THE PAST REFUSES TO LIE QUIETLY

CHALLENGING THE LEGACY

Book 5 of the Halo Legacy Series

Ebook specially priced at 

only 99 cents!

BUY NOW at Rogue Phoenix Press

EXCERPT from CHALLENGING THE LEGACY

The ex-police officer who had been stealing babies to sell to wealthy couples desperate to have a child was still lurking about. Still a danger to everyone he thought had disrupted his money-making scheme...Tallie still didn't like it, but she understood why her sons moved forward to eliminate Swaggerty before he could cause more harm. 

...

Aaron Swaggerty's death brought some semblance of peace to the O'Sheas and those connected with them…However, Swaggerty's death also raised more questions...For years, Tallie had heard rumors the Halo Police Department had been deeply corrupt. Bernie had been instrumental in disbanding that department and shifting law enforcement duties to the county sheriff's office. 

However, he also hinted at deeper connections to crime but stopped short of telling Tallie his suspicions. He simply said the less she knew, the better. As with the secret of Marly's parentage, this was one of the few issues on which they agreed to disagree. 

When Marly and Dawson showed up on her doorstep with the news Collin had been shot, Tallie once again felt the dark evil of the past trying to choke off her life. 

"He was only wounded, Mom." Marly took Tallie's hand. "We've already picked up Beth to go to the hospital in Pendleton." 

Tallie forced herself to swallow. Tried to breathe. This wasn't an accident. Just like Bernie's death. 

(Excerpt from Challenging the Legacy copyright Genene Valleau, writing as Genie Gabriel.)

FIVE ROSES

CHALLENGING THE LEGACY

Book #5 of the Halo Legacy Series

Ebook now specially priced at

only 99 cents!

Buy at Rogue Phoenix Press

Burning with curiosity but not wanting to show it, Tallie tried to focus on her daily tasks after Marly left with Pierce.  However, over and over she found excuses to walk by the dining room window that looked out onto the driveway. 

When at last Pierce's car pulled up, Tallie wanted to run outside like an eager child and see what they had bought. Pierce and Marly didn't relieve her curiosity by coming inside. She heard their voices and laughter, though, as they lifted a bag of potting soil out of the trunk and began filling a beautiful blue ceramic pot. From Marly's gestures, she was telling Pierce how to plant a rose bush. 

When Pierce carried the pot onto the broad front porch, Tallie thought she was at last going to have her curiosity satisfied. 

However, Pierce returned to the car, lifted another blue pot out of the trunk and began filling it with soil. When he stopped and looked at Marly, she nodded. He carefully placed another rose bush into the pot, tamped soil around it and carried the finished planter onto the porch, setting it a few feet away from the other pot. 

This continued three more times. Then Pierce picked up the empty bags the soil had been in and gathered up the tools, tucked them into the trunk of his car and closed the lid. He paused, looked directly at her, and mouthed the words, "I'm sorry." 

Puzzled, Tallie frowned. Then her mind started putting together the pieces. 

(Excerpt from Challenging the Legacy copyright Genene Valleau, writing as Genie Gabriel.)

PIERCE CHALLENGES BERNIE'S LEGACY

CHALLENGING THE LEGACY

Book #5 of the Halo Legacy Series

Ebook now specially priced at

only 99 cents!

Buy at Rogue Phoenix Press

Slowly leafing through a photo album and listening to the O'Shea family, Pierce realized this family was woven together with love and determination and--damn it all--Bernie O'Shea. 

Nearly every photo included the man with an award-winning smile, an arm slung over the shoulder of one or more of the siblings, and pride shining in his eyes as he looked at his kids. He really did love every single one of them. 

However, it was the newspaper articles that shafted envy through Pierce's gut. The photos in those clippings clearly showed Tallie and Bernie were a team. Hand in hand, or Bernie's arm over Tallie's shoulder, or her hand tucked under his arm. 

Strong. Devoted. Totally attentive to what the other was saying or doing. 

Bernie O'Shea was one lucky sonofabitch for the years he had with Tallie, and he obviously knew it. 

Once again, Pierce felt the fool. He used to worry about Tallie embarrassing him in public. Yet she obviously became a very gracious and accomplished public personality. 

