Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - Sedona Chip (Janitors Series) - Marines to guard Sedona Chip site.

Today’s excerpt is from Sedona Chip, Book #9 of the Janitors Series.  General Bradley arranges a Marine unit to guard the fake Sedona Chip site.  Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

NOTE:  Sorry to have been away for a few days.  Came down with a bug on Monday, and so did my computer.  I’m better and so is the machine.  m.

 

 

General Bradley was still smiling about that exchange when he called Major General Chad Elliot, the Commanding General at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms, California.  “Hi, Chad, Ellis Bradley here.  How are things?”

“Just fine, Ellis…you?”

“Great.  Need a favor.  Uh, you on a secure line?”

“Yes.  What’s the favor?”

After telling him the Sedona Chip program was for his ears only, General Bradley explained the entire matter in full detail.  Then he added. “When I said ‘for your ears only,’ I know you’ll call the Commandant.  Please tell him you are sending a small contingent to guard a hush-hush building in Sedona, and let it go at that.”

“Sure.”

General Bradley noted the sarcasm in General Elliot’s voice.  “Oh, never mind.  Tell him what you want.”

“Thank you.  How many men do you want?”

“About a dozen.  They’ll need tents, et cetera.  This building site is in the middle of nowhere.”

“Sorta like 29 Palms?”

“Not that bad.”

Both men laughed, then General Eliot asked, “When do you need them?  Oh, before you answer that, do you mind if I have a lady First Lieutenant in charge?”

“Not at all.  As to when, ASAP.”

“Of course.  Thanks for not asking about my lady Marine, but she is a real impressive Marine and has been bugging me, through her superiors, for combat zone assignments.  This’ll give her a taste of command, while I try to find her something in Iraq that won’t put my tit in a wringer.”

“Understood.  When they’re ready, have them drive to Sedona and call either Drew Hollins or Holly Scott, for further directions and instructions.  Your lady Marine is to be told that she is to take orders from them until Jim Scott gets there.”

“Right.  How is Jim these days?”

“Busy.  Other than that, fine.”

“My Marines will leave today.”

“Thanks.”

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - Devil's Brew (Janitors Series) - Fact based story from Iraqi Freedom.

Today’s excerpt is from Devil’s Brew, Book #8 of the Janitors Series.  Amid the planning for the major offensive against al-Qaida, General Bradley tells of an incident from Iraqi Freedom.  This incident, by the way, is based in fact (as told to me by a slightly embarrassed Marine and confirmed by one of the Seabees there at the time)…the Seabees did make the first capture of Iraqis made by this spearhead unit during the war.  Enjoy and have a fantastic day.

m.j.

 

 

General Bradley smiled.  “Be glad to.  When Operation Iraqi Freedom started, the Marine unit heading north had a Seabee unit with them…commanded by Commander Rollston.  Seems, due to the sand storms they kept running into—and other reasons—the Seabees kept getting pushed forward from one squad to the next.  To make a long story short, they wound up with the lead element.  Then along came a serious sand storm and the Marines called a halt.  The Seabees never got the word, and kept on trucking.  Got to the spot where the Marines needed some defensive positions built and did their thing.  Next morning, when the sand settled down, the Marines moved out.  When they caught up with the Seabees, Commander Rollston walked up to the Colonel sent to see what the Seabees had been up to.  He simply asked, ‘What should we do with these guys?’  The Seabees had 140 prisoners—the first major batch of prisoners in the push north.  Needless to say, the Marines were just a might embarrassed.”

Amid chuckles and laughter, Jim grinned.  “Seems like just the guy we need to build our runway.  Uh, Hec, just how did you know about this?”

“Trade secret, Major.  Actually, one of the guys I’ve stayed in contact with over the years was with the Marines in question.  You can guess that the Seabees never let the Marines hear the end of it.”

Jim nodded.  “Glad I wasn’t around.  Majors get blamed for everything.  Some Colonel would have been raggin’ on my ass.  Okay, on to planning.  General, might not be a bad idea to have a Force Recon unit with the Seabees and have them round up a few Corpsmen.”

“Done.”

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - Dead Silent Calm (Janitors Series) - Drew tracks down killer, JIm reports to FBI Director.

Today’s excerpt is from Dead Silent Calm, Book #7 of the Janitors Series.  Drew tracks down the man who killed Billy’s wife with the help of a big time mob boss.  Then after telling Jim what he found out from the killer, Jim passes it on to John Engle.  Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

m.j.

