Wednesday 28 October 2015

Wip It Up Wednesday - Back to an Old Favorite - Her Keeper 2 - In HIs Custody Episode 3 #wipitup




 Hi Guys,

Well finally back on wipitup.  My main WIP is the second in my Hope Junction series, Wes and Janey's story, but I've had a number of readers ask about my Her Keeper e-serial, lately. It made me realize that I've neglected it shamefully, especially considering how popular it is.  So I decided to leave Hope Junction for a visit to Lake Andrews and write Episode 3 of In His Custody (Her Keeper 2).  My latest email from a reader reminded me that I did leave it with a bit of a cliffhanger. "The last book I read she was given over to his custody and we learn her life is in danger. That was where it ended."  OOPs.  Now that really is not playing fair considering it was almost a year ago.  So new resolve.  I will write an episode of Her Keeper along with writing my novels.  I promise to keep them coming. Here's an extract from the end of the last episode, followed by a short extract from my WIP of the next episode. It is written in alternating first person present tense. The end of the last episode is from Ricks POV and the WIP is from Sara's POV



  
Next my cell lights up with Luke’s tone.  “Hey, buddy.   You okay?”
“What’d you think?”
“She’ll get over it.”
“The hell she will, but she’ll learn to put up with it.  Hopefully, once she knows why, she’ll reconsider castrating me.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Worse.”
“We didn’t have a choice, Rick”
I nod, travelling back to only a couple of hours ago as I took in the sight of Luke and Aaron’s faces as they sat me down in chambers.

Luke pulls out his laptop.  He nods and motions me to come over to look at what he’s brought up on to the screen. 
"These are all Sara's cases she worked on the year she took over her grandfather's practice.  See a pattern?"
"Other than at least half are pro bono and the rest will be legal aid?"  I offer this connection with a puzzled look.   "That’s no big deal, Luke.  Harmon didn't care about money and he managed well enough, living frugally, to take care of his family.  When he died a lot of people lost out on affordable counsel.  I know that’s why he left Sara his practice, along with enough of an inheritance to keep her in reasonable comfort if she’s careful.  Her taking up where Harmon left off meant a lot to the people of this town.  I've told her that already.  She left a void when she took the prosecutor's job."
"Yeah, so why did she?  Did she apply?"
I shake my head wondering where this is headed.  "No.  They approached her.  I tried to talk her out of it, but it made her even more determined to take it."
Luke sighs.  "Yeah, she sure likes to do the opposite of what you tell her.  Knee jerk reaction every time."
I scowl at him before demanding.  "Just cut to the chase, Luke.  What’ve you figured out?  You’re on to something.  Right?"
"Right."  He presses a key and the screen methodically changes to reveal a pattern that makes me give a long, low whistle.  “Is this solid or just a theory?"  I shift in my seat and look at him, worriedly. 
"Nothing solid, yet, but enough to make me worry and you should be worried too.  Very worried.  You need to keep Sara close to you and protected until I figure this out for sure.”
“How long will it take you?”
Luke shrugs.  “Hard to tell.  Days, weeks, maybe months.  Sooner than later, I hope, but I can’t guarantee anything.  Meanwhile you need to be able to keep a close eye on Sara.  Especially around her practice.  Do you think she’ll cooperate?”
This is when Aaron chimes in. 
“In a pig’s eye.  You know she won’t, Rick.  Luke and I’ve talked this over and we reckon you should just make good on the sentence you set down in the first place.  I’m going to court order her into your custody.  It’s the best way.  Given her bull headed nature, I'd say don’t give her a choice."
"In to my custody.  Are you nuts?  Aaron you can't arrange the law to do that, even if it is in Sara's best interests."
“Sure, I can.  There’s precedent.  This bylaw her friend Lisa has unearthed was designed to deal with wayward women back in colonial times.  Hell, under it, I could order her to marry you. It’s still on the statute.”

Thank fuck I persuaded him out of that.  So here I am with my Sara love stomping about my house.  Back to hating me.  I can hardly blame her for feeling betrayed, but I can’t tell her what’s at stake.  I can’t tell her that I need to keep her close, not just so I can keep her under my control, but so I can keep her alive.



***
WIP Extract!
    Straightening, I stare him down, accusing him. “You’re complicit in this, aren’t you? You didn’t fight it. You betrayed our agreement. You’ve got what you wanted without my consent.” The last sentences are statements. I’ve no doubt of his guilt.
    He doesn’t even bother to contradict my assessment of Judge Matthews’ court order relegating me to his custody for the next twelve months. Of course not.  Why should he?  It’s exactly the sentence he pronounced in Ginny’s diner, yesterday. It’s a total betrayal because I’ve done precisely as he demanded and yet he’s still robbed me of my freedom.
  He just looks at me with his resolute mocha stare and opens the courthouse door, making it clear he expects me to go through it. Tilting his head, he motions me into action with a curt order. “The car’s out front. Get in.” 
    I hide my own betraying emotions at his consideration in bringing the car round.  Through the open door, the heavens start to pelt it down, consolidating my mood. Before I can make a dash for the car, he stops me, slips out of his jacket and covers me with it. Then he lets me go with a nod. I struggle not to draw its soft, worn leather and its now familiar comfort around me. No way am I letting my guard down and softening enough to trust him again.
   We reach his house after a heavy, silent ride in the Mustang. My misery deepens when I think of how I’d felt all kinds of excitement about finally being able to enact all my girly fantasies about Rick and me in that car.
   Zero chance of that, now.
   I run from the rain onto the covered deck porch. He unlocks the back door and I hand him his jacket right after. The action reminds me of handing it back to him on my own wraparound porch this time last week. I can hardly believe the shift in our lives since then.  In just under seven days, we’ve declared and consummated our love. I even trusted him enough to surrender to his rough and tender possession and submit willingly to his discipline and domination. Our session in the interrogation room was so sexy and thrilling.  It felt so profound what we shared at the end. I felt so close to him. I was sure he felt it too. Yet, less than an hour later, he let Judge Matthews’ custodial sentence destroy everything.
   I walk down the hall and push open the door to the second bedroom. Crossing my arms over my body, I turn and square up to him. "I’m not sharing a room with you.”

                                                                   

Don't forget all the other great WIP's


3 comments:

  1. I want to know what pattern the found to that brought this on. Great snippet. :)

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  2. These two seem to have a love hate relationship at the moment. I can see sparks flying already!
    Great excerpts, Helen. ☺

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    Replies
    1. Oh yeah, Melody. They always have love hate relationship from the day they met.

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