 Audio renaissance presents full blast by Janet Ivanovich and Charlotte Hughes Read for you by Laura Lai King Chapter 1 Jamie Swift had been in the newspaper business long enough to realize it was a lot like being a waitress You had to meet the needs of those you served the rich the poor the in-between Even the crazies who complained no matter what you did and like a waitress You had to hope the tips were good a big tip could make all the difference a big tip in her case meant headlines And she was in the business of finding headlines But they didn't come easy in a small southern town where life was for the most part uneventful even predictable She had to scramble for newsworthy events So here she was once again sitting at her desk sifting through stories Looking for a new slant or an idea to make it more interesting to the reading public She was so intent on what she was doing that she jumped when someone tapped on her door 60-year-old Vera Bank had rushed into Jamie's office and closed the door behind her You are not gonna believe this Jamie glanced up What is it she asked? Straightening in her chair and trying to work the kinks out of her neck from sitting in one position for so long She had come in early hoping to work undisturbed You got a good tip for me she asked the woman before her give me a headline and I'll kiss the ground you walk on This is even better Vera paused as if to add a little drama to what she was about to say The hairpins had popped out from her gray beehive hairdo and her glasses were a skew She shoved them high on her nose and glanced about as if to make certain they were alone She eyed the large plate glass window overlooking the courthouse square Where automatic sprinklers were doing damage control to a parched lawn brought on by a record breaking July heat wave Vera marched over and snapped the blinds closed Jamie arched one brow This must be big It's bigger than when Lorraine Brown caught her husband doing the nasty with Beth to me on a sofa in the back office of the VFW Wow Wasn't she jailed for going after them with a letter opener? Yeah, and Tom refused to bail her out until she signed an agreement stating she wouldn't do him bodily harm afterward She kicked his butt anyway the minute they released her So tell me You're not gonna believe it the woman repeated Vera out with it already Vera held up a white paper sack. She reached into it and pulled out a brownie Tasted Jamie's mouth watered at the site of the chocolate goodie. I really shouldn't I've already had three donuts this morning I can barely button the top of my jeans Vera gave her that look the one that said she wasn't gonna take no for an answer and Vera could be fierce Although she still worked as Jamie's secretary fear and intimidation had prompted Jamie to promote her to assistant editor of the Gazette as well That in the fact Vera carried a 38 Smith and Wesson interpers Jamie was almost sure she wouldn't pull it on her Vera was the closest thing she'd had to a mother, but it was best to humor her Okay, okay Jamie reached for the brownie and tasted it. Yum. That's good. She finished it off in three bites Do you feel any different? Vera asked eyeing her closely. Yeah, I want another one I can always buy larger jeans This isn't just any brownie Vera said in a conspiratorial whisper There are rumors floating around that Lyle Betz is putting aphrodisiacs in them Jamie arched one brow Lyle Betz owned sunshine bakery and was considered a pillar of the community He was president of the JC's coached little league and played Santa Claus for the children's unit at the hospital every year No way, she said Vera crossed her heart as God is my witness Jamie pondered it Vera was a strict southern Baptist. She only lied when absolutely necessary. Do you have any more? Yeah, I bought extra. I figured we should do a little experiment. We'll eat a couple more and then compare notes Oh Lord Jamie said as Vera divvied them up The last thing she needed was to start feeling horny It had been three weeks and she'd laid eyes on sexy and mysterious Maximilian Holt The man who blew into her life from time to time just long enough to turn her world upside down and inside out The same man she had already voted most likely to climb been Sample complete ready to continue