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Please join us today for a guest post at Maureen's Musings.  Find us at http://musingsbymaureen.blogspot.com

See you there!

In the meantime, here's an excerpt from Chapter 5 of "RIVERWALKER":

During the break, Salma and Adler sat at a table in the cafeteria, near a dispensing machine, sipping coffee and making small talk.  Feeling an inner chill, Salma hunched her shoulders slightly.  Why isn’t this coffee warming me?, she wondered.

     "So, you studied the codices while you were in Mexico?" 

     "Mmm-hmm,"  Adler nodded.  “Some in Mexico.  Others in Europe.”

     Salma’s pupils grew smaller as she talked.  The fingers of her hands curled tightly around her disposable cardboard cup.  She held eye contact with Adler as she sipped her coffee.

     "Being in the antique business, have you ever bought or sold any of these codices?"

     "No.  Nothing like that … no commercial interest.  Besides, they’re quite priceless, you know.  First-hand knowledge was what I really wanted.  To see them for myself."

     "Why?"

     "You ask a lot of questions."

    "Just curious by nature, I suppose.  Besides, newspaper reporters are paid to be inquisitive, Karl.  I Hope you're not offended."    

     "No offense taken.  The codices are unique entities.  Anthropological treasures.  Works of art.  And they have innate power." 

     Salma squinted at Alder’s last words.  "Innate power?  You're saying the codices have intrinsic powers?"  She inclined her head to one side, awaiting a reply.

     "Frankly, very few people understand their worth."

     "Care to explain?” Salma arched a brow.

     "Sure.  I'm  just saying that, in a philosophical sense, the codices represent something far more substantial.”

     “Hmm…”, Salma nodded as she studied the man, bulky in a bright turquoise sweatshirt.  “Nice sweatshirt, by the way.”

     “I’m … a little sensitive to the cold.  You may have heard how we Teutonic types can be somewhat cold-blooded … but we’re actually very warm-hearted people, as I’m sure you’ll discover .”   Adler smiled pleasantly at his own humor.  He reached out and lightly touched the back of Salma’s forearm.  Adler was well-practiced at the art of exceeding limits.

     At his touch, Salma half-blinked her eyes and shuddered again, ever so slightly.  When she did this, she sensed Adler’s awareness of her discomfort, saw his smile widen, saw the small x-shaped scar over his left brow flush rosy pink.  Did he enjoy that?

     “Perhaps later,” he said, “we could take a stroll on the River Walk.  If you’re up to it, of course.” 

     “The River Walk?  I’m not sure I’d be real comfortable with that.  You’re aware of … the terrible things that have been happening there?”

     Adler nodded.

                 .....End of excerpt.  For more, find "RIVERWALKER" by Bud Bradshaw at:  www. Amazon/kindle/e-books