Fugitive on the Run
by
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It was time to make a decision…today, in fact! Jade Goodhew’s life had been turned upside down since winning the lottery for $42,600,000 three months ago. Long-lost relatives, friends and even complete strangers constantly badgered her for a loan which she knew was a farce for they had no intention of paying her back.
One thing was clear. Somehow she had to escape the constant greedy demands being heaped upon her. She wanted her cozy life back. Most of all it irritated her that she had felt compelled to quit her job last week to escape the stress of dealing with her co-workers. Some were openly envious and not a bit shy about making snide remarks. A few kowtowed to her in hope of receiving monetary favors.
She felt rootless now that she no longer had her computer programmer position. Going to work had given direction to her life. Now she was adrift on a sea of uncertainty with no port in sight.
She paced the floor as she mentally listed her options. The only viable solution was to relocate where she was unknown. But where?
“Australia might be a good choice,” she mumbled, then quickly rejected the idea. It was simply too far from family and friends.
“Ah, I know…Chicago, maybe New York City,” she muttered. “I could change my name and get lost in the vast population.”
She paused in the kitchen long enough to pour a cup of coffee. Ideas swirled through her head as she resumed pacing. She stopped at her desk in the den and began to list all the advantages and disadvantages of living in a big city. The sudden jangle of the telephone triggered an involuntary jerk of her body. She glanced at the Caller ID machine next to the telephone and growled, “You’re nobody I know or want to know.”
Her mood didn’t improve as her gaze fell upon the calendar pad. She took a careful sip of the scalding hot coffee, then ripped off the top sheet, crushed it into a tight ball and pitched it in the general direction of the wastepaper basket. “So much for May 15th,” she grumbled.
She was unaware of a pair of small-time crooks, generally known as Fast
Freddie Ferguson and Big Jim Wheeler. They had returned to Iowa a week ago after laying low in Kansas City for two months. She would have been
alarmed had she known they had been stalking her for the past few days. Freddie’s cousin, Tommy Ferguson, had casually told them about the little gal in Hickory Hills winning the lottery.
It seemed only fair to Fast Freddie she should share her good fortune with two fine fellows such as Jim and himself. Big Jim had been a little surprised when Freddie told him that. It sounded like Freddie had decided to move up into the big time
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About the Book
Jade Goodhew won the lottery and is unsure whether it is a blessing
or a curse. Friends, relatives and even strangers badger her constantly
for money. She is unaware she is being stalked by two small-time
crooks who want a sizable portion of her money.
Frederick Ferguson and James Wheeler, commonly known as
Fast Freddie and Big Jim, stole an UPS truck and are set to abduct
Jade. Fast Freddie smugly brags about being the brains of their partnership
whereas Big Jim provides the brawn.
Jade suspiciously eyes the UPS truck as it rolls to a stop in
front of her house. The appearance of Big Jim in an UPS uniform a
couple sizes too small alerts her that something is wrong. She flees
to a neighbor’s home and summons the police. They begin a chase
immediately and also provide an escort for her to I-35 going south.
A local gossipmonger spreads the word in a tavern about Jade’s
police escort to I-35. Upon hearing this Fast Freddie and Big
Jim head for the interstate. They catch up with Jade in Eagleville,
Seth Driscoll in
her horror she spots the familiar blue van. She pleads with Seth to
help her board the bus. He helps her elude them by posing as her
husband. Escaping the crooks escalates into a battle of wits between
Fast Freddie and Seth.
Seth finally shakes their pursuers and takes refuge in his grandparents’
home near
Jade there. Grandma Driscoll is a force to be reckoned with.
The story is salted with humor and a number of surprises as it
twists and turns to a conclusion.
About the Author
Berniece has always had a fascination for stringing words together. This naturally led to the art of storytelling. She graduated from business college and was employed for many years by a prominent insurance and financial company in the
Upon retiring she returned to the business of storytelling. She wrote a rough draft of three novels just to see if she had more than one story to tell. First, she wrote “The Lottery Winner”, then “Something Beautiful” and after that “The Winds of Fate”.
The third one was the closest to her heart. That is why she chose to have it published first. She did a complete rewrite of “Something Beautiful” and decided it just might be her favorite. It was tough saying goodbye to the characters in “Something Beautiful”.
That left “The Lottery Winner”. When she was unable to come up with a suggestion for the cover design, she changed the name to “Miracles Still Happen”. She encountered the same problem with that title. She then changed the title to “Fugitive on the Run” which is probably more apropos of the content of the story. It should come as no surprise that “Fugitive on the Run” became her new favorite.
One day several years ago it occurred to Berniece that no one had ever taken the trouble to write the Family History. Little did she know when she started this project that it would become a major undertaking but it was well worth the effort. She published it in 1998 and does periodic updates. She also wrote a friend’s Family History.
There are those who believe a novel is all fiction. This is not the case with Berniece’s books. She writes what she knows about and says it is accurate to say that at least half of each book is based on real life experiences of both herself and others. She believes that
She has many interests which are too numerous to list. As you may have surmised, she is a voracious reader. She always has a book with her regardless where she might be. She has traveled extensively and favors visiting foreign countries. She is passionate about the welfare of animals, and homeless people.
She makes her home in central