Skip-Trace

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-26T04:19:00.000-08:00

I stared at him before answering. “I don’t know. Not really.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, not right now.”
“How’s work?” He asked after a few minutes of silence and a
couple of beers.
“Getting better, hopefully.” I told him about the debtor who
knew my real name and how I almost got fired. And then there was
the retard at the grocery store that shorted me a twenty.
Jim pretended that he had money problems too but we both
knew that wasn’t the case, sympathy perhaps. His business was doing
well, he wouldn’t share the exact numbers but he wasn’t making
a million dollars yet either.
“How’s Diane?” I asked.
He seemed worried. “I don’t know, we got into it the other
day.”
“What was that about?”
He laughed. “She said that I’m not sensitive to her needs.” I
shook my head. “Yeah, she’s been talking to friends or something.”
“So is everything okay now?”
“For now.”
“I’m almost glad that I don’t have to deal with that.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-25T07:27:00.000-08:00

“Yeah?”
“You okay?”
“No.”
“What’s up?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
Jim laughed. “Fine, I was going to see if you wanted to drink a
couple of beers but if you’d prefer to be antisocial.”
I didn’t feel like having company but I didn’t want to talk on
the phone either. “I can’t afford it.”
“I’ll buy.”
I took a drag from my cigarette and let the smoke out through
my nostrils. “All right,” I said and put the phone down. What was I
thinking? I just wanted to spend a relaxing evening with no human
contact. “Fuck, I don’t want to talk to anybody. Just leave me
alone.” I took the last drag from my cigarette, strangely I didn’t
feel as if I’d enjoyed it.
Several minutes later, there was a knock at the door. I opened
my eyes and got up from the recliner. Jim was standing there, holding
an eighteen pack of Budweiser. “Hey Sammie. How’s it goin?
Are you doing any better?”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-24T09:47:00.000-08:00

At the grocery store. I bought a money order and stood in the
express line to purchase the items in my basket. The line stretched
into the aisle and the old lady at the front of the line seemed to be
haggling over the price of milk. I shared my opinion with the two
customers in front of me but they didn’t seem to appreciate it. Ten
minutes passed and it was finally my turn. I paid with a hundred
but just like driving in Utah, you have to look at the motorist’s
eyes to tell what they’re going to do. I wasn’t paying attention and
when I got home I noticed that the checker had shorted me a
twenty-dollar bill. I punched a hole in the wall.
Violently putting away the groceries, I became even more upset
that the refrigerator and freezer doors wouldn’t close on their
own. The cut across my knuckles opened even wider.
While trying to calm down and relax, the phone rang. I was in
no mood to talk to anyone but it kept ringing anyway. “What the
fuck do you want?” I said to myself.
After five rings, I decided to pick up. The voice on the other
end sounded familiar. “Sammie?” It was Jim.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-23T04:33:00.000-08:00

I could see that I wasn’t getting through to this girl. “No, he
just wanted to talk about his account. Bill collectors use aliases so
that people may not know where they live. I haven’t used my real
name in collections since.” Her phone rang and she picked it up,
the blank stare disappeared from her face and the smile returned.
That stupid fucking bitch, I bet she’d forget her own name if it
weren’t written in magic-marker in her panties. First impressions
are most always the right ones. When you don’t like someone, you
assume the worst about them. She turned away and continued with
her personal call.
The rest of my work day was even more challenging. People on
the phone were being downright mean, one guy yelled and swore
at me, and another refused to talk to me even after dialing his
number a second time.
Five o’clock, the whistle blew, the horn sounded and I was out
of the there. Somehow I’d survived another day, but the day wasn’t
over yet.
Why people have to be so ignorant is beyond me. I just wanted
to put a few dollars of gasoline in my tank but the attendant
wouldn’t reset the goddamned pump. I could smell the Great Salt
16
Lake and that usually meant a storm was coming. No problem, she
was warm inside the gas station when the sweeping rain came
down in sheets.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-22T06:45:00.000-08:00

“Do you remember talking to a Christopher Johnson?” I said.
“Not that I know of.” She had a stupid look on her face.
“Why?”
I smiled, trying to keep my composure. “He called in and asked
for me by my real name.”
“So?”
I wanted to grab her by the throat. “When I’m at work, I go by
the name of Sam Black.”
“I thought your name was Sam Phillips?”
A stupid look appeared on my face too. “It is, that’s my real
name but I go by the name of Sam Black, here at work.”
“Well that’s confusing. Why don’t you just use your real
name?”
“I used to go by my real name and a debtor looked me up in the
phone book and showed up at my door step.”
She seemed slightly concerned. “Wow. Did anything bad happen?”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-21T04:29:00.000-08:00

I didn’t think that I was being that loud but my coworker, Mark
Taylor came over to my desk. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, these goddamned retards.”
“They’re not very smart are they?”
“Not even close.”
“Don’t let them get to you,” he said with a look of concern.
“That’s easier said than done.”
He went back to his desk and I just sat there, I wanted to move
on to the next account but kept staring at the last one. I pressed enter,
picked up the phone and put it back down. It was eleven fortyfive
and I was hungry.
Standing at the front desk, I waited for Tiffany, the receptionist
to get off the phone. It sounded like she was talking to her boyfriend,
love and kisses and all that. She looked up.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-20T16:52:00.000-08:00

“Are you listening to me?” Christopher raised his voice again.
“Yes I am, but I don’t think that you’re listening to me. This
balance needs to be paid. What do you want to do?”
“I want to continue making payments.”
I let out a breath. “We both know that’s not an option, you
need to pay this bill or we will sue you.”
“Okay Mr. Phillips, I’m going to call the hospital and have
them take you off this case.”
“You’re not listening to me…”
“Yes I am…”
“Then I don’t think that you fully understand. Do you want me
to go over this again?”
“No, that’s okay Sam Phillips, you’re a fuckin idiot.” I wanted
to get another word in but Christopher hung up.
I finally looked at the client notes and sure enough, the debtor
had been making payments, in fact the client wanted the debtor to
continue making payments to them. It’s easiest to collect or at least
recommended to ask for the balance in full. One large payment is
better than a dozen small ones.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-19T04:33:00.000-08:00

“Whatever! What do you want?”
“Well first of all, my name is Sam Black…”
“You mean Sam Phillips, I know that you bill collectors don’t
use your real names, I know that your real name is Sam Phillips,
the receptionist told me.”
My fist came down hard on my desk. I couldn’t believe that
someone gave out my real name. I pretended that it wasn’t a big
deal. “We have an account for General Community Hospital for
seven-thirty-two, ninety-four, that needs to be paid now.”
He laughed. “I can’t pay that right now. What do you think, I
have a money tree?”
“I don’t know but I do know that you need to pay this now.”
“Maybe you should contact your client, I’m making payments
to them.”
“No you’re not. If you were making payments we wouldn’t be
talking now.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-18T13:46:00.000-08:00

“Yes, can I speak to Sam?”
“This is Sam.”
“Is this Sam Phillips?”
I was surprised that someone was asking for me by my real
name, the man’s voice didn’t sound familiar. “No, this is Sam
Black.”
“I need to speak to Sam Phillips.”
Maybe Jim was playing a joke. “Can I ask who’s calling?”
“This is Christopher Johnson.” The man laughed. “Is this Mr.
Phillips?”
“No, this is Mr. Black. What is this concerning?”
“You called my Mom’s house looking for me.”
I typed the debtor’s name into the computer and found the correct
account. “Did I call four-five-two, seven-six-three-two?”
“Yeah, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call and harass my Mom.”
I hate when people use the word harass. “I didn’t harass your
Mom.” I looked at the collection notes. “In fact she was very rude
to me.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

I put the phone down and started typing but Mr. Peterson
stopped me. “Do a lot of people return your calls?”
“Not a lot of people.”
He smiled and put his index finger in the air as if to say, ‘Aha.’
But that’s not what he said. “You need to create some urgency.”
I raised my eyebrows and waited for him to continue.
“You might want to add that it’s important or even urgent that the
debtor return your call.”
“I can see that,” I said. “I’ll try it.”
“Other than that, I think that you’re already starting to sound
better.”
“Thanks,” I said with a big grin.
“We’ll do this again tomorrow.”
With the boss out of the room, I worked through three more
accounts then answered my ringing phone.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-16T04:35:00.000-08:00

Mr. Peterson sat behind me for a little more than an hour, he
wasn’t able to help me again until we made our last call.
“Hello?” The lady answered.
“Is Jason Hunt there?”
“No he’s not.”
I imagined the role-play. “Is he at work today?”
“Yes he is.”
“Do you have his work number?” I crossed my fingers.
“I can’t give it out.”
“Can I leave a message for him?”
“Sure, let me get something to write with.”
Once the lady came back to the phone, I started speaking.
“This is Sam Black, my telephone number is five-six-five, zeroseven-
nine-nine.”
She wouldn’t repeat it back to me but said that she had written
it down.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-15T17:09:00.000-08:00

“It’s personal.”
She was quiet for several moments. “I think I might have his
number. Can you hold on?”
“Sure.” I was on hold for more than thirty seconds, I felt like
turning around to look at the boss but my eyes remained forward.
“Okay, are you ready?” She read off the number and I wrote it
down as I heard it.
“Thank you,” I said.
I was about to make an entry in the collection notes but turned
around instead. Mr. Peterson was smiling. “Much better.”
I too felt good about the call. “Thanks.” I noted the account.
“Should I call this guy now?”
“Why not?”
I dialed Greg’s telephone number but it wasn’t in service or
had been disconnected.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-14T04:32:00.000-08:00

I smiled. “No, she had a doctor’s appointment.”
“Can I leave my number so that she can call me back?”
“I don’t have anything to write with.”
It looked like he was trying to keep from laughing. “It’s very
important that I speak with her. Can you find something to write
with?” I was about to respond but he stopped me. “Did you see
how that worked?”
“Yeah, I like that.”
“See, if you ask the right questions it makes your job a lot easier.”
“I can see that, I’ll have to try that.”
I turned around, noted the account and another one popped up.
I dialed the telephone number and a woman answered.
“Is Greg Garner there?” I asked.
“No, he doesn’t live here.”
“Do you have his number?”
“What is this concerning?” She said.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-13T16:41:00.000-08:00

I was about to make an entry in the collection notes when Mr.
Peterson stopped me. “What happened there?”
I turned around, not sure how to respond. “Uh, I asked for the
debtor but she wasn’t home.”
“Did the person say where she was?”
I smiled. “No.”
“Did you ask?” I shook my head. He seemed concerned then
smiled. “Let’s role play. I’ll pretend to be you and you pretend to
be the person that answered the phone.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
Mr. Peterson pretended like he was holding a telephone. “Ring,
ring.”
“Hello?” I played along.
“Is Julie there?”
“No,” I said.
“Is there a number I can reach her at?”
“No.”
“Is she at work?”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-12T04:18:00.000-08:00

Mr. Peterson was standing in the collection room, holding a
pad of paper and a pen. “Are you ready Sam?”
“Sure.” I hung my coat on the cubicle wall and tried to ignore
my caffeine craving.
He tapped pen on paper, deep in thought. “Why don’t you
work your accounts like you normally would and if I have any input,
I’ll stop you.”
I turned around and faced the computer then dialed the telephone
number. It rang twice when a man answered.
“Is Julie Nebeker there?”
“No,” the man said.
“Can I leave a message for her?”
“No, I don’t have anything to write with.”
11
My first instinct was to push the man into finding a pen or pencil,
but I didn’t want to get into an argument with the boss sitting
behind me. “Thanks,” I said and put the phone down.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-11T10:50:00.000-08:00

She glared at me. “I’m going to need your ID and a fingerprint.”
I signed the back of the check and pulled my driver’s license
from my wallet. She looked down at my picture then back up
at me. “I need your fingerprint.” I pressed my index finger on the
ink-pad and then on the front of the check. I hoped that my make
believe twin wasn’t out kiting checks again.
As I was leaving the bank, I noticed that the teller still had my
driver’s license. She was already busy alienating another potential
customer. I had to yell to get her attention and then my ID. No time
for coffee. My fifteen minutes were up.
Outside, I lit another cigarette and headed back to the office.
“Why does everyone have to be so fucking stupid? I want to be an
idiot too.” I shook my head and laughed. “I’d never get away with
it.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-10T10:14:00.000-08:00

Standing outside of the bank, I finished my smoke and a lady
passed in front of me. It was obvious that I was smoking but she
walked directly into my path anyway. She gave me a dirty look
then coughed as if choking. “Do you mind?”
Do I mind what? She could’ve easily walked around me but instead
she stepped right into it. How stupid can you be? I stood
there and stared at her until she walked away.
Inside the bank, the line was unmoving. Four more people
waited behind me. I thought about the non-smoker outside, proba10
bly Mormon. I still couldn’t understand why she would step right
into a cloud of smoke. She wouldn’t have walked into my path if I
were taking a piss. Those damned goody two shoes, always ruining
it for the rest of us.
“How can I help you?” The teller finally said.
I pulled out the envelope, ripped the check from the stub and
pushed it towards her. “I need to get this cashed.”
She had a stupid look on her face. “Do you have an account
here?”
I laughed. “No, but they do.” I pointed at the maker of the
check.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-09T04:23:00.000-08:00

Startled by the sound of my own name, I turned to see Mr. Peterson
standing there. He had a handful of envelopes, everyone got
one, even me. “I would still like to sit with you this morning but
I’ve got some things I need to do. Can we do that, let’s say tenthirty?”
“Sounds good,” I said. I’d forgotten about what I agreed to the
day before, perhaps getting fired would’ve been less painful.
I worked through approximately fifteen accounts but wasn’t
able to speak to any debtors directly. The computer displayed another
debtor that needed a phone call, perhaps a friendly reminder
that one must pay for services rendered. The phone rang twice
when a lady answered in Spanish. I asked for the debtor but she
pretended not to understand. What a line of bullshit. Even in her
broken English, if she tried to pronounce my name, I would’ve understood
it. Ten o’clock, time for my break.
On the elevator, I debated whether to go to the bank or the coffee
shop. Outside, I lit a cigarette. I needed a cup of coffee but had
no money.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-08T08:54:00.000-08:00

In the parking lot, I looked at my watch. I had about two minutes
to get to work on time. The wind blew in strong gusts and it
was awfully cold. Five months of winter were plenty enough but
neither God nor Mother Nature was satisfied yet. I lit a cigarette
and breathed in and out quickly so that Old Man Winter wouldn’t
smoke it for me.
Eight floors up, I punched the time clock and sat down at my 9
desk. With the computer on, the icon flashed indicating that I had
new e-mail. It was from Judy and it read as follows:

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31. COLLECTION TOTALS; MARCH 30:
SAM PHILLIPS – $163.74 – MONTH TO DATE - $4456.93
MARK TAYLOR – $449.94 – MONTH TO DATE - $8976.52
RICK JOHNSON – $349.07 – MONTH TO DATE - $6547.61

“What a shitty month.” I was almost sure that I wouldn’t get
any commission. I laughed. “Well at least it’s payday.” Not that it
mattered, the money was already spent.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-07T04:22:00.000-08:00

Alone in the collection room, I sat there, lost in thought. He
likes me? And he sees my potential? Who’s he been speaking to?
Perhaps he spoke to my former boss who just happened to be my
current one’s brother. I still couldn’t believe it. I was all ready to
be fired but it felt good to know that I still had a job. I was convinced
that I wouldn’t let him down, I just had to remember that I
didn’t work for Hard-Ass Incorporated anymore.

