Latest fromthe Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - The Tickleton Affair (Janitors Series, Book #5) - Arnold working to get out of hospital.

Today’s excerpt is from The Tickleton Affair, Book #5 of the nine-book Janitors Series.  Arnold taking the first step to leaving the hospital.  Enjoy and have a fantastic day.

m.j.

 

 In Cottonwood, Arnold was already getting antsy about being in the hospital, even though he felt awful.  He ached all over from the force of the blast and his rough landing after being blown through the air.  After a doctor visit, he called Nancy to see how she was. 

She answered the call on the first ring.  “Nancy here.”

“Hi, Nancy.  It’s Arnold.  How are you?”

“Fine.  The question is, how are you?”

“Sore, but I’ll live.  The doctor just left and told me I could try getting up and walking around soon.  Tell me about your situation.”

“I’ve got two FBI guys here at my place—one of ‘em even cooked breakfast for the three of us…nice guys.  I’ve called Gold Rush as you asked, and will soon be leaving for the plant.  We’ve got that last shipment of Tickletons to get off—the army’ll be coming by to pick them up in about an hour, so I gotta hurry.”

“Yeah, I forgot all about that.  I’ll let you go.  I’ll see you Wednesday—at the latest.”

“Arn, don’t get any ideas about leaving that hospital too soon.  Do what the doctors tell you to do.”

“Yes, mother.  Just like you’d do, I’m sure.”

Nancy laughed.  “Okay, you got me there.  I know you…you’ll do just what you damn well feel like doing—just like I’d do if our roles were reversed.  Take care.”

“So long.”

After he hung up, Arnold looked over at Evan and grinned as the other man was getting up off his cot after only three hours of attempted sleep.  “Sorry.  I guess you didn’t get much sleep, between nurses, doctors, and me.”

Evan stretched, yawned, and grinned.  “No problem…you’re the patient.  I think I vaguely remember one of my instructors at the FBI academy mentioning that there would be times when we’d be expected to go long periods without sleep, and I got a little—a couple of hours before that doctor came in.”

Arnold groaned as he sat up and swung his feet over the side of the bed.  Evan hurried over to him.  “Let me give you a hand.”

“Thanks.  When you get through applauding, would you also help me stand up?”

Evan laughed.  “A brainiac with a sense of humor,” he thought.  While Carlos had been sleeping, Evan had done some research on his laptop computer on Arnold and found out that the man was at least a genius—with an IQ that Evan didn’t even know was possible.  That the man was also tough was evidenced by the way he took the unknown assailant out with his bat, and the way he wasn’t going to give in to his discomfort for too long.

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - Toboggan (Janitors Series, Book #4) - Nick and Phyllis met the bad guys.

Today’s excerpt is from Toboggan, Book #4 of the nine-book Janitors Series.  Nick and Phyllis meet the escaped bad guys as Russell approaches from the other direction.  Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

m.j.

 

 While Dan and Mark watched their watches tick and the Janitors were doing their thing, Tony took a deep breath.  “Okay, Frank, let’s go.”

They had rested exactly thirty minutes.  Had they rested fifteen minutes more, or fifteen minutes less, a number of people—including them—may have had things worked out differently.  As they started plowing through the snow again, Russell started heading for the same target from a different direction.  With the snow still coming down heavily, Tony and Frank failed to see Russell, and he failed to see them as well.

Suddenly, as they were about two hundred feet from the lodge, and Russell was nearly as close, Phyllis said, “We’re nearly out of wood, darling.”

“Already with the ‘darling’ when you want me to do something.  In this case, you are correct.  I’ll go get some.”

As Phyllis laughed, Nick slipped on the sweater he had found in Meat Hook’s room and went outside.  Almost at once, he saw Frank in the State Trooper uniform and hollered to Phyllis, “Hey, honey, it looks like help has arrived.”

Then he saw Tony wearing the jail jumpsuit he had been wearing when picked up in Del Norte.  The coat covering the top half of the jump suit also had a big white “P” on the front, which he could see, and one on the back that Russell noticed just before he called out a greeting.

Both Nick and Russell also saw that Tony, a presumed prisoner, was carrying a shotgun while walking behind the State Trooper.  Nick realized something was wrong with that picture and shouted to Phyllis, “Don’t come outside!”

Then he turned and hurried toward the door.  Tony took a step to the side of Frank and fired as Frank grappled with the holstered handgun taken from Trooper Collins.  Typical of Tony and Frank, the shot almost completely missed Nick.  Only about ten stray pellets from the shot hit him as he stumbled through the door.  About the time Phyllis screamed, “What was that?” Frank finally got the pistol out and fired in the general direction of Nick, but totally missed.

At that point, something made Tony turn toward Russell and, on seeing him, he leveled the shotgun.  Russell spun and tried to run.  The blast from the shotgun hit him squarely in the back and threw him forward into the snow.

