About DANGEROUS RELATIONSHIPS
By Richard Standring


Two brothers find themselves in conflict over the same woman and control of the family business. The younger brother is paranoid, greedy and jealous. He is a dangerous person to get too close to. The older brother is quiet, confident and oblivious to his younger brother's insanity.

This is a sequel to DANGEROUS DANCING where Nick Alexander was a detective in the suburban community of St. Clair Shores (near Detroit). Now he's retired from the police force, but remains active as a private investigator, specializing in background checks for industrial clients. McDermitt Co. (a furniture manufacturer in Cookeville, TN) is his current client. The company is privately owned. The only stockholders are: one outside investor, who lives in California, the retired founder and his two grandsons, Travis McDermitt and his older brother Carlton. The youngest grandson, Travis, runs the company. He is a man consumed with having total control. He also has an insatiable appetite for sex with attractive young women, despite the fact that he's married. One of those women, an employee of the company, disappears after a terrible beating. Travis is a suspect until Nick gets involved and subsequently finds the missing woman's body, temporarily deflecting attention away from Travis.

But there is someone else who knows the truth about Travis and the missing woman. He demands that Travis pay him for his silence. Travis attempts to outsmart his blackmailer and fails. He enlists Nick's help.

The older brother, Carlton McDermitt owns an advertising agency in Los Angeles. When the grandfather dies, leaving both grandsons with additional shares in the company, a riff soon develops between them. It is fueled by both brothers having a romantic interest in Rebecca Bachman, the beautiful granddaughter of the only outside investor. She inherits his 15% of the company. A struggle for power and control of the company quickly emerges.

Carlton McDermitt falls in love with Rebecca and marries her. He also makes her an instant celebrity with one of his Napa Valley wine clients. Together, they now have controlling interest in the furniture manufacturing plant in Cookeville, much to Travis's chagrin.

When Travis's wife threatens divorce, his empire and future plans is put in jeopardy. He uses a brief reconciliation to buy time, then kills her, making it appear as a drowning accident while sailing off Martha's Vineyard, during on a quick vacation. Now Travis is free to pursue Rebecca, only she's already involved with Carlton and no longer interested in Travis, who refuses to accept her rebuff. He continues to pursue her.

The control of the company becomes a major issue. Rebecca wants to take it public. Travis is against the idea and becomes at odds with the other shareholders. He decides his only option is to eliminate his brother and his brother's new wife, the beautiful, intelligent Rebecca. Travis's demented plan becomes a pinnacle of suspense and almost works.

Meanwhile, Nick Alexander suspects Travis of murdering his wife. He uses an imaginative technique in an attempt to trap Travis, hoping to prove his guilt. Nick finds himself in a race against the clock to save Carlton and Rebecca from Travis... and Travis from himself. He must also protect his new lady friend, Carol, a former assistant to Travis and a new shareholder. When Carlton fires Travis, Carol is selected as his replacement, which puts her into imminent danger.

This is a fast moving mystery depicting domestic violence and abuse at its worst. The story builds to a dramatic surprise ending when Travis's plan to kill his brother fails. It is Cain and Abel in the year 2001.