WElcome to the world of BETRAYAL... meet the characters
FLAWLESSLY BEAUTIFUL BUT FATALLY FLAWED
BETRAYAL
8 Friends,1 Vacation, 1 Murder.... 1 killer amongst them
New York at the turn of the millennium eighteen months after a vacation changed the lives of a group of friends forever. Eight of them went on the trip - only seven came back and one of those came back a murderer.
Marcus Morris was killed in cold blood, everyone in the circle of friends had a motive to kill him. His cousin Summer is having trouble thinking that any of her friends could be a murderer. Summer's obsession with finding the killer sets off a chain of events that no one could have foreseen. Hidden secrets are revealed with consequences that can never be reversed.
Marcus may be dead but if there was ever a guy who would come back from the depths of hell to carry on tormenting people then it would be him.
New York at the turn of the millennium eighteen months after a vacation changed the lives of a group of friends forever. Eight of them went on the trip - only seven came back and one of those came back a murderer.
Marcus Morris was killed in cold blood, everyone in the circle of friends had a motive to kill him. His cousin Summer is having trouble thinking that any of her friends could be a murderer. Summer's obsession with finding the killer sets off a chain of events that no one could have foreseen. Hidden secrets are revealed with consequences that can never be reversed.
Marcus may be dead but if there was ever a guy who would come back from the depths of hell to carry on tormenting people then it would be him.
CHARACTERS (pictures based on closest images in my head)
SUMMER
Summer Stevens is the main character in the book...she's the typical girl next door type. She is involved in a car accident, which is where she meets Jez - a gorgeous fire fighter. The connection between them is instant, he becomes her rock, especially as things take a sinister turn for the worse when her cousin Marcus is murdered...by one of her friends. Things are never straight forward for Summer, her life is like a giant rollercoaster and Jez has to rescue her more than once...
CHARACTERS (pictures based on closest images in my head)
JEZ
Jez Walsh is the fire fighter who rescues Summer from a car accident on Brooklyn Bridge and quickly realises that she is the girl of his dreams. Having spent his child hood in kids homes he never thought he'd find the kind've love he has with Summer. He is your typical all-American good guy. Not only is he gorgeous but he also gets kittens down from trees! All he wants out of life is to marry Summer, but the ghost of Marcus won't seem to go away. He is the first to admit he never liked the guy but when Summer becomes totally obsessed with finding out who killed Marcus Jez finds himself trying to save her from her own demons before any wedding bells can ring.
CHARACTERS (pictures based on closest images in my head!)
MARCUS
If Jez is the good guy then Marcus Morris is totally the bad boy...he could count his friends on his small finger and his enemies where endless. So when he is found dead in the hot tub of a vacation cabin in Colorado Springs, every single person in that cabin is under suspicion. All of them have motive and not one of them is sorry to see him dead. He may have been enigmatic and sexy but he was only ever out for himself, took advantage of other's misfortunes and this ultimately lead to his down fall.
CHARACTERS (pictures based on closest images in my head)
AMBER
Amber Gordon is smart, sassy, sexy, successful and far too clever to fall for a guy like Marcus...but she does. Not that she is in love with him, their relationship is passionate and volatile. He continually cheats on her, she hates him, but she knows she can never be in a normal relationship. Marcus knows her secret and maybe it's enough to kill for. If it's a crime of passion then Amber would be prime suspect.
CHARACTERS (pictures based on closest images in my head)
MATT
Matt Stevens is Summer's older brother and places himself in the role of her protector which finds him coming second best to Jez as he is the one she always turns to. This leaves things strained between Matt and Jez. Matt has also found himself as Amber's latest love interest although things aren't right between them either. There are things he could never tell Summer...like the reason why he threw Marcus out of their parent's wake...that was between him and Marcus, unfinished business you might say...
CHARACTERS (based on closest images in my head)
JACKSON
Jackson D'arby is the cool, chilled out dude who doesn't really let life get in the way of him having fun. His laid back Caribbean attitude leaves him with no worries...if this was a more old fashioned murder story he'd be the butler!!
CHARACTERS (based on closest images in my head)
CJ
CJ is probably the quietest member of the group of friends. He is Jackson's room mate and finds he has a lot in common with Claudia. He is a people watcher, he quietly takes everything in, but lets nothing about himself out. Only Jackson know his closely guarded secret until Marcus accidently finds out and plans to use it for his advantage...two days later Marcus is dead.
