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As she digs into Maria Acevedo’s rape case, she’s assigned a thirty year old murder case of her former friend, Susie Murphy, who happened to be Richard Stanberry III’s girlfriend at the time of her murder. If Detective Velasquez wants to solve both cases, she’s going to have to put her life on the line to uncover some dark secrets that some prefer to stay buried.
Otto and I walked into the Pueblo style building with a Xeriscape garden and a stone pebble walkway. The security guard ushered us to a room, with a Kiva fireplace in the corner and a Kermanshaw antique Navajo rug, where the victim, Maria Acevedo, drew back. She was wrapped in an Eyedazzler homespun blanket and desperate for a friend. In need of privacy, I motioned for the street cops to clear out as I read her personnel file.
Maria Acevedo was a new employee as she cringed with the eyes on her. So did the man justify his actions because she wore the wrong outfit? It said, “Yes,” in his perverted mind as her words said, “No.” In his eyes, she chose the wrong profession, so she had to be put in her proper place. She didn’t know that, “No,” meant nothing because she was a,”Nobody,” in his hate filled eyes. Women were born with a brain, so was her intelligence unimportant because she wore a skirt? She worked harder than most, to show everyone she belonged, but she would never have a man’s physical strength which did not give him the right to take from her what she never agreed to. All she asked was to be treated with the same respect as those who wore pants to the office. Was that too much to expect?
With a blank look on her face, so I introduced myself and said, “I’m Detective Michelle Velasquez, and this is Otto. What’s your name?”
“Maria Acevedo.” Her head down, her shoulders convulsed, and her face ashen as the parade of onlookers unnerved her, so Otto laid down next to her.
I knelt down and said, “Can you tell me what happened to you?”
She said, “A man raped me,” as she shook from side to side. After a moment, she pet Otto, my four year old German Shepherd, and she began to settle. Her attack had nothing to do with desire; it had everything to do with hate. #HerToo.
I'm a debut author who has long had an interest in crime thrillers and an interest in criminal psychology, specifically, sexual assault. I was stalked two times in my 20's and had to relocate both times as I barely escaped rape both times. I used those experiences in creating one of my fictional characters in the book.
I'm an avid outdoor enthusiast and a lover of animals. I own 5 dogs and have horses, too. They're my babies.
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/CRIMEBOOKGIRL1
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WEBSITE: http://www.juliereichwein.info
Buy the book at Amazon: http://amazon.com/dp/B07BC7CYMQ
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ReplyDeleteI liked the excerpt.
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