it when people take time out of their lives to read it. You guys rock.
MORE GREAT READS FROM DANE COBAIN
No Rest for the Wicked (Supernatural Thriller) When the Angels attack, there’s No Rest for the Wicked. Cobain’s debut novella, a supernatural thriller, follows the story of the elderly Father Montgomery as he tries to save the world, or at least, his parishioners, from mysterious, spectral assailants.
Former.ly: The Rise and Fall of a Social Network (Literary Fiction) When Dan Roberts starts his new job at Former.ly, he has no idea what he’s getting into. The site deals in death. Its users share their innermost thoughts, which are stored privately until they die. Then, their posts are shared with the world, often with unexpected consequences.
Come On Up to the House (Horror) This horror novella and screenplay tells the story of Darran Jersey, a troubled teenager who moves into a house that’s inhabited by the malevolent spirit of his predecessor. As tragedy after tragedy threatens to destroy the family, Darran’s mother decides to leave the house and start afresh. But is it too late?
Subject Verb Object (Anthology) Eighteen writers from both sides of the Atlantic come together in this genre-bending collection of new writing. Meet Luís da Silva and get (thickly) settled. Get drunk in Cornwall or lose yourself in the Warren. Find out why Pete’s remote control keeps disappearing, how Gary’s cat found heaven and what lurks behind Jay’s mirror.