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The light was green but the car in front of me wasn’t moving.
“Come on, you fucking idiot,” I said while laying on the horn. The
driver glared at me in his rearview mirror. “What the fuck are you
looking at?” The car started to move. I checked my blind spots and
finally got around the slow moving vehicle, showing the finger as I
passed. The overweight driver showed me the finger too. I slowed
for a moment, rolled the window down and invited him to follow
me but he shook his head and turned away. I continued to speed as
I swore.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-06T17:13:00.000-08:00

He seemed surprised. “I’m glad to hear that, I would like to
help if I can.”
“I’d appreciate that.” I said, relieved.
Mr. Peterson started writing again and then looked up. “I
would like to sit with you while you work through your accounts.
I’ve been doing this for many years and I too used to get upset, I
was even taking it home with me, my wife almost left me.” He
opened his day planner and glided his finger across it. “I can’t do
anything today but I would like to start sitting with you, maybe just
for an hour every morning. Let’s start doing that tomorrow morning.
If that’s okay with you?”
His willingness to work with me took me by surprise. “Yeah,
that will be great. Thanks.”
He winked. “No problem, I like you Sam and I can see that you
have a lot of potential. I appreciate your enthusiasm. I think we can
both learn something from one another.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-05T04:20:00.000-08:00

I sat quietly, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Anything else?
Oh just say it already.
He looked down at his handwriting. “Do you have anything to
say?”
I barely broke a smile. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to.”
“No, I’m very interested in hearing what you have to say.”
My mind was blank and then I remembered what Mr. Peterson
had said. “Well, as far as the complaints go, not all of that is my
fault. Some of it is, I’ve just been talking to a lot of difficult people
lately.”
He smiled. “Now don’t take this the wrong way, but when is
the last time that it was easy to talk to these debtors?”
I scratched my head and laughed slightly. “I guess it’s never
been easy.”
“I think that you take these people too seriously and you let
them get to you. Does that sound about right?”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that too…” It wasn’t necessarily
true, about the only thing I’d been thinking about was not getting
sick all over the carpet again. “I’ve got a few ideas on how to
handle things a little differently.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-04T12:01:00.000-08:00

Back at my desk I began where I left off, staring off into the
gray skyline. How could he do this? The other Collectors attending
a company sponsored seminar, but not me. It unnerved me, supposedly
I needed it more than they did. But then again, why spend
money on someone that you don’t plan on having around for very
much longer?
I was about to return the third message from my voice mail
when I heard my name. Mr. Peterson was standing in the doorway.
“I’m ready when you are.” We went back to his office but he
didn’t seem like he knew where to start. He jotted some things
down on paper while I waited on the edge. Finally, words came
from his mouth. “First of all, we’ve been getting a lot of complaints
about you. I know that I’ve brought this to your attention in
the past but you’re still getting more complaints than any of the
other collectors.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-03T09:35:00.000-08:00

Chapter 2--Role Play

What’s happening to me? I questioned as I logged into my
computer and waited for it to recognize my password. Perhaps it
no longer existed. Have I been fired? Is the oven off? Did I lock the
door? Do I have enough money to buy food? What the fuck is
wrong with me?
Just then, the computer greeted me. GOOD MORNING SAM
PHILLIPS, YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY LOGGED IN.
The office was dark and quiet, too quiet. It was like a Sunday
or a holiday. I wondered if I was the first one there, or if everyone
knew something I didn’t. I checked my voice mail and then just sat
there, staring out the window. Several minutes passed, I shook myself
out of my trance and got up and headed for Mr. Peterson’s office.
“Where is everybody?” I asked.
Mr. Peterson smiled and then let out a deep breath. “The other
collectors are at a collection seminar today and tomorrow. I was
going to send you, but we need to talk.” Disappointment was written
all over my face. I nodded and waited for the lecture to begin.
However the phone rang and Mr. Peterson picked it up. He put his
hand over the receiver. “I need to take this. Can I grab you in a few
minutes?”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2010-01-02T04:18:00.000-08:00

Staggering into the kitchen, I grabbed another beer and went
back to the living room. I continued drinking from the beer in my
lap, each swallow should’ve been my last but I kept on anyway.
Luckily I didn’t live too far away, I made it home without being
pulled over.

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I woke the next morning with a pretty good hangover. Stepping
into the hallway, I felt something wet and slimy under my feet. I
looked down but couldn’t recall making the mess I was standing
in. I had no roommates so it must have been me. It was like regurgitated
baby food but didn’t smell as sweet. I bent down and almost
became sick all over again.
It took three pots of hot, soapy water and a dishtowel to clean
the carpet and the walls. The floor was sopping wet but at least it
didn’t stink anymore.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

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2010-01-01T09:26:00.000-08:00

Slowly, more people started to show up, almost everyone
brought something alcoholic. I could feel myself getting drunk.
Jim was being rather social but stopped to see how I was doing. He
looked around the room as if to point out all of the women at the
party. I followed his eyes but the other guys were flirting with
them already.
I grabbed another beer and stepped out the back door. It was
cold yet refreshing. I looked up at the night sky, the stars were
shining brightly over Bethlehem and the moon was almost full. I lit
a cigarette and pondered about my life, I wasn’t satisfied by any
means but it could’ve been a lot worse. The wind was chilly before
but it no longer felt good on my bare arms. I finished my cigarette
and went back in the house.
Jim was standing there. “You okay Sammie? Did you puke?”
“No. Do you want me to?”
He laughed. “No, I guess not.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2009-12-31T04:33:00.000-08:00

We adjourned to the living room. Like a prize horse out of the
chute, Jared was making his move. Clearly there was some chemistry
between them.
I continued drinking from my beer and much like Diane, staring
off into outer space. Jared had his hand on Renae’s leg; she
smiled wildly as he spoke softly into her ear.
Diane leaned forward to look me in the eye. “How’s work?”
“You don’t wanna go there,” Jim said. “It’s a touchy subject.”
Renae looked up from her conversation. “What do you for a
living?”
“He makes old ladies cry,” Jim butted in again.
“Really?”
“Sometimes,” I said. “I’m a bill collector.”
“I hate you guys,” Renae said. “Don’t call me.”
“I’ll try not to.” Just pay your bills.
Jim built websites for businesses, Diane worked with electronics
and computer boards, Renae sold cars and Jared gave the im5
pression that his job was the most important of all. He worked for a
heating and air conditioning company.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2009-12-30T17:10:00.000-08:00

Jim laughed. “Diane might have a few of her girlfriends over.”
“Cool.” Jared looked at me. “So, you and Jim went to school
together, huh?”
“Yeah, since elementary school.”
Jared raised his eyebrows. “Wow! So you guys have known
each other for a long time?”
“Too long,” Jim said.
“Fuck you.” I glared at him.
Another car pulled into the driveway. “That’s probably Diane
now.” Diane was Jim’s significant other, not only was she beautiful
but smart and funny too.
“Are there any girls with her?” Jared asked.
Jim laughed. “Yeah, there’s a whole car full of em.”
You could see the excitement in Jared’s eyes. “Really?”
“No, she’s got one girl with her but she’s fat and ugly.”
Jared glanced over at me. “She’s yours dude.”
She wasn’t ugly after all. Her silky black hair touched the middle
of her back, her skin was olive brown and her eyes could’ve
penetrated steel. Renae was her name. She was pleased to meet me
but more so to meet Jared.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2009-12-29T04:18:00.000-08:00

Jim’s driveway was empty, all except for his Grand Cherokee. I
parked behind him and turned the engine off.
After a series of quick knocks Jim came to the door, his six
foot-two, two hundred and forty pound framed filled the entire
doorway. His crazy grin made me curious, I could never tell if he
was upset or just excited about something. He offered me a beer
and I accepted, hopefully it wouldn’t sit too badly in my empty
stomach. I lit a cigarette and waited for the party to start.
We drank three beers before the next guest arrived. Jared was
carrying a suitcase, filled with twenty-four cans. I’d never met him
before, Jim had supposedly known him for years, they use to work
together. The three of us sat at the kitchen table, steadily pouring
liquid down our throats and smoking each other’s cigarettes.
“So are there supposed to be a lot of women here tonight?” Jared
asked.
Jim said it was a party but that didn’t necessarily mean that
women would be flocking in from throughout the Salt Lake Valley.
I put my elbows on the table and leaned forward. I was also
interested in hearing his answer.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2009-12-28T16:15:00.000-08:00

I pulled into the complex, parked my car and then hiked the
stairs to my apartment. Something was taped to the door. I ripped it
off and looked at it closely. The landlord had left me a note, an
eviction notice, three days to pay or vacate the premises.
Sitting upon the toilet, the phone rang. I wasn’t about to get up,
if it was important enough they would call back. Curiosity killed
the cat. I washed my hands and went to see who had disturbed me
while I was taking care of business. The caller-id displayed the
name of my best friend, James Richards. I didn’t feel like talking
to anyone but my fingers dialed anyway.
“Hey Sammie! What are you doing tonight?”
“Nuthin.”
Jim could tell that I had a bad day. If it was any consolation he
was having a party and wanted me to come over. I had no desire to
leave my sanctuary but Jim convinced me as he normally does.
The wind was cold and white moisture filled the air. It was inconceivable.
April is not considered a winter month, spring was
theoretically more correct.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2009-12-27T09:19:00.000-08:00

I paced back and forth in the lobby for what seemed like more
than just several seconds then decided that I too would wait until
Monday before making any rash decisions. And I only used to get
drunk on weekends. At least I had a roof over my head but I
wouldn’t if the rent didn’t get paid, especially without a job.
Outside, I lit a cigarette and was about to start walking when a
dirty faced man stopped me. “Excuse me sir. Can you spare any
change? I’m trying to get back to California.”
The smell of alcohol escaped from every pore of the man’s
body, he wasn’t trying to get anywhere except to the liquor store
for another bottle. I had no sympathy and even if I did, I still
wouldn’t have been able to help. “I can’t, I’m waiting to get paid.”
“How about a cigarette?”
“I can’t help you there either.” I shook my head. “Get a job,” I
said under my breath as I walked away.
The drive home was a three cigarette, chain-smoking affair. I
had to open the window to get some fresh air.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2009-12-26T04:24:00.000-08:00

I stared out the eighth floor window and hoped that an airplane
would crash into the building across the street.
“I’ve been listening in on your phone calls,” Mr. Peterson said
behind closed doors. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing, I’m flabbergasted.
With as much experience as you have I should not be
having this conversation with you. Is there anything you have to
say for yourself?”
I couldn’t help but stare at his greasy, balding head. A fan was
blowing but the stains under his arm pits were already there.
“Well, you see…I haven’t been sleeping very well, I’ve had a lot
on my mind lately. I have some personal…”
“I’ve had more problems with you than any employee that’s
ever worked here. I just got off the phone with a debtor’s Attorney.
I smoothed things over with him but you need to tone it down or
you are going to get us sued. Do you understand?”
“I understand.” If I were still at my old job I would’ve been
praised for being such a belligerent prick.
Mr. Peterson was about to say something else but caught himself.
After several moments of silence, he continued. “I don’t want
to talk about this right now. Why don’t you punch out and go home
for the day and we’ll finish this discussion on Monday.”
On the elevator with the doors closed, I swore. It would’ve
been easy to throw in the towel and resign, but I needed the
money. I’d taken three months off after the shooting and my savings
were spent.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2009-12-24T04:17:00.000-08:00

