How 'bout Both, Book #3 of the Bader Trilogy (Other Books) - Terrorist killer identified...now to find him.

Today’s excerpt is from How ‘bout Both, Book #3 of the Bader Trilogy.  Elmer’s team finds out who the killer from the previous day is, and it is verified by two witnesses to the crime.  Enjoy and have a fantastic day.

m.j.

 

Reggie walked into the conference room.  “How’re you feeling, Elmer?”

“Don’t ask, or I might go back to the hospital.  Hurt everywhere, but the doctor was satisfied on the concussion front.  Told me I’d be okay if I kept it slow and easy.  Trust me, that’s exactly what I’m gonna do.  You been through what Alan and Bert came up with?”

“Yeah—I like the bozo they do…this Simmons jackass.  Oh, by the way—Greg Noonan, over at NCIS, called.  He said any help you need, he and his people are ready.”

Elmer nodded as he shoved the stack of sheets to Maine, before he pointed to a stack of files.  “Those the files going with these summary sheets, Alan?”

“Yeah.  As I said, we didn’t do complete files on all those others, or the ones who fit the profile but we don’t feel are right for one reason or another.  That’s the other stack of summary sheets.”

Maine looked at the top sheet of Leman Simmons’ file.  “Guys, this is almost too easy.  This has to be the guy.  Fits the description our two witnesses we talked to gave us right down to his big feet, Elmer.”

“Yeah, I noticed about the big feet, too.  His ethnic profile sure fits, too…half-white, the other half dark-skinned Arab.  Parents both dead:  father in a drug raid shootout with police, when he was five…mother died of natural causes when he was sixteen.  Baptized Methodist, but no mention of what his father’s religion was.  I always get nervous when it seems too easy.  In this case, maybe knowing who he is and finding him might be two different things.”

Those in the conference room settled into conversation about the prime suspect, until Bonnie Rockhead and Rush Bretnall arrived.  They had gone out for a drink after finishing their statements.  They found they really liked each other.  Thirty-five-year-old Bonnie was divorced…had been for several years.  Forty-two-year-old Rush had lost his wife due to cancer two years earlier.  Neither was dating at the time they met.  Now, as they were shown into the conference room by a uniformed officer, they exchanged greetings with those there, who—with the exception of Reggie—they knew from their conversations of the previous day.  After Reggie was introduced to them, Rush asked, “How’re you feeling, Lieutenant?  Saw on the news you were injured in the explosion of the jerk’s car.”

“Dinged a bit.  So was Maine, as you can see by her lovely sling.  We’ll both survive, I hope.  Have a seat—we’ve got some pictures to show you…don’t we, Alan?”

Alan grinned as he reached for a file folder with the pictures of the twenty suspects inside.  They were all shown to Bonnie and Rush.  Both immediately picked the picture of Leman Simmons from the group as the man they had seen kill the two officers.  Both were adamant he was the right man, then Bonnie asked, “How did you find out it was him so soon?”

Reggie answered, “By good police work by Alan and Bert.  Also, on the suggestion from his hospital bed, by Elmer…whose wife came up with a key idea along the way.”

Rush smiled, “Nothing like a family affair in police work.”

Elmer grinned, “Though my wife is a wonderful housewife and mother, she has never been in police work…but keeps coming up with great ideas when I’m working on a case.  At times I almost start with her thoughts, because they’re often better than mine.  In this case, we had two avenues of inquiry to pursue…she suggested bringing them together—which led us to this guy.  That out of the way, I’ve a question for both of you.  Did either of you discuss your statements to us yesterday with anyone?”

Rush tilted his head a bit.  “I mentioned I had been there and gave a statement to the police, but didn’t go into detail, or tell anyone I was coming down here today.  Just told ‘em at work I had an errand to run.  Why?”

“We will keep your name out of any press releases.  I would suggest you keep it quiet, also.  No sense having to protect you while we’re trying to find this jerk.  How about you, Bonnie?”