Convinced he had killed Russell, Tony turned back toward the lodge to see Frank trying desperately to push through the snow.  Tony followed.

As soon as he had gotten back into the lodge, Nick wasted no time.  He told Phyllis to grab her sweater and follow him.  Then he raced toward the kitchen, picking up the bag they brought with them but had never opened since being in the lodge.  In the kitchen, he tossed the bag on a table, opened it, and tossed in a first aid kit that happened to be there because Phyllis had cut herself the previous day while getting a meal ready for them.  That cut had been very minor, but had the effect of having the first aid kit handy. 

Next Nick grabbed a ham they had put out to thaw, tossed it in the bag, grabbed several knives, and put them in as well.  Then he ran to the door leading from the kitchen to the main lounge and saw no one in the lodge yet.  He raced forward to the bar, picked up three bottles of whisky, and ran back to the kitchen.  They went into the bag and, for good measure, he opened the freezer and took out three wrapped pieces of meat and tossed them in as well, having no idea what was in the packages, nor caring at that point.

Phyllis had stood by dumbfounded, but when Nick said, “Let’s go,” she followed without question.  Just as he reached the door, Nick remembered and saw the hip-waders.  He stopped, picked up a pair, and handed them to Phyllis.  “Put them on.  We may be roughing it for a while, so let’s not start out wet.”

As she complied, Nick quickly put his on, then opened the door for Phyllis and followed her out, carefully shutting the door as he went.  “No sense drawing them a map where we are,” he thought as he passed Phyllis and led the way toward the barn.

Frank was irate at how long it took him to go just more than two hundred feet.  When he finally reached the porch, he raced inside with the gun at the ready.  Tony was close behind.  They, of course, saw no one.

Frank muttered, “Dammit, Tony.  Dem friends o’ Meat Hook.  He gonna kill us.”

“They weren’t.”

“How’d ya knows dat?”

“Because the sweater the guy was wearing didn’t fit him at all.  That was Meat Hook’s favorite sweater.  He wouldn’t let nobody wear it.  Now get upstairs and look for ‘em while I look around down here.”

Frank grumbled, but did as told.  By the time he had checked everywhere on the second and third floors and come back downstairs, Tony had already checked the first floor and poured himself a drink.  Seeing Frank approaching, he poured one for him and asked, “Nothing, how ‘bout you?”

“Naw.  Nobody dare.”

“Well, if they aren’t here, they either went outside, or they’re in the basement, which I didn’t check yet.  The door down there is off the kitchen.  Let’s get something to eat, then we’ll check out the basement.”

“Dat a good idea.”

·          

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - Dog Pound (Asps Series, Book #3) - Kidnappers have a problem...a big one.

Today’s excerpt is from Dog Pound, Book #3 of the nine-book Janitors Series.  After putting the kidnapped Billy Jo ashore, the kidnappers have a major problem.  Steve, who know nothing about the kidnapping, sees their problem and heads in their direction to lend a hand.  Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

 Henry was fighting the storm to keep on course as wave after wave rolled over the boat. Finally, through the pouring rain, he saw the island and shouted to Oscar.  “Get ready, we’re almost there.”

As he predicted, the sea was only slightly better in close to the island than it had been further out to sea.  As Henry tried to steady the boat, Oscar worked his way to the stern and, after making sure the line was well secured, tossed the duffel bag full of Meals Ready to Eat that Jerry had purchased into the dinghy.  Then he went after Billie Jo.  After opening the lock on the chain holding her in place, he dragged her toward the dinghy with the chain still attached to her ankle.  It took three tries to get her into it without dropping her overboard into the churning sea.  Then he jumped in after her.  As he was about to loosen the knot to the line leading from the dinghy, Henry shouted, “You forgot her clothes.”

“Screw her clothes,” Oscar shouted back as he freed the dinghy and started its outboard motor.  He did his best to steer a straight line toward the beach, but the wind and heavy seas were no help.  Finally they reached the beach.  He jumped out and pulled the dinghy up onto the sand a few feet.

Then he gave Billie Jo’s chain a jerk and growled, “Out,” as he grabbed the duffel bag of food.  He led her in the direction where the fresh water was supposed to be.  When he came to it, he found a tree about ten feet from it, looped the chain around the tree, and used the padlock to secure it.  The chain was nearly fifteen feet long, so he knew there would be plenty of length for her to reach the water.  He looked down at her ashen face and shivering body.  “So long, Miss Famous Actress.”

As he walked off, Billie Jo shouted, “You can’t leave me here like this.”

Oscar ignored her and returned to the dinghy, which he was soon steering back toward the Freedom Express.  After what seemed like hours of fighting the sea, he reached the boat.  Henry saw him coming and tossed him a line.  The two men struggled mightily to get a slipping and sliding Oscar back onboard.  When they succeeded, Oscar muttered, “Shit,” and headed for the galley to get a cup of coffee that he planned to lace with a liberal dose of whiskey.