 

“Hi, John.  Jim here.  We have the guy who did it.  He’s gonna disappear.  So is the jerk who paid for the deal.  Didn’t have anything to do with terrorists.  Was personal.  I’ve got the name and address of the guy who supplied the gun.  You might want to pass it along to the local cops…toss ‘em a bone as it were.”

John sighed.  “I didn’t hear any of this conversation…except about the gun.  Give me that and I’ll pass it along with an added suggestion that they stop looking for the killer.”

Jim gave John the information on the gun dealer.  After he wrote it down and verified he had it correct, John asked, “May I ask how you found him so fast?”

“Drew’s trip to New York paid dividends.  Janet also had a lead on him…good old detective work.”

“What-in-the-hell did Drew have on Calabrese?”

“Don’t know.  Must have been something pretty strong to get him to give up a shooter, even if the guy wasn’t his, which he wasn’t.”

“Do I get a hint?”

“I thought you didn’t hear the first part of my conversation with you.”

John sighed again.  “Okay.  At least the guy won’t be killing anybody else.  But I want you to know I don’t like this one little bit.  I ought to bust your balls.”

“How?”

“Good point.  So long.”

“Bye.”

After hanging up, Jim glanced at Billy and smiled.  “John isn’t a very happy camper.”

Billy nodded.  “Don’t blame him.”

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - The Saltwater Connection (Janitors Series) - Dan and Hector blow it as terrorists kidnap another woman.

Today’s excerpt is from The Saltwater Connection, Book #6 of the Janitors Series.  The terrorists kidnap another young woman…right under the noses of the FBI, Dan, and Hector.  Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

The terrorist, for his part, was starting to get a bit flustered, as he had spotted nothing of use as he pulled into a parking lot near a sports bar and grill.  As was his practice, he turned off his car and waited.

One of the FBI cars in the tailing team pulled to a stop half a block down from the parking lot, as Dan drove on by the lot in the opposite direction and found a street parking spot.  As he pulled in, he glanced at Hector.  “I guess if he goes into that bar back there, we’ll have to go in.  All of the FBIs have already gone in when he did and we don’t want him seeing the same guy twice.”

“Yeah.  I could use a drink anyhow, and damn sure something to eat.  I’m getting hungry as all get-out.”

Dan chuckled.  “Me, too.”

At that moment, a very nice looking young woman pulled into the parking lot, parked her car, got out, and headed for the sports bar.  The terrorist quickly called Ibn on his cellphone.  “I have one.  Rather tall blonde.  Nice body.  Drove in a dark sedan, two-door.  I think maybe a Saturn.  The parking spot next to her is vacant.”

“On my way.  Should be there in the next minute.  Go on in.”

Without reply, the terrorist turned off his phone, got out of his car, and headed for the entrance of the bar.  The FBI agents parked half a block down saw him and called Dan.  “He’s headed in.”

“Thanks.  We’ll go, since you guys have both already been inside with him.  Plus which, we’re both hungry.”

The FBI agent laughed.  “Okay.  Good hunting.”

Dan cocked his head sideways and got out of the car, with Hector following.  Inside, they spotted their prey and opted for a seat to his back.  When a waitress came to their table, both men ordered drinks and sandwiches, then settled in to wait.

Before their food arrived, the terrorist was served what he had ordered and started to eat.  Dan and Hector sipped their drinks while waiting on their food…food they would spend a long time wishing they had never ordered.

When their waitress brought their order, the young woman selected for abduction got up from the table she had been sitting at and headed out of the bar.  She was shielded by the waitress from Dan and Hector, but not the terrorist, who quickly got up and went into the men’s room.  He dialed his cellphone on the way there.  As soon as Ibn answered, he simply reported, “On the way.”

Ibn didn’t reply, but quickly alerted his companions.  The sliding door of the van was already cracked about an inch.  When the woman reached her car, it slid open the rest of the way and Haji Sitta jumped out, duct tape in hand.  In very short order, the woman was in the rear of the van, getting a shot to quiet her.

Meanwhile, the spotter paid his bill—even though he had not quite finished his meal—and headed outside.  Dan sighed and called the FBI team parked down the street.  “He’s heading out.”

“See him.”

When the white van pulled out of the lot, it temporary shielded the spotter from the FBI team, but they paid it no mind, as they soon saw him getting into his car.

Inside, as Dan was paying their bill, a man ran into the bar and shouted to the bartender, “Call 911!  Two guys in a white van just grabbed a woman as she was getting into her car.”