“No.  No, that is, that I talked to anyone other than Rush about yesterday.  Glad I kept my mouth shut for once—will continue to do so.  I had some time off coming at work, so just took the day off.”

Alan joked, “Nothing like a nice lady who can keep her mouth closed.  Would you like to meet my wife to give her lessons?”

Maine grinned, “I’m tellin’ Beth what you said the next time I see her, Alan.”

Elmer held up his hand.  “Oh, no, you’re not, young lady.  I don’t want to sound like a shill for Las Vegas, but what happens in this squad room stays in this squad room.  Period.”

 

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Horace Goes Home, Book #2 of the Bader Trilogy (Other Books) - Horace finds out what he wanted to know.

Today’s excerpt is from Horace Goes Home, Book #2 of the Bader Trilogy.  Horace asks one of the three men captured before they could kill him a question and gets a job offer from Hector.  Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

m.j.

 

Meanwhile, in the barn, Horace walked up to Hector.  “Okay for me to ask the one with the bum hand a question or two?”

“Yeah, as long as you don’t kill him in the process—but wait just a few minutes.”

Hector was busy setting up his laptop and hooking it up to a printer.  When ready, he took a portable scanner over to the three men.  He told one of his men to release their hands one at a time, then re-cuff them when he was finished.  He put each man’s full hand on the scanner, pushed a button, then went to the next one.  With the first two, he used the right hand; with the man with the bad right hand, he used the left hand.  When he finished, he looked at Horace.  “Have at it.”

As Hector walked back to his laptop, Horace took the black bag off the head of the man with the bad hand, and ripped the duct tape loose.  “Where’s your friend?”

The man looked hard at Horace.  “Go to hell.”

Horace kicked him hard, in the area of his ankle.  The man all but fell to the floor.  “The next one is to your knee.  Where is he?”

“You killed him, you bastard—and you’re gonna get yours.”

Horace put the duct tape back over his mouth, put the hood back on, said, “Thanks,” then turned to leave the barn. 

As he did, Hector caught up to him.  “Horace, when this is all over, you want a job, come see me.”  Smiling, he handed Horace his business card.

“Thanks—I may just do that.  Thanks for letting me spend a few quality seconds with that jackass.”

“You’re more than welcome.”

Horace left the barn, smiled, and whistled on his way back to the main house.  When he got there, he walked in and greeted everyone.  Then he went to the bar, and poured himself a drink.  After he sat down next to Jill, he told her he had been offered the possibility of a job with Hector.  Elmer looked at him.  “Where have you been?”

Sure that Elmer knew where he had been, Horace grinned, “Just asked the guy with the bad hand where his buddy was.  He told me I killed him.”

Homer nodded, “Well, Elmer, there’s one charge you’ve got on him.  By saying that, he basically admitted he was in on the raid on your home.”

Horace shook his head.  “Don’t think we can use it.  I didn’t ask him politely, after he told me to go to hell the first time I asked.”

Homer looked at Elmer, and smiled.  “Well, it was a thought.”

Elmer laughed, “I have a hunch we have a good deal more to charge him and his two friends with.  Will probably have still more when Hector gets through with them.”

Greg sighed, “Yeah—if he doesn’t use the same tactics.”

Elmer smiled, “His stuff will be usable—I’d bet on it.”

 

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Whodunit Did It, Book #1 of the Bader Trilogy (Other Books) - Elmer and Greg to take trip.

Today’s excerpt is from Whodunit Did It, Book #1 of the Bader Trilogy.  Greg and Elmer going to Berlin to talk to the fence who got the stolen jewels.  Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

After breakfast, with everyone fully dressed, Elmer glanced at his watch.  “We’ve got time for another cup of coffee, Alan.  We can kick around what we’ll do today while we’re enjoying a good cup of coffee.”

Alan knew Elmer was joking, because he knew he made coffee Elmer liked, but he said nothing as he poured himself a cup after Elmer had filled his.  The two women were in the living room, already talking about planning the wedding.  Elmer was about to comment on that when his phone rang.  He glanced at the display.  “Hi, Greg—top of the morning to you.  It’s a wonderful day.”