The coffee was cold, so Oscar got out a saucepan and turned on the small gas stove—even though he knew better than to turn on the stove in heavy seas.  He poured the coffee into the pan, put the pan in tight-fitting brackets on the stove and waited for it to heat up.  As he waited, he got out a bottle of whiskey and took a long swallow.  Just at that moment, disaster struck.  A giant wave nearly capsized the boat and Oscar lost his footing.  He slammed into the stove as he fell, the bottle of whiskey sailing in a high arc that ended on the stove and shattering.  Oscar never knew that the whiskey quickly caught on fire, or that the blaze spread rapidly through the galley.   He was unconscious.

In a matter of minutes the boat was ablaze.  Henry stood dumbfounded as he tried to steer the boat.  He had no idea what to do as he hollered, “Oscar, the boat’s on fire.  Do something!”

Of course, Oscar did nothing because he couldn’t.  Henry did nothing because he didn’t know what to do. 

Steve, aboard the Dog Pound, was less than a mile away.  Since he had long ago checked his charts and realized that the island Henry had intended to reach offered the best hope for safe haven from the ravages of the storm, he was on an almost identical course to that of the Freedom Express.

Even through the heavy rain, he saw the blaze in the distance.  He knew at once that somebody was in serious trouble, so without even taking time to think, he steered in the direction of the blaze.  Steve simply wasn’t the kind of man to walk away from someone else’s distress if there was any chance to be of assistance.

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - Back To Iraq (Janitors Series) - Jessica takes off after bomb.

Today’s excerpt is from Back To Iraq, Book #2 of the nine-book Janitors Series.  Jessica takes off after the bomb.   Enjoy and have a fantastic day.

m.j.

 

 Both Jessica and Hector saw the bomb in mid-air and fired at it.  It seemed to flutter downwards, soon out of sight.  Boris also saw it, but didn’t have a shot.  Before he lost sight of it, he saw it land on top of a boxcar.  He reported that face.  “The bomb is on a boxcar.”

Jessica was the first to react.  She turned and ran as fast as she could to one of the cars they had left some two hundred feet behind her.  When she reached it, she tore open the door and jumped in.  She started the car and drove off—the car door slammed shut from the force of her acceleration. 

Once underway, she explained her movements.  “I’m going to try to get to that overpass I noticed in Bellefontaine Neighbors that is just off Bellefontaine Road.  The one with the light, just past the filling station.”

“Go, Jess,” encouraged Jim before he walked back to John’s car, which was just pulling to a stop behind his.  To John, Jim muttered, “Jessie is going after the train.  The damn bomb is on there somehow.  Call ahead and have your guys let her through.”

John immediately got on the radio.  “All personnel.  One of the Janitors is going to be heading south on 367 from 67—you’ll know her because she’ll be driving like a mad woman.  Give her free access!”

Even as he spoke, Jessica flew around the corner at Jamestown Road and narrowly missed a car just turned around by the road-block.  She swung around that impediment, up the ramp, and onto Highway 367 southbound.  At the first of four stoplights, where the northbound lanes of Highway 367 were shut down, she again nearly hit a turning car.

Traveling at speeds she didn’t even want to think about, the next light on 367 taxed her driving skills to the maximum, as the light was green the other direction and cars from both directions were crossing the intersection.  First, to avoid the stopped traffic, she swung into the empty left-hand turn lane, then swerved between the two moving cars, and somehow came out the other side unscathed.

Racing on down 367, she used similar tactics at the next light, which was also red.  This time there was no oncoming traffic, so she just barreled through the light and approached the last of the lights on that section of road.  Luckily, this one was green, so her derring-do consisted of simply driving on the shoulder, around the traffic, and on down to Highway 270, where she took the ramp and headed east on that highway.

Again she had to travel the shoulder of the road to get around traffic.  This time she was spotted driving like a crazy woman by a Bellefontaine Neighbors police officer, who gave chase.

·         

Tom, meanwhile, had heard Jessica and heard what Jim said to John.  He told Jim he was going after Jessica and Jim simply groaned to John, “Another of my loonies is rushing off in the same direction.”

John nodded and warned his forces.

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - Baghdad Butcher (Janitors Series) - Jim takes on the "offered" job.

Today’s excerpt is from Baghdad Butcher, Book #1 of the nine-book Janitors Series.  Jim agrees to take on the new assignment.   Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

m.j.

 

 After the third and final load, Jim looked at the smallish man in his living room.  “Well, Director, what brings you here?  Something I’m not going to like, I’d guess.”

“We do have something to discuss.  But I’m afraid it’ll have to be in private.”

“I can take a hint.”

“Thanks, Peggy.  Take my truck home.  The keys are in it.  I told your dad you’d probably be keeping it awhile.  Thanks for your help.”

