AuthorsDen.com   Join | Login    
Where Authors and Readers come together!

SIGNED BOOKS    AUTHORS    BOOKS    SAMPLE CHAPTERS    AUDIOBOOKS    eBOOKS    STORIES    ARTICLES    POETRY    BLOGS    NEWS    VIDEOS    SUCCESS    TESTIMONIALS

Featured Authors:  Pawan Mishra, iDarryl Jenkins, iFlo Fitzpatrick, iChristina Neely, iTrennis Killian, iRiley Blake, iSusan Smith, iPatricia Sims, iTeresa Walker, iPaul Lonardo, i

  Home > Action/Thriller > Books Popular: Books, Stories, Articles, Poetry      Authors: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z     

Jerald Franklin Payne

 Follow Me  

· Contact Me
· Books
· News
· 1 Titles
· 2 Reviews
· Add to My Library
· Share with Friends!
·
Member Since: Jan, 2020

Jerald Franklin Payne, click here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.


Thread
by Jerald Franklin Payne   

See larger image


Kindle Edition
Amazon

Category:  Action/Thriller
Type: Fiction

Pages: 257

Price: $2.99 (eBook)


Amazing, phenomanal, brilliant, exceptional, incredible, a true winner in all regards. Thread promises corporate intrigue, corruption, revenge, infedility, supernatural, all in the family crime saga. It is unbelivable, just like the best movie, you can't stop.

Author: J Franklin Payne
Book Title: Thread
K.C. Finn
Review Rating:
5 Stars - Congratulations on your 5-star review!

Good day, Question respectfully; if all reviews come back as 5 star, everyone raves about it and are amazed how brilliant the story and characters are, a winner and best seller by everyone’s account, reads like a movie and they do not want to put it down, how do I get your attention to look closer?
The story of this businessman is so gripping that a reader will surely want to read it in one go. Also, the author’s style of writing is remarkable as he surely knows when and how much to reveal and when to put on the veil straight till the end. You know your work is a hit when the reader falls in love with the protagonist. Well! I have and I assume most of the readers too will. The coming of age of the protagonist and the plot built up around it is phenomenal.
Author J. Franklin Payne has crafted a highly entertaining and well thought out work of drama, which reads quickly but has plenty of content from cover to cover. Many speculative elements, which were woven into a plot that is well-grounded, and therefore added to the tension and uncertainty even more. The character development of Kyle Stone is particularly interesting and is intriguing to see how the effects of his time at war gave him fortitude for the challenges that were to face him later in life. In terms of cohesion, one of the best features of the work is its dialogue, which not only gives the cutthroat atmosphere of the boardroom world but also characterizes and delivers plot exposition in a snappy, direct fashion. Thread is a fascinating read which will surely suit readers who love thriller novels with realistic protagonists.
Thread is my story, a family saga including The Family, a story like no other, encompassing the thriller and mystery sub-genres. Written for adults due to its complex themes and tense moments, the protagonist of the piece is successful businessman Kyle Stone, whose early life is plagued by tragedy and stark experiences of war. After this, his experiences in the business world become no less cutthroat, and the story progresses to show us all those who would make life difficult for Kyle, and the clever ways in which he is able to overcome them. What results is an enigmatic thriller with plenty of surprises and suspense.
A gripping novel that satisfies the cravings of crime novel fans with suspense, strong villains, and unforeseen twists
Thread by author J. Franklin Payne is an action-packed story about a successful entrepreneur named Kyle Stone and his descent from his idyllic life—his wife, family, and profitable business—toward something more clandestine, more dangerous.


As past Producer of USO Entertainment and Master of Ceremonies, I have had a lot of life experiences working with the best Artists in the world and the best Warriors in the world. Chosen as Top Veteran by the President, humbled by the selection.
Thread is a loosely written memoir of earlier years
           