Chapter 1--Sam

I can’t say I liked my new job but it paid the bills. It was funny
because that was my job, not paying bills but collecting on them.
There are more dangerous occupations out there but none quite as
stressful as being a bill collector. When asked to pay, most debtors
will scream obscenities, or threaten violence and then cry harassment
if you try to retaliate. The collection manager, Mr. Peterson
didn’t offer much support either, he loved me when my numbers
were high and resented me when they were below the industry
standard. Not even the best bill collector can control or predict
what the debtor is going to do. If one had that kind of power they
could change the weather with just a simple thought.
It had been five months since my old boss had recommended
me for the position and I still wasn’t living up to my full potential.
Statistics proved it and many clients complained about my lack of
professionalism. I was afraid that they would take their business
elsewhere but there was nothing I could do about it. For one I’ve
never been customer service oriented, and two I don’t have the
ability to blow smoke up people’s asses.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Excerpts from the new Psychological Thriller, Skip-Trace

2009-12-23T16:50:00.000-08:00

Oration

It was 2:43 in the morning, and the third time I’d visited the
trailer home in twenty-four hours. My previous attempts to locate
the black BMW were unsuccessful. The customer probably knew I
was coming since he hadn’t made a payment in three months.
Six cars surrounded the trailer including the one that I’d been
assigned to repossess. It was perfect; I could easily hook the vehicle
and get the hell out of there. However, people were awake inside.
The lights were on and loud, rap music played. They seemed
to be preoccupied with something and hadn’t noticed my tow truck
outside.
As quietly as possible I hooked the vehicle and raised the front
tires off the ground.
Someone was standing on the doorstep. “Tony, someone’s towing
your ride!”
Five black men, the size of a defensive line stormed from the
house. I should’ve known that it wouldn’t be easy. One of them
pulled a gun and started shooting.
I woke in a hospital bed with three shot wounds, one in the
stomach, one in the shoulder and one in my leg. I should’ve been
dead but somehow I’d survived.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 280

2009-12-21T13:15:00.000-08:00

Just when I thought I could handle it, the final nail pounded itself
into the proverbial coffin. Some punk dressed up like a rap star
was running towards us, pushing people out of his way as two security
guards chased after him. “Fuck you people,” he screamed at
the top of his lungs. “Stay the fuck away from me or I’ll fucking
kill all of you!”
We tried to get out of the way but everything was moving too
fast. He broke through the crowd and crashed right into me, knocking
Marley’s bubble gum ice cream to the ground.
Hey you fucking piece of shit! What the fuck do you think
you’re doing? That’s what I wanted to say but not in front of my
kids, especially holding their little hands. Instead of making a
scene I looked straight up with a piercing stare that could cut right
through metal, plaster and asphalt, right through the roof and up at
the Gods who art in heaven. And something stared back down
upon me. “Just one more,” I said squeezing my daughter’s hand
even tighter. “Please.”

THE END.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 279

2009-12-20T09:46:00.000-08:00

things more bearable. Every Friday with my permission, the employees
of Skip-Trace Incorporated would take the last half hour of
the day to clean their work stations and pitch in to make the office
a nicer place. When they went home at night, I sprayed Lysol into
the air, in every room and every office, every night.
I was pretty good to all of the staff. They got Christmas bonuses,
sick pay and profit sharing if they wanted it. Unlike Mr. Peterson,
I listened to my employees. As far as I knew they had no
issues with my open door policy. And if I was wrong, I sure hoped
that none of them wanted to kill me.

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Saturday, September 29th.
I rarely worked on weekends and I didn’t expect my employees
to either. Of course the repossession agents and private investigators
worked twenty-four, seven but that’s why I had a cell phone.
Most weekends were spent with the wife and kids. Sometimes
we’d go out of town and not come back until Sunday night. Other
times we’d just stay home and work in the yard or on the tree
house that we’d started on Marley’s birthday.
That morning, after breakfast and a few quick stops, we ended
up at one of the downtown malls. The kids needed new clothes for
school.
Several hours passed which was pretty good for me, considering
how many people crowded the mall. That’s one thing that
hadn’t changed, I still hated shopping. However, we weren’t even
close to being done, Katherine was the only one who had purchased
anything and it wasn’t for me or the kids.
I was starting to fear that I wouldn’t make it another hour and
that’s when the real fun began. Everywhere I looked someone was
doing something to annoy me. Snot nosed children were running
around screaming, touching everything and everyone with their
dirty, sticky hands. Salesclerks had their heads up their asses and
people were coughing and sneezing, it sounded like they were going
to keel over and die.
“I can get through this,” I whispered. “I just have to block it
out. You are not going to piss me off, not today.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 278

2009-12-19T04:20:00.000-08:00

Turning the corner, I took another ten paces and then stopped. I
stood there for a minute and stared at the stylish wooden framed
door, smiling. In big black letters, painted on the glass, the door
read:

SKIP-TRACE INC.
INVESTIGATIONS
ASSET RECOVERY
COLLECTIONS

Skip-Trace Incorporated was working on its five year anniversary,
started by yours truly and turning into quite the profitable
company with hundreds of clients, six Bill Collectors, five repossession
agents and several private investigators that worked on
consignment only. I’d always dreamed of having my own business
but I never would’ve thought that it would be so interesting and lucrative.
A lot had changed in six years. I married Katherine who finally
became an Attorney, we bought a house and had two children,
Marley and Harrison. Marley was the prettiest four year old I’d
ever seen, and Harrison had just joined the club of the terrible
two’s. I met a lot of new people along the way but still kept in
touch with Diane and Phillip, the Bologna Man. Diane was doing
well and once again engaged to be married, Phillip was knee deep
in a political career.
Every now and then I thought about the past and all the horrible
and disgusting things I’d done. I’d come a long way since then
and believed myself to be a new man. Instead of bestowing evil
onto others, I tried to do something good every day. I knew that I’d
have to live the rest of my life looking over my shoulder, but for
the time being I lived life to its fullest. I believed in God and most
importantly, my faith in the human race had returned.
It was ten o’clock and I was sitting in my office with the door
open, watching as my employees went out on their morning smoke
breaks. I laughed to myself, I used to be just like them but I finally
quit that nasty habit and not to fill my lungs with someone else’s
sickness. At least a couple of times a year, the common cold still
got me down but I’d come up with solutions that would make

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 277

2009-12-18T06:58:00.000-08:00

Chapter 20--Someday

Monday, September 24th. Six years later.
I rolled out of bed even though I would’ve preferred not to. My
beautiful wife was still lying there in her silk negligee but I had
month-end reports to prepare.
After a shave and a shower, I put on a clean suit and kissed my
wife goodbye.
“Have a good day,” she said while smiling like a Cheshire cat.
It was her way of making a joke, she knew how much I hated
Mondays. Having a good day would be damned near impossible.
The only thing I could do, with the right mindset, would be to
make it through the day without too many bruises and bloody
noses.
I arrived in the downtown area at seven a.m. It was starting to
rain but fortunately we had covered parking in our building. Using
the security device, I locked my Lincoln Town Car and set the
alarm.
The first three floors of the building were occupied by a national
insurance company, but the rest of the skyscraper was filled
with Attorneys, Private Bankers and Doctors specializing in psychiatry
and cosmetic surgery.
I got off the elevator at the twelfth floor and walked down a
long, quiet hallway.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 276

2009-12-17T04:21:00.000-08:00

onto his throat, cutting the jugular. More blood spattered onto the
naked skinhead.
I was completely out of breath. The naked woman stared at me,
seemingly more afraid than she’d ever been before. What was I to
do with her? She saw my face. I should’ve worn a mask but I definitely
wanted Reed to remember me as he took his journey into the
afterlife. She stared at the fire poker and her body quivered. For
several split seconds, all kinds of thoughts flashed through my
mind.
With Reed obviously dead, I took a tour of the apartment. Nice
place he had. Nice living room, big screen TV and a top of the line
entertainment system. What did this guy do for a living? The
kitchen was also completely decked out, lots of appliances, cooking
utensils and even a wine collection. The bedroom was huge
with an enormous walk-in closet, three times the size of mine at
home.
I stepped into the closet and found a pair of jeans, sneakers and
a sweatshirt. I carried the items of clothing into the living room
and set them on the floor behind the couch, out of the skinhead’s
sight.
“I want you to forget everything you’ve seen here tonight,” I
said looking down at her. “And if you don’t…Well, you can use
your imagination. I’m going to remove your gag. Do you promise
not to scream?” She nodded and kept her promise. I untied the
knots behind her then removed the food items from both ends. On
her feet, she stood about five foot ten. I couldn’t help but stare.
How long had she been here? What other nasty shit did he do to
her? I threw the clothes at her and turned while she got dressed
then gave her fifty bucks for the road. “Get the fuck outta here!”
She ran for the door and I was all alone. I stared down at Reed
as blood continued to flow away from the body. I hoped that he’d
make as big of a mess as Jim did.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 275

2009-12-15T04:11:00.000-08:00

What happened next startled me. Even with his face on fire,
Reed started laughing. “I am going to kill you.”
With a sudden burst of energy he ran at me. Perhaps he wasn’t
blind after all. I didn’t say anything but as he got closer, I took him
down using a wrestling style fireman’s carry. Reed hit his head on
the hardwood floor. Two points, blue.
Back on my feet, I stared down upon the murderer who was too
busy covering his face to defend himself. I kicked him over and
over again, the steel-toed boot made an awful squishing and
crunching sound.
Hard to believe, Reed was crying. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because you are my enemy! And you know why!” I’d stopped
the steel-toe onslaught just long enough to respond and then continued
kicking, each foot with greater force than the last. “What
makes the grass grow?” Blood squirted into the air, and I watched
its flight pattern as it splattered onto the naked woman’s navel.
It was a weird and disturbing sight. Her head was shaved, her
arms and legs were hog-tied and a dirty bandanna was crammed in
her mouth. She had obviously been beaten about the face and neck,
not to mention the abdomen. The black and blue marks looked like
Reed had been beating her every hour on the hour. There were
cigarette burns on her face and her nipples were missing completely.
She used to be a pretty woman, I could tell but that wasn’t
the disturbing part. She had a half eaten corn on the cob hanging
out of her vagina and a knockwurst stuffed up her ass.
The fireplace was burning brightly, it looked like Reed was
about to sit down to a romantic evening, that is until I rudely interrupted
his dinner. I almost forgot about him completely until he
started to squirm. He tried to say something in a foreign language
so I kicked him a half dozen more times before going to the fireplace.
The poker sat directly in the flames and a restaurant style
oven mitt was resting on a chair. I grabbed both items and walked
back across the living room floor.
Reed’s hands finally moved as I burned them. I could barely
make out anything that resembled eyes but forced the hot, sharp
edge into each socket anyway. After cauterizing the collapsed eye
sockets, I swung the iron bar high into the air and brought it down

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 275

2009-12-14T11:05:00.000-08:00

and then went back to the apartment for a coat, a pair of gloves and
the six pack of beer.
Reed lived in a bad part of town, if he still lived there. He better
still live there. I checked all of my mirrors and no one was following
me. How could they? No one knew I was coming, not even
the pizza girl.
The rain was really starting to come down, the windshield
sounded like it was going to break. Before getting out, I glanced at
the greasy paper one more time. I didn’t want to forget the apartment
number. I said it over and over, loudly. “Sixteen, sixteen, sixteen.”
Reaching into the back seat, I grabbed the backpack filled
with goodies. It was heavier than I remembered. “Sixteen, sixteen,
sixteen.”
I looked both ways and then behind me, my eyes wide open for
police cars, unmarked cars and anyone else that should’ve been
minding their own business.
Other than being drenched by the time I reached the door, it
was rather peaceful outside. I stood there for a moment, wondering
if anyone was home. There was only one way to find out and no
time like the present.
I knocked five times in succession. The padlock moved immediately
and the door opened to reveal a familiar face.
Reed was charming as ever. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”
I removed a bottle from the six-pack with a little charm of my
own. “You won’t.”
The bottle shattered as soon as it made contact with Reed’s
forehead. He stumbled backward and put his hands to his eyes.
“What the fuck…You.”
I followed him inside and slammed the door closed with my
elbow. Reed continued to stagger around, the new and improved
acidic cocktail obviously had the blinding effect that I was hoping
for. He tried to find me with both hands but I ducked and moved
then shoved the burning Zippo into his face. I dropped the lighter
in the process, even with gloves on my hands I had to get my arm
out of there as his whole face was engulfed in flames.
For some reason I never questioned whether Reed had roommates
or if he’d be alone on that specific night. I didn’t notice the
naked woman lying on the floor.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 274

2009-12-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

could’ve been direct. What’s your address so that I may know
where you live? I decided to take care of one thing at a time.
I looked through the junk mail but couldn’t find a good pizza
deal. However, there was a number printed on a magnet, attached
to the refrigerator.
The phone rang four times when a female answered. “Will this
be delivery or carryout?”
I smiled. I’d just gotten an idea. “Delivery.”
She asked for my telephone number. Remembering the role
play, I read from the greasy piece of paper. Luckily there was a
pen next to the phone. The pizza girl verified my supposed address
while I wrote it down quickly and then re-verified that we both had
the correct address.
“What can I get you tonight?” She asked. Still playing along, I
asked about the specials. “We have a carryout deal for two large,
two topping pizzas for nine-ninety nine. Or we have a delivery deal
for a large supreme, any way you like it with breadsticks and a two
liter bottle of Coca-Cola for sixteen ninety-nine.”
I had all the information I needed. “Can I call you right back?”
I asked. “That’s my other line and I’m expecting a long distance
call.”
Sunday night is usually a night to relax, time to get your shit
together and at the same time, not think about the next day. FOX
presents a good night of television, mostly animated comedies and
then to wind down, an hour of abductions, alien sightings and
monsters that live under the cities, wreaking havoc while the civilized
are fast asleep in their warm beds.
I didn’t want to miss my favorite television shows but I also
didn’t want to miss out on a golden opportunity to finally close the
chapter of my unwritten biography and do what the police could
not. First setting the timer on the VCR, I went into the kitchen and
prepared for what had to be done. With similar ingredients that I
used on the hamsters, I mixed a new, more flammable concoction
and poured it into six beer bottles.
The night gave off an eerie impression. Unlike the near spring
weather we’d been having, it was awfully cold outside. Wind and
rain added to the effect. It was going to be a night to remember, for
at least one person. I packed the necessary equipment into the car