“Thanks for ridding us of that lion.”

“Well, I think we just beat Billy and Joe to it by a little bit.  Though, your dad would have more than likely been short one more cow.”

“Bye…oh, I turned off the radio in your gun shop.”

“See you, Peggy.  Safe home,” he replied, knowing that Peggy had just told him where her flasher had been placed.

“Now, Director, I see you have a drink, so what can I do for you?”

“I have a job to offer you…from the President.”

“That dirty trick committee of yours been at it again?”

“Something like that.  It seems Saddam Hussein has been processing and selling drugs in this country to destabilize us.  The President thinks the time has come to put the last nail in his coffin.  You’re elected…if you choose to do it.”

“Yeah, okay.  The bastard has it coming.  He’s the best description of a war criminal I can think of in today’s world.  Though that part of the world has a few other prime suspects.”

“The usual terms of your engagement will apply.  Anything you have to do in this country that may be…uh…outside the law, will be covered by a full pardon when the job is done.  The government will in no way be party to the doing of the job.  You will in no way be compensated for your efforts.  In short, as always, you’re on your own.”

“I know the drill.”

“There is one slight difference this time.”

“Oh?”

“A Special Agent by the name of Holly Hollins, out of our Los Angeles office, will accompany you as far as Los Angeles and offer whatever assistance she can—without being directly involved, if you know what I mean.”

“I know what you mean.  But I’m not sure I understand exactly why she’ll be involved, and why I’m going to start this little operation in Los Angeles.”

“Because the President wants to be sure the information we are operating under is correct.  As much as nobody likes the Iraqi President, we can’t just go off killing him on a lark.”

“Now wait a minute.  The President is vexed enough to have me go kill Saddam, but nobody is sure of the information that got him vexed in the first place?”

“Well, put that way, yes.  What the President wants you to do is start in Los Angeles and back track the drug trail to Saddam.  Since Agent Hollins was the one who basically came up with the information, she will brief you and accompany you to Los Angeles.  She can be of whatever assistance you want, so long as she does not actively engage in any…um…well, illegal activities.”

“Okay.  If you say so.”

“Good.   I’ll go out and get Agent Hollins.”

“You mean you left her out in that car, freezing her butt off all this time?”

“Yes.  I didn’t want her involvement known until you accepted the assignment.  And, anyway, she has the keys, so she shouldn’t be cold.”

“God, Director Finn, you’re a case.  Go get her.”

While Director Finn was getting Holly, Jim greeted his dogs that had wagged their tails when he came in, but had maintained their place guarding the Director.  When Holly and the Director came in, both dogs went over to her, but avoided Finn.

“Mister Scott, this is Special Agent Holly Hollins.  Agent Hollins, this is Jim Scott.”

Holly ever so slightly raised an eyebrow and gave a small dip of her shoulder.  As Jim frowned in a barely discernable way, she extended her hand.  “Pleased to meet you, sir.”

“Same, here.”

“All right, I briefed Agent Hollins on the way here, and since you’re briefed, and I have no intention of being presumptuous enough to tell you how to do your job, I’ll leave now.  Good luck.”

“Goodbye, sir.”

“So long, Director.”

As Director Finn drove off, Holly smiled.  “Jim, long time no see.”

Giving her a big hug, Jim replied, “It’s been too long.  How’s your dad?”

“Fine.  Do you think Director Finn really doesn’t know that we know each other?”

“It’s hard to believe he doesn’t.  He knows I was CIA after Desert Storm.  And, he damn sure knows Drew Hollins was CIA.  Hell, I know for a fact he, Finn, took some anti-terrorist classes your dad taught.  I don’t know if he’s being too cute by half, or just stupid.”

“He’s not stupid, Jim.  Maybe he just never made the connection.”

“Hard to believe, but I guess it’s possible.  Well, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt us, and the hell with him.  I’ve never liked that little prick.”

“Nice way to talk about the Director of the FBI, who just happens to be my boss.”

“Then why do you have that smile on your face?”

“Because I agree with you.  What does a girl have to do to get a drink in this palace of yours?”

“Oops, sorry.  Help yourself while I stow this gear.”

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - Assassin I Am (More Books) - Rosemary earns right to go with Fred.

Today’s excerpt is from Assassin I Am, a standalone book featuring new hero Fred Dupree, Rosemary Williams, Jim Scott, and other friends from past books.  After Rosemary outshoots him, Fred agrees to let her join him as his backup.   Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

      Finished with everything Harvey had sent, Fred was mulling it over in his mind when Rosemary returned.  She asked, “How do I shut the access door to the shooting range?”

“If you watched the panel I pushed, just push it again and it will shut.  Try not to leave oily smudges on it, please.”

Rosemary just grunted at that and went back to the kitchen.  She closed the panel and returned to sit in the chair next to Fred.  “Okay—all done.  Is it conversation time yet?”