“What has you so upbeat?  You catch our killer?”

“I wish.  No—the happiness is Alan…he’s getting married.”

“Poor fella.”

“Be nice.”

“Yeah—tell him I said ‘congrats.’  Now, about the reason for my call.  How would you like a nice little trip to Berlin?”

“Come again?”

“I talked to Homer.  He gave me his okay, then I talked to my boss.  He gave his blessing.  Now I’m asking you if you’d like to go have a word with Ebert?  We know where he’s at.  I have a plan.”

“Nothing like a man with a plan.  Tell me.”

Greg did.  When he finished, he asked, “You game?”

“Oh, sure—if my Captain says okay.  You call him…I’m chicken.  Just had a thought—you mind if I bring someone along?  Not Alan…my ex-wife.”

“Sure, there’s plenty of room on our plane—which, by the way, you’ll love.  I’d like to spend my time flying all around the country in it.  May I ask why?

“I like her.  She might enjoy the trip.  Yeah, yeah—I know…no time for shopping.  Just a fast in and out once we get what we want.  By the way, I like the plan…sounds like fun.  Maybe the bastard will even wet himself to make it more fun.”

“That would be nice.  Uh, I take it you’re not in your office, since you want me to call Captain Bergmann.”

“Correct.  But if I was, I’d still have you do it.”

“Get back to you as soon as I get his okay.”

“Thank you.”

Finished, Elmer yelled out, “Hey, Ruthie—you want to take a little plane ride…executive jet…to Berlin with me?”

Ruth and Beth came into the kitchen.  Ruth asked, “What gives?”

“Oh, Greg Noonan at NCIS is gonna ask the German fella who bought the jewelry store loot a few questions.  Wants me along to make sure he does it right.”

“There’s more to it than that, Detective Bader.  Give.”

“Can’t…top secret stuff.  Oh, okay—before you have a cat—he’s gonna pull a bluff.  One to see if we can bleed the guy for information on ‘Whodunit’.”

“Okay—sounds like fun.  You aren’t likely to get shot, I guess.  Got time for a bit of shopping?”

“Nope.  Just a long plane ride there and back.  Be two days…almost all of it in flying time.”

 

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Adios, Amigos, Book #9 of the Asps Series - Hector and Bear deal with bad guys.

Today’s excerpt is from Adios, Amigos, Book #9 of the nine-book Asps Series.  Hector and Bear take down al-Qaida drug processing facility in Bolivia.  Enjoy and have a fantastic day.

m.j.

 

They could also see a bit of a clearing to their left, while the shed was on their right.  Hector motioned toward the clearing, Bear nodded, and the two men were on their way toward the clearing.  When they neared it, they could see a lean-to type half building, with a large jug of water under the lean-to and the overhanging trees.  As they moved still closer, they could smell what could only be a “honey” pit.  Bear asked, “Now what?”

“Now we wait for clothing.”

Bear nodded, then left Hector where he was, as he made his way to a spot about ten feet behind the lean-to.  Soon, he returned.  “The odor is coming from exactly what we guessed.  It’s about ten feet behind their drinking water.  Sure hope someone has to pee soon.  We’ve about spent enough damned time on this operation.”

Hector grinned and nodded, then moved still closer to the lean-to.  They waited for nearly half an hour before one of the workers came to the lean-to, got a drink, then went behind it.  Bear quickly made his way to the “honey” pit and tapped the man on the back of the head with the butt of his rifle.  He caught him before he fell into the open privy.  Meanwhile, Hector held his position as he waited until another of the workers looked in the direction of the lean-to, tilted his head, then shrugged before heading their way.  After the man got a drink, he called out to the other man.  Getting no response, he went to investigate.  Once past the edge of the lean-to, Hector closed on him with lightning quickness.  Using his rifle butt, he tapped him on the back of his head, also.  As he started undressing the man after pulling him back a bit into the foliage, Bear walked up wearing the floppy hat, pants, and smock-type shirt he’d taken off the other man, to put on over his own clothing.  Hector wrinkled his nose.  “You stink.”

