The Wildcard

Short Story in Bet Me Anthology

By Joanne Rock

Harlequin - August 2007

Contemporary Romance


Operation: Clean Sweep was under way in Las Vegas with the intent to clean up the city in seventy-two hours. Three female cops, all friends, are all going undercover. The Bet? Whichever of the three finish their case first, as well as have their report filed, will have a spa weekend and a one-week vacation.

Sergeant Dorian Byrne was at the Pompeii Hotel and Casino to protect those who were often forgotten. She was joining Special Agent Simon Ramsey, someone with whom she had a history, to uncover a crime ring where area prostitutes were being abducted and sold abroad.

Simon was called "The Wildcard" because he tended not to follow the plan. It helped when events didn't occur as planned and he excelled at flying by the seat of his pants. This personality trait followed him to his relationships, and a case had made him lose possibly any chance he'd had with Dorian. Now they were working together on a case, and he planned on making up with Dorian. Of course, if things didn't go the way he planned - he wasn't called "The Wildcard" for nothing.

What I love about The Wildcard is that it makes me smile. Or rather, the hero makes me smile. At first, he is so intent on trying to make up to Dorian the proper way, but his plans are forgotten the moment he sees her. He still wants to make up with her, but other thoughts converge. Then the two of them make plans for the case, but, as usual, Simon mixes them up. He drives Dorian crazy, but it's obvious his intentions are right on track. This story is part of the Bet Me Anthology which includes The Ace by Debra Webb and The Joker by Catherine Mann.

Kathy Andrico - KathysReviewCorner.com