DATING SCAMMERS
How did you meet your boy/girlfriend? Spouse?
My mother met my dad at a roller rink. My in-laws met at
work. I met my husband on a blind date. A good friend met his spouse at church.
My daughter met her husband in high school. My son met his wife online.
Different times, different methods. I read that approximately
one in four relationships start online. On television, we see advertising for
matchmaking sites like eHarmony, Match.com, and many more. You can find sites
for members of a certain religion, age, ethnicity, hobbies, etc.
Whatever the method of meeting Mr. or Ms. Right, caution is
always advised. How did my mother know that the young serviceman she met was a
nice guy? Who vouches for a prospective date? Is the person you met on a cruise
who he says he is? Scammers are everywhere.
Most of us know better than to send money to strangers. But
what if the guy (or woman) you’ve grown to really like online lives across the
country and wants to meet you? But . . . S/He doesn’t have money for airfare. Would
you send it? Or does that raise a red flag? Would caution keep you from finding
your soulmate?
In The Case of the
Fabulous Fiancé, meeting a man on a cruise brings a well-to-do executive to
private investigator Alex O’Hara. The exec has reason to be cautious—once
burned, twice shy. After a friend sang Alex’s praises, Nora Finley hires her to
investigate the man. Like most women, she’s more comfortable dealing with a
woman than a male PI. Although convinced that he is her Mr. Right, she needs to
be sure before he pops the question. She’s certain he is the man for her and
that she’ll finally get her happy-ever-after. She just needs Alex’s stamp of
approval.
Since online dating is becoming so popular, Alex decides to
take her agency in that direction. No more hiding in the bushes to catch
workman’s comp scammers or unfaithful spouses. It’s like doing background
checks for prospective employers. Easy peasy. With word-of-mouth being the best
advertising, Alex’s friend plus this new client would promote the agency for
her. Alex should be flying high. Except . . . She has no receptionist, her
telephones and internet are acting wonky, and her new lover disappeared three
months ago. What else could go wrong?
Here’s an excerpt from The
Case of the Fabulous Fiancé:
I picked up the
pen before looking at Nora Finley. Even though I was in the middle of a major
case, I never turned down a prospective client. At least, not right away. I’d
hear her out and then decide.
“What can I do
for you?”
Her expression
completely changed. The high-powered exec disappeared. In its place, caution
and . . . vulnerability. “Ellen VanderVeen said I could trust you.”
I smiled. Ellen
and I had been friends since college. That girl had more fashion sense in her
baby finger than I did in my entire body.
“Yes, I know
Ellen.”
“She said you
helped her investigate her fiancĂ©.”
I nodded.
She hesitated
and appeared to rethink what she was doing in a private investigator’s office.
Quickly, she came to a conclusion. “I’d like you to do the same.”
“You want me to
vet your fiancĂ©?”
“He’s not my
fiancĂ©. Yet.”
She didn’t
explain any further, so I asked, “Why? Do you suspect something?”
“No. Oh,
goodness, no.” She pursed her lips before continuing. “My father left me a
prosperous financial firm plus a sizeable inheritance. I am not saying that to
brag but to explain my concerns. In my younger days, I was, uhm, taken
advantage of. I need to be sure this man truly loves me—me, not my money.”
Although nobody
would ever mistake me for an heiress, I understood her caution.
“I am almost
forty years old,” she said. “I want to have children before I’m too old.”
Again, I
understood. I’d recently passed a landmark birthday. The big Three-Oh. Rather
than worry about kids, though, I devoted myself to my business. After a rocky
start, I was on a pretty even keel. Plenty of work. Not enough time. But I did
have plenty of time before settling down with kids. And a husband, of course.
I’m kind of old-fashioned like that. I’d thought Nick might— Don’t go there.
“Ma’am, if
you’d called for an appointment, I could have saved you a trip. I do not have
time to devote to your case.”
A crestfallen
Nora Finley stared at me, her mouth slightly open. I guess nobody ever turned
her down. While hers might be interesting, I didn’t have a good feeling about
this case. A client might want the lowdown on a prospective mate—as I’d
discovered before—but they often resented the bearer of bad news. Of course,
the client could be grateful if the news was good, like my friend Ellen.
“I will double
your usual retainer.”
“It isn’t a
matter of money—” Although money never hurt. “—I’m in the middle of a large
case that is taking up all of my time.”
“How soon will
you finish?” No longer disappointed, she looked calculating.
God save me
from rich people who think everyone should drop what they’re doing to attend to
them.
“Three weeks,
minimum.”
“Good. I will
be out of the country for the next four weeks. You may finish your present case
then check into Clyde Wilson.”
Well, shit. I
mean, shoot. I was trying to break my bad habit of swearing. I had misgivings
about this woman. Demanding, she was going to be difficult to work with. She
exuded the power that came from old money. Power that expected everyone to drop
everything and do her bidding.
But then I’d
had difficult clients before and managed them. I could probably wrap up the
fraud investigation in a couple of weeks. I’d given myself a cushion when I’d
told her three.
Were my
misgivings about her enough to turn down double my retainer?
I drew the pad
closer to me. “Tell me about this man. Clyde Wilson?”
That better not
be a smug look on her face.
The Case of the
Fabulous FiancĂ© (An Alex O’Hara Novel) is available at:
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B0195K8F6G
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/599181
Author Info:
Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction
and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides the science fiction romance Switched and Outer Rim series, she is the author of One Red Shoe, a romantic suspense, and the
Alex O’Hara PI mysteries. She is also
a contributor to the anthology How I Met
My Husband. Diane and her husband live in Michigan. They have two children
and three grandchildren.
For more info and excerpts from her books,
visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com
Connect with Diane Burton online:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dmburton72
Facebook: http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor
Goodreads: Diane Burton
Author
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72/
Thanks so much, Marilyn, for having me on your site today.
Comments
Thanks, Linda. I do, too. Those guys are weird
Thanks, Rue.
Patricia, you lucked out on the dating scene--just like my son. :)
Thanks, MJ. I've tried to make Alex old school in today's setting. Glad you liked the excerpt.
Connie, what a risk you took. Hubs worked in Jackson and I worried about him driving to & from work b/c of the prison. Your risk paid off.
Thanks, Marissa.
Thanks, Susan. Times sure have changed since I was dating.