“You will too, shortly—I’d bet.”

Hector had to agree with Bear’s prediction when he too had similar clothing on over his own.  The two men concealed their sniper rifles, removed their night vision gear, took out their Asps, and walked out into the workplace clearing.  Of the eight men with weapons, five were talking to a group of the workers with their backs to Bear and Hector, while the other three were talking to another group of workers, also with their backs to Hector and Bear, which pleased both men no end.

The two walked boldly up behind the first five men and, as they did, Hector held up three fingers and pointed to himself.  Bear nodded, understanding Hector would take three of the armed men, while he was to take the other two.  With Hector walking on his left, Bear knew that he would take the two men on the right.  As they neared the group in conversation, one of the workers took a look through a flickering campfire at Bear and Hector.  Not recognizing them, he presented a puzzled look.  The armed man on the far left of the group noticed.  He turned in time to see Hector raise his Asp from where he had it partially hidden behind his back.  Before the man could say or do anything, Hector shot him in the head, then immediately shifted to the next target in the group.  By the time he had shot all three, Bear was lining up a shot at one of the other three men—again, starting on the right side.  That group was nearly forty feet away, but the distance was no problem with expert shots like Hector and Bear.  In less than ten seconds, all eight armed men lay dead.

As the workers stood transfixed at what they had seen, Hector waved his Asp as he pointed toward the nearby tree line.  Immediately one of the workers headed that way in much haste, without actually running.  He was followed by many of the other workers, two of whom fell due to the darkness, but were soon up and running.

Now ignoring the workers who had yet to make a sound, Bear and Hector headed toward the shack.  As they neared it, Hector shot the man in the doorway opening before the two men moved into the shack.  Quickly, the three other men inside were dead as well.  Only then did Hector turn to pay attention to the workers who had not taken flight.  As he walked back outside, he shouted out in Spanish, “Get out of here.  Your jobs here are over.  Try finding honest work.”

 

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Father Mulligan, Book #8 of the Asps Series - Pepper in action.

Today’s excerpt is from Father Mulligan, Book #8 of the nine-book Asps Series.  Pepper takes out a bad guy, and sends his boat to sea as Suzan and an MI6 agent watch for a distance.  Enjoy and have a wopnderful day.

m.j.

 

To say Pepper was a workout fanatic would be an understatement.  Her stomach rippled with a lovely six pack.  Also—in spite of her seventy-plus years—she sported nice, firm, muscle tone all over her body…without being muscle-bound.  All this—coupled with the dark of night, Pepper’s black clothing, topped with a black watch cap—caused the man at the helm of the boat to assume the person who had stood up and climbed onto the pier was the person he was to pick up.

As the boat gently bumped the pier, he realized his mistake, even as Pepper jumped aboard with her Asp pointed directly at him.  She grumbled, in a calm, even voice, “Aldridge couldn’t make it—he’s in custody.  Please raise your hands.”

Not having been told whom he was picking up, the man didn’t know who “Aldridge” was—he didn’t care.  If some dame thought she could jump on his boat with a gun pointed at him and get by with it, she was sadly mistaken.  His thought process having run through his mind, the man made the last mistake of his lifetime as he reached for a loaded, pre-cocked forty-five, next to the helm housing.  When he got it, then started to turn full face toward Pepper, he died in the process.  She fired one shot into the turning left side of his head, about an inch from his left eye.  He fell to the deck like a sack of potatoes, never realizing the mistake he’d made.

On the park bench, the SIS agent muttered, “Blimey…your lady friend doesn’t fool around.”

Suzan just laughed as she watched Pepper take the helm, add just a bit of throttle, to turn the boat back the way it had come from.  Twenty feet from the end of the dock, Pepper cut the engine to idle again.  She waited a few moments to make sure the boat was drifting very slowly back toward the dock and slightly in the direction of the boat she had been sitting on.  That pleased her to no end, as she soon had the backpack off, the engine room door raised from deck level, and she started planting some of her explosives.  When she had things set up the way she wanted, she set a timer on the explosives for one hour and forty minutes.  She took the backpack to the mast to place a set of explosives around the base of it, set another timer for ten minutes less than the first one, then placed what was left of her explosives around a spot on the mast, higher up.  When another timer was set to coincide with the one lower on the mast, she nodded as went back to the helm.  She discarded the backpack as she walked, but soon was putting on a life vest, having seen what she wanted to see—the name of the boat on it.