Pierce closed the photo album and squared his shoulders. He may have been a fool when he was younger, but no more. 

Bernie O'Shea's legacy was tragically cut short when he died. 

Pierce was still living. With Tallie beside him, he could build a bigger and stronger legacy than Bernie O'Shea ever imagined. 

He simply had to convince Tallie to give him another chance. 

(Excerpt from Challenging the Legacy copyright Genene Valleau, writing as Genie Gabriel.)

WINNING TALLIE BACK--BUT WHO IS SHE?

EXCERPT from CHALLENGING THE LEGACY

The next day, as Tallie settled gingerly in the contoured leather seat of his rented luxury car, Pierce was once again struck by how uncomfortable she was with him. Their relationship used to be so easy. Oh, she resisted him at times. Challenged him. Refused him just to prove she could. However, there was no doubt in his mind he could win her over to his way of thinking. 

Now he wasn't so sure. 

…

Pierce intended to find a gym or salon where he could get his hair trimmed while Tallie visited with the injured doctor. He had accompanied his mother on many of her charitable visits and really didn't want to witness another display of insincere sympathy. 

However, from the moment they entered the hospital, Pierce realized Tallie did not engage in his mother's style of superficial visits. She greeted the volunteers at the information desk, pulled chocolate fudge brownies out of her tote bag for the nurses, and entered Shiloh's room armed with information about what she needed to help her heal. 

Intrigued, Pierce watched as Tallie moved about the room, chatting to Shiloh as if she was at home resting instead of unconscious from a head injury and recovering from burns to her face and hands. Tallie tidied up the rolling tray that fit over the bed, added water to the plants and flowers on the windowsill, and fluffed the handmade throw pillows--definitely not standard hospital issue--before she sat down with a book and began to read out loud. 

Longing tugged at Pierce's heart. His mother never cleaned anything in their house, let alone with the loving touch Tallie showed. Portia always said that was a job for servants. And she never allowed real plants--too messy. As for sewing a pillow, Portia would be horrified at the thought of doing something so mundane. 

Yet Pierce ached for those simple, comforting touches. Small but powerful ways of saying, "I care about you." Things he had never received from his mother, and Pierce realized Tallie had elevated being a mom to an art form. Not just to her adopted children, but to anyone who needed a loving hand. 

At the end of the chapter in the book, Tallie paused and slipped a bookmark inside. "Sleep well, beautiful Shiloh, and heal. We miss you." 

With a gentle touch to the younger woman's hand, Tallie gathered her now-empty tote bag and left the room. She waved good-bye to the nurses and to the gray-haired volunteer at the information desk. 

All Pierce could do was follow her, amazed at the sincere caring in this woman. Why had he not seen this side of Tallie so many years ago? Was this something she developed since she left him? Or was he so focused only on what he wanted he didn't see Tallie as a person with wants and needs and talents of her own, but simply something else to add to his already overflowing store of possessions? 

(Excerpt from Challenging the Legacy, copyright Genene Valleau, writing as Genie Gabriel)

CHALLENGING THE INTRUDER

EXCERPT from CHALLENGING THE LEGACY

Between her overprotective adult children and the guests in her house, finding time alone with Tallie was going to be more of a challenge than Pierce initially thought. 

So be it. This wasn't the first time he had faced a challenge. 

...

However, Pierce wasn't practiced so much at physical challenges. He worked out at his personal gym regularly, but didn't engage in team sports like the O'Shea's traditional Sunday games. Rowdy, testosterone-loaded competitions that reminded him of the one and only time his mother had allowed him to play basketball with those of a "lower social class." 

He had received a black eye in that game too as a result of a carelessly thrown elbow. 

"Hey, man, sorry. That move never works with these guys." 

"Not a problem." Pierce forced a smile. "I'll just ice it." 

He tried to cover a limp as he left the basketball court, grateful for an excuse to bow out of the game early. He wasn't thirty any more and certainly not used to siblings as physical as the O'Shea brothers. 

Dinner passed with the usual good-natured conversation between the family and their guests, until Marly commented that Pierce's eye was turning purple and asked what happened. 

