LN Cronan

 Hi Jennpenn,  It's been my theory too that Angus played a direct hand as well, though I believe it was Gideon himself who did the deed. I think Angus was an accomplice in some capacity, most likely as lookout and/or helping to sneak Gideon to and from Nathan's hotel. Under the law, accomplices are as guilty as the person who personally commits the crime, and accomplices face the same charges. A common example is bank robbery crew: the getaway car driver faces the same penalties as the person(s) who pull the gun(s) on the bank tellers, and the driver also would be charged with bank robbery. Accomplices are present in some capacity during the actual commission of the crime.  Part of my theory is that years ago, Angus took the law into his own hands to stop Gideon's rapist from further victimizing him, because Angus decided he couldn't trust Gideon's family and the system to protect Gideon. This is what I think earned Angus Gideon's total trust. Years later, Angus was the only person Gideon would trust when Gideon decided to take the law into his own hands to stop Nathan instead of going to the police.  Regarding Corrine and Gideon's alibi, we can't assume the police have not interviewed her. The only thing we know at this point is Eva has no idea whether or not the cops interviewed Corrine. It's my belief that Detective Graves did get around to interviewing Corrine as part of Graves' busting the hole in Gideon's alibi. Graves probably did so right after Graves found out about the kitchen fire and the hour-long evacuation it caused at the hotel where the party took place.  Not that Corrine could have told the cops much of anything. But Graves did go looking, I'm certain, and Graves deliberately avoided telling Eva this. I think Graves withheld a great deal from Eva -- she fed Eva only enough information to fool Eva it was safe for her to go back to Gideon.  I'm betting (hoping) Eva (and thus we readers) are going to finally learn a great deal about what actually went on the entire time Gideon and Eva were estranged and then broken up, and this will include Gideon confessing details of how he used Corrine. As Entwined opens, Eva is now on a need-to-know basis about the details the entire cover-up, now that Eva is actively part of fooling the police.  One of numerous things Eva needs to know is how much (or little) of a problem Corrine could be moving forward. Things could be a little dicey there if Corrine starts connecting any dots (or even already has connected some dots) about why the police would even ask her (Corrine) about Gideon's movements on the Thursday night Nathan was murdered.

We get snapshots twice weekly: Tuesday and Friday. Snippets come randomly.

 I'm hoping it might be available for electronic download on e-readers. On my Kindle, I've sometimes seen first chapters of forthcoming books by popular authors released early as a way to build excitement and drum up pre-orders.  It's a 21st century version of what's sometimes done when a hardcover best-seller later comes out in paperback -- the very end of the paperback version sometimes contains an excerpt, or even the whole first chapter, of the next forthcoming book by that author. I've seen this sometimes with books by Stephen King and also with Michael Connolly.  With Connolly's most recent novel, I read the first chapter online before the formal release date for the whole book.

 I'm OK with Magdalene as a character, despite her flashes of cattiness. Far as I can tell, she's never deliberately tried to deceive Eva, and Magdalene actually was a friend to Gideon when Magdalene called up Eva to take Gideon's side in what had happened the night before at the fundraiser. Plus, Magdalene knew when to give up on Gideon.  I think Magdalene fought fair and then knew when to back off. As opposed to Corrine, who has fought dirty, doing things that ended up hurting Gideon too, not just Eva. Magdalene may be a bee-yotch at times, but she's not two-faced like Corrine.

The happily ever after I see at the end of Entwined will be the end of the fighting between Gideon and Eva. They'll have both gotten past their insecurity and jealousy issues. They'll finally trust one another, and Gideon will at last practice total honesty with Eva.  But there could still be outside battles to fight. Dr. Lucas. Christopher Sr. and Christopher Jr. Additional characters we've not yet met who were involved in the cover-up. Perhaps even the man who raped Gideon as a kid.  Sylvia has been clear the reason the story will extend beyond the original plan for a trilogy is because Gideon still has a lot of work to do. I can see present-day blowback from confronting the people involved in the past being a catalyst for Gideon continuing to face the dark past.  Plus there is still the specter that the murder case will continue to hang in the background, especially if no one ends up being charged during the two weeks Entwined unfolds. It'd turn into an unsolved and eventually a cold case, but there is no statute of limitations on homicide, so unsolved and cold cases never truly disappear -- unlike all other serious crime cases, where after a certain number of years pass, the door forever slams shut on arresting someone.