Excerpt

Thread

Chapter 1


A Story Like No Other


“I was thinking that all we had to do was get to the designated landing zone and we would be on our way home, but I was wrong.”
As the squad approached the designated pickup point, they started to take on small-arms fire again and fell into defensive positions, establishing a perimeter. I called in on the radio to change the LZ to a hot LZ so that the pilots of the choppers, who would carry them out, would know and take defensive measures while lighting up the area with their M-50 machine guns as they came closer to the squad in trouble. The squad surrounded the LZ as they could hear the blades of the schnook coming in. The enemy fire increased, bullets bouncing off the ground and now, mortar shells being sent in for maximum damage to the American troops.
“I sent the word out, spread the word that as soon as the chopper gets close to the ground, start running and jump in. Do not hesitate. We don’t have a lot of time.”
Sergeant Grace replied, “You got it, Captain.”
As the order was given to run for the doors as the aircraft started to hover just four feet off the ground, the smell of gunpowder filled the air. I tried so hard to get all my men in so they could get the hell out of there as fast as we could. Any more time on the ground would only mean more dead soldiers. As we lifted off, we became a bigger target for the North Vietnamese we could see on the hill. Anxiety was so strong as they watched the ground get farther away so that we could relax and take a deep breath. The farther we got from the ground, the bigger was our smiles and a bigger target.
Corporal Hastings asked me, “What are you going to do when you get home?” thinking all was good and we would be home soon. I could not answer him; I was immersed in this horrific action now ready to explode into something very deadly. It became pure fear inside as the tail end of the chopper was hit by an RPG causing the bird to spin. Death at the chopper door, waiting to claim its next victims, and the fear you could cut it with a knife. It was everywhere and on everyone's faces.
You could hear metal being ripped away and sent flying in the cab hitting Corporal Thomas in the eye as he screamed and covered his eye, all from the RPG that was fired from the ground hitting the tail section of the aircraft. His screaming was horrible, several t tried to help him, but we were going down and every man for themselves. Smoke could be seen coming from the tail section as more bullets ricocheted inside the bird, tearing holes in the metal, sending the craft into circles, out of control, and going to crash.
It was the moment of decision as the helicopter started to fall out of the sky. I had to decide to ride it down or wait until it just about hit the ground and jump and roll away from the blades, I knew the boys were waiting for my decision, and there was no time at all to ponder. If you wait, you could be killed from the explosion of the fuel tanks and burn to death. If you jump, you could break your legs or be cut in half by the blades or be blown up. With that in my head, I stood in the open doorway holding on tight as we spun in circles and watched the ground get closer. I made the split-second decision to jump, as others were yelling, “Captain, what are we going to do? Jump or go down?”
“It’s your decision. I am going to jump,” I screamed inside the loud, smoking, burning chopper. It all happened so fast, free-falling, smoke, fire, spinning, men screaming, and I hit and rolled on the ground with my M16 in my hands, praying that I would be away from the blades that could make two of you in seconds. I landed on my neck and rolled to the left where I was on a bloody severed leg, as Corporal Ashton continually screamed, holding on to his blood-gushing stump. To the right were two others lying close, dead, did not make it, nor the others who stayed and rode the aircraft down. Now, just a huge ball of fire and black-gray smoke that acted like a blanket covering the dead; thrown all over with the wounded. If that was not enough, we started to take on more fire, and mortars being launched at us, an easy target as we lay there next to a burning bird.
“I knew if we stayed there, we would all be killed. Reaching for the field radio, I was able to puff smoke and call in napalm on the VC on the ridge where they were taking mortar rounds from. I then threw green smoke for them to be picked up by the next evac chopper. In no time, they saw and heard the blades as they came over the hill to pick them up along with help from a hellfire gunship laying out the rounds, killing them in the hills who were blowing up and taking the lives of the young warriors. I was reminded not to get too excited about the evac until it was out of the way of small arms fire or worse an RPG. Up and over the ridge, on the way to base camp, now we could relax, and a small smile would be okay. The pure hell of war, so prevalent that afternoon, one that would never be forgotten by Captain Kyle Stone and all who fought alongside him.
It was a beautiful San Francisco night. The stars were bright, with ships on the bay—sparkling as the lights shimmered and bounced off the dark water, under the glowing Golden Gate Bridge. The hot tub was bubbling along with the champagne, as the gentlemen sat near the pool, where Kyle was just coming out of his thoughts about Viet Nam, seems so far away now, he thought. Their wives were inside with the children. Kyle had asked his friends and work associates to get together at Doc’s. David, Ron, and Cliff sat around the pool with Kyle, conversing about life and politics at Ron’s home. They sipped their champagne, glancing at the night sky, “Holy shit, did you see that look up there?” said Cliff, in full amazement. “Look, look, it is right there,” said David, looking at this bright light that moved over the Bay. They were all looking up now, “watch, there it goes, that is no plane, I will tell you that.” Kyle, “that was crazy, it just moved quickly over the Bay and then quickly disappeared into the night sky.” “That is what you call a UFO,” said Ron. The five men sat astounded, looking up, not sure of what they just saw flashing through the sky, they just took Ron’s observation and left it at that.
Ron was a heart surgeon and Kyle’s neighbor and he was married to Donna. David was VP of Kyle’s company and Cliff was Kyle’s attorney. As the men sat by the pool, laughing and having a great time, David’s wife Linda stared out through the window, longingly at Kyle. Kyle was a stallion, an Adonis by most women’s standards. He was rich, powerful, charming, and a war veteran. He could sweep any woman from her feet without much effort. The surgeon’s wife Donna was also in hot pursuit of Kyle, but neither was aware of the other’s intentions.
They were celebrating the tremendous success of Kyle’s business. He now had 26 offices, and each was producing $175,000 a week. He just signed several franchise agreements, hoping to double his financial gains. Money was pouring in and there were smiles all around. Kyle looked at the window and saw his wife, Suzette, talking with David’s wife. He was remembering when he was just getting started and was finally feeling the fun of having some riches from his hard work. He remembered when he stood outside on his front porch and was throwing $5- and $10-dollar bills to the neighborhood kids who could not believe his generosity. When he saw his wife Suzette driving down the street, he stopped feeding the children green love, he knew she would not appreciate his offerings. Suzette was with Kyle when he was building his empire, but the only thing she seemed to have was an affinity for was his riches. She had abhorrence for Kyle, which he tolerated only for the love of his two daughters. It was time for good thoughts now and tipping back the champagne glass; Kyle watched the three men laughing and smoking big cigars, he sat down with them and lit up a beautiful Payne-Mason Churchill as he enjoyed his friends company.
David’s dark-haired wife Linda, with a sly smile, turned to the women, and convinced them to join their husbands outside. They quickly changed into their bathing suits and headed out the door. Unbeknownst to Suzette, Linda cooked up a little plan to try and seduce Kyle. Linda jumped into the hot tub strategically splashing Kyle, as he was the closest to her entry point.
She apologized and added. “I’m so sorry Kyle, but you’re already wet,” she said with a devilish smile as Kyle sat across from his wife Suzette. It was larger than the average jacuzzi and Suzette, though close, had an obstructed view of her husband. David preferred the dryness of the patio, sitting obliviously behind his wife Linda, who gasped and moved closer to Kyle who was not feeling it.
“Look how beautiful the bridge is from here,” Linda whispered to Kyle, as she attempted to slide her hand under his swim trunks, reaching her fingers out trying to touch him.