Dan just tossed down more money than needed on the table as he followed Hector out of the building.  As they hurried to their car, Dan took out his cellphone and called the FBI team.  “Anybody see a white van?  Guys in it just snatched a gal.”

“Yeah.  Shit, it went the other way from the way we’re headed.  The direction your car is pointing.  Made a right at the first street.  You hurry, you might catch him.  Want us to stay on the spotter?”

“Yes,” Dan answered as he climbed in behind the steering wheel.  As he started the car, he handed the phone to Hector and quickly filled him in.  In seconds Dan was out in traffic and soon made the right turn.  Ahead, he and Hector could see several cars and other vehicles, but no white van.

As he drove, Hector was reporting their progress using the cellphone.  Soon other FBI teams in the area were heading down various streets near where Dan was driving.  After about ten minutes, all felt the situation was hopeless and it was agreed to again concentrate on the spotter.

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - The Tickleton Affair (Janitors Series) - Dan, Mark, and John look for bomber's car.

Today’s excerpt is from The Tickleton Affair, Book #5 of the Janitors Series.  John, Dan, and Mark search for the car of the man who blew up Arnold’s home with him in it.  Enjoy and have a fantastic day.

m.j.

 

As Dan pushed the “end” button, John grumbled, “With a ten-speed, there’s no telling how far he rode after parking his car.  Do you want to go further out?”

Dan shook his head.  “He wouldn’t have gone too far.  He had to get back and get gone.  How far are you from Buchanan’s house now?”

“About three miles.”

“Keep looking.”

Twenty minutes later, at a time that John was about to give up the search as hopeless, the sun caught the driver’s side outside mirror of a hidden car and flashed a beam across John and Dan in the front seat of the jeep.  John glanced at Dan, who was looking at him as well.  Without saying anything, John drove the jeep deep into the underbrush, right up to within five feet of Harold’s car.

The three men hopped out and went to the car.  There they pulled off a number of branches that Harold had carefully placed on the vehicle.  Dan muttered, “Well, no sense in worrying about fingerprints,” as he tried the door and found it locked.

Mark shrugged his shoulders, picked up a rock, and smashed the driver’s side window.  After he reached in and opened the door, he grinned.  “A trick we learned in cop school.”

Dan laughed and helped Mark search the car.  They found nothing but the car rental contract—until Mark popped the trunk release button.  There they found more than they really wanted.  In a briefcase were pictures of Arnold and Nancy, whom they had never seen, pictures of Arnold’s two houses, and Nancy’s, a picture of the Buchanan Industries plant, with descriptions and notations on all the pictures, and a notation that Arnold would be in Sedona for the weekend drew a few conclusions for Dan and Mark.

Dan put all the items back into the briefcase.  “Well, no doubt now that his job was to eliminate both of them.  And, it appears, they were getting some pretty good information from someone.  What do you think, Mark?  Phone tap or traitor somewhere?”

“I’d bet against phone tap, but possible.”

“I agree.  Back to town, John.  And thanks for doing a good job of finding this thing.”

 

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Latest fromthe Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - Monster's Palace (Other Books) - Overview of latest book.

Today’s offering is an overview of Monster’s Palace, my latest release.  Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

m.j.

 

Monster’s Palace is my latest release to Amazon’s Kindle Book Store.  In this novel a new hero, Clyde Feegle (a Navy SEAL) heads up a three man military team working with a senior CIA agent to find and destroy terrorist attempts to enter the Central and South American drug business.  An early encounter with a drug operation with mixed participation of a major international drug cartel and a group of terrorists, leads to the death of an unknown man running the operation just inside Venezuela.  While trying to discover that man’s identity while continuing to seek and destroy other such operations, attempts are made on Clyde’s life.  This leads to increased attention being paid to that cartel and who is behind it.  Readers of my previous books will note a few characters (including Glenn Burgess, Jim Scott, and Hector Garcia) from past books show up in this one.

   

To read the first chapter of this book and others, please visit the below web site:

      

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - Toboggan (Other Books) - Janet gets lead on plane crash cause.

Today’s excerpt is from Toboggan, Book #4 of the Janitors Series.  Janet gets a breakthrough in the case of the plane crash.  Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

On a hunch—the type of which she often teased Dan about—Janet suggested, “Carter, we may be looking for something that caused the engines to just up and quit.”

Carter asked, “Why do you suspect that?”

“Because another plane just went down, and it may be connected to this crash.  In that case, we know the cause was complete engine failure.  The pilots on the most recent crash reported dual engine flame-outs, and they tried everything they could think of to re-start them…without success.”

