Preview From Marsh's Next Romance Novel:
Among the Daisies
(Old title: "Stephanie's Promise")

     As soon as Stephanie Marshall opened the front door of her Key Largo condo, she ran straight to her computer. Good thing I never turn this computer off, she said to herself, as if she would not survive the minutes it would take her to turn it on.  She quickly retrieved Dan’s telephone number from her old contact list, and then dialed the number.

     “Hello,” a male voice answered.
     “Dan, is that you? This is Stephanie.” She said, still fuming for what had happened only a few hours earlier, and not bothering to say hello.
     “Well, long time no talk.  It’s been years. So, what do you want?” Dan asked brusquely, surprised at the call.
     “Don’t play games with me, Dan.” Stephanie interrupted him harshly, “Why did you send the video to my boss?”

     “What are you talking about?” asked Dan, not understanding why Stephanie seemed upset.
     “We’ve been divorced for over seven years, and the video that we made together was supposed to be destroyed long ago, after our divorce.  So why did you do it?” asked Stephanie.  She was angry, and for good reason.  She had just been fired from her job at a private elementary school after the principal had received the video and told her that this was not the image he expected of his Assistant Principal.

      “I admit that I didn’t destroy it.  But I didn’t send any video to your boss,” Dan protested.

     “So tell me how did my boss get it? The only ones who knew about the video were you and me, and you were the only one who had a copy.” Stephanie said, not believing Dan.

     “What’s wrong with you?” shot back Dan, now angry himself.  “First you emailed me and told me to mail it to you if I still had it, and now that I’ve done what you’ve asked me, you’re complaining.”
     “I never emailed you.” protested Stephanie.

     “So then, you’re telling me that someone is using your name, email address and even your mailing address in California, just to get your video?”, asked Dan, still fuming from Stephanie’s accusations.

     “All I can say is that I didn’t email you and I haven’t lived in California for almost four years.” replied Stephanie.

   “Well, it’s not my problem is it?” Dan said, “And as you said, we’ve been divorced for over seven years.” Dan added before he hung up on Stephanie.

     Stephanie didn’t know it yet, but her problems were going to get worse.

 

     As Stephanie was debating what had happened and how she was going to deliver the news to Gregory Roberts, her fiancé, who was also Miami’s District Attorney, little did she know that someone else was listening in on the other line during her telephone conversation with Dan.     

     After the conversation ended, the person then grabbed her cell phone and made a call.

     “What’s next?” the private detective on the other line asked the caller.

     “It’s time for the fiancé and his prominent in-laws to know about the video, don’t you think?” the caller said.  It wasn’t a question, it was an order, and the detective knew it.  He liked the job that the caller had given him.  He had made more money in one month from the job than it would have taken a year to make.  All the caller wanted was secrecy and someone who had the guts to bend the legal rules if it came down to it.  This job suited the private detective fine.  Everyone had a price and the caller seemed to know his price.
    “OK.  I’m on it.  I really thank you for giving me this gig,” the detective said to the caller.
     “Don’t worry about it.”  Stacy Marshall replied before hanging up.  You have caused me so much grief Stephanie, and I’m going to destroy you, Stacy said to herself before putting on a yellow bikini and diving into the swimming pool of her Fisher Island mansion in Miami Beach.