But to keep this from being a short blog post, here's the next scene from Merlin's Legacy, First draft:
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We spent the next thirty minutes signing forms and turning over things like bank accounts, property deeds, and other things to my control. My head was spinning by the time, so when Windicott said we were done for now, I was relieved.He guided me out of his office and into the lobby, all the while making the pitch to become my legal adviser. Just as we passed Cathy’s desk, we heard a woman’s voice say, “Charles.”
Well, she didn't really say it, she sort of purred it.
We both turned and looked behind us. Standing there was a tall statuesque redhead with green eyes and a sly smile on her ruby-red lips. She was dressed in a business suit with a knee-high skirt and low-heel shoes, but despite being conservatively dressed, she somehow make the outfit alluring.
“Windicott coughed. “Ah, Margaret,” he said, his tone half an octave higher than it had been several seconds before.
She smiled widen when I she looked at me, and I felt like a piece of meat dangling in front of a hungry lion. She moved toward us, her walk more like a stalk. “Who’s your friend?”
I cannot stress the beauty of this woman. It wasn't the girl next door type of beauty, but the wild-weekend-in-Vegas-that-you-will-never-tell-your-mother-type of enchantress. I felt my heart beat faster and blood run to places that it shouldn't in a the middle of a lawyer’s office.
“Yes, yes,” Windicott said, his breaths fast and short. “Margaret, this is Roger Merlin, Lucian’s great-nephew. Roger is is one of my associates, Margaret Teague.”
Her smile became wider. “Lucian’s kin, huh?,” she said. She turned her head to look at Windicott. “Don’t you have to get ready for court?” she asked, her silkily-smooth voice laced with steel.
Windicott gulped and shifted from one foot to the other. “I have a couple of minutes,” he said.
Margaret sighed. “Go,” she said.
Windicott went.
After he hurried back to his office and close his door, Margaret looked at me. “Well,” she breathed. “I never knew Lucian had such a handsome great nephew.”
In the back of my head, alarms were going off. I’m an all right looking guy, but AJ’s is not only better looking, he has the person skills I don’t. I felt my face getting flush and I looked around,. We were alone, and I felt my heart beating faster.
When I looked back, I found myself staring into two large green eyes that promised so much. She was standing inches from me, having stepped close when I was distracted. “Are you doing anything tonight?” she whispered. “We could have dinner. I know a lot about Lucian and could tell you everything.”
She reached out to caress my arm, but as she did so, there was a burst of static electricity, shocking both of us. We jumped back, and the spell was broken. Margaret’s expression darkened and she glanced down at my hand. “The ring!” she snapped. “When did you get the ring?”
My mind was still a little rattled. “A week ago.”
She huffed in anger, put hands on her hips, then gave me a bitter smile and looked at the ceiling. “Nicely played, Lucian,” she said softly.
Windicott chose that moment to come out of his office, several files in one hand and a briefcase in the other. As he looked at us, I heard the front door open and turned to see who was coming in.
Damien Brackett scowled when he saw me. “Uncle Lucy leave you anything?” he asked with a sneer.
“Enough,” I replied, smiling to show my teeth.
“So, leaving soon?”
I pursed my lips and shook my head. “Nope. I think I’m going to be hanging around for several years, at least.”
Damien shot me an ugly look. I shot him an ugly look. While we were staring at each other, the door opened somewhere behind me and Cathy ‘s voice said, “Mister Brackett? Mister Blount will see you now.”
Damien waked toward me, and I braced myself for a shoulder bump. Instead, he walked past me without contact, walked past Margaret and into another office. Margaret gave me a half smile that was more cruel than sexy, then walked into another office.
“Mister Windicott,” I said.
“Please, call me Charlie,” he said.
“Charlie,” I said. “When do you want to meet this afternoon and where?”
“Why not the estate? Just take Bayfront here, head north and you can’t miss it. Say, three?”
“Sounds good. By the way, do you know where Lucian’s buried? I would like to pay my respects.”
He nodded and gave me directions. We walked out and parted ways outside the office. I walked back to my car but just as I reached it, I felt eyes upon me. I did a full, slow spin, but saw no one looking at me. There were several dozen people in sight, all going about their own business.
I looked around again, and this time, I spotted Mister Brawn sitting on a bench in the park, half-hidden behind a lamppost. He was throwing breadcrumbs on the ground in front of him, but there were no birds anywhere near him. He looked in my direction, saw me looking at him, got up and walked away. I watched him until he crossed the street on the other side of the park and enter the bakery. I waited a couple more minutes, but he didn't reappear. I shrugged it off and was about to get into the car, when I changed my mind and started walking toward the florist.
***
That's the first three chapters of Merlin's Legacy. Any opinions?
Craig
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