Jamie Rush first appeared in Daughters Of Bad Men and one of the best ways to learn about a person is by asking questions, so let’s get to know Jamie.

What is your name?
Jamie Rush.

How old are you?
Thirty-three, but some people tell me I look younger.

What is your profession?
I’m a skip tracer. My job is to find missing people who (usually) don’t want to be found. Now and then, I flip my position and help someone disappear. There are some very good reasons that a woman might want to fall off the grid, and if I can help with that, I’m happy to do it.

Do you have a significant other?
I’ve been told that I’m not good in relationships. Commitment issues. I do have one who got away–his name is Jake. He was the love of my life but I just couldn’t be the person he needed me to be. I don’t see myself living a traditional domestic life, although I know tons of people who love it. It’s just not for me. I’m not really happy unless there’s a bit of chaos in my day.

Do you have any sibling(s)?
Yes, I have a sister and a half-brother. Brian and I don’t speak–and for very good reason. I wouldn’t say I’m close with my younger sister, Grace, but we’re there for each other in a crisis. Our family has quite a bit of that going on, so we keep in touch.

Who is your best friend?
That’s a tough one because I feel I have two best friends. Erin Clay is my bestie, and she means the world to me. She’s the only friend I’ve had since middle school–moving around so much growing up made it hard to keep friendships, but she was the one that stuck. Cookie Hinojosa, who is my business partner, is also someone I consider my best friend. If they were both in a boat and I could only save one, I don’t think I’d be able to choose.

Cats, dogs or other pets?
I have an English bulldog named Deuce. He’s the love of my life, and I’d do anything for him. He loves jalapeno poppers, but I don’t give them to him often–it makes taking him on surveillance jobs downright painful. He has absolutely zero guard dog qualities–he’ll roll over for anyone who has French fries.

What town do you live in?
I live in Port Alene, Texas, which is a beautiful coastal Texas town located about a half hour from Corpus Christi. I love being close to the Gulf coast, being able to fish off a pier and take the ferry across to Rockland Heights. It’s the first town I’ve lived in that feels like home.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
I rent a loft apartment above my favorite pub, Hemingway’s Pier. The owner, Marty Scout, and I are pretty close, and he provides free dog sitting in emergencies. Actually, he keeps Deuce with him on the daily. Deuce is good company.

What is your favorite spot in your house?
I’d have to say it’s my dining room table, although I don’t have a dining room since I live in a loft. It’s a second hand table, but the wood is solid and sturdy, like it has stories to tell. I use it as my work desk, and the surface is rarely neat. It’s the energy center of my tiny place, and it’s where I spend most of my time. I can’t tell you how many breakfast tacos Cookie and I have shared while pouring over a client case. Lots of good memories.

Favorite meal?
Bean and cheese breakfast tacos from Taqueria San Juan. The tortillas are like nothing you’ve ever experienced–warm and comforting like a hug from your grandmother. Marty’s burgers are a close second, and if he asks you, tell him I told you that his burgers are my favorite. He’s very sensitive about his food.

Favorite dessert?
Frozen Girl Scout thin mints. I feel as though I should say something more exotic, but that’s the truth.

Favorite hobby?
Is Texas Hold ‘em considered a hobby? I’m pretty good at it. I can even cover rent now and then if the cards come right. I’m not a shark but I’m not bad. The guys tend to underestimate me at the table, and I enjoy using that against them.

Favorite color?
Gray. And don’t tell me it’s not a color. It is.

Favorite author?
Elmore Leonard

Favorite vacation spot?
I don’t have one. I’m not much of a vacation person, but there’s nothing better than taking Deuce for a long walk on the beach when I’m trying to figure out something with a case. I love watching him chase the sandpipers, his back legs kicking up sand in the wind.

Favorite sports team?
The Dallas Cowboys, but I won’t bet on them until they start playing better.

Movies or Broadway?
Movies. On Netflix.

Are you a morning or a night person?
I’m a night person. My synapses start firing in the afternoon, and I get my second wind around 9pm. It works out because most of my surveillance is at night. Not so many nefarious happenings going on in the morning. As my granddad used to say, “Nothing good happens after midnight.”

Amateur sleuth or professional?
Professional, although Cookie and I are known for taking freebie cases. It’s not good for the bottom line but it’s great for the soul. Fortunately, Marty doesn’t give me a hard time if I’m late on my rent now and then.

Whom do you work with when sleuthing?
Cookie Hinojosa. He’s got charm in spades, so I leave him to handle interviews when the subject seems standoffish. He claims an impressive collection of Hawaiian shirts and is much more current on technology than I am. I’m no slouch, but he loves the stuff. I’m better at information gathering through interviews and databases. I think surveillance is a tie. He’s a better driver but I’m less likely to be spotted.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
When it comes to my job, no two days are the same. I like variety. I do have a few routines, though. Deuce is usually my alarm clock, and I take him for a walk first thing in the morning before it gets too hot. Most mornings include hitting the drive-through at Taqueria San Juan’s for breakfast tacos and coffee. From then it can be anything from surveillance to social media mining to interviews. It just depends on which subjects I can locate and how quickly I can get to them.

My evenings sometimes include a nice meal at the bar, including a chat with Marty. Cookie usually joins us, too. We’re like an old married couple but without the romantic entanglements. I will say that I think I love him more than I would love my husband, if I had one. Don’t tell him that. It’ll go to his head.

Daughters Of Bad Men is the first book in the “Jamie Rush” mystery series, released November 2017. Look for second book coming in November 2020.

Jamie Rush understands what it takes to disappear because her parents taught her that long ago. Leveraging her knowledge of why and how people run from their own lives, Jamie has built a business based on bringing those in hiding back to answer for their actions. She takes pride in using her somewhat shady skills to work both inside and outside the law.

When her estranged brother, Brian, calls and says his daughter is missing, Jamie initially turns down the case. Kristen has always been a bit wild, frequently dropping off the grid then showing up a few days later. But Brian swears this time is different, and even though Jamie vowed years ago to keep her conniving sibling at arm’s length, she can’t walk away if Kristen could be in real trouble.

As Jamie begins digging into Kristen’s life, she uncovers her niece’s most guarded secrets. Uncovering the truth will put a target on Jamie’s back and endanger the lives of those she loves.

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About the author
Laura Oles isn’t quite sure where she’s from. As an Air Force kid, she started school in the Philippines and ended up Texas, attending a different school almost every year in between.

Laura’s debut mystery, Daughters of Bad Men, was an Agatha nominee, a Claymore Award finalist and a Killer Nashville Readers’ Choice nominee. She is also a Writers’ League of Texas Award Finalist. Her short stories have appeared in several anthologies, including Murder on Wheels, which won the Silver Falchion Award in 2016. Her most recent short story, “The Deed” was included in Denim, Diamonds and Death: Bouchercon Anthology 2019.

Before turning to crime fiction, Laura spent two decades as a photo industry journalist covering technology trends for a variety of consumer and industry magazines. She lives in the Texas Hill Country with her family. You can find her at lauraoles.com.

All comments are welcomed.