Hooked: A Dark, Contemporary Romance

James Barrie kills his uncle, noting the blood from the murder and the resulting adrenaline rush. He calls his friend and employer Roofus, or Ru, who assures him the mess will be taken care of. James remarks that his uncle’s mouth is slack in the same way that his uncle used to make James’s own mouth, implying possible abuse. James finds a watch on his uncle’s body, and the ticking triggers and irritates him. He smashes the watch on the ground and laments that this is the last time he will ever see a relative. As he walks away, James cryptically notes that he is closer to the “one responsible for everything” (5), and he vows that this primary target won’t be able to fly away.

Wendy Michaels lives Bloomsburg, Massachusetts. She moved to Bloomsburg to be with her father, Peter Michaels, and her brother, Jonathan. Her mother passed away shortly after Jon was born, and her father is excessively devoted to his job. He owns an airline called NevAirLand Airlines and is detached from his family.

Wendy works with Angie at a coffee shop called the Vanilla Bean, and she is reluctant to join Angie and her friend Maria at the Jolly Roger, the local bar.