Murder on Lane Ten

About the Book

Synopsis of Murder on Lane Ten, by Steve Ruzicka (492 words) A sheltered eighteen year girl, Angie Strand, goes to her Senior Prom a queen, and returns a suspected murderess. Guilty or not, she has no way to prove otherwise--she blacks out. She awakens and her date’s dead blood-soaked body drenches her dress as he lies across her. She clutches, in her hand, the murder weapon that was driven deep in his chest. A frustrated Hilton cop, wannabe lover and acquaintance suggests that he will suppress the evidence of the murder if she fulfills his sexual fantasies once a week. The thought is repulsive, but so is prison. She gives herself to him, but not freely. She endures three years of sadistic sex, when a girl is killed and is mistaken for Angie Strand. She abandons everything in Hilton, even her name, and forges a new identity in New York City. After ten years of freedom away from Hilton, the crazed overzealous Hilton policeman locates her in New York City. He presents several options to her-- to return to Hilton and give him sexual pleasure again, or pay him $200,000. She agrees to the least repulsive alternative; but doesn’t have the money, but learns of a way to acquire it—bowl in a handicapped tournament in Las Vegas. She thrusts herself into a deeper problem by cheating in the qualifier—how to stay alive; the tournament is sponsored by the organized mob and will cost them millions if Angie wins. It is too late for Angie to have second thoughts, because three men are sent to Las Vegas to kill her whether she bowls or not. The scheme fails and two of the mobsters are murdered, while the third man becomes the suspect. He convinces her that she is in no danger from him and he only wants to protect her as revenge to the mob-- they are responsible for the death of his parents. A delicate situation arise, the police want her to entrap him for the murders; she refuses because she loves him. A convoluted dangerous plot evolves when the contract to kill her and the Mafia Judas is given to the crooked policeman from Hilton. He welcomes the opportunity because she can’t involve him in the murder cover up of twelve tears ago. He chooses to complete his assignment in Rochester. He believes that he would have immunity from being discovered-- he would investigate his crime. A diabolical plot is conjured by the Las Vegas Police Department to prevent their murders. If successful, the plan would free the victims from the grasps of the syndicate, and vindicate Angie from the early killing. The plan is risky but they have no alternative. The killer policeman’s plan backfires when he drowns during the assignation attempt, and his body is never discovered. The paper mistakenly reports that the tragic accident also claims the lives of Angie and her lover. They capitalize and take up new identities to avoid repercussions from the mob.

About the Author

I am a retired executive, graduated Slippery Rock University 1960 majored in Education and Chemistry. I’m married with four grown children. Have a passion for the sciences and for a well written murder novel. I believe that the imagination on paper can create more than any movie.