“You talking about that crash in the Rocky Mountains yesterday?”

“I am.”

“That was a big bird, not a small private plane like this one.”

“Yes, I know.  But could the same problem, whatever it is, have caused both to have engine failure?  I’m thinking possible sabotage.”

“Sabotage!  Shit, lady…er, Jan.  That changes things.  Let me check a few things out here.”

“Please do.”

All through this exchange, the two Gold Rush pilots stood by without saying anything, but they did exchange glances at the way Janet handled the situation, and both approved.  Now as Carter poured through the wreckage again, all three watched in silence.  As almost an afterthought, he reached up under the well-smashed instrument panel, tugged on a wire, which came loose easily, and looked at it in disbelief.  “I’ll be damned.”

Janet asked, “Find something?”

“I’ll say.  Let me get some tools out of the trunk and I’ll be able to tell you more shortly.”

After the car had been rented, Carter had driven to his mechanic’s shed in the small plane section of the airport and put a tool pouch in the trunk.  Now he got out a few tools and went back to the instrument panel.  The going was difficult due to the mangled state of the plane, but in time Carter found what he was looking for.  He held up a switching device and the piece of wire he had discovered earlier.  “Here’s your problem, and you were right.  If you have this analyzed, I’ll bet the thousand bucks we agreed to against a donut that acid of some sort will be found.  This was no accident.  Somebody shot acid into this cable and, in time, it ate through the wire and caused a short.  No way the engines would stay alive with this gone.  From what I know, on a big bird there are two of these, so if the same guy did the job, he’d have to get the acid to both of them.  How’n hell he got access to it is another question.  A small plane like this one wouldn’t be too hard, but a big bird…shit, he’d almost have to be working for the company.”

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - Dog Pound (Janitors Series) - Kidnap team moving ahead with their plans.

Today’s excerpt is from Dog Pound, Book #3 of the Janitors Series.  The kidnap team’s “bagman” buys a dirt bike to make his getaway after picking up the ransom money at the drop site.  Enjoy and have a fantastic day.

m.j.

 

While Dale and the other two discussed his mental capabilities, Jerry Workman had gotten a room at a cheap but clean hotel less than five miles from the Hawaiian Sunset.  Then he’d purchased the local paper and read through the motorcycle want ads.  Two seemed to have promise.  He took a cab to the first one after calling, only to find the road bike had been sold in the time between his phone call and his arrival.

At his second stop, he had more luck.  The bike was one he was familiar with and the price was better than he had hoped for.  After taking it on a fast spin around the block, he came back and had an idea.  “I’d like to try it out on a track.”

The owner looked at him and asked, “You planning on racing it?”

“Maybe.  Have you ever raced it?”

“No, just used it for pleasure.”

After agreeing to pay the man fifty dollars for the trip to a local dirt bike racetrack, Jerry took the bike out—ran it through its paces—and found he liked it very much.  Back at the man’s home, Jerry held out his hand.  “Okay, you’ve got yourself a deal.  I’ll give you half now, and come by for the bike in a day or two and pay you the rest.  Is that agreeable?”

“Sure.”

Jerry looked hard at the man.  “I’ll even throw in an extra five hundred.  But I want this bike, so don’t go selling it out from under me.  I obviously know where you live.”

The man swallowed at the fierceness of the look on Jerry’s face.  “A deal’s a deal.  The bike’s yours.”

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps and Other Books - Back To Iraq (Janitors Series) - Team attacks al-Qaida.

Today’s excerpt is from Back To Iraq, Book #2 of the Janitors Series.  The team starts attack on al-Qaida underground facility in Iraq using silenced weapons.  Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

m.j.

 

He motioned Holly and Tom forward, took out his Walther, and signaled them to do the same.  All three then gently laid down their rifles and crept forward.  The guards were doing a very poor job of guarding.  For that laxness, they paid with their lives.

Hector and his cohorts got within twenty feet of the nearest guard without detection.  At that point Hector stood up and shot the man.  Well before the other two could react, they died under a hail of bullets from three guns. 

Hector gently felt his ribs, motioned the other two to check on their victims, and whispered, “Jim, backdoor secure.  Three down and out.”

Jim replied, “Roger.  Drew, Boris, you’re close enough.  You’re both in easy pistol range.  Drew, you take the one on the extreme left; Boris, you have at the one nearest him.  Billy, you take the guy on the far right; I’ll take the other one.  On three.  One, two, three.”