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 273

2009-12-12T04:15:00.000-08:00

Daily, we find things lying around the house that are useless to
us. We see these miscellaneous items every day until we really
need them and by that time they’ve disappeared from sight. Like a
missing sock or even junk mail. You know you’ve seen that coupon,
the one with the wonderful pizza combo deal but you just
can’t find it.
I searched through kitchen drawers, boxes of old utility bills
and paycheck stubs but still came up empty. I didn’t throw it away,
did I?
After a cup of coffee and a cigarette, I could sit no longer. I
looked again but still couldn’t find it which was really starting to
piss me off. If I didn’t find it soon, my Sunday would surely be ruined.
I thought I’d looked everywhere but that wouldn’t stop me. I
was becoming obsessed, finding it was the only thing that mattered.
I rummaged in the same cupboard that I’d already looked in
three times before but still nothing. Just then, a pencil rolled out of
the cupboard, bounced on the counter then went under the stove. It
was just an unsharpened pencil, I didn’t need it but I bent down
anyway.
I was disgusted by what I saw. I’d obviously never looked under
there before. There were crumbs of dried up meat, balls of
grease, cheese and even cigarette ashes. How did those get under
there? The pencil was gone but a piece of paper caught my attention.
I grabbed it and laughed hysterically, it was exactly what I’d
been looking for and of all the places to find it.
Standing up, I read the name on the grocery receipt. “Reed.” I
said it again, louder. “Reed, Reed, Reed!”
My blood pressure was probably off the charts. I couldn’t wait
to confront Jim’s killer but my mind refused to work out any possible
scenarios. I sat back in the recliner and smoked another cigarette
while my stomach growled with hunger. I had no idea what to
do. I didn’t have Reed’s address, all I had was his telephone number
but if I called him what would I say? You killed my best friend,
didn’t you? Why? Why? Why? Or I could’ve tried to be friendly.
Hey what are you doing tonight? Want to drink some beers? Or I

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 272

2009-12-11T08:01:00.000-08:00

be sitting outside, plus someone was willing to share their white
lines in exchange for some really good ganja. Katherine didn’t do
drugs, not even cigarettes, just alcohol and not enough to ever see
her lose her groceries on somebody’s carpet. However she didn’t
wish to be cold either which left only Diane and I. The weather
wasn’t bothering us.
I admitted to her that I was powerless against drugs and that
my life could become unmanageable even with one simple indulgence.
No, I hadn’t been attending any meetings and I didn’t have
a sponsor. Diane admitted that her life would never be the same
without Jim, she still couldn’t believe that he was gone and neither
could I.
“Do you have any idea who would’ve done such a thing?” I
asked. She shook her head. “Anybody that wasn’t at the funeral?”
Diane stared at her shoes for a minute and then looked up,
seemingly excited. “There was one guy.” I wondered why she
never told me before.
“Do you know him?”
She shrugged. “I thought he was one of Jim’s friends, at first.”
“What did he look like?”
She smiled. “Good looking. He seemed charming, at first.”
Minutes passed, silence. “What do you mean, at first?”
Her expression changed as did mine. “He used to come over
when Jim wasn’t here. When Jim was here he wouldn’t let the guy
into our house…And once Jim had his finger in his face…They
pushed each other and then Jim beat the shit out of him right on the
front lawn.”
I thought about it for a moment or two. “What kind of car did
he drive?”
She shrugged. “A big car?”
“A Cadillac?”
“I believe so.”
And I believed that I knew the guy. “That fucking piece of
shit!”
Diane seemed frightened. “Do you know him?”
Gritting my teeth, I nodded. “I know him.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 271

2009-12-10T04:14:00.000-08:00

One day at a time, like so many twelve step participators. That
was the recommended way to go. We didn’t have much choice in
the matter.
I grieved the loss of Jim in my own way but at least I had a
new, wonderful woman in my life. Diane had no one. Even with
Katherine, the pain felt like it would never go away. How long will
this grieving process last? Will it ever pass? Yes, like a kidney
stone but it will pass.
The police still had no leads, they held even more interrogations.
Diane got grilled three different times. I was questioned
twice and Katherine just once to verify my alibi. Besides eating
dozens of doughnuts and drinking gallons of coffee, were the pigs
doing anything to catch Jim’s killer? I couldn’t understand why
they weren’t knocking on doors or talking to neighbors. Somebody
had to have seen something. Some small shred of evidence had to
have been left behind, that is if the cops hadn’t contaminated the
crime scene before anything could’ve been bagged and taken to the
lab. The real killer was staring somebody in the face.

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Weeks passed and Diane moved back into the house, she’d
been staying with a friend who had obviously helped her over the
rough spots. Occasionally she’d drop by my apartment, sometimes
Katherine was there and other times she probably wished that she
would’ve been. One night after many alcoholic beverages, we embraced.
I got a little too excited and other thoughts crossed my
mind, perhaps hers too but sex wouldn’t bring Jim back, if it could,
boy he would’ve been pissed.

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It was a Saturday at the end of March. Not quite the season for
it yet but I finally talked Diane into having a barbecue in her back
yard. I brought Katherine, four large steaks and even invited Phillip,
the Bologna Man. Diane had a few of her friends over and
some of Jim’s.
After dinner, most everyone complained that it was too cold to

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 270

2009-12-09T17:01:00.000-08:00

have to apologize up front. I’m not a religious man and I’m not going
to pretend to be. Today is Tuesday, not Sunday, once again I
apologize. Jim was like a brother to me, he was my blood brother.
Jim was many things to many people. He was a friend, a fiancé, a
good person to have on your side in a fight, someone who would
lend a helping hand, he would’ve given his right arm or his last
hundred dollars if he thought it would help. When we were kids, I
remember getting into trouble, so do my parents.”
Everyone laughed softly.
“Once, I don’t know what we were thinking. We filled a backpack
with toilet paper, matches and lighter fluid then burned down
a field in our neighborhood. Of course we got caught and spent the
day in DT, juvenile detention. Since Jim’s parents were gone, he
didn’t have anyone to answer to except for the boys’ home. He
took the blame for the whole thing. That might not mean a lot to
you, but it meant everything to me. For all intents and purposes,
Jim was an adamant professional in his field. We shared good and
bad times. We fought side by side, celebrated milestones in our
lives and cried together whether happy or sad. Life is for the living,
religion is for Sunday and funerals are for the dead already.”
I grabbed the boom box from the floor and pushed play.
After the song finished I wiped the tears from my eyes and
looked out over the congregation. Most of them seemed offended
by the vulgar lyrics and subject matter, but at least I apologized in
advance.
I looked up at the ceiling, imagining nothing but blue sky and
my best friend waving down from above, smiling. “I love you man,
I miss you. You’re buying.” I felt a sense of accomplishment, at
least I did that one right.
There was no viewing, it was a closed casket due to Jim’s
ghoulish appearance. Nonetheless, people passed by, touching the
polished mahogany while speaking their last wishes and respects.
Seven men and I carried the coffin out to the grave site, careful
not to trip on any jagged rocks or each other’s feet.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 269

2009-12-08T04:17:00.000-08:00

want to be there, I could’ve turned around and left and no one
would’ve cared. The thought crossed my mind but it was too late,
someone saw me. I forgot the guy’s name but he seemed to recognize
me too.
Diane stepped into the hallway and immediately rushed up to
put her arms around me. “Thanks for coming.” As if I really
would’ve walked out on the memory of my best friend. She stared
at the boom box in my right hand but didn’t inquire to its purpose.
There were more familiar faces, more handshakes and tight
embraces.
I peered into the empty chapel and then stepped inside for a
moment of silence. One by one, two by two, people flooded into
the chapel and just like that, the silent tranquility was gone.
Once everyone was seated, a man I’d never met before stepped
up to the podium. “We have gathered here today to honor the
memory of James Thomas Richards. We will start with an opening
prayer given by Gerald Allen and then we’ll hear from the people
who knew him best.”
I hoped the day wouldn’t turn into a religious free for all, everybody
hopefully had their fill two days before.
“Dear heavenly Father…” I shook my head but closed my eyes
like everyone else, out of respect if nothing else.
Next we heard from Diane who couldn’t speak without crying,
and then a musical interlude that sounded like something out of the
pages of the tabernacle choir.
Diane’s Father was a good speaker. He spoke kindly of Jim and
rarely used any religious terminology. I was up next and I knew
that I wasn’t ready.
Standing at the podium, I looked out over the congregation.
There were a lot of people I’d never seen before and some that I
hadn’t seen in quite awhile. I reached into my pocket, removed the
written eulogy and then put it back. I smiled and started speaking.
“I’ve known Jim for over twenty years, since elementary
school. Days spent listening to boring teachers and recesses spent
throwing rocks at our supposed enemies. Seeing who could swing
the highest, imagining that we were flying. Jim’s Mother and Father
were killed in an auto accident before he even graduated from
Junior High…” I stopped and looked out over my audience. “I

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 268

2009-12-07T11:41:00.000-08:00

practical joker. He was a blood brother and a good person
to have on your side in a fight. He was always lending a
helping hand. He’d give his right arm, left testicle or his
last hundred dollars if he thought it would help. For all intents
and purposes, he was an adamant professional. He’d
go up against anybody who dared fuck with his family.

I continued writing, transferring the good and bad memories
into words on paper.
The remainder of the day was spent watching TV and ironing
during commercials. I decided to wear black to the funeral. Black
slacks, black shirt and black tie. Black was my favorite color and I
had every reason to wear it.
Ten o’clock. I sat back down at the table and rearranged my
written thoughts into what hopefully would sound like a sufficient
eulogy.

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I didn’t sleep very well, in fact I was super tired. I went
through my normal morning ritual and then opened all of the
blinds. What a great day for a funeral, at least the sun was shining.
After a shave and a shower I got dressed and fixed myself a
cup of coffee that I tried to enjoy outside on the patio. However,
the cold wind was blowing snow off the rooftops and into my face.
Strangely I found it invigorating, the heavier the wind blew, the
more alive I felt.
One more cup of coffee and I’d have to leave. While sipping
and chain-smoking, I came up with an interesting idea. I grabbed a
handful of cassette tapes and a boom box.
Driving to the funeral home I rewound the tape and then fast
forwarded to the song that Jim and I used to scream after drinking
too much tequila. Goose bumps formed almost instantaneously but
I couldn’t sing along without crying.
My eyes were still full of tears as I pulled into the cemetery
parking lot. I looked at my watch. They wouldn’t start without me?
Would they? I still had at least one more song to find.
Soft music was playing as I entered the funeral home. I didn’t

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 267

2009-12-06T09:43:00.000-08:00

didn’t object to my request.
It’s good to have a day off once in a while, it’s even better with
pay. Besides driving by Jim’s house, I had no idea what to do. I
could’ve gone home and watched soap operas or called the landlord
to fix my disposal. I could’ve called the police to see if they
had any leads on my best friend’s murder and even offered my assistance
if they were short on manpower.
I was planning on pulling into the driveway but as I got closer,
I noticed that Jim and Diane’s house was still a crime scene. Police
tape blocked the front door and the gate to the backyard. I shook
my head. Do the cops have anything? Hell, they couldn’t find me
and I got carried away more than a few times. I wondered about
that. Why hadn’t I gotten caught? Was it because of my Special
Forces training? Or was I just lucky? Does Jim’s killer know him?
Driving into my apartment complex, I was overwhelmed with
neglect and I wasn’t just being paranoid. However, my mind was
blank and for the life of me I couldn’t figure it out. I retraced my
morning and then stared at myself in the rearview mirror. Why am
I not working today? I could’ve shot myself. Because my best
friend is dead, dumb-ass! Suddenly I remembered the important
thing I was supposed to do.
Sitting down at my dining room table, tapping the wall with a
pen I stared at the blank sheet of paper in front of me. What did I
know about Jim? Writer’s block. I’d known him forever but I
couldn’t think of anything to say? All I could think about was his
last image, it kept flashing in my mind and then I started writing.

BLOOD, KNIFE WOUNDS, COLUMBIAN NECKTIE
DEAD STARING EYES

I closed my eyes and tried to imagine Jim while he was still
alive and breathing. I started writing again.

25 YEARS. We’ve known each other since kindergarten.
Growing up together. Elementary school, Junior High,
High School. We almost joined the military together.
Who was Jim? He was a friend, a drinking buddy and a

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 266

2009-12-05T04:17:00.000-08:00

As the kickoff time got closer, I opened a beer. I hadn’t eaten
anything but surprisingly, I wasn’t hungry. I had a fresh twelve
pack in the refrigerator, hopefully it would be enough to get me
through the game.
The commentators finished showing their pre-recorded interviews
with the players and next, the introductions of the starting
line-up.
Diane spent the night at a friend’s house. I wanted to invite her
over to get drunk and watch the game but she hadn’t given me a
number to reach her at.
After the coin toss and several new beer commercials, the
game was underway. Five minutes into the first quarter, Baltimore
intercepted the ball and ran it in for a touchdown. New York didn’t
even look like they belonged there, and if they weren’t careful
they’d lose the game.
The half-time show wasn’t as spectacular as they talked it up to
be, a knock at the door was much appreciated.
It was Diane and she looked a hundred percent better than she
had the day before. She couldn’t stay long though, her parents
were in town, in fact they were outside in the car. She just wanted
to let me know that Jim’s funeral would take place on Tuesday and
she wondered if I would do the eulogy. I hadn’t even thought about
the funeral but other than Diane, who knew him better? I accepted.
The game ended shortly after eight o’clock. Baltimore beat
New York by a landslide, bragging that they were going to Disney
World. Katherine never called and maybe that was for the best, I
was sloppy drunk and in need of food and sleep.