“Yes.  It dawns on me that I know little of your personal history.  You wanna fill me in?  Like where you learned to shoot so well?”

“That one’s easy—my dad and brother schooled me on shooting.  I started firing weapons when I was six.  They were both Marines, killed in action…by stinking ragheads.  My shooting was also helped, I guess, by some eye exercises I started in high school.  I did the eye exercises to strengthen them to be better able to hit.  I was a good softball player and wanted to play on the boy’s baseball team.  I could hit better than anyone on the team by the time I graduated—there was only one little problem.  I didn’t have a position—I couldn’t field worth a damn because I didn’t practice anything except hitting.

“I served in the Corps myself for six years.  But I never got a chance to see any action—the Marine Corps made a computer geek outta me.  Knowing I’d never get a chance to get any revenge on Muslims for killing my dad and brother, I went for the big bucks when the government recruited me for my computer skills.  I’m actually employed by the Justice Department as sort of a roving computer anti-hacking fixer-upper.”

“Okay, that explains a lot.  You did, however, win our bet fair and square—though I still don’t understand how a little bit of a mite like you could best me.  You can go with me, but on the condition I laid down earlier.  You follow orders…to the letter.  I do have another question, though.  Have you ever killed anyone?”

“No—but will be happy to kill any Muslims you track down.  Was up to me, we’d line up all billion and a half of ‘em and gun down the lot.  I promise not to puke, the first one I kill.”

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - Escape From Mexico (More Books) - Bob anc Clyde get proof to clear Sandy.

Today’s excerpt is from Escape From Mexico, a standalone book featuring Bob Becker, Clyde Feegle, Jim Scott, and many old friends from previous books.  Clyde, Bob, and an ATF friend of Clyde catch filling station owner red-handed putting guns in the trunk of a car Michelle drove into his place of business.   Enjoy and have a fantastic day.

m.j.

 

      By then they were on him, and soon hustled him behind a partition.  Clyde secured his hands on the way, and the attendant’s ‘worst nightmare’ was underway in no time.  Several threats as what would happen to him if he didn’t cooperate were hurled his way, but the capper was after Clyde told him he and Bob were not connected with the government in any way, just out to clear Sandy Melosi’s name.  After that, on a hunch, he added, “Did you happen to hear what happened to the five guys who raped her while she was in custody?”

Both Bob and Clyde knew they had him, due to his reaction to Clyde’s question.  Ralph, listening outside on his communication set, wondered what Clyde was up to, and—being unable to see the facial reaction to the question—had no idea Clyde had struck pay dirt.  He was soon to find out, as Clyde whipped out his knife.  “Okay, pal, you got two choices:  one, you lose your manhood—and if you can get help after we leave before you bleed to death, you’ll go through life without balls or a dick—or two, you can answer all our questions honestly and we’ll turn you over to an ATF agent friend of ours, who will put you in witness protection, if you give us everything.”

The broken man asked, “What about my family?  My woman, and two kids?”

Clyde asked, “You married to her?”

“No.”

“Well, if she’ll have you, she goes into witness protection, along with your kids.  If not, they’re on their own.”

“‘Z’ will have ‘em killed to get even with me.”

“Then you better plan on getting married in short order…our friend can help arrange it.  He’ll get them out of harm’s way for now, as soon as you give us everything.”

“Alright—deal.”

Bob got out a tape recorder he had in his pocket, then had the man tell about how he had set Sandy up.  When the attendant explained what he had done and why Sandy had been arrested, Bob turned off his recorder and Clyde took one out, and the question-and-answer session began.  Outside with the car, Ralph could hardly believe what he was hearing, but called in all three teams he had in the area.  After doing that, he asked into his communication set, “Ask him where his lady friend and kids live.  I’ll have them picked up right now.”

Clyde did and—knowing Ralph could hear—went back to his questioning…after being told where the man’s family could be found.  The part on how Sandy came to be arrested was due to two Mexican border guards who normally worked the noon-to-four shift at the border entrance and would have waved her through, but they were involved in a wreck on the way to work and had been delayed that day.  The grumpy guards who had not been relieved discovered the weapons in Sandy’s car and arrested her.

When the questioning was complete, Clyde muttered, “Ralph, you may as well come on in.”

Ralph hurried in and Clyde gave him the recording he had made, which included a repeat of the situation with Sandy.  As he handed it over to Ralph, he grumbled, “We have a copy of the original statement on Sandy—the follow-up questioning on that is on this tape.  We’re keeping the other one…no pissing and moaning about it.”

“Are you kidding me, Clyde?  I should kiss you…but you’re so damned ugly, my lips might fall off.”

 

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Latst from tghe Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - Monster's Palace (Other Books) - Some humor after taking out a drug operation.