All four men fired within a second of one another.  All four hit what they were aiming at.  Jim and Billy rushed forward, as Drew headed to check bodies while Boris stood his ground looking all around to make sure there were no surprises.

By the time Jim and Billy reached Boris, Drew had reported all four targets dead, though he had to help one on his way.

Hector heard Drew report the success of the front entrance operation, took his rifle from Tom (who had retrieved all three of them), and headed toward the rear entrance.   There were two large metal sliding doors that came together in the middle.  Those doors were closed about halfway, a fact that pleased Hector to no end.

When they reached the doors, Hector went to the end of the one they stood behind and peered around the edge to see the vast cavern before him.  He also saw the nearest machine gun nest, which was manned.  He quickly pulled his head back and whispered, “Jim, we have a machine gun, manned by two men, not twenty feet from us.  My guess is you’ll run into the same thing.  We’ll wait here, until you start the dance.”

“Roger.  Thanks for the warning.”

Drew was standing behind a door similar to the one Hector stood behind some two hundred feet distant.  As Jim, Billy, and Boris approached, Drew peered around the edge and saw basically what Hector had at the other end.  He whispered to Jim, “Same thing.  Two-man machine gun encampment.”

“Well,” replied Jim, “this isn’t good,” just before replacing Drew and peeking around the door’s edge himself.  The two men at the machine gun were talking and not paying the least attention to the things they should have been.

Jim saw no one else nearby so he boldly walked around the door and shot both men.  As their dead bodies slid down next to the gun behind the sandbagged enclosure, Jim raced forward, with the others following suit.

They all knelt down behind the sandbags and Jim whispered, “Two more down.  Hector, take out the two guys you saw, then report.”

“Roger,” Hector said before peeking around the door again.  He saw both men looking at each other as they talked, stepped out, and shot each man in the head, then rushed forward with Holly and Tom close behind.

He checked the pulse of both men, needed another shot to finish the job on one of them, then reported.  “Both down and out, Jim.  We’ll hold here at the gun pit until you tell me otherwise.”

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - Baghdad Butcher (Janitors Series) - Jim wants to make sure incoming President approves mission of outgoing President authjorized.

Today’s excerpt is from Baghdad Butcher, Book #1 of the Janitors Series.  Jim and Holly fly cross country so Jim can ask one question of a representative of the next President, due to take office in four days…and less than nine months before the Islamist 9/11 attack on America.  Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

After landing, Jim headed for his rendezvous while Holly saw about fuel and a maintenance check for the plane. When Jim arrived at the apartment of Ted Kuntz, he knocked and was immediately shown in.  After an exchange of pleasantries, Ted excused himself and General Bradley nodded.  “Now, Jim, what’s on your mind?”

“Real easy, General.  Did you and the President-elect sign off on this mission of mine to take care of some leftover business from the storm?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.  That’s all I wanted to know.”

“Damn, Jim, you didn’t have to fly clear across the country for this.  We could have done it by phone.”

“I don’t think so, sir.  I wanted to be absolutely sure, and I don’t have a secure phone.  You know this will probably happen on your watch.  The logistics and all will take a bit of doing.  Not to mention coming up with a good plan.”

“We understand, Jim.”

“Very well, sir, I’ll be on my way.”

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - Back To China (Other Books) - Jim and friends bail out of B-2 inside China to rescue two kidnapped scientists.

Today’s excerpt is from Back To China from the Other Books section of the below web site.  After jumping from the bomb bay of the B-2 taking them into China, Jim and friends spot the expected sentries.  Enjoy and have a fantastic day.

m.j.

 

A little less than an hour later, the B-2 pilot told Jim to get ready.  A red and green light had been rigged in the bomb bay.  When the red light came on, the four occupants were ready.  Suddenly, they were free falling from thirty thousand feet.  After they passed through the clouds and into the rain, they joined up.  At a little more than five hundred feet, they separated and opened their chutes.  All four landed alongside the resupply road, not ten feet apart.  There was little wind to go with the downpour, so they had their chutes gathered up in short order and went into the tree line, looking for a good place to bury them and the thermal gear covering their other clothing.  The digging was easy, and it didn’t take too long to bury everything.

By prior agreement, Billy and Bob crossed the road and moved toward the facility they sought.  Hector and Jim did the same on their side of the road.  All four stayed inside the tree line.  The forestation had not been cleared until near the facility, then in a three-quarters crescent around the entrance extending out over a hundred feet in all directions within the partial moon-shaped clearing.  This included the road, which as it passed in front of the entrance, was less than eighty feet away.

