A warm welcome to author Scotty Cade joining us today to talk about his new release “A Lethal Mistake”.
Welcome Scotty 🙂
Hi All,
Scotty Cade here. First off I’d like to thank Love Bytes for allowing me to be a guest and chat with you about my latest novel, “A Lethal Mistake,” which is the third book in the “Bissonet & Crus Investigations” series.
To date, the Bissonet & Cruz Investigations series has had four main characters. Beau Bissonet, Tollison Cruz, Bruce Jenkins and August Hebert. You briefly met a fifth, Sebastien “Bastien” Andros in book two, Veiled Loyalties, but in “A Lethal Mistake” you get to know Bastien a lot better.
Today you’re gonna get an excerpt and also get to meet Tollison Cruz. He’s gonna give you a little background on himself, which will help you understand him better for past and future novels. Additionally, while promoting this release I’ll be doing five or so blog spots so you’ll get to meet the other main characters as well.
Next up is Tollison Eduardo Braga Cruz. I’ll let Tollison take it from here.
Tudo bem!
I’m Tollison Eduardo Braga Cruz. And “tudo bem” is Portuguese for “How are You?”
My family originates from a little island off the coast of Portugal called Madera, but I now live in the United States. New Orleans, Louisiana to be exact. I know you’ll get to know you probably met my partner Beau Bissonet in a previous post but Scotty says its my turn to let you in on a few of my secrets. Ha! I have no secrets. Well…maybe just one teeny tiny one. In my previous life I was an “Art Retriever.” Some might call me a thief, but I didn’t see it that way. So many valuable pieces of art were stolen over the course of history, especially during the Nazi Plunder and I was paid handsomely to put that artwork back in the hands of its rightful owners. Right or wrong, I considered myself the Robin Hood of the art world.
If fact, my job in a round about way is what led me to Beau. Because of extensive talents, when I retired from the illegal world of Art Retrieval, Lloyds of London hired me on the spot to be an insurance investigator. They paid me very well to legally locate and retrieve stolen art in order to avoid paying claims. And I was damn good at it. Anyway, I was brought in to investigate a very iffy claim of some artwork stolen from a high-end art gallery in New Orleans and Beau was the lead investigator from the NOPD on the case. He didn’t much like the fact that someone else was usurping his territory or his authority but that didn’t deter me in the least. When the case became a high profile one, the higher ups ordered us to work together in order to solve the crime in a timelier manner. And as you can imagine, that went over like a ton of bricks with both us of. Especially Beau. But believe it or not we eventually made our way. More than made our way. We fell in love. Beau is the heart that beats in my chest. He’s the fiber that holds me together and he keeps me grounded, balanced and sane. And to think I almost lost him. If you haven’t read Veiled Loyalties, I’ll give you the Readers Digest version.
My Ex, Sebastien Andros showed up in New Orleans unannounced. And since I hadn’t seen him since our breakup, it was less then an ideal situation. Needless to say, I wasn’t to thrilled about it. After five years together, he’d shut the door on me completely when he found out what I did for a living. Yes. I lied to him, but I lied to him to protect him. Back then I worked for some pretty ruthless characters who would have thought nothing of cutting off limb by limb to get what they wanted. Me. And as it turned out, I had been right to lie. Because shortly after he arrived in New Orleans he was abducted by someone from my past.
Of course I was responsible for saving him and Beau wanted to help, but for the same reasons and fearing for his safety, I insisted I work alone. Beau gave me an ultimatum and well, I almost fucked up our lives in a big way. But I came to my senses and with the help of Bruce and Auggie, we all went to Switzerland and rescued Bastien.
So here’s where the plot thickens. Bruce and Bastien hit it off in Switzerland and now they are dating. Beau’s and my ex’s are dating. Can you get any more incestuous then that? Anyway “A Lethal Mistake” is Bruce and Bastien’s beginning. Beau and I…and Auggie play a big part in the book as well, but its mostly about Bruce and Bastien. Beau gave Bruce a lot of shit for a lot of years and the poor guy deserves to be happy. So I’m pulling for them.
Scotty is giving me the “cut” signal so I guess I need to wrap this up. I hope you enjoy the excerpt and the book. So long for now!
Tollison.
Thanks Tollison. Jeez. I didn’t know you could be so long winded. And he’s right. I do indeed have an excerpt, a little about me and some buy links if case you’re interested.
Enjoy!
Beau Bissonet and Tollison Cruz are back, along with Bruce, Auggie, and now Bastien, Tollison’s ex-partner. From the initial spark between them in Zurich, Bruce and Bastien’s attraction has flared, and Bastien has come to the Big Easy to explore what lies ahead for them.