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I forgot to iron any work clothes. I showered, threw on a pair
of jeans, a sweater and drove into town.
At first glance, Mr. Peterson didn’t approve of my appearance
but after I told him what had happened, he understood. Somewhere
in the company policy, I remembered seeing that one could take
three days bereavement leave due to the death of a family member.
Jim wasn’t directly related, we didn’t share the same last name but
that didn’t mean that we weren’t blood. Fortunately, the boss

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 265

2009-12-04T06:31:00.000-08:00

onto the patio. It was cold out there, I could’ve gone back into the
apartment but it was cold in there too. It was cold everywhere. No
sun or heat wave could’ve warmed the hearts of those who knew
him.
“Jim, wherever you are, I miss you. I miss you like fucking
hell.” I finished my cigarette and went back into the apartment.
CBS was doing a great job with the pre-game show.
The commentators interviewed past Super Bowl greats, and the
superstars of football told us what it felt like to be there for the big
game, the jitters, the doubt and the butterflies. “Are we really good
enough to be here?”
They spoke to a quarterback who was great in his time and then
one day he just disappeared from the game. It was a touching story.
His little girl had a brain tumor and wasn’t expected to live. The
quarterback loved football but he loved his daughter more. Two
weeks before her birthday, they went to the doctor for an MRI and
it was like a miracle, the tumor was getting smaller on its own. As
time went on, the tumor had vanished completely and the daughter
was given a clean bill of health. Unlike the original diagnosis, she
was expected to live a long life and the quarterback promised to rejoin
his former teammates the following season.
There was another interesting story, but not so touching. A
Cincinnati defensive-back was so excited to be playing in the Super
Bowl that he invited all of his friends from back home. The
night before the big game, they threw a party to end all parties. The
next day his friends went to the game but left the star player back
at the hotel room still passed out in the bathroom. When he finally
woke up later that evening, not only did he miss the game but his
team had lost.
The network did all kinds of fascinating stories but most of
them were tragic, injuries happening at the worst possible moments
and overcoming impossible obstacles. I couldn’t help but get emotional.
Convinced and inspired, I got up and found the notebook
with the list of names I’d compiled and burned it in the sink. Most
of the people in the notebook were already dead. I imagined the
victim’s families mourning the loss of their sons, daughters,
spouses and best friends. It never crossed my mind of how many
people’s lives I’d actually ruined.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 264

2009-12-03T04:13:00.000-08:00

only been a day and…” My eyes started to water and I couldn’t
speak.

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January 28th. Super Bowl Sunday, a holiday to any football fan.
A day of eating junk food, barbecued meats and drinking beer like
we didn’t have to work the next day. It was the last game of the
season and possibly the last chance to prove greatness or avoid
embarrassment. Two teams with dreams at the start of the season
and then winning records that proved that they deserved to be there
in the first place.
I could sleep no longer. I kissed Katherine on the lips and then
removed my hand from underneath her T-shirt.
It was darkish gray outside. I opened the blinds and was mesmerized
by the falling snow. It felt like déjà vu, like a dream I once
had.
Ice water in a glass, ice water in my veins I sat back in the recliner,
turned the TV on and lit a cigarette. CBS had already started
their six hour pre-game show and it was supposed to be a great
day.
Katherine came out of the bedroom fully dressed. “I should
go,” she said and grabbed her purse from the table. “Are you going
to be okay?”
I shrugged. “I guess I have to be.” At the door we exchanged a
number of small kisses. “Are you going to watch the game?” I
asked.
She frowned but tried to smile. “No, I wasn’t planning on it.”
She knew that my plans had changed but she also knew my love
for football. “I’ll call you later.”
I shut the door behind her, turned the TV off and jumped in the
shower. As the hot water rinsed the soap from my body, I remembered
Jim’s grisly appearance from the day before. I pictured his
bloody chest and torso and my trembling fingers against his throat.
I shivered and turned off the water.
Dressed in a pair of jeans and the Dallas jersey that Jim and
Diane had given me for Christmas, I made coffee and returned to
the living room. I unlocked the sliding glass door and stepped out

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 263

2009-12-02T16:32:00.000-08:00

It seemed like forever, I had to think about it. “Ten, twelve, I
don’t know. Fifteen years?”
We stayed up late, if I would’ve had one more beer I could’ve
made a mess everywhere. Fortunately Katherine forced me to
come to bed with her. I shouldn’t have had any problems falling
asleep but I just couldn’t keep my eyes closed. She was wearing
nothing but her underwear and one of my T-shirts. Her legs were
smooth against mine, sex was the last thing I was thinking about
but part of my body had a mind of its own.
A hand reached down and she started kissing me. Before I
could open my mouth, she was having her way with me. I closed
my eyes and let her do whatever she wanted. She was right, I was
happy that I wasn’t alone anymore. I wanted to tell her something
else but I figured that I’d wait until morning.
The snow is falling in large feathery shapes but it doesn’t matter,
this was going to be a great day, the last day of football.
Everyone is sitting in the living room, wearing their favorite
jerseys. Some of the faces don’t look familiar but I know all of
them, I even know their names. They were all here last year.
Numerous beers are being consumed and then re-opened.
Joints are being lit and passed around the room. A few have hypodermic
needles with large rubber bands and some are smoking
opium and hashish out of hand carved pipes.
The TV is on and people are cheering and hissing. I have no
preference. I’m not even watching the game. I’m much more interested
in my present company and partaking of the Sunday sacrament.
Jim catches my eye and then my attention. “Hey Sammie,
what’s wrong? You look like somebody died. Did someone die?”
A burning tear runs down my face. “Yeah, you did.”
I woke, gasping for air and waking Katherine in the process.
She kissed me on the mouth. “Are you okay? Did you have a
bad dream?”
I sat up for a minute, looking around the room and then fell
back down again. “For at least the last five years, Jim and I have
gotten together for the Super Bowl, it’s been kind of a tradition.
For a minute I thought the dream was real, everybody was up there
and Jim was still alive.” My throat became dry and scratchy. “It’s

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 262

2009-12-01T04:27:00.000-08:00

I knelt down and put my fingers to my friend’s throat, no pulse,
no heartbeat. I wondered if he died while being attacked. Or did he
suffer while the last ounce of blood was being drained from him?
I stood up. Who did this? Why would anyone do this? I looked
at my bloody fingers and then down at Jim. All of a sudden I felt
dizzy and light headed, I almost lost my balance. Wouldn’t want to
slip on the puddle of red and land on your friend now, would you?
It was really starting to sink in, and I thought I was going to lose
my breakfast. Before the tears could start rolling, I felt a presence
behind me. It was Diane. “Did you call the police?” I asked. She
shook her head. “Did you find him this way?” She nodded and I
held her in my arms then picked up the phone.
It didn’t take long for the police to show, first one car and then
two. One car left and then three more arrived. I spent the rest of the
day hosting detectives, medical examiners, crime scene investigators
and anyone else that wasn’t already involved in another homicide.
Diane was the first to discover the body but her statement
didn’t prove to be very helpful.
If only I would’ve waited another day to take out my blackhaired
beauty, Jim could’ve still been alive but then again, maybe
both of us would’ve been dead.
Later that evening, sitting in my recliner at home I was startled
by a hard knocking. I put my hand to my chest and went to the
door.
Katherine was standing there, smiling. “Are you sitting in the
dark?”
I nodded. “Yep.” I wasn’t even excited to see her.
“Are you alright?” I tried smiling but it didn’t work. “What’s
wrong?”
I felt like I was going to start crying again. “My best friend was
murdered last night.”
She stepped into the apartment and put her arms around me.
“Are you alone?” She asked. “You shouldn’t be alone right now.”
I shrugged, I didn’t care. Sometimes being alone was good, just
not for Jim. I closed the door and offered her a beer. I’d drank at
least ten already.
With the lights on, we sat in silence for many minutes. “How
long did you know him?”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 261

2009-11-30T12:29:00.000-08:00

While most of me didn’t believe a word of it, part of me did.
The hand holding the phone started to tremble and my stomach
was turning sour. “I’m on my way.”
Listening to music and driving go hand in hand. Driving and
being thousands of miles away in one’s mind don’t. Missing the
sound of music would be nothing compared to missing my best
friend for the rest of my life. I still hoped that someone was playing
a sick joke on me.
Diane was standing in front of the house. Even forty feet away,
I could tell that she hadn’t showered that morning. She was probably
at the hospital all night waiting for an update on Jim’s condition.
She didn’t say what had happened on the phone. Was he in a
car accident? Did he get run over by a Peterbilt or Kenworth? Did
he get too drunk and run his car into a giant oak tree? Or had he
gotten electrocuted while taking a hot bath?
I parked in the driveway and turned the engine off. Diane was a
beautiful girl, too. Not that anyone would notice. Her hair was all
over the place and it looked like someone had tried to pull it out.
Her eyes were black with makeup and the tears I’d heard over the
phone were real. I got out of the car and she ran to me, her arms
wide, crashing her head into my chest.
Holding her tight, minutes passed and I was getting impatient.
“What happened?” No response. “What hospital is he at?” Diane
shook her head. “What hospital was he at? Did he die at the
scene?” She nodded once and the tears started up again. “Just tell
me what happened?”
She let go and pointed at the house but I still didn’t understand,
if only she would’ve spoken. “Is he still in the house?” She nodded
again. Oh shit!
Diane stayed outside while I went into the house. There was
nothing in the living room and nobody on the sofa. I looked both
ways and then behind me, my heart was racing. Why wouldn’t she
come inside? I stepped into the kitchen and there he was, propped
up against the dishwasher and sitting in a puddle of his own blood.
His neck was cut from ear to ear and there were nearly a dozen
bleeding holes in his bare chest and stomach. Remarkably, his eyes
were still open.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 260

2009-11-29T08:51:00.000-08:00

her but sometimes hearing those words can scare the Jesus right
out of you.
Lying in each other’s arms with the covers pulled up, we
swapped stories about High School and growing up. And then out
of the blue, she asked a strange question. “What’s the worst thing
you’ve ever done?”
Smiling feverishly, I thought about the best way to answer. I
could’ve told her the truth. Killed more than ten people, enjoying
each one more than the last. Beat a woman across the face and
neck while fucking like a pair of mountain lions. I could’ve told her
everything but then she’d run away, maybe even to the cops. I was
afraid of that, but much more concerned about losing her altogether.
I smiled and lied through my teeth. “Cheated on my taxes.”

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The next morning, the phone rang off the hook. I ignored it,
figuring that if it was important enough they’d call back, plus I was
right in the middle of something.
Later that day Katherine and I took a shower together and then
drove to breakfast. I couldn’t stop looking at her, such a beautiful
lady. I was ecstatic. Could life have been any better?
When I got home after dropping Katherine off, there were ten
new calls on the caller-id, all from the same person. I shook my
head. “Damn it Jim, settle down already.”
Fifteen minutes passed. While making coffee, the phone rang
again. I looked at the caller-id and as expected, it was Jim.
I answered the phone and heard an unrecognizable female
voice. “Diane?” I asked. “Is everything all right?”
She burst into tears. “No…”
“What’s wrong?”
The words came out slowly but not slow enough. “Jim’s dead.”
I laughed. Was this a joke? “Diane?”
I could hear her breathing. It would’ve been a great time for
Jim to pick up and say something clever like, ‘You’re buying,’ but
I got no such response.
“Diane?”
“Can you come up here?” She asked while sniffling.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 259

2009-11-28T04:19:00.000-08:00

“Actually yes, I do.” It had been awhile and it felt good to say
the words.
“You gonna get some tonight, huh?”
I chuckled. “I hope so. What are you doing?”
“Diane’s going to a bachelorette party, I was going to see if
you wanted to down some beers, but if you have the chance of getting
some stink on the dink, go for it!” I appreciated his enthusiasm
but I was still mad at him for not letting me throw him a bachelor
party.
“Are we still on for Sunday?” We were both rooting for New
York, anybody but Baltimore.
After drying myself off with a towel, I got dressed and if I had
to say so myself, I looked good. More importantly, I felt good.
Katherine wasn’t quite ready when I got there, so I waited on
her leather sofa while butterflies flapped their soft wings in my
stomach. When she came into the room my jaw almost dropped,
she looked ravishing in her sparkling gold dress. She wore make
up but not too much, I was sure that she was just as beautiful without
it. Her jet-black hair was like silk and it was braided in the
back like Lady Guinevere.
At dinner she hung on my every word. I told her about the military,
how I used to jump out of airplanes and how all of my Special
Forces training was going to waste.
After eating we went to a jazz and blues club. We drank martinis,
danced in the soft neon light and held hands. Thoughts of holding
her closer and more intimate details crossed my mind but I
didn’t intend to tell her. Actually she did. “Let’s go back to your
place,” she whispered and goose bumps covered my entire body.
I was nervous, my apartment was a mess but I was more concerned
about ruining the potential relationship. Unlocking the door,
I still felt shaky. I should’ve cleaned the kitchen sink. The disposal
had been broken for over a month and the last time I ran the dishwasher
the wasted food had come back out of the drain and attached
itself to the sides of the sink.
Fortunately, we didn’t spend too much time near the rotten
smelling kitchen. Unlike one night stands, we took each other in
slowly like virgins on our wedding night. Up until that moment I
never knew what making true love was all about. I wanted to tell

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 258

2009-11-27T06:11:00.000-08:00

It was such a proper name, like royalty. Lady Katherine, Princess
Katherine, her majesty the Queen. Perhaps I was becoming
addicted to her. She was like a God-send. I couldn’t wait to see her
and goose bumps formed every time she spoke into my ear.
Jim asked Diane to marry him and ever since his proposal, I
saw and heard less from him. I sure could’ve used someone to confide
in.
Katherine was more than willing to listen. I told her about my
problems, actually not all of them, I didn’t want to scare her away
but I did share my dilemmas with the human race and still she
seemed to understand. Hopefully I wasn’t giving her the wrong
idea, I didn’t just want to be her friend, I wanted so much more. I
crossed my fingers that her acceptance to my invitation to come to
dinner meant that she too had the same intentions.