By the time they neared the end of the trees, Hector and Jim had spotted two sentries on the other side of the road, and one on their side.  Billy and Bob had spotted two on the other side, including the one seen by Jim and Hector, but only one of the two seen on their side by the other two.

Just as Billy started to take another step, Bob’s hand shot out and grabbed him.  Billy froze as another sentry came part way out from behind a tree, not ten feet away.  They stood firm until the sentry moved back to where he had been.  Only then did Billy ease back alongside Bob.  He nodded and lipped, “Thank you.”

All four men had noticed while they had night vision gear; the sentries did not.  Obviously this pleased them all.  Billy and Bob eased further back into the trees, then started a wider swing around the area.  In time they spotted the other sentry on Jim and Hector’s side, and the last one their side.  Satisfied there were probably no more, due to the spacing, they eased further back.

Sure he was far enough away to do so, Bob whispered, “We see six….three on each side.”

Jim and Hector had done much as had the other two.  Hector whispered back, “Yeah—us, too.”

Hector glanced at Jim and shrugged.  Jim nodded and whispered, “Time to hunker down.  When the relief comes out for these guys, it should confirm our count.”

All four did “hunker down,” and stayed so for more than two hours.  Finally, at 11:45, six men came out of the entrance to the facility.  All four men in Jim’s group watched carefully as they exited the underground structure.  They watched even more intently as the six being relieved went back in.  Jim nearly sighed aloud when the first man in line reached and pulled the door open, without any signal.

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - Pool Of Blood (Other Books) - Some Toucan fun.

Today’s excerpt is from Pool Of Blood, the third and final book of the Becker Trilogy.  During a pause in trying to figure out who killed the woman the wrong man is in prison for, the friends have some “Toucans” fun.  Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

m.j.

 

When they and Holly got back to Bob and Michelle’s home, they walked in just as Jim said, “Yeah, Toucans.  Thanks.”

Holly hurried over to Jim, kissed him, then tilted her head.  “Two cans of what?”

“Toucans.”

“Hey, dummy, I just asked you…‘two cans of what’?”

“Not two cans, Toucans.”

“Aw, husband, give me a break.  Two cans of what?”

By now Bob was roaring with laughter, Michelle was laughing lightly, and Lorri was smiling.

Jim shook his head.  “Honey, Toucans—the birds…not cans of soup.”

After everyone laughed or chuckled, Holly groaned, “I’d rather have two cans of soup right about now.  What in the heck are you planning to do with Toucans?”

“Depends if you’re talking birds or soup.  I was just talking to Hector…”

“I guess you’ll make me sleep on Bob’s couch if I ask what Hector has to do with soup?”

“Very funny, wifey.  I just thought if we could get them a few Toucans over at the rehab center, it would liven the place up a bit.  I asked Hector to see if he could find some, and check on their habitat, et cetera.”

The ‘Hector’ referenced by Jim and Holly was a long-time friend of theirs, and of Bob.  He, like Jim and Bob, was a retired Marine.

Holly shook her head and turned to Michelle.  “Shall we cook something…I could eat Toucans, I’m so hungry…or two cans of soup.”

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - Bigfoot Bait (Other Boosk) - Janet makes a new fried as she and Dan get food for team searching for kidnapped girls.

Today’s excerpt is from Bigfoot Bait, the second book of the Becker Trilogy.  Janet makes a new friend as she and Dan load up with “grub” for the “rescue team.”  Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

“Hmmm…I’ve got an idea, but will need to talk to my husband about it.  In the meantime, how much for the rest of this?  Hold on…I forgot to get more thermoses.  Add three of the large ones to this stuff, along with coffee to fill ‘em…and the one my husband will be bringing, if he ever gets here.”

Dan, walking up behind Janet—and knowing she saw him pull the car up in front of the store—just sighed.  “I’m here, twit…with the thermos, I might add.”

Janet grinned, then introduced herself and Dan before the owner introduced himself.  That taken care of, Janet pointed to where the thermoses were.  “Grab three of those, darling.  Might fill all four up, when you have nothing better to do.”

The owner looked at Dan.  “Not only is your lovely wife easy on the eyes, she’s a bit sassy, too.  Sorta like that in a woman—reminds me of mine.”

Dan just grunted as he went to grab three of the new thermoses.  As he did, the owner pointed at a sink near the large old-fashioned coffee urn.  “Might want to rinse those out before you fill ‘em up.”

