I invite readers and visitors to enjoy this excerpt from Redemption – a Dragon Core tale.
With commentary.
Devi’s Diner, New York
The bell over the door jangled as Homicide Detective Mike Gilotti stepped through. Nodding to the cook he glanced around, noted that, as hoped, the place was relatively empty. A mom and her two kids sat at a booth close to the door while a regular by the name of Jackson nursed a beer at the counter near the kitchen. Two seats down a guy who would have been at home in the NFL was eating a burger. Waiving off the waiter who’d been on break he made his way toward a booth in the far corner.
“Hey Detective. Your usual?”
“I have a usual?” he fired back; his New York accent thick.
Kyle smirked. “You have two, actually. Black or bitter.”
“It’s bitter tonight,” he came back referring to beer instead of java. “I’m off for the next two days.”
“Anything to eat?”
“Nah.”
“You cheatin’ on us, Detective?” the waiter teased. “Eating drive-thru?”
“I was on a stake-out junior.”
“I knew it. Drive-thru.” He shook his head. “You know we do doggie bags.” He tapped the table. “Be right back with your beer.”
Author Commentary
Detective Mike Gilotti has been one of my favorite characters.
An amalgum of a variety of relatives either blood or through marriage he has been a lot of fun to work with as he acts as an outside view into the world those he loves and strives to protect.
What makes it particularly fun is how he not only accepts everything – in great part from his upbringing and professional experience – but draws the community he’s a part of into it.
As evidenced in this scene.
I look forward to his continuing role in the Dragon Core series.
Stay tuned.
Elizabeth Maxim 
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