The book excerpt is the only set-in-stone text out there right now. But Sylvia had mentioned in the past -- though this was a while ago -- that Entwined might include some stuff from Gideon's point of view. Given that the book is going to delve into his dark past, I think it makes sense that the text sometimes delve into his thoughts. Â The snippets do carry "Disclaimer: May be edited or deleted prior to publication." So it is possible they're simply very clever teasers instead of actual text. But the snippets have tied very closely to the snapshot clues -- in fact Sylvia herself said snapshot #2 is directly related to a snippet. My gut tells me the snippets will appear in the final text.

 Naughty, naughty -- and we know what Gideon likes to do to bad girls.

There's sooooo much Eva hadn't known, (and thus we readers don't know) because people kept things from her. Like all about Nathan and his movements -- aside from a few things Monica has let slip, Eva has been in the dark until the detective confronted Eva. What's up with that?. What bothers me is Eva hadn't demanded more answers when things went to h***. She mostly kept her head stuck in the sand regarding Nathan since that awful weekend. Â Same deal with what's been going on with Gideon. Granted, Eva tried getting answers out of him while he was pulling away, but once she dumped him, she stuck her head in the sand about him too. Thus she has no real idea of the full extent of the public lie Gideon has been living. She kept her head down, avoided the news, and aside from the gym and Krav Maga classes, spent a lot of time curled up at home. Â I'm glad that at the end of Reflected, she finally started pulling her head out of her b*** and began demanding answers out of some people: Gideon's mother, Dr. Lucas, Corrine, Christopher Jr (though she kinda wimped out with him.) I hope to see an Eva in Entwined who is going to demand honesty of Gideon and of her mother -- and become honest herself with her father.

Text of snippet #6 (yes, Sylvia posted #6 first, and because some people misconstrued it, she posted #7 next to put the same scene in a larger context, showing up what immediately preceded #6)   I weaved my way through writhing bodies, my pulse rate increasing with every step. The music was less loud up here and the air more humid. Sweat glistened on exposed skin and the elevation lent a sense of danger, even though the glass railing surrounding the skywalk was shoulder-high. I was almost to the mirrored section when I was caught around the waist and pulled back into a man’s rolling hips.  Looking over my shoulder, I saw the guy I’d danced with before, the one who’d called me beautiful. I smiled and started dancing, closing my eyes to lose myself in the music. When his hands started to slide over my waist, I caught them, pinning them to my hips with my own. He laughed and dipped his knees, aligning his body with mine.  We were three songs out before I felt the ripple of awareness that told me Gideon was nearby. The electrical charge swept over my skin, heightening every sensation. Abruptly the music was louder, the temperature hotter, the sensuality of the club more arousing.  I smiled and opened my eyes, spotting him arrowing toward me. I was instantly hot for him, my mouth watering as I ate up the sight of him in a dark T-shirt and jeans, his hair pulled back from that breathtaking face. No one seeing him would put him together with Gideon Cross, the international mogul. This guy appeared younger and rougher, distinctive only for his incredible smokin’ hotness. I licked my lips with anticipation, leaning into the guy behind me and rubbing my a** voluptuously into the next roll of his hips.  Gideon’s hands fisted at his sides, his posture aggressive and predatory. He didn’t slow as he neared me, his body on a collision course with mine. Turning, I met him the last step, surging into him. Our bodies crashed together, my arms encircling his shoulders; my hands pulling his head down so I could take his mouth in a wet, hungry kiss.  With a growl, Gideon cupped my a** and yanked me up hard against him, my feet leaving the floor. He bruised my lips with the ferocity of his passion, his tongue filling my mouth with hard, deep plunges that warned me of the violent shades of his l**t.  The guy I’d been dancing with came up behind me, his hands in my hair and his lips at my shoulder blade.  Gideon pulled back, his face a gorgeous mask of fury. “Get lost.† I looked at the guy and gave a shrug. “Thanks for the dance.† â€œAnytime, beautiful.†He caught the hips of a girl walking by and moved away.  â€œAngel.†With a growl, Gideon pressed me into the mirror, his hard thigh thrust between my legs. “You’re a bad girl.† Shameless and eager, I rode him, gasping at the feel of denim against my tender s**. “Only for you.â€

