Kathleen McClusky: Book 1: Retribution

New Dramatic Series From Author Jared McVaySeveral miles north and east of Redmond, Oregon, with what felt like her last bit of strength, Kathleen McClusky willed her aching, mud covered body over the top edge of the thirty foot deep abandoned well she'd been thrown into. Slumping down, she leaned back against the well, trembling and gasping for breath. "I did it," she said as tears streamed down her face. She looked around, knowing she might not be out of danger, yet. Whoever threw her into the well might still be nearby, watching and waiting.
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Kathleen McClusky is an ex-reporter from the Chicago Tribune newspaper on a vendetta to bring down the man who killed her fiance and a long line of women. She is the daughter of a fire breathing Irish cop who has taught her to be tough and strong - and she is relentless in wanting to bring Dr. Pruitt down. Retribution - meaning justice against the man who killed her fiance, along with many women while doing his illegal abortions. Life in prison or the needle, she doesn't care which as long as he can no longer hurt people. Call it revenge or vigilante justice...Kathleen calls it Retribution.
----------------------------------------\nEXCERPTSeveral miles north and east of Redmond, Oregon, with what felt like her last bit of strength, Kathleen McClusky willed her aching, mud covered body over the top edge of the thirty-foot deep abandoned well she’d been thrown into. Slumping down, she leaned back against the well, trembling and gasping for breath. The blazing sun and hot sand of the high desert felt good against her cold, wet body. “I did it,” she said as tears streamed down her face. “I actually did it and I’m still alive!” Hysterical laughter over the realization of what she’d just accomplished lasted only long enough for her to recognize she might not be out of danger, yet. Whoever threw her into the well might still be nearby, watching and waiting. Kathleen listened for any sounds that would alert her to their location and when she didn’t hear anything but the wind, she relaxed just a little. Using the top edge of the well to help support her, she pulled herself into a standing position and looked around. Her legs ached and felt weak. She was tired and hungry and knew she had lost track of time. Thinking back, she guessed it had to be at least three days, based on the sunrises she could remember. During all that time she’d had nothing to eat and her empty stomach was screaming for nourishment. Realizing she was in no immediate danger from the men who did this to her produced a sigh of relief. Next, she studied her surroundings and found nothing but juniper trees, high desert, and a small cluster of Aspen off to her left. Where had they taken her? she wondered. Every muscle in her body screamed with pain from the ordeal she’d been through. Her fingers were bleeding from where she had torn several fingernails loose trying to claw her way up the inside dirt wall of the well. The whole front of her was covered from head to toe with dirt and mud. Even her face and hair were covered with it. The inside of her mouth felt dry and gritty. She spit out a mouthful of what appeared to be dry dirt and then coughed several times, trying to clear her throat and get moisture back into her mouth. After several tries, she was finally able to make a sound. “This is definitely out in the middle of nowhere,” she murmured, staring around at her bleak surroundings. In the far west, Kathleen could see what she thought might be the Three Sisters Mountains, which gave her hope and a vague idea of where she might be, if that’s what they really were. She looked around and sighed. Being new to this part of the country she was still trying to learn her way around. Any place beyond her apartment and the grocery store, she was lost - and this place was definitely not anywhere near her apartment or the grocery store.