Silence fell among the O'Shea brothers and Tallie put on her stern mother look as her gaze traveled from one brother to another to another. "Don't start." 

Pierce realized he had stumbled onto an inside family story and pushed for details…

...

From his years as a businessman and shrewd negotiator, Pierce appreciated Marly's ability to work her brothers. Yet he also felt an unexpected envy. For the most part, these siblings weren't related by blood, but they stood united against any outside intruders. 

Right now, he was that intruder. 

(Excerpt from Challenging the Legacy, copyright Genene Valleau, writing as Genie Gabriel)

FACE-OFF WITH AN EVIL GRANDMOTHER

CHALLENGING THE LEGACY

Book 5 of the Halo Legacy Series

Ebook specially priced at 99 cents!

BUY NOW from Rogue Phoenix Press

You can also download the prequel 

to the Halo Legacy Series

for FREE!

"Where's my granddaughter?" Portia demanded. 

Magically, Marly appeared and draped her arm over Tallie's shoulders. She surveyed Portia with the same critical eye Portia had directed around Tallie's house. "I'm Marly O'Shea." 

"It will be easy enough to change your name to Stratford, give you a little polish, and bring you into the family business." 

Marly looked deliberately behind her. To the right and left. And above. "Who are you talking to?" 

Portia forced a laugh. "Amusing, dear. You'll of course take your rightful place in our household." 

"Mrs. Stratford--" 

"You may address me as 'grandmother'." 

"Mrs. Stratford, I don't respond well to being ordered to do something. Our town just blew up and we are a bit busy literally picking up the pieces. If you're going to be in the area a few days, please leave the phone number of your hotel and I'll give you a call to go to dinner. If you can't stay, I'm sure Pierce has your contact information and I'll get in touch." 

Then Marly turned to Tallie. "I'm going to take Dawson something to eat, and try to get him to go home to rest for a bit. Call if you need anything." 

With a kiss on the cheek for Tallie, Marly nodded to Portia, smiled at Pierce, and left. 

"The girl obviously needs to brush up on her manners," Portia stated. 

"I thought she told you to go to hell quite nicely." Ruby appeared in the doorway, leaning on a cane for support. "Too bad the years haven't softened more than your jawline, Portia." 

...

Tallie jerked awake, breathing hard. She pushed herself to sit up as fragments of memories warped into dreamlike horror shifted and swirled around her, trying to pull her back into its nightmarish clutches. Tallie reached for the picture of Bernie that sat on the nightstand. She focused on his smiling face, seeking the sense of safety she always felt in his arms. 

Instead, a shiver inched up her spine. Bernie was gone and so was her security. 

(Excerpt from Challenging the Legacy, copyright Genene Valleau, writing as Genie Gabriel)

BERNIE'S LEGACY LIVED IN THEIR CHILDREN

 CHALLENGING THE LEGACY

Book 5 of the Halo Legacy Series

Ebook specially priced at 99 cents!

BUY NOW from 

Rogue Phoenix Press

You can also download 

the prequel 

to the Halo Legacy Series

for FREE!

Though she regarded news conferences as media circuses, she never imagined this would end in Halo literally exploding with her children right in the middle of the action. Oh, yes, they were Bernie's kids. Even as she worried, immense pride filled Tallie's heart. Bernie's legacy of courage and compassion lived in his children. In their children. 

…

As Tallie watched Grady interact with the citizens of Halo, she was struck by what an incredible man he had become...his job was to dismantle bombs. To stop an explosion, if possible, before it happened. He put his life on the line every time he went on a call-out, and Tallie was so proud of him. 

Any day she could lose him. Or Collin, who was coordinating emergency efforts in Halo. 

Or Jeremiah, who was fighting the fires caused by downed electrical wires and gas lines that had ruptured in the explosions. Or Johnny, who was digging through debris to rescue anyone who might have been trapped. Or CJ, who had flown from Seattle to help comfort the evacuees in her house. Or Marly, who jumped through an old mining dredge to distract a beast-man who blew up their town. Or Patrick, who chased after him. Or Thomas, who was still wandering. 

Tallie surreptitiously wiped the tears from her eyes… 

(EXCERPT from Challenging the Legacy, copyright Genene Valleau, writing as Genie Gabriel)