Today’s excerpt is from Monster’s Palace, a standalone book featuring new hero Clyde Feegle, Jim Scott, and many old friends from previous books.  Clyde is the senior of three military men working for the CIA dealing with interrupting the drug trade south of the border, mostly where al-Qaida is making inroads.  Working with an Army Delta Force unit, the three military men and their CIA boss raid a drug facility in Venezuela doing business with al-Qaida.  When they leave, only two “plaything women” are left alive of those they found there.   Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

m.j.

 

      In answer, Merrill joked, “In theory, they are real money—just not our greatly diminished money.  But to answer your question, about twenty grand U.S.  Dare I ask why you asked?”

      “I’m thinking about turning those two gals loose, and giving them the bolivars…any objections?”

      “Nope” replied Merrill, as Clyde shook his head.

      “Good.  Oh, by the way—when I questioned them—they did mention the Venezuelan Army does drop by from time to time, so I’m thinking a fast exit from the scene might not be a bad idea.”

      Merrill grumbled, “Now you tell us this?  Great.  Okay, let’s wrap it up and hit the road.  Captain Londoff, since you’ve taken a fancy to the ladies, will you deal with them whilst the rest of us load up?”

      Clyde sighed.  “Yeah, good idea.  Merrill, why don’t you start moseying to one of the buggies, while the rest of us load up?  I see Mitch heading our way, the approach of the good sergeant, and Dick, with boxes with which to use for the loading-up process.”

      Harry just shook his head and muttered about those two joking around, while showing no real sign of any type of hurrying to get ready to leave.  He went to the two young ladies, cut the restraints still on their wrists, and grunted, again in Spanish, “Alright, you two…go get dressed and load up anything you want to take with you.  Meet me outside.  I’m going to find you transport out of the area.”

      The two didn’t have to be told twice, as both had feared God knew what was going to happen to them.  As they hurried off, Harry noticed what lovely rear-ends both had, sighed, and turned to head outside.  There were three vehicles parked near the house.  The most reliable looking one was a two-year-old SUV.  He tried one set of keys and soon had it running.  He noticed the tank was three quarters full and figured if a quarter of a tank got it here, three quarters would get beyond where it had last been filled.  He drove it to just outside the front door, turned it off, then checked the papers inside.  They showed the registered owner to be one of the names on the documents he’d found inside.  After muttering, “Figures,” he got out and went back into the office. 

      By then the money beside the bolivars had been boxed up and carried outside.  Using a small box left behind, he put the Venezuelan money in it and headed back to the SUV.  Then he looked around, wondering what was keeping the two young lovelies and went in search of them.  When he found them, they were stuffing two pillowcases with anything they could spot they felt might be of some value.  He growled, “Come on, you two—I’ve got a stack of money for you, so you don’t need all this crap.”

      He noticed two suitcases on the floor and picked them up as he turned to exit the building.  When he reached the SUV, he put the suitcases, which he noticed were heavy enough they had more than clothing inside, into the rear of the vehicle.  He watched with dismay the trouble the two were having carrying their “treasures” out of the house, due to the weight of their nearly filled pillowcases.  Harry did not offer to help them in the least.

      After they finally managed to get the pillowcases in the SUV, Harry looked at them and grumbled, still in Spanish, “Okay, the way this is gonna work is we’re gonna cause a big bang.  After it goes off, you get your now-covered nice bodies in this nice ride I found for you, and split.  I assume you both have cellphones.  I’d really appreciate it if you would hold off using them for about twenty minutes after we leave…got it?”

      Both young ladies nodded.

      “Fine.  Now then, when you talk to whoever you’re gonna talk to about this little episode in your lives, feel free to say what you want.  For now, you best stay near the front of the house.”

      Already near the front of the house, both shrugged as Harry headed toward one of the buggies, now holding Merrill, with the others standing around talking.  As he walked up he asked, “Has something been done with all the damned dope in the barn?”

      Mitch chuckled, Dick nodded, and the sergeant answered, “Yes, sir.  All the finished product has been cut open, and gas poured on it.  The raw coca leaves also have gas dumped on them.  I was thinking if our big bang doesn’t set it all on fire, we could just fire off a few rounds into the barn.”

      “Good man.  Merrill, Clyde—you ready?”

      “Yup,” Merrill answered, as Clyde nodded.

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - Back To China (Other Books) - Jim has to come up with a plan to rescue two kidnapped men.

Today’s excerpt is from Back To China, a standalone book featuring Jim Scott and many old friends from previous books.  Jim, Holly, and Hector on way to Washington, D.C. to meet the British Prime Minister and SIS (MI6) Chief Sir Anthony Henry at the White House.  The idea is for Jim to come up with a plan to get back two physicists (one American, one Australian working for the British) who have been kidnapped.   Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

As soon as Holly had the plane on a heading to D.C., Jim called Sir Anthony.  “Okay, pal, Holly is flying Hector and me to Andrews.  I’ll give you my plane info shortly.  But right now, I’d sorta like to know what the hell’s going on.”

