[Down and Dead, Inc. 02] • Down and Dead in Even

Kay Hooper , New York Times bestselling author, (on Not This Time)

"I know I can always count on Vicki for an absorbing story I’ll remember long after I’ve closed the book.”

Peggy Webb, USA Today bestselling author

“Move over Janet Evanovich! Vicki Hinze is romping through Dixie’s criminal underbelly, and she’s bringing the sassiest heroine since Stephanie Plum. Down and Dead in Dixie is a rip-roaring page-turner that delivers laughs, fantastic characters and twists galore. This one is a must read!”

Clean Read. This book is suitable for most readers.

To live, sometimes ya gotta die! Daisy Grant is in a heap of trouble. She stumbles into a mob turf war and now somebody wants her dead. Daisy may be small-town to the bone, not at all the kind of woman to deal with the Southern Mafia, but she knows how to get creative fast!

Enters the way-too-attractive Mark Jensen... He didn't mean to rescue anybody, and he certainly didn't mean to go on the run because of a stubborn, sassy woman. Soon they are up to their ears in so many wacky characters they don't know who's on their side. Daisy and Mark decide that to live, sometimes ya gotta die. And sometimes to die right takes . . . practice.

**

### From the Inside Flap

IfI'd known I was going to die today, I'd have worn more comfortable shoes. 

         I'm not fond of heels, but I have towear them, and knee-length black dresses for my job.  I'm a hostess at Biloxi, Mississippi's bestfour-star restaurant, *The Summer House, *and believe me, I'm not a whinerand I'm not complaining about the black dress.If I hadn't been wearing it, and I hadn't bumped into the garbagedumpster left behind after Hurricane Katrina, and my dress hadn't snagged onthe rusty sucker (which probably had me flashing anyone caring to look), thenthe two jerks in the dark sedan who shot Edward Marcello dead on the streetprobably would have seen and shot me, too, and I'd have died then with him.

         As it was, catching my hem was catchinga break--odd for me, because my standard requirement to catch-a-break is to needboth hands and a net to just miss out on any luck at all.  I guess I was saving it all up fortonight. 

         So my dress snagged on the dumpster, Istepped back to keep it from ripping and hit a crack in the concrete.  My heel sank and wedged in the crack--ruinedmy brand new shoe--I turned my ankle and went down hard, face first and kissedthe dirt.  Well, actually, I kissed the concrete.  So I'm also sporting raspberry scrapes on myface, arm and knee.  The ankle is shot.

         That was *the fall* by DaisyGrant, Star Klutz (though usually I'm at least a little bit more graceful), whichkept me from getting my chest blown open.

         As it turns out, all I managed on thebeing murdered front was a short-term reprieve.Instead of dying on the street, I'll apparently die elsewhere.  But at least I get to pick the spot thesecond time, and for an orphan who's been on her own since her sixteenthbirthday (I'd maxed out on foster care and being forcibly separated from my onlyliving relative, a baby brother, Jackson) getting to choose anything is prettyspecial.  Even if it is something mostpeople consider morbid like where you die.

         Before you judge me, remember that thismorning I had no idea I'd die at all.And I didn't bring this on myself.I was just leaving work and walking to my car, minding my own businessand not bothering anyone.  Now listen, Iwork, I pay taxes, and since Jackson moved to Dallas last year, I call andcheck on him at least three times a week.I feed stray cats because I can't stand the thought of anything beinghungry (been there, done that, it sucked) and I don't even gripe about Lester,the old man in the apartment next door who stomps around at three in themorning--he's an insomniac; what's he *supposed*to do at 3:00 a.m.?

         Lester forgets his pants half the timebut I don't complain about that, either.Nobody's perfect.  So he'sforgetful; he can't help it.  I just boughthim some new boxers.  His briefs werekind of ratty anyway, and he's pretty fond of dollar bills, so I figured hemight remember to wear money-print boxers and, so far, it's working out.  The cops haven't hauled him in for indecentexposure in almost two weeks--pretty harsh consequences for walking to themailbox--and that means I haven't had to go bail him out in almost twoweeks.  That's progress, but it's allbeside the point.  The point is I'm areasonably good person.  I didn't ask forthis fate twist.  I didn't *want *myfate twisted, and I sure don't deserve it.Trust me, I've had a bellyful of that business already.

         The thing is we don't always get whatwe deserve, do we?  More often than notwe get what other people, who might or might not be good people, shove in ourfaces.  They make us choose either tosuck it up and take whatever they dish out or to kick up dust.  Unfortunately, I'm not much good at suckingit up, and when I kicked up dust this time, I didn't know who would be standingin the cloud. 

         Okay, I'll take the hit for that. Ishould've looked first and I didn't.  Ididn't, and done is done.  Now I know,but now it's too late and there's no sense whining about something you can'tchange.  All it does is make you sickinside and it doesn't fix a thing.  Thebottom line is this dust cloud won't settle . . . not so long as I'm breathing.

         Some things you just never seecoming.  I mean, who could have expectedsomething like this to happen at all, much less twice--in one day?

         Yeah,if I'd known I was going to die today, I'd have worn more comfortable shoes.

         Probably flats.

### About the Author

Raised in New Orleans, Vicki Hinze began writing before Kindergarden but her journey to writing books included a lot of corporate pitstops. Eventually, she settled in and her first novel landed an array of awards and on the bestseller list. She's been back many times with awards in multiple genres and appearances on multiple bestseller lists, including USA TODAY. She's recognized by Who's Who in the World as an author and an educator and is best know for chilling suspense, trailblazing and creating series that genre-blend. Her works include suspense, mystery and romance. This former VP of International Thriller Writers has written heavily about military and military families and in nearly all genres except horror. Hinze constantly pushes the boundaries, opening the door for new novel blends.