CHARACTERS (pictures based on closest images in my head)
CLAUDIA
Claudia Michaels may be a hot shot lawyer but her colleagues call her the ice maiden behind her back, which couldn't be further from the truth. Claudia is in love with her best friend CJ, the guy who stopped her being viciously attacked by Marcus. She hasn't the confidence to lay her heart on the line and tell him how she feels, Marcus' attack scarred her too much, but could she have found the strength to finish Marcus off for good?
WHO KILLED MARCUS???
Read BETRAYAL and find out...but Marcus' death is only half the story....
BETRAYAL - THE PROLOGUE
A TIME FOR REFLECTION:-
NEW YEARS EVE 1999
The dawn of the new Millennium and the start of new beginnings. Summer was amongst the crowds in Times Square, New York City, surrounded by her friends. Jez stood behind her, pulling her close to ward off the cold. The tip of her nose was bright red from the freezing December air. A new century, time to put the past behind her and look forward to her future with Jez. He had proposed on Christmas Eve. She had known from the start that Jez was ‘The One.’ She had accepted his proposal without hesitation and was now in a place where she could forget the past, banish the bad memories from her everyday life and maybe finally accept that the truth may never be known. Maybe it was even better that way. Jez bent down towards her, kissing her cheek she turned her face towards him and brushed his lips with her own.
“Love you babe.”
Why did she fill her thoughts with the past when she had a much nicer future, her and Jez’s future to think of? New Years resolution? Forget what has been and think of what will be.
*************************
Amber stood a few feet away from her best friend, Summer she watched Summer and Jez cuddled up together, laughing and kissing in their own little private world. She glanced across at her boyfriend Matt, who although standing next to her might as well have been on the other side of Manhattan for the amount of intimacy there was between them. He’d hardly muttered a word all evening, no change there then. She didn’t know why she’d expected New Year to be any different. She already knew that the kiss she’d receive at midnight would be a peck on the cheek, if she was lucky. Why did she stay in such a passionless, lifeless relationship? She knew the answer to that straight away. She could never have a normal relationship, not after what she’d done. No sparkling rock on her finger like Jez had given Summer. Still she was a woman of the nineties, well almost noughties. Who needed guys any way? She moved from one foot to the other and rubbed her hands together in an attempt to keep warm. The past was something that should be well and truly left where it was. However she was smart enough to know that the repercussions of your actions could last a life time. She preferred to think about here and now. Matt may not light her fire, but her lover certainly did! New Years resolution? Keep her lover and live up to the noughties!
*******************
Christmas and New Year were Jackson’s favourite time of year, lots of parties, lots of alcohol and lots of getting laid. Times Square at New Year you just couldn’t beat it. He high fived a guy who was walking past him.
“Hey man!”
There was nowhere else he’d rather be and here he was with his friends close by, Summer and Jez in their loved up bubble oblivious too everyone and everything around them, Amber and Matt where behind him with their invisible mile between them. He could never figure that relationship out. Next to him were Claudia and his room mate CJ. Life was kinda cool at the moment he tended not to dwell on the past, sure there were things he’d done that he wished he hadn’t. Some things he couldn’t even tell his close friends, but hey he lived for the moment and to hell with the consequences. His laid back Caribbean attitude meant he was always chilled. If he didn’t treat life like that then he’d end up like Matt - boring! His New Years resolution? Keep life cool man.
*************************
Matt couldn’t wait to leave this ridiculous place, he couldn’t think of anywhere worse to spend New Year, waiting for that God damn ball to drop. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his sister, Summer with that jerk Jez. He couldn’t believe she was actually going to marry him. His girlfriend Amber was standing next to him. Girlfriend? What a farce! What was he doing with a sex mad, self obsessed bitch like her? He really didn’t know. He glanced at his watch twenty minutes to mid night, he wondered if he could slip away. He needed to get to his office. No one knew if the millennium bug would have an impact or not. He couldn’t afford to lose any important data. He took his job as an accountant very seriously and he wanted to make sure all his clients’ files remained intact. Yeah, he’d slip away as soon as possible. His resolution? Start the New Year as he meant to go on, in the office.
