Tuscan Intrigue

Searching for the elusive criminals who left her famous father comatose after a bomb blast cultural arts historian and quasi-archeologist Amanda Oliver stumbles into a world of thugs tomb robbers obsessed archeologists and greedy collectors seeking a priceless Etruscan sarcophagus. </P><P><I>Putty Face's footsteps crunched on the gravel behind me. His erratic breathing panting like a thirsty animal paralyzed me. I opened my mouth to protest but no sound came. In a split second the pressure of his hands on my back told his intentions. He shoved hard.</P><P>I pitched forward and the ground under my feet disappeared. My arms flailed clumsily when I grabbed out for something to stop my fall but met only air. His fierce thrust sped my descent and I tumbled uncontrollably bouncing off bare rock outcroppings each slam increasing my dizziness bruising and weakening me. </P><P>Mercifully I blacked out.</P></I>