Even as the boat was nearing the boat she had sat on, she moved the throttle to a slow ahead speed, checked a compass she brought, set the desired course, reached in her pocket for a GPS device—which she placed where the dead man’s gun had been—then locked the helm in place.  Next, she hurried to the stern of the boat, stood facing the boat, before she did a nice backflip, right into the water, as the boat went on its merry way.  She stroked strongly toward the ladder descending down from the pier.  When she reached it, she climbed up, intent on heading to the car.

Suzan stood up, shook hands with the SIS agent, took out a note pad she had in the utility pockets of her tight, black fatigue-type pants, and wrote a plane’s identification number on it.  “You might want to be at the control tower at the main airport in about an hour…plus, maybe about fifteen minutes.  Be sure they get this identification number correct when we call it in.  Take care.”

“This the number to your plane?”

“Don’t be silly.  It’s to a plane owned by some ass who made a foolish landing at our Sedona Airport.  Just want to cause him some grief trying to explain to whomever how he was nowhere near here.  In about twenty minutes, you can pick up the two cars you were nice enough to get for us.  See ya.”

“So long—nice to meet you lot.”

Suzan flipped her hand with her back to him in a friendly wave as she walked toward the car.  She arrived just as Pepper was getting in the far side.  As Suzan drove off, Pepper joked, “Got a new boyfriend?”

“Hush, you saw who it was.  The note I wrote him wasn’t my phone number,” then explained about the false plane identification number. 

Pepper laughed, “Good move.  Now get me back to the plane—I’m soaked clear through to the skin.”

Suzan laughed as she sped toward said plane.  When they arrived, they hurried aboard.  While Suzan went forward to warm the engines, Pepper started undressing.  The life vest came off first.  She handed it to Drew, who was glad to see the boat’s name on it. He stood there with Boris as they watched Pepper strip to the skin, before she reached into her overnight bag, took out a small towel, and dried off.  She glanced at Boris as she asked, “Getting a good eyeful?”

“Oh, yes…very nice.  See why Drew keeps you around.”

 

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Billy's Rescue, Book #y7 of the Asps Series - C-130 to get a larger crew.

Today’s excerpt is from Billy’s Rescue, Book #7 of the nine-book Asps Series.  Wendy explains to Maggie why she is adding crew and who they are.   Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

“Huh?  Oh, yeah—you don’t know them.  Goose Kovarik is a retired two-star…Major General…Air Force.  Can fly this thing, navigate, act as engineer, plus he’s just an all-around good guy.  His son, Chet, is a retired Air Force Captain.  Got the same deal as Phil…enlisted until late in their careers, before they got promoted to officer status by a thankful President for their service on this plane (when the Air Force still owned it) as we flew Jim and some other guys—including Billy’s dad, Hector—all over hell and gone.  All top secret—well, beyond top secret—so keep it under your hat.  Anyhow, I’ve known Goose for a long time, know he’s retired, and doing not much but hunting and fishing—Chet, too.  Though Chet has some sort of job where they live, he jumped at the chance to get back in the air with us.  Knows Jim will take care of him financially—a hell of a lot better than he’s making now.  With those two, we’ll never be shorthanded on the plane again.  Might even free you up for some fun and games in the field with the rest of the team.”

“I’d like that.  More what I was trained for.”

“Yeah, will work out better all around.  We need the plane to do any Gatling runs, Phil and Chet can handle it…while Goose and I handle things up here.  We know going in the Gatlings are gonna come into play, we normally figure out a way to get more people on the plane.  The deal with Phil this time was a fluke, but flukes are what I’ve been worried about for the longest.  He’d have been hurt worse than he was and we needed the Gatlings, we’d have been in the shits.  You were it while I was alone up here—not a good deal.  It was bad enough with both of you back there, with no one up here but me—though at least I knew I had one of you to call if I needed help.” 