Kyle quickly thwarted her, giving her what he thought was the face look. She kept trying, harder, and harder. He finally had enough and turned to face her again, “Linda, you have to stop. I know what you want, but you have to realize that you must behave yourself,” telling her kindly.
Linda, not listening to him, still tried to touch him again. “Come on, Kyle. My hand is under the water. Nobody will notice, and I promise you will like it.” She persisted as there was not going to be any stopping her from getting what she wanted, unbeknown to her husband David.
Kyle reached over to whisper in her ear, “stop what you are doing, and I will share something with you that just happened to me?” Linda stopped and looked right into his eyes, “okay Kyle I am stopping and listening,” Linda excited that Kyle would share something with her, “what is it you want to tell me?” Kyle moved his head closer to her, “I had a dream last night that bothered me a lot, can I share it with you?” “Of course, please, please, tell me,” as she smiled and reached under the water again, Kyle just looked at her and she stopped, whispering, “I am sorry.” “Ok, behave yourself and I will continue, got it?” Linda with both hands above the water, nodded yes. “The dream seemed so real Linda, but it was so out there and that has confused me. It was about your husband and, what was strange, the dream had a candle in it a couple of times, I thought that was weird.” Linda, “what kind of candle was it?” “I don’t know, I did not pay that much attention to it. What I do know, there was an argument between David and I and he looked at me as if he wanted to kill me, he then jumped over me desk trying to do what I suspected.” Linda, incredibly surprised with what she just was told, “Kyle that is horrible, David would never try to kill you, what happened next?” “I am not sure, that is where it gets confusing. I do remember David jumping over me desk and knocking me out of my chair. While I was rolling on the floor, he again jumped on me, trying to smash my head with my glass ashtray, his eyes speaking to me, “I am going to kill you.” Unbelievable huh, well here is where the candle comes in, as he jumped on me while I was on the floor, his foot kicked the end table, knocking this candle off. As he was trying to smash my head in, he stepped on this candle and slipped, hitting his head on my desk.” Excited Linda, “oh my God, what happened, did he die?” Kyle looking around at the others in the hot tub and everyone seemed to be having their own conversations, he looked back at Linda, “no David did not die, that is where the dream ends, confusing isn’t it?” “Yes it certainly is.” “Well don’t read too much into it, it was a dream Linda.”
Linda, “thank you for sharing that with me Kyle. “Sure Linda, let’s keep this too ourselves okay?” “Not a problem,” and with that she started her hand back to his suit. “Are you kidding me?” Kyle said right at her. “Please put your hand inside my bathing suit then, I am wet for you here Kyle.” Kyle was losing his patience. “Okay, Linda, that’s enough. Put your hand in your own lap and as far as getting wet for me, you are sitting in a wet hot tub” he said, grabbing her hand and pulling it away from his growing crotch.
David’s wife was relentless. She whispered in Kyle’s ear as she continued to try. “Kyle, come on, no one can see what I’m doing, and you are obviously starting to want it, I really want to touch it now.” Kyle pushed her hand away again.
“No, we don’t want to do that. Your husband is sitting right behind you. What do you think he would say if he saw what you’re trying to do?”
“He won’t see. Just let me touch it.”
Kyle, knowing he was not going to win this fight, said, “David, who was sitting in a chair behind the tub, “the water is great, why don’t you slip right down here with Linda and me and enjoy the tub?”
Just as Kyle was about to exit the Jacuzzi, Donna, the surgeon’s wife stood up and asked: “Who wants to meet me in the deep end?”
She took off her top and threw it at her husband. Linda accepted the challenge and ripped her top off, racing to the deep end. Everyone except Suzette laughed and smiled. Kyle watched as she got out of the jacuzzi and headed for the door of the house.
She was always very insecure and jealous. Once Kyle had taken one of his sales agents out to lunch to discuss a large account she was working on. While he was at lunch, his wife came to the office and was told that Kyle was at lunch with Maryann, and that was enough to set her off. She became extremely jealous, so when he pulled up to the office, there was a large crowd in front of the sidewalk and his wife in the middle.
“Listen, I want you to get out and go around the crowd, straight into the office. I will see what this is all about.” Kyle said.
“Okay.” Maryann replied tersely.
As soon as he got out of the car, Suzette came after her like a Lioness to a
Fawn. The crowd, mostly black, was cheering her on. She went for Maryann’s long hair and pulled her to the ground with a hand full of dark shining hair. While on the ground, Maryann grabbed Suzette’s pants and pulled her on top herself. Suzette then reached for her blouse and tried to rip it from her, exposing a pretty white laced bra. Suzette took a hold of it and with a firm pull, she took the bra off Maryann. The crowd was now in a furry of excitement, watching Maryann trying to get her blouse and bra back, exposing a great set of tits. Kyle ran through the crowd and grabbed Suzette’s arm before she could slap the firm breasts in front of her. He pulled her off and pushed her away giving Maryann a chance to grab her blouse and bra and run for the office, tears running down her face. They all started clapping now and it was heard, “look at those crazy white bitches!” as they laughed in enjoyment.
“What the hell are you doing here, and why are you outside causing this spectacle?” Kyle asked his wife?”
“I came to have lunch with you, and when I got here, they said you were out with Maryann, and that just ticked me off so bad.” Suzette retorted viciously.
“I was training her, and then we had a business lunch with two others. Nothing is going on. I cannot have you coming to my business and causing this kind of chaos….” With that, Suzette swung her fists at Kyle’s face, trying to hurt him and showing off to the crowd. In complete surprise of what she just tried to do, he caught her fist and then had no choice but to take her down by pulling her hair until he could grab both of her arms, as they are now on the asphalt , as the crowd cheers them on. The increasing crowd that kept gathering for the free entertainment seemed to love every bit of the fracas. As Kyle tried to get her on her feet, a black gentleman, around 20, pushed him over his wife, causing him to roll on the ground. Several others started to come at Kyle and Suzette. Kyle did not know what to do, there was now five duds now staring at him, calling them names as to provoke a fight, this was going to get ugly fast. A Cadillac drives up and out comes David holding a shotgun and firing one time into the air. As fast as the crown grew it dispersed thanks to Kyle’s Vice President. The debacle was over, two white women going at it in the street while they all laughed and cheered, it was sad.
Now that the show was over, he went into his office after he had his wife leave, and to his surprise, she had cleared all the desks and thrown everything on the floor—pictures off the wall, coffee cups smashed against the walls, typewriters on the floor. It was a sad experience for all, especially Kyle and his staff, a big embarrassment to the company.
He was somewhat used to this type of behavior and never knew when she would go off the rails and cause trouble for the family and business. Kyle had spent so many years supporting his family; financially, big houses, swimming pools, tennis courts, horse corrals, new cars, etc. They did not want for much. However it was always in the back of his head that she could try to destroy him and his business as she always threatened. Her moving the threats to reality, was the scariest part of it all, and she was doing it more often.
Speaking of reality, back at Doc’s house, Suzette was now bringing Kyle back to the present by taking both of his girls by the hand who were standing in the dining room and walked them right through the screen door, to the amazement of everyone in the pool.
“Girls, I want you to see your father, look at him with those women! I am taking the girls and going home.” She roared with a deadpan expression.
Kyle, still in the hot tub, just looked around at the others and only shook his head. Here is another get together with our friends and she spoils it like as usual.
As he got ready to go out of the gate, Kyle said, “David, I will meet you tomorrow morning at the Bank. Don’t forget we have a meeting with Bill at 9:30.”
“Don’t worry Boss, I will be there at eight. Bill and I are having breakfast before our meeting.” As he started to walk home, the surgeon stopped him.
“Hey Kyle, don’t forget you owe me a new screen door,” Doc said smiling.