“Kevin Hogan and Marlin Walendy have been kidnapped.  They were working on a special project at Area 51.  Those two are world-class…”

“Physicists…I’m familiar with some of their concepts.  Let me guess—they were kidnapped in Las Vegas.  If so, where were your people?”

“They were waiting at the casino hotel, where the two were going to enjoy some R&R.  DOD had a six-man team, in three SUVs, pick them up at Nellis Air Force Base, for transport to the hotel.  They made it less than a mile.  As of right now, they—or at least Hogan, and presumably Walendy—are heading west from Las Vegas.  Their present heading has them winding up in China—if, of course, I’m correct in assuming the Chinese are behind this.”

“You’re probably right.  So you want Hector and me to snatch them back?”

“Yes.”

“I suppose you have no idea where in China they might be taken?”

“Just a hunch…one of the Jim Scott variety….one of your gut feelings.  There is a recently constructed Chinese facility in the middle of nowhere…Qinghai Provence, to be precise.  It was built into the side of a small mountain—more like a hill—and has a nice new road running quite a distance, to and past the facility.  They have only recently moved the heavy construction equipment out of the area.  Umm…one more thing—the road leads nowhere once past the facility.  It may or may not be completed.”

“How long did the construction take?”

“Roughly six months.”

“How long have Hogan and Walendy been at Area 51?”

“The better part of a year.”

“I’d say you may be right, but I’ll draw up two plans:  one for populated area, and one for the ‘middle of nowhere.’  By the way, since you seem to have sure knowledge of where at least Hogan is, I assume you have a GPS device imbedded in him somehow.” 

“Correct.  Now, give me your plane info.  You’ll be met at Andrews and flown to the White House.  We’ll meet you there.”

“Who is ‘we’?”

“The Prime Minister and me.”

Jim nodded to himself and gave Sir Anthony the information.  Then he got down to serious planning.  While he worked on the plan, Hector watched.  At one point, Hector asked, “You know we’ll need at least four, don’t you?”

“What I was thinking.  You’re figuring out who the other two will be.  I’m not real sure on timing, but I’d say we’ll have very little, so probably none of the folks who readily come to mind will do.”

·         

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - Pool Of Blood (Other Books) - Jim and Holly to lend a hand after Michelle shot at.

Today’s excerpt is from Pool Of Blood, the third of three Bob Becker books.  On learning Michelle had been shot at, Holly makes a fast decision to alter her flight course to Bob’s landing strip and home so she and Jim can help out.  Enjoy and have a fantastic day.

m.j.

 

Both women laughed as Bob started eating.  They finished first and were starting the clean-up when Bob’s phone rang again.  He rolled his eyes, looked at it, then grinned.  “Hi, Holly.  How’s the best lookin’ woman I’m not married to doing?”

Michelle rolled her eyes and shook her head.  Holly Scott was the best-looking woman Michelle had ever seen in her life.  Her body—especially her bust line—was also unworldly.  Michelle had a well endowed chest, but nothing like Holly.

Holly laughed, “Just fine…thanks for the compliment.  If your honey is handy, ask her if she’s ready for some more flying lessons.  Jim and I are on our way to the rehab complex.  We plan on spending a week or so in the area.”

“I’m sure she’d love it, Holly, but we’ve got a couple of hot fish to fry…not the least of which is Michelle getting shot at yesterday, coming out of the St. Charles courthouse.  This right after she picked up a new case on a guy who was convicted of a murder it really looks like he might not have done.  We don’t know if the two are connected at this point, but would like to see you and Jim—and maybe she can take some time to go flying.”

“Hold on, Bob—I’m changing course to your place.  Be there in about fifteen minutes.  What’s your wind direction?”

Bob stood up, looked out the window at the windsock at the end of his runway, and answered, “Calm.  You can come in either way.”

“See ya.”

Bob looked at the dead phone in his hand, laughed, and quickly told Michelle to expect guests, then explained Holly’s reaction to his report of the shooting.

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - Bigfoot Bait (Other Books) - The good guys close in on the kidnaappers.

Today’s excerpt is from Bigfoot Bait, the second of three Bob Becker books.  On reaching the state of Washington, the searchers are closing in on the kidnappers.  Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

m.j.

 

By the time Tank again tried for sleep, Jim’s group had made strides toward finding Biden…and Clay.  About the time Jim and Holly reached Reardan, Bob was in Waterville.  He found the station where Biden had gassed up on his third try in the town. 

Before calling Jim, he consulted his map of the Wenatchee National Forest, given to him by Jim.  He puffed up his cheeks, blew the air out, and sighed.  He realized what they had done to this point might turn out to be the easiest part of tracking down Biden and Clay.

When he did call him, Jim answered, “More good news, Bob?”