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People were on the edge, not that they ever wanted to talk to
Bill Collectors but like me they had other things on their minds.
What a long week. The day seemed the longest one so far. For
me, it was frustrating as hell. I had to keep reminding myself that
none of it mattered, for later that evening I’d encounter a vision of
pure beauty.
By the end of the day I was pissed off, especially at the boss
but I found a way to deal with it. Don’t worry, this weekend, before
I go to sleep I will pray for your death and if I’m lucky, I’ll dream
of you, you and your whole family, especially your wife and eighteen
year old daughter. On the way out, I wished Mr. Peterson a
good weekend anyway.
At home, the only things I had to worry about were a hot
shower and a shave. I ironed a dress shirt the night before.
I was finishing my after work smoke when the phone rang.
“Hey Jim,” I answered.
“Sammie, what’s up?”
I was smiling, still looking forward to seeing Katherine. “Just
about to jump in the shower.”
Jim laughed, probably at my obsession. “Whatty’a got? A hot
date?”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 257

2009-11-26T09:09:00.000-08:00

Chapter 19--Give And Take

The Super Bowl would take place on Sunday and although
Dallas wasn’t going to be there, I was still looking forward to
watching the game.
I met the most wonderful woman. She worked in my building
on the third floor, in a law office as a paralegal but studying hard
to become an Attorney.
What first started as a simple greeting turned into, “How are
you doing?” And then, “You look nice today.”
For some reason, I kept bumping into her, whether it was in the
lobby, the break room or outside on my smoke break, she was everywhere
I wanted her to be. Not only was she beautiful, she had the
power to put a smile on my face no matter what my mood. She
possessed a gentle care and consideration, and most importantly
she was real. In her presence, I felt like I could change the world.
Perhaps it was a mistake on her part but she gave me her telephone
number. We talked for hours and I discovered even more
things that intrigued me. In her spare time, she did a lot of volunteer
work with the elderly and handicapped. She truly loved helping
people, her only regret was that she didn’t have more time.
Katherine was her name and she made a point of it. “Call me
Katherine, not Kat, Kathy, Katie, or Kitty. Just Katherine.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 256

2009-11-24T04:19:00.000-08:00

head. Go all day without getting upset. I’ll just smoke five cigarettes
today. I’ll only drink on special occasions. I’ll only do coke if
it’s to stay up all night, fucking. I’ll only kill when it’s absolutely
necessary.
No one can just turn off all their bad habits at once without a
mass power surge. It’s damned near impossible.
Lying in bed, I thought about my evening. If it were my goal to
stop drinking and smoking, I would’ve been a failure. For a change
I put my mind at ease, I would most definitely need those vices in
order to concentrate on the ultimate goal, to never commit murder
again.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 255

2009-11-23T13:24:00.000-08:00

are sure fire, tell-tale signs for every existing and potential psycho
killer, rapist and child molester. The ones I’ve heard, or seen on TV
are as follows:

Living alone and being a cloistered hermit
Being a good, quiet neighbor
Single and shy
Having facial hair, especially a goatee
Watching lady’s ice-skating
Subscribing to pornographic magazines
Attending teenage girl’s sporting events, alone and with a camcorder
Tacking up cut-outs from women’s magazines to the walls

Where do killers really come from? Were they born that way?
Were they molested as children? Beaten, starved and locked in a
dark cold basement? Did they have to witness their drunken Father
pushing their Mother down the stairs? Were they not shown enough
attention while growing up?
I had a pretty good childhood. My Mother made a nutritional
dinner every night and we all sat down and talked as a family. I was
never beaten by hand, with the belt a few times but never by hand.
We went on vacation every year, sometimes to exotic places and
sometimes to big cities. My Father never hit his wife, in fact they
rarely argued, at least not in my presence. So what happened? Was
my childhood too perfect? Or was I just a product of an inhumane
society?
I wondered about the other killers in the world, especially the
famous ones. Manson, Bundy and Dahmer. What turned them?
Where did they get their first taste of blood? I pondered the question
and even tried to compare myself but I wasn’t anything like
those guys. For example, I could never see myself cutting people
into small chewable pieces and then inviting my friends over for
dinner. I wouldn’t even want a dead body in my house.

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I felt like a walking AA meeting. The words rang through my

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 254

2009-11-22T04:40:00.000-08:00

“Some people have worse habits,” I said while finishing a cigarette.
I probably averaged a pack a day, twenty cigarettes, a hundred
and forty a week, and five hundred and sixty in a month. I
was pretty good at math but still I needed a calculator to figure out
the next one. Okay, six thousand, seven hundred and twenty a year,
times that by sixteen and hard to believe I’d smoked one hundred,
seven-thousand, five hundred and twenty cigarettes in my lifetime.
Whoa! Saving money never helped anyone quit, but I did the math
anyway. Four dollars a day, twenty-eight dollars a week, times that
by fifty-two and then again by sixteen and the total amount I’d
spent on cigarettes in my lifetime equaled a whopping twenty three
thousand, two hundred and ninety-six dollars. I could’ve paid for
my brand new car in cash.
Thinking of cigarettes made me think of alcohol, not to mention
drugs. Cocaine can rot your teeth, it costs more than cigarettes
and alcohol put together and if you’re not careful, you could easily
surrender your house and brand new car in a Bankruptcy. I obviously
wasn’t thinking straight, those habits were a mere pittance
compared to an addiction that I didn’t even know I had. It might
have been possible to overcome cigarettes, alcohol and drugs but
one thing I could say with confidence was that I couldn’t foresee
coming back from the killing.
There are a lot of things that people don’t come back from or
never did. Vietnam, the Dead, drowning in quicksand, being ripped
to pieces by a wild animal or having your head lopped off with a
double handed battle ax. There are also a lot of things that you
don’t come back from that don’t kill you. Losing all of your limbs,
being burned in a fire to where your face is unrecognizable, being
raped violently with a knife or witnessing your loved ones being
ripped apart by a wild animal.
It was absurd. I never thought I had a problem. Murder had just
become another complicated or accommodating facet of my life.
The anger and rage had been going on for so long that I didn’t even
notice the changes. Everyone was a possible victim.
“Who have I become?” I asked myself. “Am I a psychopath?
What the fuck is wrong with me?” What are you doing? Are you
trying to get inside my head? And then what? Stop me?
I should’ve seen it coming, everyone else always does. There

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 253

2009-11-21T04:16:00.000-08:00

It takes thirty or so days to break any habit. Thirty something
seems to be the constant. In Airborne School, they make you jump
off a thirty-two foot tower in order to break your fear of heights.
Employers give thirty day probation notices before they fire you,
and landlords require a thirty day written notice to vacate the
premises, that is if you want your deposit back.
We are all creatures of habit. We do the same things every day
and most of them are not good for us.
The first step to recovery is admitting that we have a problem.
Dear God, grant me the courage to accept life the way it is. Please
bless us all, because it’s a long road and if any of us are going to
make it, we’re going to need all the help we can get.
A lot of people don’t think they have a problem and they’re the
ones that judge the rest of us, stating that our habits are more disgusting
than theirs.
“Hey, you can’t smoke in here.”
“Did you smell the alcohol on that guy? What an alcoholic.”
Drugs kill, but so do people. There are probably several dozen
psychopaths in America alone, and some are looking for any excuse
to get their hands on you. Judge not, for he who judges will be
judged.
Is one habit worse than the other? Probably, depending on what
you’re addicted to. Cigarettes are supposed to be the number one
cause of cancer, and more people are expected to die from smoking
than any other stimulus. Alcohol has been similarly accused.
Mothers are mad against people who partake of this refreshment
and then go on killing sprees, looking for your blind children and
your paraplegic husbands like some Pole Position III game. The
more helpless the victim, the more points that get tabulated and
when we cross that checkered flag, there will be naked women,
carnival rides and even more free beer to drink.
Happy New Year! It’s the best time to think about changing
your life, out with the old and in with the new.
This year I’m going to quit smoking and drinking, beating my
wife and children and possibly consider getting a real job so I
don’t have to live off the state.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 252

2009-11-20T06:23:00.000-08:00

Chapter 18--Addiction

People can change, it’s possible. Most of the time we need a
life changing event to occur before we can really see who we are.
Near death experiences, like losing a limb or a loved one. Finding
out that you only have six months to live or better still, that you
beat that mother-fucker called cancer. It really makes you stop and
think about all the times where you should’ve stopped to smell
those beautiful roses.
Although I had a life changing event, I killed five more people
before the New Year. Bah humbug, boo-hoo, sucks for you. Die!
The list of unfortunates included the new Attorney General, a detained
bus driver that would never be late again, a Mormon Bishop
who should’ve robbed the collection plate to pay his bills, Marilyn
Adams for thinking that she was better than me, and Suzanne the
sick fuck that didn’t deserve to live in the first place.
Perhaps it was out of pleasure, boredom or just spite towards
the human race but murder was becoming so much of my normal
routine that it left me feeling helpless and addicted.
Killing wasn’t the solution, however it seemed to be the easiest
answer to the most obvious question. Why?

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 251

2009-11-19T04:20:00.000-08:00

All in all, it was a good Christmas party. We had dinner, dessert,
coffee but no alcohol. I could’ve used a drink or two to loosen
up, especially with so many eyes upon me. They held a drawing
for a number of gifts, the major prize was a TV/VCR combo but I
didn’t win anything.
Afterwards, I drove up to Jim’s and he invited me inside.
“What the hell happened to you?”
“Got my ass kicked by a bunch of bums.”
“Tonight?” He said and got to his feet. “Let’s go kill somebody.”
“No, it was last night and they’re probably long gone by now.”
Later, into our third beers I explained in detail what had happened
the night before. I felt myself getting choked up. “They
would’ve killed me for sure.” Jim listened without interruption and
I continued. “It was like the hand of God coming down from
above, not to smite me but to show me a sign.”
He smiled and then shook his head. “Yeah, whatever. You
gonna go to church now?”
I smiled too, with sincerity. “Maybe, something for sure.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 250

2009-11-18T16:26:00.000-08:00

and hydrogen peroxide. Several butterfly bandages were necessary
for the cuts on my chin, eyebrows and cheekbones.
After playing doctor, we drank several beers in the living room
and spoke about life in general. “What do you do for a living?” He
asked.
“I’m a Bill Collector,” I said.
“I hate you guys.”
“Yeah, I know. We hate you too.”

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I didn’t want to go to work and not just because I dreaded my
job and hated my boss, but because I didn’t want to show off my
once again damaged face in public.
“What happened to you?” Tiffany said in shock.
“I got jumped last night.”
“How? What? Where?” She asked. Mr. Peterson came out of
his office and had the same reaction to my appearance.
“Last night,” I said. “After I left work, right in front of the
building, I got jumped by at least three transients.”
They both shook their heads. “Why?”
“Because I never give them my spare change, they should go
out and get jobs. I’m not giving them any money.”
“Did you call the police?” Mr. Peterson asked. I shook my
head. “Why didn’t you come back up here? I was here until nine.”
I shrugged. “I didn’t want to get anyone else involved. Speaking
of which, if I’m too ghastly looking, I’d understand if you
didn’t want me at the Christmas party. I wouldn’t want anyone to
feel nervous.”
The boss moved his head from side to side. “Nonsense, it
wouldn’t be the same without you.” Tiffany agreed.
I was surprised and thrown off guard by all the consideration
and sympathy. At any moment I was expecting Mr. Peterson to give
everybody the day off due to my tragedy, but not another word was
spoken until later that evening at dinner.
“Daddy, what happened to that guy’s face?” A child asked out
of curiosity.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 249

2009-11-17T04:17:00.000-08:00

I looked around. “Where’d they go?”
“They’re gone,” he reassured. “They won’t be back.”
With help, I got to my feet and introduced myself. “I’m Sam.”
We shook hands.
“I’m Phillip.” The Bologna Man had a first name.
Mr. Peterson was still upstairs, which was probably a good
thing. It could’ve been him instead of me and if the steel toed work
boot was on my foot instead of Phillip’s I probably wouldn’t have
come to his rescue. Kill the fat bastard. Kill him real good.
A moment of silence passed. I still couldn’t believe that I’d become
the victim. I looked in both directions and behind me. Part of
me wanted to chase down the street walkers and garbage eaters, and
part of me just wanted to go home, take a hot shower and get drunk.
“Are you going to be okay?” Phillip asked.
I nodded. “Yeah, I just need to wash this bloody shit off my
face.” I brushed the dirt and gravel from my coat and slacks. “Oh,
by the way,” I said. “Thanks. I don’t know what would’ve happened
if you didn’t jump in.”
He smiled. “Don’t mention it.”
We both started walking in opposite directions. I stopped and
turned in mid stride. “Hey Phillip! You still taking the bus?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Why?”
“You want a ride?”
Phillip owned a small one story home just outside the downtown
area. It wasn’t in a very good neighborhood but it was probably
better than renting.
With the engine still running, we shook hands again. He opened
the door, put one foot on the wet ground and turned. “I used to be
an RN. Do you want me to look at those cuts, maybe get you
cleaned up a bit?”
I didn’t know the guy that well, for all I knew he could’ve been
gay and if so, I didn’t have the energy to get the man kisser off of
me. Remembering what had taken place just minutes earlier, I
really had no reason to assume the worst about Phillip. I agreed to
go inside.
Considering my new friend’s personal odor, his house was immaculate,
cleaner than mine had been in months.
In the bathroom Phillip cleaned up my face using cotton balls

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 248

2009-11-16T12:07:00.000-08:00

give, or take.
I saw a lot of couples that were supposedly happy, newlyweds
prepared to bring new life into the world. It was strange how
someone’s life was about to begin while someone else’s was about
to end.