Chapter 2
Connie is Always Right


Kyle was excited to start the expansion of his company with his franchisees. Howard, one of the businessmen who purchased a franchise, was being trained in the office early Tuesday morning. He was a Jewish man, about fifty-five years old, gray-haired, and liked talking about spirits and séances. He seemed a bit obsessed with it and talked to anyone who would listen. Kyle and Howard sometimes had late-night drinks, and Howard would always talk about his beliefs in the supernatural. He said he would have séances at his home in Chicago, gathering around his large dining table, candles lit throughout the dining room, drapes drawn, and those eager to reach out and see if anyone is there tonight. This night they were wanting to contact family members who have left, leaving questions unanswered. Howard shared that after the participants all focused really hard, mentally reaching out to the one chosen, and they were right on the edge of enlightenment, when they all felt warm air blowing on their necks. This brought chills to those sitting around the table. Howard went on to say that with the chills running down their arms, a picture at the end of the table came off the wall and started to float over the table, causing one older woman to faint. Kyle did not know what to think, so he poured himself another tequila and tonic, admitting he found it very interesting but hard to believe. One night later, Howard had trouble sleeping and wanted to speak to Peter, his business partner in Chicago. He had been in the Bay Area close to a month now, staying in an apartment that the company was paying for. Even though he has been away from home for a while, Kyle made him feel comfortable at his house. That was easy to do with a large beautiful home on the hills of San Francisco, overlooking the Bay. The manicured backyard, pool, and lit tennis courts only added to the ambiance. Kyle was immensely proud of his home, as it was an incredibly special place he built for his family. They did not want for anything, even though his wife Suzette seemed to complain about everything. Kyle spent so much time trying to make her happy. He wanted so badly to have happiness abound in his home. His childhood was vacant of any elated emotions. Howard was there at Kyle’s home so much that he wondered if the company should pay for an apartment. Kyle and Howard loved playing tennis, and with Kyle having his own lit tennis court, they were smashing the ball back and forth nearly every day. Playing tennis was not the reason why Howard was there, however. With Kyle’s huge success with Stone Financial Corporation, several businessmen had already bought in; $85,000 was the initial payment and Howard was the first to train. Once the payment was made, the franchisee was flown to San Francisco for a month-long training on all the details of setting up their franchise.
Howard was the only franchisee in town, so he was getting a lot of attention, which was fine for everyone except Connie, Kyle’s loyal assistant. She had already told Kyle that she was not comfortable with Howard for some reason. She could not put her finger on it, but something about him bothered her. It also bothered her that Kyle seemed to like Howard, and he was not heeding her warnings. She felt there was no good in this man. A week or so later, Kyle was throwing a party at his home which he did frequently. Everyone in his company and their spouses always loved spending time eating and drinking, enjoying the views of the City. This night Howard had too much to drink and was starting to get loud later in the evening. When it got time to say good night to the guest, Howard was too drunk to drive home. Not liking this man, Suzette made up the guest room for him anyway and put a candle in his room to add to the ambiance. They all said good night again and Howard found his way to his room where he went right to sleep as the drinks had hit him. Fast asleep and snoring away, he was woken by smelling the smoke coming from the candle burning on the dresser. He watched in shock as the smoke grew into a bubble, with the smoke so thick, looking hard at the smoke wiping his eyes, he could not believe what he was seeing. A faint scary face was looking back at him, and as he looked harder to see if he was really seeing this, the face spoke up and told Howard, “you will have an opportunity to financially ruin Kyle Stone, you have been warned, do not do it or you will face dire consequences, I repeat, you have been warned.” With that spinning in his head, the smoke went back to the candle and he was back asleep. Howard, waking up with the sun shining brightly in his room, he sat up and looked at the dresser and the lamp, there was nothing wrong with them, the candle was there but it was not burning, it was as if nothing had happened last night, he shook his head, it sure was real and very eerie to him. He was not sure if he should tell Kyle about the dream or leave it alone. Thinking about it as he got dressed, he decided that he had told Kyle too much already, and he would keep this to himself.
The top floor of the company was where you would find Kyle’s office. Connie was right outside of it, and to her right was David’s office.
“Kyle, Howard is on line three,” Connie said.
“Thanks, Connie, do you have something else to say?”
“No, I just…never mind take the call please.”
Kyle picked up the phone to speak with Howard, not knowing what was bothering Connie. “Howard, how is your training going today?”
“Good. We are in the Embarcadero. It looks like a pretty large company.”
“Sounds good, ‘I hope you guys close the sale,” Kyle said.
“Kyle, I wanted to speak to you about something that was bothering me, and I had a tough time sleeping. I walked by David’s office yesterday afternoon and he was on the phone with the financial company. It sounded like he was talking to Julie from corporate. It bothered me because I know you deal with her, being she oversees dispersing the money every week.”
“I do appreciate your concern, Howard, but I am sure there is nothing to worry about. He probably just wanted to go over some figures. You do know I like to stay close to my money though, so thanks and go close the big one,” Kyle said, putting the phone down. As he looked up, he saw Connie at the door.
“Do you have a minute?”
“Sure, come on in. Was there something bothering you earlier?”
“Yes,” Connie said, as she took a seat on the couch.
“I can’t figure it out yet, but something is going on with Howard and David. It seems like they are always sneaking around and whenever I see them in their office on the phone, they look away and whisper to whomever they are talking to. It is really starting to bother me.”
“Maybe something is going around. Howard told me to keep an eye on David. What are all the conspiracies about suddenly?” Kyle kept wondering out loud.
“I don’t know. Like I said,” Connie repeated, “but I think there is something to it and I am going to stay alert and will let you know if I hear of anything more.”
“Thanks, Connie. You are always looking after me. What would I do without you?”
Connie smiling, “Go broke.”
The next day, one of Kyle’s female friends came by the office to say hello before going out. Kyle was not there, but David was, and he saw that she was in a very playful mood and wanted to have a little fun in his executive bathroom. David was in his office and heard Denise come in. He could tell she had already tipped the booze bottle, and he was ready to drop everything and go and play with her. He left Kyle a note saying he would be taking the rest of the day off and would see him in the morning. It bothered Kyle that David cheated so much on his wife and never had any remorse over it. Kyle did not look forward to the morning. He knew that David would be there and would want to brag about his exploits, and he would have to sit there and listen and pretend to be interested. This activity was going to come to an end soon that Kyle knew. As expected, David did just as Kyle knew he would. Kyle just sat back and let him rattle on.
“Kyle, what a night, I have to tell you all about it. It was absolutely crazy.” David started with his story, and it was lunch when he was done.
“She stood there in front of the large mirror in a red short skirt, so short, one just wanted to slide his hand up those silky legs.” The thought alone now had David getting into a state of arousal. The black silk blouse was very pretty, but David knew it would look better unbuttoned down to her navel, so he moved behind her and reached his arms around and started unbuttoning one at a time.
Denise, with a smile, said, “Stop it,” but David knew she did not mean it, so he kept on going, using his teeth for the last few buttons. David had an ulterior motive, and that was to slide his tongue down from her shiny belly button across her smooth stomach to the land of sweetness and pleasure. Denise was pleasured as David pushed her skirt up and moved her now-wet panties to the side, gently licking and flicking his soft tongue, hitting the spot. He knew he was there from the groans of lust and her rocking back and forth as her hands grabbed the back of his head, making sure he would not stop. David stood up, and they then looked at each other and started laughing softly over what they just shared. Denise, now satisfied for the short term, finally told him that she was going to a great party on a yacht in the bay and wanted him to go with her. Well, at this time, all he could think about was sexual pleasure after that sexual awakening, so he said he would clear his calendar and join her in what sounded like one of those sex parties he had heard about. David was lost in the world of deprecation as he drove his Cadillac over the double-deck bridge with Denise’s face in his lap. He yanked on her hair a couple of times as he was getting too close to launching, and he wanted to save himself for this party of socialites gone wild. As they found a parking place in the pier area and walked up to the ship, they noticed a lot of beautiful women in long trench jackets.
