All Dakota Jennins wants after her husband and partner is brutally murdered is to spend her wedding anniversary on a solitary trek through the desert mountains to come to terms with her grief. The last thing Dakota expects is to find herself involved in rescuing a kidnapped super star, Eddie Tseung. She discovers Eddie bound in a tarp and dumped into a ravine to die of suffocation. With the kidnappers closing in, Dakota and Eddie begin the treacherous walk out of the desert. Angry at the unexpected interruption of her solitary excursion, Dakota turns her frustration on the talkative Eddie, who, undaunted, helps Dakota come to terms with her grief. Not only is Eddie considerate and understanding, but someone Dakota is glad to have on her side when the kidnappers finally catch up to them.
All Dakota Jennins wants after her husband and partner is brutally murdered is to spend her wedding anniversary on a solitary trek through the desert mountains to come to terms with her grief. The last thing Dakota expects is to find herself involved in rescuing a kidnapped super star, Eddie Tseung. She discovers Eddie bound in a tarp and dumped into a ravine to die of suffocation. With the kidnappers closing in, Dakota and Eddie begin the treacherous walk out of the desert. Angry at the unexpected interruption of her solitary excursion, Dakota turns her frustration on the talkative Eddie, who, undaunted, helps Dakota come to terms with her grief. Not only is Eddie considerate and understanding, but someone Dakota is glad to have on her side when the kidnappers finally catch up to them.
Chapter One
    David knocked three times on the hotel room door, shifting the sack of groceries from his right side to his left. He hated this place. It was hot and boring. He and his friends must have found the smallest, most desolate spot in the entire country to hide out.
    He mumbled and knocked again. The latch clicked and the door opened.
    âTake this.â He shoved the sack into Collieâs hands. âItâs hotter ân fire out here.â
     Collie took the sack to the kitchenette and unloaded the groceries.
    âCouldnât you do better than chips and beer?â
    âHey, be glad I got that.â David threw the local newspaper down on the table. âCheck it out.â
    Collie Perkins, Davidâs younger brother, and their four friends, Ryan and Jimmy Bullet, Marco Blanchard, and Steve Landon, gathered around the table to read the front page news.Â
    âMan, we ainât never gonna get outta here.â Marco snagged a beer and sank into a chair.
    âWeâll get out.â Ryan pulled a beer from the pack and sat with his feet propped on the table. âWe just stopped here to let the steam off. In a day or two the papers will have moved on to something more important.â
    David grabbed a bag of chips and some dip before taking a seat. âFeds are in town. I saw them. That bank wasnât worth all this trouble for what we didnât get.â
    âThis place stinks,â Jimmy griped. âI donât like it. I mean, the nearest town is seventy miles away and there ainât nothinâ between but desert.â
    David pushed Ryanâs feet off the table. âWe gotta find a way out. âThe money from the bankâs already about gone. Weâre gonna need a stake. Any of you geniuses got any bright ideas?â
    âThereâs a bank here,â Marco said.
    âAnd weâre all over the front page, idiot.â Ryan slapped him hard on the shoulder. âUse your head. Besides, this place is so small, there ainât enough in that bank to take a risk.â
    Jimmy sat up and shifted the paper so they could all see it. âLook at this.â He read from the paper. âProduction Company moves into town to film new action movie.â
    Marco sniffed and leaned back in his chair. âYeah, so?â
    âLook who the star is.â Jimmy pointed to a name.Â
    âWhatâs your point?â Ryan asked.
    Jimmyâs tossed him a look full of irritation. âYou said a stake. How âbout this one?â He tapped the paper.
    Marco sat forward. âWhat, are you crazy? You ainât thinkinâ âbout kidnappinâ. I know you ainât thinkinâ that. Please tell me you ainât.â
     Ryan grabbed the paper and read the article through. A slow smile spread across his face as he nodded silently. âYeah. Yeah, it might work.â
    He looked up, excitement showing in his brown eyes. âItâs easy. Says here theyâre wantinâ to hire locals for extras during the shoot. Weâre in, no problem. We follow âim around a day or two, get to know his routine, get things ready, then âbamâ, we hoot âim and leave here a whole lot richer.â
    âRyan, are you forgetting who this guy is?â David jerked the paper out of Ryanâs hands and tossed it onto the sofa. âItâll take more ân us to take this guy.â
    Ryan shook his head and glared at him. âDavid, you watch too many movies.â
Dakota's Dragon, by author Cherie Waggie, is a short but thrilling novel that took me completely by surprise with its fast-paced action, suspense, and engaging main characters. I enjoyed this story so much that I know I will be reading it again soon just for the pure fun of it. I would love to see this become the first book of a series featuring either one or both of the main characters.
Dakota Jennins is an immediately likable and sympathetic leading lady. She and her husband had their own private investigation business together, so they were continually side by side until his tragic and sudden death. She's smart, capable, and keeping things together despite her ongoing grief for her lost spouse, but she feels it's time to move on and let go. Eddie Tseung is a Jackie Chan-like action film star with a charming manner, enthusiasm for what he does, and a big and generous heart. He will need all the stamina, enthusiasm, and heart he can muster for what's ahead of him. Together, these two have great working chemistry and help each other escape and outwit the bad guys and overcome their internal struggles.
I enjoyed the buildup to the main event of the plot, learning the backstories of the main characters as well as that of the small gang of modern-day outlaws hiding out near Red Gap, Colorado, where Eddie's latest film is being shot. The familial relationships among the group's young men make the story's final resolution unexpectedly sad and tragic.
The desert setting is vividly described and as much a character as it is a location for the action to take place. With its dangerous beauty and secret hidden places, it was an intriguing setting and the perfect choice for where the story unfolds.
The story progresses at a lively pace with little downtime, if any. I was so engrossed in the story that I read it in one sitting. Three initial storylines are established and eventually converge in the Colorado desert, and once they do, the pace kicks up a notch. Not only are the main characters evading capture, but they must survive the harsh conditions and some of Mother Nature's little extras thrown their way during their flight to safety.
I recommend DAKOTA'S DRAGON to mystery, thriller, and adventure story readers.