Hereâs what Romantic Times BOOKclub has to say about Wendy Rosnauâ¦
âRosnauâs debut single title is a wild roller-coaster ride. This romantic adventure has it allâpsychotic madmen, a heart-stopping hero and endless surprises. A definite keeperâ¦â
âon A Thousand Kisses Deep
âWendy Rosnauâs feisty characters and their nonstop snappy banter provide enjoyable entertainment as an enticing mystery unfolds.â
âon Beneath the Silk
âDemonstrating a flair for romantic adventure and sizzling romance, Wendy Rosnau shines.â
âon The Right Side of the Law
âMs. Rosnau proves herself a skilled interpreter of the romance genre.â
âon The Long Hot Summer
Barinski was humming to himself, his black-rimmed glasses perched high on his protruding forehead when the Chameleon entered the soundproof cubicle in the bowels of the mosque.
Some people should never reproduce. Thatâs what had come to mind the first day he had met Nigel Barinski. The peculiar-looking scientist was a mutation of bad geneticsâarms that hung at his sides like an ape, and a pair of short legs to cement the concept. He had a receding chin, oversized ears, too much curly red hair, and a pair of unnatural glass-bowl goldfish eyes.
But appearance had nothing to do with intellect. In Barinskiâs case, the price for his gift of genius was his misshapen body and Frankenstein face.
The Chameleon dismissed Barinski for a moment and focused on the woman on the other side of the two-way mirror strapped into Barinskiâs two-million-dollar chair, in what he called the regeneration chamber. Her eyes were closed, and she was calm, as if she was in a dream-like state. A much different story than when sheâd first been brought to him.
âHow is she progressing?â
âOn schedule.â
âNo surprises?â
âNone.â
The Chameleon stepped closer to the window. Heâd first seen her in Munich. Sheâd been scaling a fifty-foot wall, her curvy body suspended from a guide wire as if it was a part of her instead of her lifeline.
Heâd never seen a woman with so much courage packaged so beautifully. He had found her bravery as arousing as her curves, and in that moment he knew he had to have her. Knew she would be the perfect guinea pig for Barinskiâs latest genius.
Barinski flipped a switch. âKalimera, Nightingale.â
She opened her eyes as if Barinskiâs voice had turned on a lightbulb inside her head. âGood morning.â
âDid you sleep well?â
âYes. I dreamt about Bonnie.â
The Chameleon turned the switch off. âWhoâs Bonnie?â
âHer mother. A slut, from the information Iâve gathered.â
âI donât care about her childhood, or her mother.â
âYou should. The scientific data on a childâs adaptability into society parallels what they have been taught. Itâs one of the reasons youâre so taken with Nightingale. Sheâs a product of suffering, and sacrifice. She knows how to survive.â
âBecause she hates her mother?â
âNo, because she loves her. All children love their parents. Even when they hate them.â
The Chameleon would have accepted Barinskiâs theory if he didnât have proof that on this particular point he was as crazy as he looked. His own daughter hated him, and it would take a miracle to change Melitaâs mind.
âEnough about children loving their parents even if they hate them,â he said, then flipped the switch and spoke into the vibration grid that would distort his voice. âDo you remember Munich?â
She hesitated a moment. âIâve never been to Munich.â
âBrussels, how did you like it there?â
âIâve never visited Brussels.â
The Chameleon glanced at Barinski. âShe really canât remember?â
âIâve left her childhood recall intact, but the past six years are gone.â
âVery good, Barinski.â
Like a puppy whose head had just been patted, Barinski turned warm and fuzzy, his goofy grin making him look even more ridiculous.
âBy the end of the week Iâll start entering your data. If you want her to remember Munich, or a portion of what sheâs lost, she will. If not, she wonât.â
The Chameleon turned back to the two-way mirror and searched her eyes for the fire he remembered. It wasnât there. She was a blank canvas, and he was suddenly disappointed in that.
âYouâre sure once the procedure is complete that sheâll function as before?â He turned to Barinski. âI donât want her ending up a damn freak.â