“This is going to be fun, but isn’t it the men who are supposed to be in trench coats?” David said, and Denise agreed. The yacht, big and gorgeous, was all lit up and gleaming throughout its eighty-five-foot-long status. They were immediately met by topless waitresses with flutes of champagne to help with the lustful mood. With the sound of the ship’s horn blowing into the night and deck lines being thrown to the pier, she slowly made her way out to the harbor. With champagne in hand, Veuve Cloquet, David, and Denise, (who was dressed in that short red skirt and black thigh-high nylons without any panties), walked to the stern of the ship where there was a large-breasted black woman in the hot tub, all alone. There they stopped for a minute and conversed with her as they were invited to join in. Denise had never been with a naked black woman, and she was looking at all of her as they spoke, and one could see in her eyes that she wanted to climb into that tub. David, not ready to mix up yet, said they should go ahead, and he would just enjoy the show. She took off her black skirt and her thigh highs, leaving only her black blouse to take off before getting wet in the hot water. With her naked body in the tub, she went straight for the fullness of her companion’s breast, sticking right out, and her hands softly felt the firmness, and soon the sex was being felt, not only by the two participants in the tub but those who had gathered as well. David looked around. There was a small crowd now outside the hot tub, taking in an extremely hot show, and it was all free. Black Beauty was now gasping for air as she rested on the step of the tub. Denise, still standing against the tub, was just staring at her in the wonder of what had just happened. David smiled at Denise as they moved away from the hot tub. They glanced across the bay water to the dock of the bay. It was like looking at a big mirror with the moonlight bouncing off the sea and the colorful lights of the city dancing in the horizon, as Denise also danced with her fired-up sexual emotions. In one of the larger rooms in the lower deck, were fold-out deck-chair mattresses put in a circle, and there were so many hungry predators in different degrees of nakedness. They were told that this room was for those who wanted to enjoy themselves in front of others and with the understanding that anyone can join in.
“That is way too much information. You have wasted most of my morning with your story of perversion. Let us get some work done,” Kyle said and again he felt bad for David’s wife and kids.
As the morning dawned, Kyle was at work, but he was now concerned about a new problem that he had to take care of; a personal one that needed his immediate attention. David was taking up too much of his time with his personal activities that usually included sex with someone besides his wife. Kyle was worried about their marriage. There seemed to be wanted distractions from both of them to the opposite sex. It would be impossible for any marriage to last with no trust between the partners. It was easy to punch holes in other marriages, being he was in one of those difficult marriages. Suzette was way to jealous to be married. She felt that only herself should spend time with her spouse and anyone else had inappropriate motives.
Kyle was up early in the morning, wanting the quiet of the house before everyone got up. With a hot pot cup of coffee on the kitchen counter smelling so good, he reached in the cupboard for his favorite coffee cup feeling it up and going outside to look at his great backyard and an incredible view of the bridge. He was proud of what he had built; starting from nothing and now he had everything. As the morning progressed, he got dressed for his meeting at the Bank with Bill. After a short drive into the city, he pulled into the bank parking lot and went to the 12th floor.
“Good morning Kyle. Come on in and have a seat. David and I were just getting started,” Bill said.
“Good morning gentlemen. I am interested in what you came up with.” Kyle stated.
The bank meeting went well but it was not the only meeting he had this morning. Kyle was to meet with his attorney due to a lawsuit pending. They did not know why Kyle was being sued. It seemed to come with the territory. After the meeting with his attorney, Kyle decided to surprise his wife with a catered lunch. She was still a bit sore with him about the gathering at Ron’s.
Kyle pulled his Ferrari into his driveway with the most delectable dishes; all of Suzette’s favorites. To his surprise, Suzette did not appear to be home. He dashed into the house with the treats and thought maybe she went on a quick errand. He decided to ask the nanny.
“Good afternoon Barbara. How are the kids?” Kyle asked
“They are excellent, Mr. Stone. Just put them down for a nap.” She replied
“Great! Where is my wife?” Kyle asked the nanny.
“She just left Mr. Stone, ‘and she didn’t tell me where she was going.”
“Sit down dear. Let us make this a little more interesting. I do know that Suzette would have told you where she was going. She would not leave and not care what happens to the kids. So one hundred dollars for you right now to tell me where she went.” Kyle stated with a straight face.
She reached out her hand to take the money and told Kyle where he could find Suzette. As quickly as he strode into his driveway, he pulled out and sped down the street, to a local bar and eatery where the nanny had told him he would find his wife. Upon entering the restaurant, Kyle looked around and there was a dance floor off the bar area. Not wanting to be seen or cause a scene, he carefully peeked around the pillars to see if he could spot Suzette. Sure enough, she was sitting at a table with a man Kyle had never met or seen before. Kyle could feel his muscles tighten up as his anger increased, watching them drinking and laughing. He wanted to jump right in there and let both know what he was feeling. He knew he could not do that. He would not be able to control himself once he opened up and let all the anger out. He could see they were asking the waitress for their bill, so they were ready to leave. He decided to get out of there and go to the freeway on-ramp and wait for them to go by so he could see what she was up to. He was really getting pissed off waiting and watching the cars go by. It did not take long for Suzette and the mystery man to cruise by. The mystery man was driving the car Kyle had purchased for his wife. Kyle’s blood was boiling now as he slowly moved onto the freeway, staying back from her car so he could follow and see what else they were up to. They took him off the freeway and onto the side streets where he eventually pulled into an apartment parking lot. Kyle parked close enough to see her car but not to be seen. He thought that they would be getting out, but that was not the case, as he watched them kissing and fogging up the windows. The fog was so thick on the windows that Kyle could not see in. He had seen enough. Walking up to the driver’s door and looking in, he saw that they were lying down with this stranger on top of his wife. In a murderous rage, Kyle knocked hard on the driver’s window. It scared the hell out of them as they both looked up and saw Kyle staring in. As Kyle struggled to open the door to get at them, the stranger dashed out through the passenger door, running for the apartments. Hot in pursuit, Kyle ran after the man with anger and when he got close enough, he jumped to reach the back of his shirt and pull him to the ground. Now on top of the son of a bitch, he was going to smash his face in as he glanced at the car and saw Suzette pulling away. Kyle got off him wanting to get to his wife more. He ran to his car to chase her down. It did not take long for Kyle to go through the gears of the Ferrari and catch up, forcing her pull over. Suzette had gotten out of her car when Kyle walked up. She was leaning against her door and when Kyle got in her face, she lost control of her bladder and pissed right there in the street. Kyle, knowing she was quite upset, told her to go home and they would talk about it later. He did not want to go home so he drove over to the park and turned off his car. Just staring out the window was all he could do; it was so much to deal with all at once.
“Why now, why does she have to start cheating, on top of everything else I am dealing with, how much can one-man handle?” were the thoughts that kept rolling out of his hurting heart.
As he focused on the peaks in the horizon, he knew it takes two in any relationship to make it work and if there was only one, it would be a hard mountain to climb.