It’s Mardi Gras, and New Orleans is alive and festive, teeming with excited tourists and locals alike. The first few parades go off without a hitch. And then a man is targeted, shot, and killed right in the middle of a crowded street. Auggie and Bruce are called in to investigate, but before they even get started, more deaths occur, one at each of the next two parades. Auggie realizes he’s dealing with a serial killer and jumps into action.
The next shot the killer fires affects the tightly knit group of friends in a way none of them could have ever imagined. Beau and Tollison join the investigation and stumble upon some similarities that are too strong to ignore. They begin to unravel the perpetrator’s motives and get ahead of him. Together they come up with a plan to stop the killing and serve justice in the process.
Bruce Jenkins paced nervously back and forth outside of baggage claim at the Louis Armstrong International Airport. It had been a little over three months since he’d seen Sebastien Andros, and to say he was nervous was an understatement. He and Bastien had skyped almost every day, but it wasn’t like being together. In person.
He hoped when Bastien arrived he would once again feel that jolt of electricity he’d felt in Zurich when he, Beau, Tollison, and Auggie had rescued Bastien from a ruthless art collector from Tollison’s past. Seeing Bastien restrained, with a frightened expression on his handsome face, had made Bruce want to take the man into his arms and reassure him everything was going to be okay. The attraction between them had been almost instant, and in the hours following the incident and before they’d boarded their plane back to the United States, he and Bastien had spent every minute together.
Bruce was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of his cell phone. “Jenkins,” he said without looking at the caller ID.
“Hey, it’s me.”
Hearing Beau’s voice and the familiar greeting brought back a flood of memories of a time when they were happy together as a couple. But that ship had sailed, and Bruce had only himself to blame for it. Yeah, he’d been lonely. But instead of dealing with it, he’d allowed someone else to fill the void. It had been a onetime hookup, and the second it was over, he’d known he’d made a huge mistake. But to Beau that was too little too late. When Beau had found out about it, he’d gone ballistic, and just like that, their relationship was over. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.
Beau was a sweet, sensitive, and sometimes complicated guy, and above all, he treasured honesty and fidelity. For one brief moment, Bruce had failed miserably at both, and it had cost him his lover. Beau had continued to hold a grudge and treat Bruce like crap until Tollison had come into their lives. Tollison had made Beau see that both of them had been at fault, and since then they had been trying to salvage some type of friendship. In truth, they were doing an okay job so far.
“Oh, hey, Beau.”
“Do you have a minute?”
“Sure. What’s—” Bruce stop speaking while a man’s voice announced the carousel from which Delta Airlines travelers arriving on flight 656 from Detroit could retrieve their bags.
“Where are you?” Beau asked.
“I’m at the airport waiting for Bastien. Why?”
“Sounds chaotic.”
“It is.”
A few seconds of silence filled the connection.
“You excited?” Beau asked.
“Yeah. And extremely nervous. But I’m sure you didn’t call to chat about Bastien and me. What’s up?”
“A couple of things. First, Tollison and I saw the news last night about the shooting and wanted to offer our assistance if you guys need any help.”
“Thanks. I’m sure you remember what a madhouse it is at the station during Mardi Gras, and this just adds another level of bullshit. But we’re handling it. For now.”
“I remember. Any suspects yet?”
“Not yet. Auggie is interviewing the victim’s friends as we speak. We’re hoping to know more later today.”
“Well, if you need us, were here.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Oh, and on a personal note, Tol and I wanted to know if you and Bastien wanted to come over tonight for drinks before the parade and then my world-famous chili and cornbread after? We’re also asking Auggie and Jenny.”
“Thanks for including us.” Bruce was touched Beau was even making the effort. “I’ll have to check with Bastien, but it may be just what we need to break the ice a little. It has been a few months since we’ve seen each other, and I’m nervous as hell. Besides, he’s never seen a Mardi Gras parade before, so it might be fun.”
“Okay. Just let me know. And, Bruce?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s all going to be fine. I saw the way Bastien looked at you when we were leaving Zurich. If I were a betting man, I’d say he had it bad then and probably still does.”
Bruce chuckled. “I sure hope you’re right.”
“Is he staying with you?”
“No. He rented the penthouse at the Lafayette Hotel for a couple months. We both thought it might be better that way.”
Beau laughed a deep heartfelt laugh that Bruce hadn’t heard in a while, and it warmed his heart. “Isn’t that right around the corner from your new place on Church Street?”
“Yesss,” Bruce whined, feeling like he’d been busted. “But in all fairness, I did buy the place before I met Bastien.”
“Uh-huh!” Beau said. “Either way, my bet is that hotel is gonna be a big waste of money.”