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It was barely after seven o’clock in the evening and I was just
getting off the late shift. A light snow fell from the sky and the
once crowded sidewalks were reduced to nothing more than an occasional
passerby. I lit a cigarette then turned to see who was talking
to me.
“Excuse me Sir, can you spare some change?” It was a man
maybe in his forties, but too hard to tell under all the black soot
and beard that seemed to consume his entire face.
Another transient was in back of him, they both looked familiar.
I had turned them down before but I still wasn’t feeling charitable.
They smiled anyway. Or was it something behind me? I
turned to look but it was too late, a dirty arm that felt like it was
wrapped in a burlap bag hooked around my neck and then my face
crashed with the wet sidewalk.
“Got any spare change now?” I looked up but all I saw were
dirty shoes, held together with electrical tape but kicking me in the
face. Someone grabbed my hair and started smashing my head into
the cement.
Just when I thought I was done for, the onslaught suddenly
stopped. One pair of taped shoes disappeared and then another. Although
blood seeped into my eyes, I was able to make out somebody
else’s face. There was a different odor in the air too, not
pleasant by any means but nothing resembling dirt, alcohol or garbage.
He was the only one in sight and as my vision became
clearer I realized that I knew the guy. It was the Bologna Man from
the bus. It was ironic. I’d never had any respect for anyone who
was too lazy to take a bath. I was almost ready to cry. The Bologna
Man saved my ass, hell he’d saved my life.
“You all right?” He said as he bent down and offered his big
mitt of a hand.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 246

2009-11-15T08:39:00.000-08:00

The list compiled itself quickly, there were just too many ignorant
people in the world.
Three and a half hours into my work day, I dialed a debtor’s
telephone number. The guy who answered had never heard of the
debtor before, he could’ve just said that it was a wrong number and
I would’ve apologized and went on to my next call. But instead,
the guy became rude and abusive. He used vulgar language and
was very insulting before he slammed the phone down in my ear. I
looked over my shoulder as I made another entry to the notebook,
it wouldn’t be something I wanted anybody else to find, especially
Mr. Peterson. If indeed he did find it, his name would have to be
added and appropriate actions would have to be taken.
Let’s see a show of hands. How many of you have either said it
out loud or thought about it? “I want to kill my boss. I wish my
boss was dead. My boss is going to kill me.” For that matter, how
many of you have heard someone else say, “I’ll kill you.” Or, “I’m
gonna kill somebody?”
What an interesting thing to say. What’s wrong? Had a bad
day? Things not go your way? Most people who have said that
they’re going to kill someone have no intention of doing so. Say
what you mean and mean what you say, otherwise keep it to yourself.

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The holidays can bring out the worst in all of us. For a large
number of the population, the holidays are anything but merry. It’s
unfathomable. Instead of joy and good will towards men we’re
even more thoughtless and moronic.
More people commit suicide during the holidays than any other
time of year. There’s a lot of pressure out there and shit can just
happen sometimes. One can lose their job, and other’s wives will
leave. You could find out that you have a terminal illness. It’s depressing
to know that it might be the last Christmas that your family
will enjoy.
For me, like every year I waited until the very last minute to do
my shopping, that way I was sure to partake of all the wonderful
people whose cheery outlooks inspired not just me but everyone to

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 245

2009-11-14T04:14:00.000-08:00

Chapter 17--Phillip

Mr. Peterson was back to being an asshole.
I worked through my accounts like I normally would, that is
until I came across a familiar name. It was Marilyn Adams, the
same bitch that had called and complained to the boss. I might not
have remembered but Mr. Peterson had made obvious comments in
the collection notes.
A brand new notebook was lying in the bottom of my desk
drawer, not even a page was missing. I found it by accident while
looking for a piece of scratch paper. With much vigor, I pressed
the pen hard enough to leave an imprint on the next page. I wrote
Marilyn’s address and telephone number, the name of her employer,
and the names of five people that would give her a good
credit reference.
Laughing, I set the notebook upside down on my desk. I
planned on taking it home after work, and the next day I’d bring it
back. It would turn into a habit, an everyday ritual. The notebook
would evolve into a series of people’s names, men and women
alike that should’ve been careful enough not to end up on someone’s
list.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 244

2009-11-13T07:50:00.000-08:00

mess from my body.
To my good fortune I made it home without hearing a single
police siren. I checked the caller-id and there were three new calls
all from Jim, he was probably wondering what had happened to
me.
I went to the refrigerator and grabbed a beer then went straight
into the bathroom. Hard to believe, my costume was still in order,
maybe even better than before. The blood on the outside of my
white shirt was fresh, not to mention real. I smeared it on each side
of my face then removed the gun from my pants and stared into the
mirror.
“Now I am the Lord. I am the cancer, the beast in the closet or
under the bed if you prefer. I am the monster that keeps your children
up at night. I am the whisper in the wind, the branch on the
window and the black cat on the fence. I bid you adieu. Send my
regards to Satan. Say your prayers, see you in hell Mother-
Fuckers!”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 243

2009-11-12T04:12:00.000-08:00

with my back against the wall.
The two girls were still sitting on the couch, staring at me as I
entered the room. With the gun pointed at them, I looked around
for a phone, fortunately I didn’t see one.
Do either of you have concealed weapons? Cell phones perhaps?
The brunette and definitely nicer of the two finally realized that
their tough and manly men were not coming to their rescue. She
shook her head. “No, please. I’ll do anything you want.” Sexual
thoughts crossed my dirty mind but I pulled the trigger instead.
The blonde scowled at me with hate in her eyes and I smiled.
“Come on, tough bitch!”
She jumped up from the couch as if to offer me a challenge but
she fell back quickly as I put a bullet in her pretty little head.
Everyone was down. I was almost sure that no one had made a
phone call but not sure enough, I needed to get the fuck out of
there.
I ran out of the living room and into the hallway. To my surprise,
Steve wasn’t dead yet, in fact he was pulling himself to his
feet. Hurdling over two bodies, I sacked him to the ground then
slammed the butt of the gun into his temple repeatedly.
“Get him off me. Get him off me. Get him off me,” Steve
screamed but no one came to his aid. After a number of pistol
whips to the face, I couldn’t hear anything except for the pounding
of my rapid beating heart. I put the gun down the front of my
pants, buttoned my shirt and left the house.
Running would’ve been too suspicious, so I set off on a power
walk. However, after only a hundred feet I was lost. I turned back
and up another street but it led into a cul-de-sac. It was hopeless. I
couldn’t find my way out of the neighborhood.
I looked to the sky for answers but instead saw trees. Thank
God, a familiar building. I started walking in that direction and not
more than ten minutes later, I was on the main street and heading
home.
I hadn’t even thought about it but my car was still in the Monkey
Cat parking lot. For a second I thought about walking up there
and then going downtown to score some coke but I quickly
changed my mind, it was probably best to go home and wash the

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 242

2009-11-11T16:17:00.000-08:00

like it, I didn’t like it at all but I kept my mouth shut.
Somehow the conversation switched to who was the toughest
manly man. The blonde girl who had called me stupid wasn’t done
harassing me yet. “How much do you weigh?” She asked. “One
twenty?”
What is she trying to say? She wasn’t fat, in fact she had a
good figure but one twenty is probably what she weighed. So
you’re saying that you’re more tough and manly than me? You
don’t know me, so why do you hate me so much? Did you get out of
bed feeling this way or have you always been a hateful bitch? I excused
myself to use the rest room.
I couldn’t help but feel that these people were out to get me. I
locked the bathroom door and once again glared into the mirror.
The craving for real blood was overwhelming. With the water running,
I pretended to wash my hands. “I’ll kill all of you,” I whispered.
Not brandishing any weapons, I fumbled through the medicine
cabinet and drawers. Just when I’d given up hope, I found it, a gun
under three towels and an electric shaver. It wasn’t just any firearm
either, this one was equipped with a silencer.
Why would someone have a gun in their bathroom? Who is this
guy? Although stoned out of my head, I came up with a quick answer.
What if you were taking a shit and someone broke into your
house? You wouldn’t want to be caught with your pants down, now
would you? These people were definitely out to get me, I was convinced.
If there was a gun in the bathroom, then there were probably
more scattered around the house, possibly even on their person.
I checked the clip, six bullets, one for each of them and if I was a
good shot, possibly even one for myself. I turned the water off,
unlocked the door and stepped into the hallway.
Steve was right there and he startled me. Without thinking, I
pulled the trigger and shot him square in the chest. Another guy
came running into the hallway and straight into the path of a bullet,
right between the eyes. Something was obviously wrong and the
last man in the house knew it. He ran from the living room and
froze in his tracks but before he could piss his pants, I put a bullet
in his head too. Three down, three to go. I stepped over the bodies

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 241

2009-11-10T04:14:00.000-08:00

getting out of the truck.
Steve pointed at his friend. “Shut up, you’ll wake the
neighbors.”
We followed him into the house and down into the living room.
He went into the kitchen and brought out beers for everyone.
“Do you get stoned?” He asked.
I was hoping that they would’ve had a line or two but I knew
what he meant. “Only when I’m alone or with someone.” Steve
and his friend disappeared down the hall.
“So what’s with all the red paint?” The short haired blonde girl
asked.
“It’s not paint,” I said.
“Who do you think you are?”
“A psycho killer, murder victim, hemophiliac? Take your
pick.”
I was smiling but she didn’t find me amusing. “Why would you
do that?”
I thought it was obvious. “It’s Halloween.”
She scowled at me. “It’s stupid. Don’t you know how stupid
you look?” It sounded like a rhetorical question so I didn’t answer.
She was easy on the eyes but obviously a dumb bitch.
Steve and his friend came back with a big joint, already lit.
They each took a hit and then passed it on to me. I filled my lungs
with marijuana smoke and passed it down. It went around twice
more and then it was gone.
I took the last two swallows from my beer but my mouth was
still dry. I could barely speak. “Can I have another beer?”
Steve shook his head. “Nope, that’s it. That was the last of
them.”
The brunette girl was staring at me, I was sure that it wasn’t in
admiration. “What are you supposed to be?” She asked.
I couldn’t believe it, she was sitting right there when I’d answered
the same question just minutes before. Is she making fun of
me? “I’m a hemophiliac, psycho killer, or murder victim. Take
your pick.”
Steve had a serious expression on his face. “You forgot to mention
tampon.” Everybody laughed, especially the girls. They
pointed at me as if I’d just fallen into a pile of horse shit. I didn’t

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 240

2009-11-09T10:44:00.000-08:00

He laughed and put his hand forward. “Steve, remember me?” I
nodded and put my sticky, red hand into his. “What was your name
again?”
“Rick,” I said.
“Well come join us Rick.”
Steve was sitting at a table with his friends, one of them was
taking turns playing pool. I took a seat and looked around the bar.
Besides Steve I didn’t know anybody, no one looked familiar, not
even the bartender.
My first beer didn’t last very long. We ordered a pitcher and
Steve already had his quarters up. “Do you want to play doubles?”
I nodded. “Sure.”
After losing our game I went to the men’s room. I almost
washed my hands but stopped myself before ruining my costume.
Staring into the mirror, I was still mesmerized by my appearance
yet upset that I wasn’t doing something more festive. I could’ve
stayed at Jim’s and had more fun.
I don’t remember why but I spent the rest of the evening sitting
at the same table, drinking beer after beer and not coming any
closer to bonding with these guys. Before getting kicked out, two
of their girlfriends showed up but it was too late for them to get a
drink. I didn’t feel too bad, Steve didn’t have a female companion
either.
On our way out, Steve turned to me. “We’re going to go party
some more. Do you want to come with us?” I thought of something
else I could do but wasn’t convinced that I wanted to drive all the
way uptown, maybe my newfound friends would have something
to keep me awake.
Steve drove a brand new black Ford F-350 and for some reason
everybody was convinced that we should all go in the same vehicle.
Steve and the two girls rode up front while the rest of us rode
in the bed of the truck.
Winter was still at least a month away but that didn’t change
the fact that it was cold outside and I wasn’t wearing a jacket, my
shirt was still wide open exposing my bloody chest. Luckily, Steve
only lived a couple of blocks away.
“You sure you have some?” One of the guys yelled as we were