Professional Reviews

Liam Anthony; 5 Stars
“Book Review: Thread”

By Liam Anthony

A gripping novel that satisfies the cravings of crime novel fans with suspense, strong villains, and unforeseen twists
Thread by author J. Franklin Payne is an action-packed story about a successful entrepreneur named Kyle Stone and his descent from his idyllic life—his wife, family, and profitable business—toward something more clandestine, more dangerous.
In the beginning of the novel, readers may think that this book is going to follow a simple formula. We learn about Kyle superficially, his successes and everyday life, but away from that domestic existence, it turns out he also has his enemies.
His colleague Howard has filed for a court case against him for breaking franchise laws.
When the court case doesn't go to plan, Kyle and his other colleague David must come up with a plan to enact their revenge. It doesn’t help that his wife Suzette seems to be against him too.
The author incorporates an esoteric angle as Kyle and David seek the help of a witch to help their vendetta against Howard. This is where the book takes an interesting and distinctive turn. Away from all the human drama, the reader sees how this curse begins to unfold and what consequences come with it.
Another factor that I particularly enjoyed about this book was the number of horrible characters; for me, this adds to the tension of a well-written suspense novel. David is often a challenging character to read with his addiction to his uninhibited, decadent life.
Thread is full of surprises lurking around different corners. After the demise of Kyle and David's professional relationship, our protagonist begins working for what can only be described as a clandestine network of people known as “The Family.” Mirroring something you would expect from a gangster film, Kyle seems to be innately good at his new role for this organization, part espionage, part negotiator. He is afforded a new life punctuated with private jets, his drink of choice, tequila and tonic, a new love affair, and luxurious hotel suites. On the other hand, the reader becomes better acquainted with Kyle as we learn about his past. Kyle is a well-crafted, three-dimensional character, and as I am reading the book, I have a clear image of him in my head.
The author flourishes at creating a meaningful arc to Kyle's character. We learn about his father's death, his military career when he was treated as a mere subordinate before he had his business empire. He is a character who, at the start of the book, appears to be an abundance of morals; however, in order to survive, he has to become someone else.
As a novel, it is an entertaining read that is difficult to put down. However, at times, it can read like a never-ending Russian doll. From supernatural elements to sexual assault, flashbacks, a surreal gang, and infidelity, there is so much content for such a short novel that it’s a bit disorienting to keep up. Having said that, there are moments when certain things are repeated, too, that make me wonder why so many people wet themselves when they are scared.

