Doug Smith

Five Minutes of Blackness Doug Smith

A gritty case of resentment, revenge, and recovery. A businessman was found savagely murdered in his Jaguar. Robbery is not a motive, and forensics seems to indicate that the victim was given a goodbye kiss. When Detective Jesse Collins appears on the scene, his hangover is horrendous. Once a great cop, he is now on a downward spiral. His boss has put him on notice, his partner is done covering for him, and his wife has moved out. "This time it's for good," she said. Jesse tries to find a link that connects the killer to the victim, but a barroom fight slows him down. When a similar murder takes place in a different state, clues point to a stiletto-wearing curly-haired blonde named Kiki. News of the case sweeps the nation. A third victim is found three thousand miles away, and an email message leads Jesse to believe that he might be the next target. As Jesse crosses the country in search of leads, nagging questions keep him awake at night. He wonders if he will ever get his wife back. He wonders if he will catch Kiki before she kills again. Most of all, he wonders if he will ever get sober.