Dan mumbled to himself as he took all four thermoses to the sink to wash them out.

While he was doing that, Janet paid for everything.  As Dan started taking things to the car, Janet asked for the name of the daytime clerk who wanted to buy the station and store, as well as the phone number of the owner. 

After giving her the information, the owner asked, “You got something up your sleeve besides your arm?”

“Maybe.  I’ll get in touch with you, if so.  By the way…you’re such a nice guy, hold up on the paint job.  When we’re finished with the skillet and cutting board, I’ll wash ‘em up and bring ‘em back to you.” 

“Now that’s a deal I like the sound of.  You pay me five hundred bucks for rental fee.  Hell of a deal.  Gonna have to tell my clerks how much I made extra by cunning salesmanship.  Though I gotta admit, you and your husband eat all those vittles, I might never see you again.  An awful lot for two people.”

“Well, Mr. Nosey, it isn’t for just us.  We’re meeting some friends in the forest.”

“Have a good time.  Don’t let Bigfoot get you.”

As Dan came in for more to take to the car, Janet was roaring with laughter.  She stopped as she looked at her husband.  “I’ll bring what you don’t get this trip.  I’ve just been warned to be careful Bigfoot doesn’t get us.”

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - Too Many Women (Other Books) - New hero Bob Becker has some fun with new client.

Today’s excerpt is from Too Many Women, the first book of the Becker Trilogy.  Bob sets the price for his new client.  Enjoy and have a fantastic day.

m.j.

 

“I gotta another question.”

“Terri, you’re sure full of questions.”

“Yeah—I like to know what I’m paying for…speaking of which, you said you charged a lot of money.  How much?”

“For you, about ten grand a question.  You should be bankrupt by the time you go to bed.”

“No…really.”

“Really.  Can we get back to some sensible planning, please?”

“You never let me ask my first question.  When Bill was showing me around upstairs, I saw the barn-like building, on the other side of your land from Bill’s house.  It has what almost looks like a runway in front of it—is it?  A runway, I mean?”

“Yes, dear.  The barn is the hangar.  And before you ask—yes, it has a plane in it.  Before you ask again, it is a twin-engine prop job.  Both Bill and I fly, but neither has ever flown a jet.  Before you ask, Bill is far the better pilot.”

“Do I have to pay ten thousand dollars for those questions I never got to ask?”

“Yes.  Now I have one…why didn’t you ask Bill about the ‘barn’ and runway while you were looking at it?”

“Bill was flirting and I liked it—had my mind elsewhere, besides your damned old barn.”

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - How 'bout Both (Other Books) - Elmer and Maine in shootout with terrorists.

Today’s excerpt is from How ‘bout Both, the third and final book of the Bader Trilogy.  Elmer and Maine take down terrorists holding young females to be used as “suicide bombers” against their will.  Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

m.j.

 

NOTE:  The below web site is again functional.

 

She realized she’d never have time to open the door, so did the only thing she could think of at the time…she jumped through the front window.  It was a nearly full-length window.  It came within a foot of the floor, while about the same distance from the ceiling.  As Jillian crashed through, the leader of the terrorist cell paused.  He looked dumbfounded at what he’d just seen.  Then as Jillian, who had fallen to the concrete walk in front of the house, got up and started to run, he regained his senses.  He charged through the opening where the window had been. 

Just then Elmer was nearing the front of the house, and saw the entire incident.  He also saw the gun in the hand of the terrorist, so slammed on the brakes of Ruth’s car.  Even as it was stopping and he was putting it in park, he opened his door while reaching for his own weapon.  Just as the terrorist raised his gun to fire at Jillian, Elmer fired and hit him in the forehead.  As the terrorist dropped to the ground, the terrorist who had helped the man in charge of Betsey put her in the van was coming through the door, back into the house from the garage.  He heard the gunfire, then saw his comrade fall. 

He also saw Jillian running around the car, as Elmer shouted at her to do, saw Elmer, then took aim at the intruder.  Elmer was trying to do too many things at once.  As he saw blood pouring from Jillian’s arm, where she had cut herself going through the window, he pulled off his tie and tossed it to her.  Even as he ordered, “Tie it around your cut,” he had his cell phone out, pushing the speed dial button for Maine’s phone. 