“From your mouth to God’s ears.” Bruce nearly dropped the phone when he saw Bastien coming down the escalator. God, the man was gorgeous. Tall—at least six two or three—and thin. Dressed in a black turtleneck and jeans. His dark hair shimmered with just the right amount of silver streaked through it. And God! Those deep blue eyes.
“Gotta go, Beau. I see Bastien.”
“Okay. Good luck, and call me.”
“Will do.”
Bruce ended the call and waved at Bastien. When Bastien saw him, he beamed. They locked eyes, and for Bruce everyone and everything else faded away except the man who seemed to be floating toward him. Bruce walked to the bottom of the escalator and waited. When Bastien reached him, he dropped his bag on the floor and took Bruce into his arms. “Que c’est bon de te voir et de t’avoir enfin dans mes bras.”
Bruce buried his face in Bastien’s neck. God! The man smelled incredible. A combination of sweet-and-spicy manliness and pure strength. As Bastien tightened his grip, Bruce could feel the muscles in Bastien’s back moving under his hands.
Fighting to maintain control and not melt into a big blob of detective right there in the baggage claim area, Bruce moaned. “I don’t know what you just said, but I sure like the way you said it.”
“I said, ‘so good to see you and feel you in my arms again at last.’”
So much for worrying about a spark. There’s a damn lightning storm going on in my pants.
“Told you I would like it.”
Bruce released him and took both Bastien’s hands in his. “Okay, I’m gonna give this a shot. I’ve been practicing.” Bruce hesitated for a few seconds, looked up at the ceiling, and then locked eyes with Bastien. “C’est bon de te voir.”
Bastien’s brilliant blue eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Please tell me I got it right?” Bruce heard the hopeful tone in his own voice.
“Well. If you were asking if my mother is a horse, then yes. You got it right.”
“What? Oh no. Of course I wouldn’t. I’m so embarrassed.”
Bastien burst out laughing. “No. No. Bruce. I couldn’t resist teasing you. It was perfect. I missed you too.”
Bruce punched Bastien on the arm playfully. “That was mean.”
Bastien smiled warmly. “It was mean, and I’m sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”
Bruce smiled back. “I’ll give it serious thought and let you know.”
“Please don’t wait too long. I don’t think I could go on if I thought you were unhappy with me.”
Bruce put his forefinger on his chin and looked up for a second. “Okay. You’re forgiven.”
Bastien howled. “We are going to get along royally, mon chèr. I can feel it already.”
Bruce took Bastien by the hand and led him to the carousel. “How many bags do you have?”
“Too many to count, ma puce. One never knows what one might need for an extended vacation. How about if I just point them out?”
“Okay. Now tell me something. I know mon chèr means my darling. But I’m not familiar with ma puce?” Bruce asked.
“Oh, ma puce? It’s a widely used French pet name. Unfortunately, it translates to ‘my flea.’”
Bruce roared with laughter. “I don’t think I’ve ever been referred to as a flea before. But hey, I’ll take it. It’s been years since anyone has even taken the time to give me a pet name.”
“I think that’s all about to change. Oh, here come some of my bags.”
Bruce looked up and spotted a half dozen or so Louis Vuitton bags in various sizes rounding the carousel. Jesus! I think he’s gonna stay for a while!
Bastien must have seen the surprise in his eyes. “It’s not as bad as it looks. Well. That’s not true. It actually is, but I didn’t know what to bring, so I brought it all. I hope you understand.”
“Hey! Who am I to judge?” Bruce asked. “As long as you’re happy.”
“This day keeps getting better and better,” Bastien teased.
Bruce lifted all the bags off the carousel and stacked them neatly. He was about to lift two of them when Bastien raised his hand. Within seconds a porter showed up with a cart and loaded the bags one by one.
“For this poor man’s sake,” Bastien said, gesturing at the porter, “I hope you’re parked nearby.”
Bruce smiled sheepishly. “Yeah. Don’t tell anyone, but I parked right outside with my Official Police Business card on the dash. And it’s a good thing I brought my SUV.”
“That it is,” Bastien agreed.
Buy Links:
Scotty Cade left Corporate America and twenty-five years of Marketing and Public Relations behind to buy an Inn & Restaurant on the island of Martha’s Vineyard with his partner of over twenty years. He started writing stories as soon as he could read, but just five years ago for publication. When not at the Inn, you can find him on the bow of his boat writing gay romance novels with his Shetland sheepdog Mavis at his side. Being from the south and a lover of commitment and fidelity, all of his characters find their way to long healthy relationships, however long it takes them to get there. He believes that in the end, the boy should always get the boy.
Here’s where you can find me:
