Also From John J. Buro

Bite of the Shark

It is said that risk equals reward. But, when Andre Preneur, Gus Tazio and Donald Spahn ?three sportscard dealers from northeastern Pennsylvania– are presented the opportunity of a lifetime, their lives spin out of control. The risk they contemplate is the heist of a high-grade 1909 Piedmont Honus Wagner card. This particular T-206 card is widely accepted as the single most coveted piece of baseball memorabilia. The reward –as promised by the region?s wealthiest fan, Ric Winchester- is a staggering $1.25 million and would be paid, in cash, upon delivery. The men immediately consider a tax-free gain in excess of four hundred thousand dollars; but they also consider the down side if they were to get caught. The plan has to be ideal; its execution has to be even better than that. The consequences are far too great. Or are they? Their trust is tested and friendships lie in the balance. And just the possibility of losing that trust, that power of friendship, is the greatest risk of all.

Deliver Us from Evil

William Zapata had never known his birth parents. At the age of two, he was adopted; that fact was never hidden from him. But throughout the years, he did wonder what had become of them. Marie Bernabe appeared to be just an ordinary woman. That is, until her death is shrouded in mystery. As the story moves forward, it is learned that her existence was just as mysterious. William has a passion for journalism and a penchant for getting the story right. He had carved a niche as an ace sportswriter in school, and only hours after his graduation from Gilray University, the next chapter in his life quickly unfolds. The New York Skyline is a weekly publication that has yet to gain recognition, and William’s first two weeks there had not been the smoothest. Though his assignments were well-written, he remained back-page fodder. He wanted the juice and he wanted it now. Then, all hell breaks loose. An office romance between the young writer and an attractive secretary only complicates matters. Still, he has a guardian angel in the form of a seasoned detective. They secretly work together despite the unwritten rule that police and the media should not mix. But even after finding tidbits of Marie’s fragmented life, there is more to unearth following an explosive courtroom scene. Will William ever learn the absolute truth? And, if he does, will he regret the discovery?