Addicted to Love

by Sherry D. Ramsey

About the Author: Sherry D. Ramsey is a speculative fiction writer, editor, publisher, creativity addict and self-confessed Internet geek. She has published numerous short stories, four novels and a short story collection. Find out more at www.sherrydramsey.com or follow her on Twitter @sdramsey.

Excerpt

The first time Frank Garret sat down in the blue leather chair on the opposite side of my desk, I didn’t know he was dead. My cousin Oliver didn’t seem to pick up on it either, when he showed Frank in from reception. My new client wasn’t looking great, mind you; he was obviously a man who’d been through some stuff. But he seemed as solid and well, alive as any other client I’d ever had.

Hell, more alive than some. And I didn’t notice anything strange when we shook hands, except that his grip was cool and firm.

Oliver left us reluctantly, as usual—he hadn’t quite grasped the concept of “assistant” as opposed to “partner” yet—and the client didn’t waste any time.

“I need you to find my wife,” he said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, hands twisting a battered Jays ball cap nervously.

I thought, another divorce case, here we come, but I didn’t say it. Before I could say anything, in fact, he held up a hand.

“I know what you’re thinking, Miss Sheridan, but it’s not like that. She doesn’t even know I’m looking for her. And I promise you that she hasn’t run away from me.” He paused and glanced out the window, although there was not much to see on the other side but a dingy back alley. “Not deliberately, anyway.”

The guy wasn’t making a whole lot of sense, but I decided to hear him out. I didn’t have much on the go, and these days I could track down a “missing” person in twenty-four hours or less if they’d used a credit card or checked into social media.

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