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 239

2009-11-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

either the Incredible Hulk or the Jolly Green Giant.
There weren’t enough chairs at the table for everyone to sit,
however the living room had ample space.
I sat forward in the sofa, careful not to stain my friend’s expensive
furniture.
Standing at the stereo, Jim took a long pull from his beer.
“Where’s your drink?” He said looking directly at me. Not only
had I forgotten to eat, the beer I’d bought earlier was still sitting
comfortably inside my cool refrigerator. “You can have one of
mine,” he offered. “But you’re buying the next one.” My throat
was dry and just to get a beer I agreed.
Not a lot was happening, no games or witty conversation, just
people dressed up in various costumes but otherwise it was like
any other night.
I finished my third beer from Jim’s stash and went into the
bathroom. After urinating I looked at myself in the mirror. I was
quite a mess but a bloody good one. For some reason I didn’t feel
like going back out to the party. People seemed to be having a
good time, and it wasn’t like there weren’t any women, but something
was still missing.
I already had an excuse for leaving but my friends were nowhere
to be seen. I left the party, in search of something to fill the
void. Trick or treat.
Several ideas swirled around in my head but I couldn’t decide
what to do, especially with the itch for more than one craving.
After driving around for at least a half an hour, I parked the car
and stepped through the doors of the Monkey Cat. Not many people
were dressed up. I ordered a beer and went into the pool room.
Even in disguise someone recognized me. “What kind of costume
is that?”
I knew the guy. We’d played against each other before. How
does this go again? I smiled. “Murder victim, psycho killer, hemophiliac?
Take your pick.”
“Tampon?” He asked.
What the fuck are you talking about?
“I thought you were supposed to be a tampon.”
“And I thought you were supposed to be fucking off and minding
your own business.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 238

2009-11-07T04:21:00.000-08:00

might have stained the upholstery. What gets blood out of a car
seat? Actually what gets fake blood out of a car seat?
Loud music was playing and the door was wide open. I
could’ve walked right in but knocked instead.
Some guy in pink tights, a tutu and pig ears came to the door.
“What are you supposed to be?” He said.
I shook my head. What am I supposed to be? What are you
supposed to be? Some kind of pig fag? When’s the last time you
looked in the mirror? “Is Jim here?” I asked.
He finally opened the door. “C’mon in.”
Diane was sitting at the kitchen table with four guys seated
around her. She wore a black wig, vampire teeth and her face was
painted white. She didn’t recognize me at all, unless she did and
she was still being cold.
“Diane,” I said breaking the ice. She still didn’t recognize me.
Is this a pretty good disguise or what? I laughed and pointed at my
face. “It’s Sam!”
“Sam?” She said then jumped up to put her arm around me.
“Jim,” she yelled, almost directly into my ear. “Get out here!” She
must have forgiven me for whatever I’d done, or maybe she was
going to have my best friend throw me out of the house.
Jim stormed out of the bedroom, a roach sized joint in his
mouth. “Where’s the fire?” And then he saw me. “Hey Sammie, is
that you?”
I turned my palms outward and tilted my head from side to
side. “It’s me.”
Jim gave me a once over. “You’re a fucking mess! What is
that? Blood? Is it real?”
I laughed. “Yeah, I wish.”
“What are you supposed to be?” Another guy asked, not even
in costume. I glared at him, thinking he too was making fun of me.
“No, seriously. What are you?”
I shrugged. “Psycho killer, murder victim, hemophiliac? Take
your pick.”
He smiled. “That’s pretty cool.”
I was too busy answering questions to comment on Jim and
Diane’s costumes. Diane was obviously a vampire and Jim’s skin
was painted green. He could’ve easily passed as one of two things,

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 237

2009-11-06T08:09:00.000-08:00

masks. There wasn’t a great selection but they still had hockey
masks, alien, clown and bleeding skeleton masks.
Besides makeup, they had an abundance of fake blood. It said
right on the package:

BE A BLOODY VICTIM, A VAMPIRE, BLOOD
SUCKER OR USE YOUR OWN CREATIVITY. NONTOXIC,
SAFE AND FUN. A GREAT FINISHING
TOUCH TO ANY COSTUME. PERFECT FOR YOUR
LITTLE MONSTERS OR BECOME ONE YOURSELF.

I didn’t have any ideas before but one quickly came to me. I
grabbed ten packages and threw them into the shopping basket. I
had it all figured out and it was going to be great.
After standing in the check-out line for almost ten minutes, I
set the beer and the basket on the floor. Normally I would’ve been
upset but instead I studied the packages of fake blood and started
laughing. Maybe the made up holiday would be all right after all.
Ten minutes later I walked out of the store, almost hopping and
skipping all the way home.
That night after a short nap and another shower, I dressed in
black slacks and no shirt. I opened the first package and squirted
the thick red liquid into my hands then splashed my face as if it
were aftershave. I was right, what a great idea. After finishing the
first tube, I opened the second. My imagination was running away
with me.
With an evil look on my face, I stared into the mirror. “I wish I
could bathe in blood.” I thought about it and then changed my
mind, it was disgusting, all of these sick fuckers with their contagious
blood diseases. If I bathed in, or drank from the blood of my
victims like a vampire, unfortunately I’d become one of them instead
of the other way around.
Four cars were in the driveway. At home just minutes earlier, I
finished covering my chest, arms and stomach with the tenth bottle.
I was a bloody mess. I waited a few minutes for it to dry and
then threw on a dress shirt, not bothering to tuck it in or button it
up.
Sitting in my car, listening to the radio I became worried that I

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 236

2009-11-05T04:06:00.000-08:00

Older children don’t believe anything they’re told, they have to
find out for themselves. We’re all curious about something, I was
twelve once too.

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Saturday, October 28th. In Utah, that was Halloween, not the
thirty-first because it fell on a Tuesday. Saturday night was Halloween,
that’s when all the kids would trick or treat, and that’s
when all of the parties would take place.
I sat back in the recliner, taking the last few drags from a cigarette
while sipping entirely too strong, instant coffee. I needed to
go to the store for beer, cigarettes and then figure out what if anything
to do on this make believe holiday. Speaking of things at the
store, I wondered whether to buy candy for the kids unless of
course their Mothers had already warned them about me living
alone.
Finishing my coffee, the phone rang.
“Hey Sammie,” Jim’s voice boomed. “What are you doing tonight?”
I hadn’t made any plans. “We’re having a costume party
up here tonight. It’s gonna be bitchin. Are you in?”
I should’ve been thinking about a costume two weeks earlier
but I had other things on my mind. “I don’t know what to dress up
as.”
He laughed. “Just grab a sheet, cut some fucking holes in it and
pull it over your head!”
I laughed too. “Yeah, that’s a possibility. I’m in, I’ll be there.”
People were everywhere, in the parking lot, down every aisle
and standing in long lines at the check-out registers. I moved
around as cautious as possible but my patience was wearing paper
thin.
I grabbed a twelve-pack of beer, a couple of frozen pizzas and
a bottle of detergent. I still needed to figure out a costume for Jim’s
party but wasn’t confident that I could find one at a grocery store.
Hard to believe, there were two sides of an entire aisle dedicated
to Halloween. Decorations, candy, talking pumpkins and
scary music, and that was just on one side. On the other side, they
stocked colored hair-spray, boxed costumes for kids, makeup and

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 235

2009-11-04T16:37:00.000-08:00

down tightly while I stared at the whites of his eyes. He was so
happy to see me.
“How are you today?” He asked but didn’t seem to care for a
response.
I still had my hand locked down. “Better than you.” The politician
seemed confused, perhaps even a little frightened despite my
shirt and tie appearance. “I saw what happened yesterday.” He still
didn’t know what I was talking about. “You caused a pretty big accident.
It was a three car pileup and most of the victims were rushed
off to the hospital. There were women and children in those cars,
little babies. Don’t you watch the news?” He started to interrupt but
I stopped him. “Let me finish. You didn’t even go over there to see
if anybody was hurt. What an ignorant fucker. I hope you do get
elected and then someone can come along and piss all over your
dreams.” I let go of his hand and glared at him as I walked off. The
politician didn’t even try to debate, no rebuttal he knew I’d discovered
a skeleton in his closet.

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Halloween is the best holiday of the year. There are no gifts to
buy and no great demand to make others feel good.
There’s just one choice, maybe two. “What will I be this year?
Or, “Do I have to dress up?”
Like Mom used to say, “You can be anything you want to be, if
you just set your mind to it.”
There have been some fantastic costumes over the years, pure
originality. I’d seen people dressed up as werewolves, murder victims
and real to life comic book heroes.
Halloween also has an eerie feeling. If it’s not where the holiday
originated, then it’s the parents who scare the fuck out of their
children with stories of abduction, mass murderers stalking the
streets, razor blades in apples and not disturbing the psycho-hermit
who lives across the street in that haunted house.
Young children believe what they’re told, especially when it
comes to monsters. Monsters aren’t real, are they? Oh yes they are.
I’d never seen a werewolf or vampire but human monsters really do
exist.

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 235

2009-11-03T04:17:00.000-08:00

waited and watched while the politician and his campaign poster
carrying entourage walked off, not a one of them bothering to look
back. Are you deaf or just fucking ignorant? Oh, I was pissed off. I
couldn’t imagine how a piece of shit like that could get elected for
anything?
‘Look at me!’ Is probably what he would’ve said if you pulled
the string from the back of his neck.

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I slept until the very last minute but still didn’t feel rested. I
should’ve stayed home the night before but instead I insisted on going
back into the downtown area. Nothing much happened, only the
rush of being wired out of my head and then the necessity to drink
it away until three-thirty in the morning.
Mr. Peterson seemed happy to see me. I was surprised by his
candor, just the other day I was the swill that begat swill. Although
he was in a good mood I wasn’t convinced that I could let my guard
down, at any second the harassment could start up again and I
wanted to be prepared to stand up for myself.
The day was dragging, each minute was like five. For some reason,
I breathed in deeply through one nostril. Perhaps it was just in
my head but I felt a rush as if a morsel of cocaine was left over
from the night before. No wonder I had a tough time getting to
sleep. I snorted up the other nostril. Yeah, something was definitely
there. I laughed. “Cool.”
Slightly wired and the desire to be more so, I walked over to the
coffee shop. However, the mixture of caffeine and cocaine didn’t sit
very well in my stomach. I probably should’ve cut my losses and
gotten a sandwich instead.
Two cigarettes and a fast walk, I was back at my desk.
Shortly before my lunch hour I had another craving, not for
more drugs but for a big, messy cheeseburger with everything on it.
I walked up two city blocks when I saw a familiar face. It was
the same political candidate from the day before, standing on another
corner but on the same side of the street as me. The politician
smiled as I got closer. He put out his hand and I shook it, clamping

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 234

2009-11-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

Chapter 16--Halloween

If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. What was I to do? Kill
every last living creature until I was all alone? The thought intrigued
me. Too bad I didn’t have super-human powers. More
mental than physical, where I could just look at someone and their
heads would explode. It would be an awesome power to wield. I
could be on a bus, at a football game or in church and all I’d have
to do is stare and people’s heads would pop all over one another
like basketballs full of salsa.
I had to shake myself out of my trance. I had no idea how long
I’d been sitting there, fantasizing about the death and destruction
of the human race.
During my morning break, cigarette in hand and on my way to
the coffee shop, I noticed a man in a shirt and tie with an entourage
of at least five. He was standing on the street corner, waving to
cars as they drove by. The motorist’s eyes averted from the road
and focused on the friendly, sharp dressed man.
I could feel an accident waiting to happen. Who is this guy?
Our next Attorney General? Minding my own business, I continued
forward, that is until the loud screeching of tires and then the
crashing of metal. Quickly I turned my head, hoping that the potential
public servant was run over by an SUV but no, he was still
standing on the corner. Three cars were involved in the accident. I

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).

Read Skip-Trace Online For Free - Page 233

2009-11-01T08:40:00.000-08:00

It was barely after seven and I was back in the red-neck of the
woods. Three more cars were parked in the driveway and two on
the street in front of the house. Somebody was having a Monday
night party and I wished I was home doing the same. Instead, I
drove back into town, in search of something to give me a boost, a
real shot in the arm.
Eight forty-five. A couple of beers, a pair of shots and several
lines, I left the bar with a good idea in mind.
It took several stops to purchase the necessary items but as
hoped, Delvin’s truck was the only vehicle in the driveway.
I turned the engine off, removed the mop head from its plastic
bag and pulled it down over my ears like a wig. Staring at myself in
the rear view mirror I couldn’t help but laugh. I looked like a Rastafarian
clown. With gloves on my hands, I grabbed the wooden mop
handle that I’d sharpened with a hunting knife and stepped out of
the car. There was no answer the first time I rang the doorbell so I
tapped it five more times.
“Hold your horses,” a voice from inside the house yelled. “I’m
comin, I’m comin.” He probably thought that one of his buddies
had forgotten their wallet, lighter or cell phone.
He opened the door but I couldn’t remember if it was the same
guy that had gotten out of the truck earlier, he wasn’t wearing a
cowboy hat or boots on his feet. Without thinking, I jabbed the
sharp, pointy stick into his throat like a joust and pushed until it
came out the other side.
Blood gushed from the man’s neck in spurts but he was still
standing, staring at me and the silly mop on my head. He tried to
say something but only gurgling sounds came from his mouth.
I gritted my teeth. “Mop the floor with me, my ass! I don’t think
your insurance will cover this one, you fucking red-neck!”
As a last will of bad faith, before I let him go to hell, I grabbed
his keys, shut the door and locked it behind him.
At home, I saw Jim’s number on the caller-id. He probably
wanted to see if I was watching the game. I shook my head. “Aw, I
missed Monday Night Football!” I laughed. “But sometimes we all
need to make sacrifices in this fucked up world.”

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Stay tuned for more excerpts from the book. If you can't wait any longer, Skip-Trace is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ or contact the author directly for a personally signed copy at petelovescat@yahoo.com (author copies are $15.00 which includes shipping and handling).