Allie Hawkins, author of Presumed Guilty, Shares Her Heroine's Temptations

Brainy but sexy Robin Lamy, the heroine of my romantic suspense novel, PRESUMED GUILTY, grew up a gal used to cotton. Raised by her single mother, Robin spent a lot of time swimming, hoping to make the US Olympic team. An accident shatters that dream, but she goes on to get a Master’s in math. Always careful with money, she lands a teaching job at a posh college prep school for boys and joins a world where everyone wears cashmere and silk for even mundane occasions.


Her marriage to the father of one of her brightest students catapults her into the status of trophy wife whose diamond engagement ring could light up an airfield for incoming 767’s. Andrew lavishes her with a custom Benz, a mansion, more designer clothes and jewelry than she can wear. In addition, her buys an apartment for her ailing mother in a long-term care facility. Then . . . he disappears after a very public argument with Robin. The media, cops and Andrew’s friends help pile up circumstantial evidence pointing to her presumed guilt. Robin fights off the images of herself in cotton prison garb by pruning roses, swimming in the pool Andrew gave her mother, and having dinner nightly with Mom. Admittedly, she’s drinking more wine than she should . . . but she needs something to help her sleep through the nightmares.


Her biggest worry is going to prison and leaving Mom alone, sick and broke.


Detective Nick Ketchum wears Guicci loafers with a puke-green suit coat Goodwill would reject. As a result, most people underestimate him. Most people include his new partner and the PD’s chief. Nick’s nearly shaved head, Oakleys and a pristine ’67 champagne Cadillac deVille add to his unique style. A workaholic, Nick relaxes by practicing karate, caring for his spoiled cat and spending time with his widowed mother and his younger paraplegic brother.


Give Nick a frosty beer, a few hours sweating in his vegetable garden and a pizza with his brother and he’s on top of the world. Throw him a case where there’s too much damn circumstantial evidence against a knock-out prime suspect and all his instincts screa, Whatever happened to innocent till proven guilty?


PRESUMED GUILTY takes place in a suburb of Kansas City during one of the hottest summers on record. The temperature ignites the sizzle that heats up between Robin and Nick. Going for a swim together nearly brings the water in the pool—and the blood in their veins—to full boil.


Excerpt:

Piano music followed Robin into the elevator.  Too bad she had to wait to give Nick the surprise she’d bought.  Her pulse gyrated, and she smiled at the fantasy of  him opening her gift.  God, she’d require oxygen.

An overpowering scent of roses drifted into the hallway outside her mother’s cracked door.  Inhaling deeply, she got her face under control and stepped inside.

“Mom?”  Why were the drapes drawn?  Winter or summer, accomplished painter Sarah Lamy craved natural light.  It flooded her canvasses with a Monet-like incandescence.  “Mom!  You in the bathroom?  The bedroom?”

“Allie, allie, allie, all’s out in . . .”  Robin jogged into the hallway.  Her heart galloped.  Her mother never napped.  Not on her worst days.  Not when she expected Robin.

The bedroom door stood open.  Curtains closed.  Light from the bedside lamp gleamed on polished wood. An envelope sat propped against a vase of Peace roses.

The room spun.  Robin squeezed her eyes shut, tried to inhale, but fear grabbed her.  Stay calm.  Stay . . .   She’d never screamed or cried or fainted when the police came about the blood in Andrew’s car.  

Don’t go there.  She opened her eyes and lunged across the bed.  The unsealed envelope was addressed to her.  In red computer cursive . . . 

Hands shaking, she ripped out a sheet of paper.  A typed message jittered below the phony, explicit photo of her and Nick:  See how easy it is to get to mommy?  

The rose fragrance stung Robin’s eyes.  Who had taken such a risk?  Why?  She brought the note closer.  Imagine her disgust when she sees this snapshot of her baaad baby girl.

“No, dammit!”  Her stomach pitched.  

Lucky for you, she didn’t see any pictures—this time.


About Allie Hawkins...

Allie Hawkins has taught adolescent boys, created adult library programs and developed high tech-marketing materials.  Interspersed with those careers, she was a professional Girl Scout and a consultant (assistant vampire) for the Red Cross's Blood Services Program.  She lived in Missouri, Kansas, North Carolina, and Florida.  She now resides in Silicon Valley with her husband and the black cat who is her literary “muse.”

Writing as Barbara Plum, she published PRINCE OF FROGS (2004) and QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE (2005) for Kensington/Zebra Press. 

Writing as Allie Hawkins, her first romantic suspense PRESUMED GUILTY will be released by The Wild Rose Press on October 28, 2011.