“Yeah.  I’m at the station in Waterville.  He was here.   Got real lucky.  The clerk at the place not only remembered him, but remembered him from last year…when—drum roll, please—he asked how to get to Entiat.  Fella remembered because he told me Biden was real snotty each time—even when asking for help.  So I’m headed to Entiat.  Check your map for how to get there.  Guy here told me it was about a forty-five minute drive—first down one side of the river, then up the other side.  As the crow flies, about five or ten miles…but we ain’t crows.”

“Let me know what you find out there.  Good luck.”

Bob wondered about having used up quite a bit of luck already, but kept quiet before heading to Entiat.  When he got there, he decided if Biden was hopefully meeting Clay there, they might both top off their tanks before heading into the forest.  His luck held.  The first station he stopped at had a country store as part of the property. 

The clerk there wasn’t busy, so Dan walked up and smiled.  “Looking for two guys.  You mind taking a look at their pictures?”

“You some kind of cop?”

“Private.  Looking for them because we think between them they kidnapped three young college gals.”

“Show me the pictures.”

The clerk instantly recognized both Biden and Clay.  After asking if he could check out the security camera footage for the time of their visit, the clerk immediately agreed.  While reviewing the surveillance tape there, he noted Biden and Clay made no contact with each other, but left almost in tandem. Within minutes he was on the phone to Jim. “Got the bastards.  Better yet, pretty sure where they went from here.  Back down the road here about two miles or so is Forest Road 51…also called Entiat River Road.  They turned in that direction when leaving the station here.  By the way, while here they acted like they didn’t know each other, but Clay followed right behind Biden when he left.  Which of course means we head into this damned big forest.  This is gonna be a pip.”

Jim laughed.  “Nobody said this was gonna be easy.”

 

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Latest from the Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - Too Many Women (Other Books) - Bob tricks hood.

Today’s excerpt is from Too Many Women, the first of three Bob Becker books.  Bob tricks thug into telling him who killed the woman in Terri’s home.  Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

On arriving at the emergency section, he spotted Gus, who quickly filled him in.  “He’s out of surgery.  Doctor says he’ll be paralyzed for life, but should otherwise recover.  He’s still out, but I was told a few minutes ago he could be coming up for air sometime soon.”

“Lead me to him.  Make sure we aren’t interrupted—including any doctors or nurses.”

“Be a bit hard to do—they do have the first say.”

“Was easy, I’d get a patrolman to handle it…Detective Lieutenant.  I want a few minutes with him, before he knows he’s paralyzed.”

“Yeah, okay—I’ll try.”

As those two reached Dingy Reid’s room, a doctor and nurse were headed to the room.  Gus intercepted them and quickly asked for a few minutes alone with the suspect.  He explained about the murder he had been involved in, then added, “We’re hoping to get him to implicate the husband in the murder, so the wife doesn’t have to hide out, forever in fear of her life.”

The doctor had been ready to dismiss the request until being told about the murder.  While he was a doctor first, he was also a citizen who didn’t like the idea of helping a cold-blooded killer escape justice.  “I’ll give you five minutes.”

Gus thanked him before he went into the room with Bob.  Inside, he saw Reid was awake.  “I’m Detective Lieutenant Mantia.  This fella over here is Sergeant Becker.”

Bob grumbled, “One thing before we ask you a few questions.  The doctor told us to tell you to be very still.  Any movement on your part and you could paralyze yourself—got it?”

Reid started to nod his head, then remembered what Bob had said, so he whispered, “Yeah, I understand.”

“Good.  Okay, your friend Brown is dead.  Your boss, Jay Durbin, is in custody in Los Angeles.  He said you killed a woman in his house, then you and Brown disposed of the body.  Said he doesn’t know where.  The LAPD detectives don’t believe him, but have nothing to disprove his words.  The wife…Durbin’s wife…told us you three were with the woman, and she doesn’t know which of you killed her.  Is Durbin’s story the right version of what happened?”

“No,” came the agitated response from Reid, “it ain’t right.  He killed her.”

“Durbin did?”

“Yes.”

“What about the body?”

“Me and Moonbeam got rid of it, but we sure didn’t kill her.  Durbin’s nuts, and a damned liar.”

Bob asked, “Where did you dump the body?”

Reid told them, then Bob looked at Gus and gave a slight nod.  Both men turned and left the room.  Standing outside were the doctor and nurse. 

Gus looked at the doctor.  “Thanks.  He claims the husband did the murder.  Appreciate your help.”

“You’re welcome…and nice work Detective.”

As they walked away, Bob asked, “Any way you can let the media keep on the wrong track about both guys being killed?”

“Boy, I don’t know.  We’ve a horde of reporters and TV people hanging around.  I’d bet against it.  But before you ask your next question, I’ll have someone on his room around the clock.  Two someones, for that matter.”

“Good enough.  Thanks for letting me handle it back there.  Do you happen to want a copy of the tape I had playing in my pocket while we talked to him?”

“Hell yes.”

 

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