Did you know…
February 14, 1929 — 93 years ago— at 2122 North Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois, there occurred an event of such historic significance that is has sparked unanswered questions and theories which have endured to this day.
The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre
If you don’t know about this Roaring Twenties event, pop over to History.com for a summary.
This weekend is the one-year publishing anniversary of my historical romantic suspense novel CHICAGO LIGHTNING, which begins with the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre and ends around midnight two days later in Five Points, New York City.
Blurb
It didn’t take long for Ceara Galloway to realize she’d made the biggest mistake of her life in getting married. Her mobster husband, Eddie “The Roach” Rocchelli, has shown his true colors and hair-trigger temper in a beating that nearly killed Ceara, and now, she’s got to get away to survive. In a daring scheme to expose Eddie’s under-the-table bootlegging operation to the authorities, she steals the proof she needs and contacts J. Edgar Hoover.
Hagen Kane is the hand-picked one-man cavalry the Bureau Chief sends to rescue Ceara in a do-or-die mission. As Kane slowly infiltrates Rocchelli’s gang as an auto mechanic, he walks a razor-thin line, knowing at any moment his cover could be blown—and he and Ceara will both certainly be killed. When the time comes, they make a break for it, both realizing their plan has become more complicated—they are in love with one another. Escape has suddenly become more important than ever, now that there’s something to live for.
In a cross-country race for their lives, with Rocchelli and his gang hot on their tail, they must depend on every trick either of them has ever learned to survive—along with hoping for a healthy dose of luck on their side. Time is running out, and hope is running low.
Micro Excerpt
Lifting her hand to wipe the bitter tears that slipped past her barricade of fortitude, her arm caught on her metal tether—a cruel reminder that her attempt at freedom had failed. A spasm of shivering brought her back to her harsh reality, and she scooted to lean against the side of the Model-T. Drawing her legs up to her chest, she put her forehead on her knees and hugged her legs for the little warmth it provided.
This wasn’t the first beating she’d taken nor was it the worst. Eddie had the honors for that one. Pain didn’t concern her, either. Pain was a reminder she was alive, and alive meant there was still a chance. That tiny scrap of hope was the nudge she needed to avoid giving in to despair. This was her first attempt to leave Eddie, and the planning had been sketchy at best. Right then, she promised herself she’d find another way out of her prison-marriage.
Her fighting spirit gained strength with her mental pep talk. She relished the thought of Eddie’s manhood taking a solid hit to its pride when he discovered the real reason she’d been caught running off with his new mechanic.
Mechanic. What a laugh.
Chicago Lightning – Available HERE
Until next time,
Kaye Spencer
Writing through history one romance upon a time
*Image: Woman with pizza: © Can Stock Photo / 4774344sean