Nevertheless, the author proves successful at keeping us on our toes. I had questions at the very beginning about David: Can he be trusted? What is his intention? These questions make for a good suspense novel in which the reader is complicit from the first page. With a solid protagonist and a fast-paced narrative and the supernatural nuances of the curse of the candles, it is definitely one that can be enjoyed in just a few sittings

Another 5 Star review:
Thread is a power-packed book full of thrill, mystery, suspence and also a pinch of supernatural power which makes it a great read. The book has lots of characters and plots which are portrayed with utmost perfection by the author. Author has used the perfect combination of words to create an image of all the characters and plots in the minds of the readers. The book is not a simple read as it has many different circumstances and plots interwoven with each other and full of twists, surprises and tension at some places. The twist with witch factor and curse of candle was the greatest. The book is well written and explained
It a great book for a balanced read which serves all the tastes from thrill to mystery to drama. (less)
flagLike · comment · see review


Rakhi India: 5 Stars
Review's with Rakhi
Fri, Jul 17, 8:21 AM (7 days ago)
to me

Hi Author,

Greetings of the day.

Finished reading your book, must say I loved everything about it.
Below is my review, kindly go through it, and let me know what you think.
Also, do let me know if you want me to add something or delete something,

Book Review:

The Blurb:

Author J. Franklin Payne has crafted a highly entertaining and well thought out work of drama, which reads quickly but has plenty of content from cover to cover. Many speculative elements, which were woven into a plot that is well-grounded, and therefore added to the tension and uncertainty even more. The character development of Kyle Stone is particularly interesting and is intriguing to see how the effects of his time at war gave him fortitude for the challenges that were to face him later in life. In terms of cohesion, one of the best features of the work is its dialogue, which not only gives the cutthroat atmosphere of the boardroom world but also characterizes and delivers plot exposition in a snappy, direct fashion. Thread is a fascinating read which will surely suit readers who love thriller novels with realistic protagonists.

Thread is my story, a story like no other, encompassing the thriller and mystery sub-genres. Written for adults due to its complex themes and tense moments, the protagonist of the piece is successful businessman Kyle Stone, whose early life is plagued by tragedy and stark experiences of war. After this, his experiences in the business world become no less cutthroat, and the story progresses to show us all those who would make life difficult for Kyle, and the clever ways in which he is able to overcome them. What results is an enigmatic thriller with plenty of surprises and suspense.

As past Producer of USO Entertainment and Master of Ceremonies, I have had a lot of life experiences working with the best Artists in the world and the best Warriors in the world. Chosen as Top Veteran by the President, humbled by the selection.

Thread is a loosely written memoir of earlier years.

My Take:

Thread is the first book I m reading of the author J. Franklin Payne and its really intriguing story that the author has written amazingly.

The story starts with Kyle, his neighbor, his VP, and Lawyer along with their wifes celebrating Kyles business at his house. The story starts with a simple yet curious way that will grasp your attention fully.

I liked the way the author J. Franklin Payne has written the storyline in the creative flow and giving enough details at the right time, which holds the interest of the readers to keep reading the book. As I started reading, I found myself lost in it, and by the time I stopped, I had already reached halfway through the book.

The highlight of the story is that it is filled with drama, corporate world, office politics, friendships, betrayals, family, secrets, struggles, emotions, corruption, love, and family drama. The author Jerry Payne has portrayed the characters very finely and with details making them perfectly balanced in the storyline. Also the expression on emotions from jealousy to greed, from love to friendship, from betrayal to fake relationship, everything is very intriguing and written with amazing creativity.

Overall I enjoyed reading this interesting story and would definitely recommend there's to read as well. So click here and read now Thread written by J. Franklin Payne.

--
Thank & Regards
New Book Reviewer

Website: https://www.newbooksreviewer.com/
Blog: https://newbooksreviewer.blogspot.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newbookreviewer/
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/newbook.reviewer
Goodread: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/105036582-new-book-reviewer
Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AHUY5T36FJ5YD5IPECEQIBPQG2NQ?

Vets WatchDog
Fri, Jul 17, 8:49 AM (7 days ago)
to Review's

Thank you for your time and your review. I am happy you enjoyed my story.

J Franklin
--
Jerry Payne
Adjutant General
Vets Watchdog
Phone: 202-630-AVET
Email: vetswatchdog@gmail.com
Web Site: www.vetswatchdog.com

Another 5 Star review of Thread:
Mohan Sharma rated it really liked it
Story of the book revolves around Kyle and the stories of his life. Here we will find what happened in the life of Kyle stone his business and many more. Book starts showing about Kyle, his neighbor, family and other persons who play a good part in the life of Kyle. Then the author introduces to other characters of the book and how things started to change in his life. Past life and how he was able to get over all those things and builds an empire of his own.

Things started to change in the life of Kyle. Where he doesn't know what is happening, whom he can trust and still he was able to get over this and back again in life. 36 chapters shows different incidents happened in his life and what things came in his life and how the things changed. Will Kyle able to get all over these things started happening and find why they are happening. Character of the Kyle is beautifully introduced and the things which he had done in his life. There are some beautiful scenes in the book which describes Kyle in a beautiful way.

Book is written in an amazing way that makes the story much interesting to read. Other characters are used beautifully and show what Kyle is. I like the way author creates the character of Kyle and as the story moves we find more about him. (less)


Perminder: 5 Stars
Book ReviewBook Review
Book Review: Thread

I don’t exactly remember when I watched a good movie that made me forget my hunger and thrust and I was totally engrossed in it. Such movies are great. Isn’t it? Well, with the current situation of the world, these things have become a thing of the past. However, this book fills up all the requirements which makes for a good movie and an enticing read.



The story of a big shot, who has some grand background which he gets to know later in life and much later than its significance. However, everything isn’t served on a silver platter and everything good has its own price to be paid so is the case with Kyle, the protagonist. Good at heart, full of virtues and a self made man, yet Kyle had to fight his destiny every now and then. Surrounded by back stabbers and not so thankful people, Kyle’s life will surely arouse pity and sympathy in the reader's mind. Nevertheless, Kyle’s determination, perseverance and most of the time his presence of mind saves his life and fortune. The way he lands up in every situation is unpredictable, an aspect every reader craves for in a work. In-spite of being such a genuine person, his destiny tries him every now and then. The series of events which takes place are connected in a peculiar way with something. What is that something? For that, dig into the pages! In the entire story, there is a connection between living and dead, virtue and vice, evil and good as the title of the book aptly suggests. It is on the readers to infer those connections and admire them. The book has all the elements of a good work, drama, thrill, deception, suspense, witchcraft, romance and what not. You name it and you have it.