As she answered, the other terrorist cut loose with an automatic weapon.  He sprayed Ruth’s car.  Elmer fired back, but missed as he yelled, “I need backup,” then quickly told Maine where he was.  Without waiting for an answer, he fired again at the terrorist firing at him.  This time his shots hit home, as he hit the man in the chest, head, then the head again as he was easing to the ground.  The last shot went into a dead man, but Elmer was beyond taking chances.  The partially drugged man came to the window, fumbled with his weapon, but soon died of a shot to the head, and one to his collapsing body. 

Meanwhile, Maine had told Homer to turn left at the first cross street they came to, as she told him about Elmer’s request for backup, along with sounds of gunfire.  By the time Homer reached the street Elmer was on—two blocks over, then made a right turn onto it—Maine was calling in for backup from all units in the area.  She mentioned there was gunfire, with an officer involved. 

By then the garage door opened.  The van driver, at the instructions of the fourth terrorist from that safe house, was backing out of the garage.  From his angle and vantage point, Elmer could only see part of the driver’s head.  That was all he needed.  Knowing he was nearing the end of his clip, he fired at what he could see…the man’s jaw.  His shot ran true, but the van kept backing up, even as the man grabbed for the area of the inflicted pain.  He managed to get far enough down the drive for Elmer to have a clear shot at his entire head.  That was as far as he drove, as Elmer neatly put a shot into his left ear. 

While Elmer ejected his clip, then slammed a new one into his weapon, the other terrorist in the van reached over and turned off the ignition.  He moved the driveshaft lever into park, took out his own weapon, and started to get out of the van even as Homer screeched to a stop behind it.  Maine was out of the car, gun retrieved from her sling where she’d been keeping it since Elmer’s call.  She saw the terrorist with weapon in hand.  She asked no questions…she just fired.  The round hit him in the left chest, as he was only partially turned in her direction.  She followed her shot up with one just under his left eye. 

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, and Other Books - Horace Goes Home (Otehr books) - Having problems with the Chief of Detectives, Elmer outflanks him.

neToday’s excerpt is from Horace Goes Home, the second book of the Bader Trilogy, found in the Other Books section of the below web site.  Elmer and his Captain outflank the Chief of Detectives who has it in for Elmer.  Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

NOTE:  The below web site has been hacked again, so if interested in buying this e-book at Amazon’s Kindle Books store, for the next few days you’ll have to go straight to Kindle Books on Amazon.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

Gordon rolled his eyes, while Chief of Detectives Huey Longfellow acted as though he hadn’t heard or understood…if he did.  “Have a seat, Lieutenant.  We were just discussing a need for extra manpower.  The Vice President is making a stop here for a fast fundraising meeting, on his way back to D.C. from Hawaii.”

Elmer ignored the dig about sitting down without invitation, then smiled, “Be glad to volunteer.  Haven’t had my uniform on for quite a spell.  My wife likes the way I look in it.  Where should I report?  I’m bored to death with the thing I’m working on, so this will be a nice diversion from totally unproductive wool gathering.  I like these kinds of details.  Offer a nice break.  Gordon—how about you coming along, too?  Do you good to get out of the office.”  

Gordon, picking up on Elmer’s ploy, nodded, “Sounds like a good idea.  The two of us from this Department enough, Chief?”

“Was hoping for four.”

“Yes, sir—I’ll round up two more.  Can’t use Lieutenant Wilcox, I’ll leave him in charge.  Guess Smitty, since he’s junior.  Using him, then may as well have his partner, Sergeant Evans along, also.  Where and when, Chief?”

Longfellow told them, got up, and left without another word.  After he was gone, both Gordon and Elmer laughed.   “Nice move, Elmer.  We keep this stuff up, he’ll retire on his way to the nut house.”

“Actually, I heard a rumor about that…him retiring, I mean.  My birdie told me by the end of the year.  May be getting a gentle push out the door from the Chief…of Police, not…”

“What I thought you meant.  We only have two Chiefs…thank God.  How good is your source?”

“Very.  Word came from the big Chief’s office—almost out of his mouth”

“Who in the hell do you have in there, if I may ask?  Or dare I ask?”

“Aah…trade secret—oh, great and noble Captain.”

“Well, if it doesn’t get too far into your bag of trade secrets, who’s gonna replace him?  And why is he being eased out the door?”

“Second one first…closure rates aren’t what they once were—with the exception of Homicide, of course.  As to who, don’t know…though I did put in a good word for you, but was told you aren’t senior enough at this point to get the boost.  Though I understand my name was mentioned—now ain’t that a crock of crap.”

“Who in the hell do you know with that kind of clout?”

“Aah…”

“Shut up.  Get out of here.  Take your damned trade secrets with you.”

 

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