Rico Stays
by Ed Duncan
After enforcer Richard “Rico” Sanders stepped in to protect his girlfriend from a local mob boss’s hot-headed nephew, all hell broke loose.
When the smoke cleared, the nephew had vanished and three goons lay dying where they’d stood.
Fighting for his life, Rico was alive but gravely wounded.
Out of the hospital but not fully recovered, he needed a place to crash – a place where he wouldn’t be found. A place like the cabin owned by lawyer Paul Elliott, whose life Rico had saved more than once.
Trouble was, Paul’s girlfriend hadn’t forgotten Rico’s dark history – or Paul’s fascination with him. Vengeful killers would soon be coming for him.
The only question was whether he would be ready to face them.
Punchy, powerful and pacy, ‘Rico Stays’ is the third of Ed Duncan’s Pigeon-Blood Red series.
Waiting for his girlfriend Jean, Rico watches some kids play baseball across the street. One of them accidentally bumps into the wrong guy, Larry Cosgrove, a dangerous nutter who isn’t best pleased that, in catching a ball, the kid’s just caused him to waste his drink.
Things quickly go south and Rico steps in just as Jean is about to receive a damaging blow. Larry is set to get what’s coming but he’s the nephew of the mob boss who runs the area - and he has help. Bullets fly. Rico is shot and in a bad way but, aside from Larry, you should see the others guys.
Following the shoot-out, Rico is hospitalised. Jean calls on Paul Elliott for help, a man who owes his life to Rico. Rico and Paul have an 'accidental friendship'. Paul is a successful African American lawyer, a partner in a Chicago firm; Rico is a hit-man, albeit one with a strong moral compass – he only kills guy who deserve it!
Our of hospital, Rico needs a place to recover, safe from his pursuer, the psychotic Larry Cosgrove, who, unlike Rico, is happy to hurt people for the fun of it. It’s clear that Rico needs Paul’s help but can he afford to risk his career when that help involves more than finding him a place to stay.
Larry is an easy man to hate. Another problem is Gus Chakiras, Larry’s uncle, a powerful man who may test Rico’s resolve.
There are plenty of likable characters. Paul and his girlfriend of 3 years Evelyn, who have both known loss and heartbreak. Rico and Jean. Even Cleveland, the brother of one of those goons who worked for Larry. Cleveland wants to avenge his brother's killing but he’s also fresh out of prison and doesn’t want to wind up back there or dead like his brother. He may be ready to change his ways for the love of a woman, if his parole conditions don’t put the kibosh on it.
‘Rico Stays’ is a cinematic, non-stop ride. Not a long book, it’s a 'read in one sitting' thriller that shows how fighting injustice can get you into trouble. Even if you’re a hit-man.
Check out all three books in the trilogy.
About Ed Duncan
Ed Duncan is a graduate of Oberlin College and Northwestern University Law School. He was a partner at a national law firm in Cleveland, Ohio for many years. He is the original author of a highly regarded legal treatise entitled Ohio Insurance Coverage published by Thomson West in 2008 which he updated annually through 2012. Ed currently lives outside of Cleveland. Rico Stays is the third instalment of his Pigeon-Blood Red trilogy.