The Adventures of
Xavier & Vic
–
Book 2
The Missing Partner
By Liza O’Connor
∞
Cases to be Resolved:
The ‘New Woman’ Who Lost Her Old Mind
The Lost Servant of Dante’s Hell
The Disappearance of a Very Important Man
The Abduction of Sneaky Snake by a Grand Elephant
The Cat Who Wore Too Much
Vic Hamilton takes the reins of the investigation office, while Xavier Thorn disappears on an assignment for the British government. Her caseload is entirely ‘lost and recovery’ cases. In the midst of solving all her client’s problems, she learns that the government has lost Xavier. With the help of the gypsy pirate Jacko, and her driver Davy, Vic rushes against time to rescue everyone. Most alarming, she befriends and hires a dangerous criminal as an employee of Xavier Thorn’s Private Inquiries—without Xavier’s permission.
EXCERPT
London, England, March 1894
Xavier entered through the back door of his place of business, Xavier Thorn’s Private Inquiries, and slipped into his office.
His apprentice-partner Victor Hamilton sat at the desk, pounding away at the typewriter. “I would be better off deciphering hieroglyphics. How is it possible no one made Xavier learn to form his letters properly?” Vic squinted at his scrawl. “Sometimes I think the man was raised by wolves.”
It had been nearly a year since he’d hired Victor as his secretary only to discover that beneath the boy’s manly attire was the body of a young woman—a woman he loved more than life itself. She fit him to perfection. While Xavier had no use for a proper wife, Vic filled all his needs both personally and professionally. Had he searched the entire world, he could not have found a better partner in life. And how she came to be his, still amazed him.
Wanting an interesting life, Vic had chosen at the age of twelve to live her life as a man. Her guardian, Maddy Hamilton, had allowed her to do so, and gave her butler Gregory the task of raising Vic into a proper young man. And while the butler annoyed Xavier with his high handedness, he could only praise the fabulous young man Vic had become.
Even before he discovered Vic’s true gender, the scamp’s brilliant mind and intuitive skills captivated him. While Xavier was considered to be the most brilliant sleuth in England, given time, he had no doubt Vic would surpass him.
But his pup wasn’t there yet, and he did not appreciate her current tirade in the least. Not after all the risks he’d taken to see her. He eased behind the chair and curled his hands around her delicious neck.
She jumped at his touch. “Damn it, look what you made me do!” She pointed to the blackened mess caused by four keys striking the page at once. “I’m not typing this over. You’ll just have to make do with a blot in your notes.”
His grip on her neck tightened, and he leaned down to speak softly in her ear, “Quiet, pup, or I’ll have to muzzle you.”
Book 1
The Troublesome Apprentice
Book 2
The Missing Partner
First, I got tired of telling my proper blog. Now, I’m tired of telling my improper bio. So what’s left?
Liza O’Connor was born, raised badly, left the South/Midwest and wandered off to find nicer people on the east coast…and employment. There she worked for the meanest man on Wall Street, while her psychotic husband tried to kill her three times. (So much for finding nicer people.) Then one day she declared enough, got a better job, divorced her husband, and fell in love with her new life where people behaved normally. But all those bad behaviors has given her lots of fodder for her humorous romances. Please buy these books, because otherwise, she’ll become grumpy and write troubled novels instead. They will likely traumatize you.
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