Text of Snippet #7   Laughing, I went to the bar and waited for an opening to ask for Pellegrino and the phone. I dialed Gideon’s cell number, since it was the one I had memorized. I figured it was safe since I was calling from a public place he owned.  â€œCross,†he answered briskly.  â€œHi, ace.†I leaned into the bar and covered my other ear with my hand. “I’m drunk dialing you.† â€œI can tell.†His voice changed for me, slowed and grew warm. It captivated me even over the music. “Are you having a good time?† â€œYes, but I miss you. Did you take your vitamins?† He had a smile in his voice when he asked, “Are you h****, angel?† â€œIt’s your fault! This club is like Viagra. I’m hot and sweaty and dripping in pheromones. And I’ve been a bad girl, you know. Dancing like I’m single.† â€œBad girls get punished.† â€œMaybe I should be really bad then. Make the punishment worth it.† He growled. “Come home and be bad with me.† The thought of him at home, ready for me, made me even more eager for him. “I’m stuck here ‘til the girls are done, which looks to be a while.† â€œI can come to you. Within twenty minutes, you could have my **** inside you. Do you want that?† I glanced around the club, my entire body vibrating with the hard driving music. Imagining him here, f****** me in this no-holds-barred place, made me squirm with anticipation. “Yes. I want that.† â€œDo you see the skywalk?† Turning around, I looked up and saw the suspended walkway hugging the walls. Dancers dry f***** to the music from twenty feet above the dance floor. “Yes.† â€œThere’s a section where it wraps around a mirrored corner. I’ll meet you there. Be ready, Eva,†he ordered. “I want your **** n***d and wet when I find you.† I shivered at the familiar command, knowing it meant he’d be rough and impatient. Just what I wanted.“I’m wearing a—† â€œAngel, a crowd of millions couldn’t hide you from me. I found you once. I’ll always find you.â€

 I've wondered too whether the cops interviewed Corrine as part of checking out Gideon's alibi. They may actually have done so -- and I'll be interested to see if that's included in Entwined when Gideon and Eva have a long overdue talk about both Corrine and Brett.  The story is told from Eva's point of view, so we know only what Eva knows. It's possible -- I think probable -- that Detective Graves withheld a lot of stuff from Eva when Graves spilled the beans. If my theory is true that Graves told Eva only enough to get Eva to run back to Gideon, thereby setting the trap, then Graves would not have told Eva any details about the Corrine-Gideon connection side of the investigation. Indeed, Graves brushed off Corrine almost entirely, describing Corrine almost (IMHO) dismissively as "an old flame" and not even bothering to name Corrine, much less acknowledge Corrine's sudden-celebrity-status.  One of the biggest themes in the two novels thus far is secret-keeping. Gideon keeping secrets from Eva. Monica keeping secrets from Eva. Even Cary keeping one important secret from Eva (that Eva would actually be seeing Brett's re-named band in concert.) It makes sense to me that the police would be keeping secrets from Eva too.  But what's changed this time is that Gideon and Eva are at last practicing honesty and trust with one another.

 Oh yeah!!!! So we now know that really HAWT scene involving Gideon and Eva having sex there is near the middle of the novel. The pair of snippets tied to the dance club sequence very strongly suggest Gideon and Eva are still sneaking around.

Snapshot 9 depicts the floor of a dance club -- it's a fuzzy shot of a crowd of dancers. One woman in the center of the shot is in semi-focus (the rest of the dancers are blurred.) Hard to tell hair color because of the lighting of the dance floor (blue and orange lit) but it's obviously meant to depict Eva.

Especially because Gideon carries around a master elevator key too, and has repeatedly used it. More to it, I think, than a convenient way to trap Eva alone in an elevator when he wants a private word with her.