**********************
Jez rested his head on Summer’s shoulder, moving closer to her. He couldn’t believe how much he loved her. He never imagined he could feel like this, she was amazing and she was all his. Everything he did was for her. She’d had a really rough time over the past few years; he just wanted to make her happy. He’d never had a family; he grew up in foster homes. Never knowing what it would be like to be loved or to show love and now that he was experiencing it he was never gonna let it go, not ever. Summer was the most important part of his life and he would do anything to protect her. Help her forget the bad times. He’d always found blanking things out was effective, but he knew Summer couldn’t do that. For now; he couldn’t think of a better place to celebrate New Year than with his arms around the most beautiful and amazing woman in the world. New Years resolution? Make Summer his wife.
**********************
Claudia stood in between CJ and Jackson. She felt safe with these guys, she was wary of men after what happened to her. She glanced over at CJ and not for the first time noticing how attractive he was. She loved the way his hair curled slightly at the nape of his neck; did he even know it did that? She liked knowing something about him that he didn’t. She also happened to be in love with him, she just needed to find the courage to tell him that. Jackson made her laugh so much. He was always such good company. They were her knights in shining armour. They had saved her from a serious assault that she’d never quite been able to get over. Romantically all her hopes were pinned on CJ. She looked over to Summer and Jez, they were so much in love, would she and CJ ever have that? He didn’t have a clue how she felt. She’d never found the right moment to tell him. They were best of friends, but more than anything she wanted them to be a couple. People at work called her the ice maiden behind her back. In truth she was saving herself for the man she loved. New Years resolution? Lay her heart on the line and reveal her true feelings to CJ, it couldn’t be that bad - could it?
*************************
CJ was enjoying the carnival atmosphere, tapping his feet to the music and moving his shoulders in time to the beat. He loved it when he was in a situation like this when people you’d never met before just came up and hugged you and wished you well. If only life could always be like that. Claudia seemed quiet tonight. He caught her attention.
“You ok?” he mouthed. She nodded, smiling at him. Out of the group of friends he was closest to Jackson and Claudia. He and Claudia were the quiet ones of the group and similar in personality; they could talk for hours on any given subject. However, no matter how close he was to her he could never tell her his secret. Only one other living soul knew and he couldn’t tell anyone else. It was better that they didn’t know. Secrets and lies, life seemed to be full of them. He looked round at his friends, did they all have skeletons in the closet or did they know everything about each other? He supposed there were parts of themselves’ that they kept hidden just like he did. Did they really know each other at all? New Years resolution? Keep hiding those secrets… at all costs.
Copyright Bev Dulson 2010
NEW YEARS EVE 1999
The dawn of the new Millennium and the start of new beginnings. Summer was amongst the crowds in Times Square, New York City, surrounded by her friends. Jez stood behind her, pulling her close to ward off the cold. The tip of her nose was bright red from the freezing December air. A new century, time to put the past behind her and look forward to her future with Jez. He had proposed on Christmas Eve. She had known from the start that Jez was ‘The One.’ She had accepted his proposal without hesitation and was now in a place where she could forget the past, banish the bad memories from her everyday life and maybe finally accept that the truth may never be known. Maybe it was even better that way. Jez bent down towards her, kissing her cheek she turned her face towards him and brushed his lips with her own.
“Love you babe.”
Why did she fill her thoughts with the past when she had a much nicer future, her and Jez’s future to think of? New Years resolution? Forget what has been and think of what will be.
*************************
Amber stood a few feet away from her best friend, Summer she watched Summer and Jez cuddled up together, laughing and kissing in their own little private world. She glanced across at her boyfriend Matt, who although standing next to her might as well have been on the other side of Manhattan for the amount of intimacy there was between them. He’d hardly muttered a word all evening, no change there then. She didn’t know why she’d expected New Year to be any different. She already knew that the kiss she’d receive at midnight would be a peck on the cheek, if she was lucky. Why did she stay in such a passionless, lifeless relationship? She knew the answer to that straight away. She could never have a normal relationship, not after what she’d done. No sparkling rock on her finger like Jez had given Summer. Still she was a woman of the nineties, well almost noughties. Who needed guys any way? She moved from one foot to the other and rubbed her hands together in an attempt to keep warm. The past was something that should be well and truly left where it was. However she was smart enough to know that the repercussions of your actions could last a life time. She preferred to think about here and now. Matt may not light her fire, but her lover certainly did! New Years resolution? Keep her lover and live up to the noughties!
