"The Empress File"

"The Empress File" is John Sandford's second book in his Kidd series featuring an artist known only by his last name, Kidd, and a thief named LuEllen.  Kidd and LuEllen met when he observed her burglarizing one of his neighbor's apartments and they have an on-again, off-again working relationship when the need for their unique talents are called for.  They also have an on-again, off-again personal relationship complicated by other relationships or their personal needs for solitude.

Kidd also has a friend, Bobby, who he's never met face-to-face but they know each other through the computer.  In addition to his painting, Kidd has some serious computer skills and Bobby has unique computer abilities that Kidd is willing to pay for when they are needed.

When Kidd is contacted by Bobby requesting help in the town of Longstreet (located along the Mississippi River), Kidd is reluctant but Bobby is persuasive.  A very young black kid with computer talents that Bobby was helping him develop has been murdered by the local police when he is mistaken for someone who snatched an elderly woman's purse.  The corrupt local political machine has covered up the murder.  Bobby doesn't want them to revenge the murder but he asks that they help a local black woman and her team take down the political machine so they can replace it with a more racially balanced administration to rid the city of its corruption.

Kidd knows there are dangers involved but he's also in need of money to pay off the IRS because he unwisely spent a lot of the cash he got in a previous operation without giving them their share.  He contacts LuEllen and convinces her to work with him on this caper.  Unfortunately, there was some killing involved in their first job -- not that they wanted to do it but it became the only way to protect their own lives.  The killing didn't set well with LuEllen but she reluctantly agrees to help him.

Along the way they meet some nice and some not so nice people and figure out a way to make some money for themselves while helping Bobby's friends accomplish their goals.  However, they put themselves at risk again  -- physically when some really mean people go after them -- and personally when it appears Kidd has fallen in love with LuEllen and she's not sure what to do with that.  This is another Sandford book that it's hard to put down once you start it so be prepared!  pazt