Blake Crouch - Stirred (Jacqueline

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Text copyright 2010 Crouch & Konrath. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

Published by Thomas & Mercer
P.O. Box 400818
Las Vegas, NV 89140

S tirred was written as a standalone thriller and requires no prior knowledge of either Crouchs or Konraths respective bodies of work. It is the conclusion to J.A. Konraths Detective Jack Daniels series and Blake Crouchs Andrew Z. Thomas/Luther Kite series.

In Stirred, the reader will come across occasional hyperlinks when a character first appears, or when a passage in the story refers to a novel in the Crouch/Kilborn/Konrath Universe. Clicking on this underscored text will take the reader to a brief description of either the character or the referenced novel, for those interested in getting more information, clarity, or explanations of past events. However, these links are in no way necessary to understanding and enjoying the Stirred storyline.

Our goal is to provide the reader with a complete picture of the thirty-nine stories, novellas, and novels that comprise our interconnected body of fiction, and the e-book format has given us the opportunity to unify our works in a way that has been impossible in the print world.

We hope this state-of-the-art feature enhances your enjoyment of Stirred, and crystallizes your understanding of the Crouch/Kilborn/Konrath Universe, 1.85 million words and growing

All the best,
Blake Crouch & J.A. Konrath

Midway upon the journey of our life I found
myself within a forest dark,
For the straightforward pathway had been lost.

DANTE ALIGHIERI, The Divine Comedy

H e wasnt her type.

For starters, too old. Forty-five or forty-six, she guessedalmost fifteen years her seniorand as a rule she didnt date men with long hair. Blame it on the lingering, private shame she still harbored from her early-nineties Michael Bolton phase.

Worse, hed come at her with no game at all.

Had simply sidled up behind the vacant chair beside her and asked, Would you mind if I sat here?

And yet, here she was, almost four hours later, still talking with him at the bar in the Publican and letting him buy her another glass of the excellent New Zealand sauvignon blanc shed been drinking all night.

As the bartender set a fresh glass in front of her and poured from the bottle, she figured it was Robs eyes that had kept her in the chair, kept her from just slipping out the next time she excused herself to go to the little girls room, a trick shed pulled so many times before. Robs eyes were black and intense for sure, but they were also listening eyes. She hadnt met a man like him in years. Most of the bores who hit on her might have presented a better exterior packagethousand-dollar suits and cologne and all the metrosexual accessories a single, successful man in Chicago was expected to flauntbut they were also, almost without exception, unimaginative, self-obsessed bores.

Admen, lawyers, executives, the occasional fund manager who apparently thought shed come downtown to hear every excruciating detail of his new boat and winter condo in Aspen, or what an adrenaline rush it waslike a drug, like sex, you know, babe?to do whatever it was he did with other peoples money.

No, Rob was different.

Most nights when she took herself out looking for Mr. Right, she rarely spoke. Just sat there and sipped wine and listened politely until she couldnt stand another moment of feigning interest.

But tonight shed done most of the talking, and hed seemed genuinely interested as she rambled on about her job at Firemans Fund Insurance Company, where she worked as a claims representative.

Hed asked smart questions, and not just about the current job, but about her future goals, where she wanted to be in five years, in ten.

And he wasnt that bad looking.

Couldve dressed a little nicer for a place like this, but in truth, his faded jeans, black cowboy boots, and plaid button-down only underscored the overall vibe she was getting from Rob.

Real.

This was a real guy and probably out on the town for the same reason she wasto meet someone who might bring meaning to what had become the almost unbearable monotony of her day-to-day existence.

The bartender, a heavily pierced and tattooed young man who barely looked old enough to sell alcohol, stopped in front of them and said, Just to let you guys know, well be closing in ten minutes. Get you anything else?

Rob glanced over at Jessica. One more before they kick us out?

Jessica looked at her wineglassstill a few sips left, though she wouldve loved one more since the bursts of passion fruit and lime were going down all too smoothly. But she didnt want to come off as a lush on what was turning into their first date.

I think Im all done.

Rob paid their tab with a big wad of cash and then stood and helped her into the pre-owned Martin Margiela jacket that still embarrassed her when she thought about what shed spent on it.

Thank you, Rob, she said.

My pleasure, Jessica.

She could feel the awkward moment coming as they made their way through the empty restaurant, the servers already setting the tables with fresh linens and clean glass and silverware for tomorrow. In ten seconds, they were going to be standing on the sidewalk, the question of whether the night was over or just beginning hanging in the air.

She wasnt going to sleep with himshe knew that.

But maybe a quick nightcap back at his place or hers? No harm there.

Rob opened the door, and then they were out on the sidewalk in the cool spring night.

Jessica stopped near the street, her hands in her pockets, half-looking for a cab, half-wondering if she needed to.

Im really glad I took a chance asking if I could sit next to you, Rob said.

Me, too, Jessica said. It was a really lovely evening.

Come on, continue it. Im sending you the signal. If Id wanted our time together to be over, I wouldve already said good

Any chance I could interest you in a late-evening walk?

Rob extended his arm, the boldest move hed made yet, and she melted a little bit.