The story of this businessman is so gripping that a reader will surely want to read it in one go. Also, the author’s style of writing is remarkable as he surely knows when and how much to reveal and when to put on the veil straight till the end. You know your work is a hit when the reader falls in love with the protagonist. Well! I have and I assume most of the readers too will. The coming of age of the protagonist and the plot built up around it is phenomenal.



With all this being said, I surely recommend this book to every reader who enjoys being on a thrilling virtual journey while gobbling on a work. Also, this review is done with an advanced reader copy (ARC) before the actual publication which gives me extra pleasure for being one among the few before the actual piece is released. I really hope this hits the chart.



A must read for all the avid readers and my best wishes to the upcoming author.

We will update once the book is published.



Happy reading !




Want to review or comment on this book?


Need a FREE Reader Membership?

Reviews for "Thread"

Reviewed by Kim Aalaie 9/9/2020
Kyle Stone is a self-made man with a successful company who's life is turned upside-down beginning with an attempted takeover and an unscrupulous business associate. The storyline follows his life through many changes including tragedy, witchcraft and the supernatural involving candles which becomes a thread throughout the story, divorce, the mob, a crazy ex, a new love relationship, murder, an intriguing family history, war memories and more. There are as many twists and turns as a roller coaster in this one book. "Thread" is fast-paced and hard to follow at times, but there are well-written sections and plots throughout. The book is suspenseful and at times keeps the reader on the edge of their seats, but the flow between current happenings and memories or family history were hard to follow from time to time. It's a lot of information packed into 257 pages. I truly liked the main character, Kyle Stone, but was shocked by the surprise ending. "Thread" is a complex novel with several entertaining sections and many great characters.
Reviewed by Jerald Payne 7/25/2020
Book Review:

The Blurb:

Author J. Franklin Payne has crafted a highly entertaining and well thought out work of drama, which reads quickly but has plenty of content from cover to cover. Many speculative elements, which were woven into a plot that is well-grounded, and therefore added to the tension and uncertainty even more. The character development of Kyle Stone is particularly interesting and is intriguing to see how the effects of his time at war gave him fortitude for the challenges that were to face him later in life. In terms of cohesion, one of the best features of the work is its dialogue, which not only gives the cutthroat atmosphere of the boardroom world but also characterizes and delivers plot exposition in a snappy, direct fashion. Thread is a fascinating read which will surely suit readers who love thriller novels with realistic protagonists.

Thread is my story, a story like no other, encompassing the thriller and mystery sub-genres. Written for adults due to its complex themes and tense moments, the protagonist of the piece is successful businessman Kyle Stone, whose early life is plagued by tragedy and stark experiences of war. After this, his experiences in the business world become no less cutthroat, and the story progresses to show us all those who would make life difficult for Kyle, and the clever ways in which he is able to overcome them. What results is an enigmatic thriller with plenty of surprises and suspense.

As past Producer of USO Entertainment and Master of Ceremonies, I have had a lot of life experiences working with the best Artists in the world and the best Warriors in the world. Chosen as Top Veteran by the President, humbled by the selection.

Thread is a loosely written memoir of earlier years.

My Take:

Thread is the first book I m reading of the author J. Franklin Payne and its really intriguing story that the author has written amazingly.

The story starts with Kyle, his neighbor, his VP, and Lawyer along with their wifes celebrating Kyles business at his house. The story starts with a simple yet curious way that will grasp your attention fully.

I liked the way the author J. Franklin Payne has written the storyline in the creative flow and giving enough details at the right time, which holds the interest of the readers to keep reading the book. As I started reading, I found myself lost in it, and by the time I stopped, I had already reached halfway through the book.

The highlight of the story is that it is filled with drama, corporate world, office politics, friendships, betrayals, family, secrets, struggles, emotions, corruption, love, and family drama. The author Jerry Payne has portrayed the characters very finely and with details making them perfectly balanced in the storyline. Also the expression on emotions from jealousy to greed, from love to friendship, from betrayal to fake relationship, everything is very intriguing and written with amazing creativity.

Overall I enjoyed reading this interesting story and would definitely recommend there's to read as well. So click here and read now Thread written by J. Franklin Payne.

--
Thank & Regards
New Book Reviewer
Popular Action/Thriller Books
  1. Dragons of Mu
  2. Chronicles of the HEdge
  3. The Last Mission of the Seventh Cavalr
  4. Looking For Georges Bizet on Planet He
  5. Dream Wanderer
  6. The Socialist Cuckooland
  7. La seconda guerra di Corea
  8. The Ruby Cradle
  9. The Star Seekers
  10. Him by Koos Verkaik
  11. Undercover Reunion
  12. Highland Barbarian
  13. Blood on Their Hands
  14. Rigby's Roads
  15. Out of My Way (Logan's Way Detective S
  16. Still Perfect
  17. The Point Of The Grave
  18. The Buccaneers of St. Frederick Island
  19. The Fight Continues! (Ford Valley Corr
  20. Beyond Understanding
  21. The Guardian Awaits: Fata Morgana
  22. China erobert Taiwan
  23. Living With The Dying
  24. Relational Self Help Collection, Vol.
  25. Murder in Pinecrest (Pinecrest Series

Free Book Review Program
Select a book to read and review today!

The Great Teen Fruit War, A 1960 Novel by Jay Dubya

"The Great Teen Fruit War, A 1960 Novel" involves conflict between the Blues (sons of blueberry farmers) and the Reds (sons of peach growers) in a southern New Jersey agricultural community.  
Member BookAds

Goodbye Baby Blue by Frank Ryan

A child is kidnapped, followed by several murders. A mystery thriller in the Sandy Woodings series.  
Member BookAds

A Risky Game: The Odds Are Deadly by MORGAN ST. JAMES

A gripping crime thriller for fans of fast twists, dark secrets, and adrenaline-fueled suspense A mobster with a broken memory---A stolen fortune hidden for 15 years. Mack Peters is about to play A Risky Game—and the next move could get him killed.  
Member BookAds