Wading Into War: A Benjamin Wade Mystery by Scott Dennis Parker Page B

didn’t
particularly like. “You only get the right to choose the slip of paper. Left
hand or right hand.”
    Again, Gordon thought, is this kindergarten? He wanted the story of the
dead artist. Marie Gardner, his mother, taught art in school and was part of
the committee that helped found and open Houston’s Museum of Fine Art. Gordon
knew he could make William Silber’s obit shine.
    Being right handed, Gordon’s natural tendency was to pick right. But he
had been under Levitz’s black cloud for a few weeks. Sure, Gordon had
successfully bartered his silence for the new desk and promotion, something
Levitz had agreed to under pressure. But the editor didn’t like his hand being
forced and had rewarded Gordon with lesser stories. The last high-profile story
Gordon got still only landed on page two. To date, the only page-one story
Gordon had was the fake story he had written.
    “Left,” Gordon said.
    “Good choice,” Levitz said. “You get the crazy man.”
    Gordon’s pained sigh brought chuckles from the guys around him.
    “Johnny, you get Silber,” Levitz said. “Alright, boys, let’s make some
ink.”
    As the throng started to disperse, Gordon moved against the stream toward
Levitz. “Wait, boss,” Gordon said, “I’m better for the artist profile. I know
more than Johnny does.”
    Johnny, who remained in place as the reporters and photographers moved
past him, just watched.
    “Don’t care,” Levitz said, turning to Barbara and motioning her to follow
him. He threw the two pieces of paper in the trash can and sequestered himself
in his office.
    She gave Gordon a sympathetic look. “Sorry, sweetie.” She straightened
her skirt and joined Levitz, closing his door.
    Gordon shook his head, catching a glimpse of Johnny’s grin. Now his was
the marque bright one. He turned and sauntered away.
    Looking down, Gordon caught a glimpse of the pieces of paper Levitz had
just thrown away. Frowning, he fished them both out of the trash. He looked at
each of them.
    Both pieces of paper were blank.
     
    Now available at Amazon .

Coming Soon: Lillian Saxton #1
     
    You met her in Wading Into War when she
hired Benjamin Wade to find a missing reporter with knowledge of her brother’s
whereabouts in war-torn Europe. Now, Sergeant Lillian Saxton, U.S. Army, stars
in her own mission.
     
    Out of the blue, an old friend reaches out to
her via secret channels. He says he has information vital to the war effort.
He’ll only give the information to her. In person. Her assignment: meet her old
friend and determine what he has that’s so important, and whether or not he’s a
traitor to America.
     
    Here is a special preview.
     
    Chapter
1
     
    Tuesday , 23 April 1940
     
    “Sergeant Saxton, what do you think of when you
hear the word ‘treason’?”
    Lillian Saxton stood at attention and frowned.
She wore her assigned brown uniform, belted at the waist, tie neatly knotted,
with a skirt that hung just at the knees. Since she was inside Houston’s Rice
Hotel, her garrison cap was folded over the belt. Her red hair was pulled up
behind her ears.
    “I’m sorry, sir, I don’t I understand what you
mean.” Her voice was curious but deferential.
    “Treason, Sergeant. It’s a simple concept. What
does it mean to you?”
    The man who snapped at her she didn’t know, but
his brown uniform displayed the rank of colonel. He stood to the side of a
table in one of the upper suites of the famous Rice Hotel. The man who sat at
the table, littered with stacks of paper and a typewriter, she knew. He was
Captain Ernest Donnelly, her commanding officer. She looked at him for clarification.
    “I’m the one speaking to you, Sergeant,” the
colonel spat. “If there’s ever a situation where you think you need to look
elsewhere for help, then we’ve got a bigger problem than I imagined.”
    Donnelly, dressed in his brown uniform but with
the tie loosened around his collar, leaned back in his chair. “Honeywell, why
don’t