From page 132 of Bared, when Gideon and Eva arrive at his hotel room, "He pulled a master key out of somewhere, and a moment later we were in a room." Â I think it's a red flag the text mentions master key.

It's Tuesday! Twice-weekly snapshot will come this morning. Today will be a glimpse into Chapter 9.  Recap of 1-8:  1. The word "Press" super-imposed over a fuzzy background shot of a newspaper page. A fancy pen in the foreground. 2. Unwrapped Christmas present boxes 3. The word "Business" next to a cup of coffee 4. A microphone on a stand 5. A pile of neatly-folded white terrycloth towels, wrapped in a red ribbon. 6. A bathtub in a modern-style bathroom  7. An open bottle of red wine, nearly full, and in front of it, one wine glass holding some wine. Near it is a small vase holding four red roses. 8. Two different types of pills in blister packs plus a bottle of some sort of liquid medication. The meds are on a glass coffee table in front of a white couch.

 Richard Gere for Richard Stanton, hawt!!! Christopher Vidal Sr. is kinda drab (deceptively so, because I think the man will emerge as a true bad guy in Entwined.

I know Henry Cavill is often mentioned as a possibility for the role of Gideon, but he's a Brit, and I personally favor an American born actor Matt Bomer, who currently starts in the TV series White Collar. His film credits include Flightplan. His most striking feature is the same as Gideon's -- very striking blue eyes.  Here's a link to his fan page: http://mattbomerfan.com/

As a starting point, here's a list some fan created about a month ago at the IMDb database. Though I think we can all come up with more suggestions. Â http://www.imdb.com/list/cWuciMqQr9w/

Book fair in Times Square -- I wonder whether Brett will put in a musical appearance. Â (kidding, kidding!!)

Something to add, Barbiemitch -- some time ago, Sylvia had mentioned that Gideon was very much afraid of triggering Eva sexually, afraid that even one bad experience might destroy what they had together.

 Gideon and Eva never got around to talking about whether Magdalene had gone up to his office or had left, but my guess is that Magdalene left. Gideon and Eva were in crisis at the time, and indeed that day was the first of a four-day break-up. (She'd witnessed a full-fledged nightmare of his the night before and walked out on him because he lied to her; the next day, Gideon returned Eva's keys to her via an interoffice envelope with a Dear Jane note a little later that day, after Magdalene's showing up and unrelated to Magdalene entirely.)  Fast forward four days later, when Gideon chased Eva down (at the Vidal garden party) and the pair of them reconciled. Magdalene became a non-issue -- she caught Gideon and Eva having sex in the library and went running to Christopher Jr., who "consoled" her by f****** her out on the grounds of the estate - Cary secretly videotaped Christopher Jr. doing so as a warning to Eva about what a scumbag the guy was, and the next day, Gideon saw the video on Eva's smartphone the same time Eva did.  Later that week, Gideon told Eva he invited Magdalene up to his office for lunch so that he could privately (and kindly) show her (Magdalene) videotaped proof she was ruthlessly being used by Christopher.  What's interesting about Gideon being honest with Eva that he had met with Magdalene was the only time Gideon ever initiated Magdalene as a topic. The only other times they ever discussed Magdalene was when Eva brought the subject up. This pattern of Gideon refusing to talk about other women unless forced to do so was very much a pattern -- strikingly so as far as Corrine went. I think it was his reaction to Eva's jealousy problem -- he figured (correctly) she'd probably get upset (and he was right.) But keeping things from Eva just made matters worse, because it fed her raging insecurity. So they were both wrong in their failure to communicate.  It'll be interesting to read the frank conversation they have in Entwined about the roles Corrine and Brett both played in the second, much longer, estrangement between Gideon and Eva.

Also, an update on the TV rights, from Sylvia's main page: "The Crossfire series has been optioned by Lionsgate and the property is in the early stages of development."  This is the movie & TV studio that produces Mad Men, Nurse Jackie, and Weeds.

SQUEEEE!!!!!Â

 I think that was pure fantasy on his part, part of his penchant for dominance. I can't see him setting a sex swing in a hotel room, even a hotel owned by him. And that hotel was the only place he'd ever had sex prior to being with Eva.