*******************
Christmas and New Year were Jackson’s favourite time of year, lots of parties, lots of alcohol and lots of getting laid. Times Square at New Year you just couldn’t beat it. He high fived a guy who was walking past him.
“Hey man!”
There was nowhere else he’d rather be and here he was with his friends close by, Summer and Jez in their loved up bubble oblivious too everyone and everything around them, Amber and Matt where behind him with their invisible mile between them. He could never figure that relationship out. Next to him were Claudia and his room mate CJ. Life was kinda cool at the moment he tended not to dwell on the past, sure there were things he’d done that he wished he hadn’t. Some things he couldn’t even tell his close friends, but hey he lived for the moment and to hell with the consequences. His laid back Caribbean attitude meant he was always chilled. If he didn’t treat life like that then he’d end up like Matt - boring! His New Years resolution? Keep life cool man.
*************************
Matt couldn’t wait to leave this ridiculous place, he couldn’t think of anywhere worse to spend New Year, waiting for that God damn ball to drop. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his sister, Summer with that jerk Jez. He couldn’t believe she was actually going to marry him. His girlfriend Amber was standing next to him. Girlfriend? What a farce! What was he doing with a sex mad, self obsessed bitch like her? He really didn’t know. He glanced at his watch twenty minutes to mid night, he wondered if he could slip away. He needed to get to his office. No one knew if the millennium bug would have an impact or not. He couldn’t afford to lose any important data. He took his job as an accountant very seriously and he wanted to make sure all his clients’ files remained intact. Yeah, he’d slip away as soon as possible. His resolution? Start the New Year as he meant to go on, in the office.
**********************
Jez rested his head on Summer’s shoulder, moving closer to her. He couldn’t believe how much he loved her. He never imagined he could feel like this, she was amazing and she was all his. Everything he did was for her. She’d had a really rough time over the past few years; he just wanted to make her happy. He’d never had a family; he grew up in foster homes. Never knowing what it would be like to be loved or to show love and now that he was experiencing it he was never gonna let it go, not ever. Summer was the most important part of his life and he would do anything to protect her. Help her forget the bad times. He’d always found blanking things out was effective, but he knew Summer couldn’t do that. For now; he couldn’t think of a better place to celebrate New Year than with his arms around the most beautiful and amazing woman in the world. New Years resolution? Make Summer his wife.
**********************
Claudia stood in between CJ and Jackson. She felt safe with these guys, she was wary of men after what happened to her. She glanced over at CJ and not for the first time noticing how attractive he was. She loved the way his hair curled slightly at the nape of his neck; did he even know it did that? She liked knowing something about him that he didn’t. She also happened to be in love with him, she just needed to find the courage to tell him that. Jackson made her laugh so much. He was always such good company. They were her knights in shining armour. They had saved her from a serious assault that she’d never quite been able to get over. Romantically all her hopes were pinned on CJ. She looked over to Summer and Jez, they were so much in love, would she and CJ ever have that? He didn’t have a clue how she felt. She’d never found the right moment to tell him. They were best of friends, but more than anything she wanted them to be a couple. People at work called her the ice maiden behind her back. In truth she was saving herself for the man she loved. New Years resolution? Lay her heart on the line and reveal her true feelings to CJ, it couldn’t be that bad - could it?
*************************
CJ was enjoying the carnival atmosphere, tapping his feet to the music and moving his shoulders in time to the beat. He loved it when he was in a situation like this when people you’d never met before just came up and hugged you and wished you well. If only life could always be like that. Claudia seemed quiet tonight. He caught her attention.
“You ok?” he mouthed. She nodded, smiling at him. Out of the group of friends he was closest to Jackson and Claudia. He and Claudia were the quiet ones of the group and similar in personality; they could talk for hours on any given subject. However, no matter how close he was to her he could never tell her his secret. Only one other living soul knew and he couldn’t tell anyone else. It was better that they didn’t know. Secrets and lies, life seemed to be full of them. He looked round at his friends, did they all have skeletons in the closet or did they know everything about each other? He supposed there were parts of themselves’ that they kept hidden just like he did. Did they really know each other at all? New Years resolution? Keep hiding those secrets… at all costs.
Copyright Bev Dulson 2010