The Cop and the Psychic: "Soul Deep" by Jenny Penn

Two people, destined to be lovers, destined to die.

Abigail Wize knows the past, knows the future, but can she convince Tucker before it?s too late?

Tucker Simpson is a hard man, a cynical cop and he?s not interested in any psychic?s visions. More than willing to die to catch a murderer, Tucker isn?t about to risk his heart and time is running out.

Short stories are generally "not my thing" but once in a while one comes along that blows my doors off and I felt I really wanted to share it with all of you. I am a non-stop fan of Jenny Penn, and while I usually gravitate toward her full-length novels, I decided to go with this short story and I am ever so glad I did.

The psychic could not only read into the future but she had a unique gift to read the past--past lives, that is. And because of this she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, as far as the police were concerned. Her explanations played out like a "cock and bull" story, and a hardened, cynical detective like Tucker wasn't buying it. What he was "buying" was Abigail's beauty, her sexy body, and his response to both. And while in law enforcement circles Tucker's method of "interrogation" would not play well, this is fiction, after all.

Abigail certainly had few if any problems with Tucker's methods--she loved to be dominated by a sexy Alpha male, and yet, in the bottom of her heart, she knew what was coming and her joy in these love affair was tinged with the knowledge that they were playing out the same scenario that they had lived out in several past lives. Tucker wasn't listening to her warnings now anymore than he did in ancient Scotland, during the American Civil War, during World War II, etc. Tucker can't seem to get enough of Abigail, even though he eventually comes to believe that she has no part in criminal activity. She knows when their week together ends. She knows what Tucker is going to walk into.

This is a compelling and entertaining short read that is chock full of romance, suspense, some psychic phenomenon, and tantalizing flashes of their past together. In typical Penn fashion, this story forces the reader to intellectually "stay awake" so that one doesn't miss any tidbit that is important. When the format is so brief, there's lots that is stuffed into a very small space. If you haven't read any of Jenny Penn's paranormals or her erotic contemporary romance, you owe yourself that treat. And this is a great way to be introduced to her writing. I give this short story a rating of 4 out of 5, simply because of its length rather than any other negative factor. Sure would have liked to read this story in an expanded version.