“Yeah, I thought we were running a bit thin, with only three of us on the plane.”

“A bit thin is an understatement—with four of us, we’ll still be more than thin, but at least it makes a bit of sense.  Three is just stupid.  I should have put my foot down a long time ago.”

 

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Bullets And Baseball, Book #6 of the Asps Series. Two Asps and an extra CIA agent need repairs.

Kye called Glenn and filled him in on the goings on in Yemen, including the pending sea “disaster.”  When she finished her report, Glenn was quite happy at what he’d heard.  “Sounds like you had a bit of fun.  We’ll keep an eye on the ship and let you know if Billy and Bear’s plan worked.  Safe trip home.  Um…you gonna stop in England to get the injured looked after?”

“Don’t know.  Not sure just how bad they are.  Also, there’s the matter of the SAS base.  Our British friends might not be too thrilled to have us bringing the three guys—even though they’re CIA—there.  We need to make a pit stop, one of us can call Tony and ask.”

“As long as you don’t tell them—our three guys, that is—just exactly where in the hell they are, it should be okay.  I can call Sir Alistair, if need be.”

“Naw, we can handle it.  They love us—not so sure about you.”

“Very funny.”

In the air, with Dusty, Kye, and Pete taking turns flying, since Bruce and Maggie were in no shape to do so, Bruce called Tony Henry.  “On our way home.  Need to take advantage of our friendship to make a repair stop at our neighborhood SAS base.  We’ve got three CIA agents from Yemen aboard with us—one of them needs some attention, as do Maggie and I.  Nothing serious, but Jack insists we make the stop…says your doctors are better than anyone we’d use at home—unless we went to one of the VA hospitals, which we can’t do with CIA and MI6 types.  Oh, I could go there being retired Military, but not without a lot of explaining I don’t want to do.  We won’t tell these other guys where the hell they’re at.”

“You know you’re always welcome.  Sorry you got hit, and just why are you putting my young lass in harm’s way?”

“I was waiting for that.  Your ‘young lass’ is one hell of an asset, and we do our best to keep her safe…but she insists on sticking her nose in everywhere.”

Maggie, sure who Bruce was talking to, made a rude, one-fingered, gesture in Bruce’s direction, then grinned.

Bear's War, Book #5 of the Asps Series - Patty getting help with the problem of having two terrorists on her plane.

Today’s excerpt is from Bear’s War, Book #5 of the nine-book Asps Series.  Patty, with two terrorists aboard her charter service plane, continues the ruse of flying into heavy winds.  She then let’s Jim know when to expect her, and gives him info that requires the help of Hector Garcia, and Dan and Janet Orf.   Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

m.j.

 

Patty was doing quite nicely, thank you.  After about two hours of flight, she would dip the plane and bring it back up to her cruising altitude, sometimes quite violently.  Once, over the beginning of the Rocky Mountains, she did such a good job of it that, once she was straightened back out, Rolfe came to the cockpit and asked, “Is everything all right up here?  I mean with the problems you seem to be having.”

Patty laughed.  “I wouldn’t say everything is fine, but nothing I can’t handle.  I’ve made a turn to the north and will change course again shortly, in an attempt to get around the worst of the turbulence.  We’ve been skirting a major thunderstorm to our south and west.  The only real problem we’ve got is fuel.  Fighting this headwind and changing course from time to time is burning off a lot of it.  I think I’ll make a refueling stop in an hour or so.  Depending on the course I’m on at the time, I may stop at a small private strip, where I can at least get fuel cheaply.  A guy and his wife run a small plane service operation there.  They don’t advertise, but help out anyone in trouble.  I’ve known them for some time since I flew with the airlines.  Met them through a mechanic at the last airline I worked for.  Good people.  May not need to make the stop, but don’t want to risk getting too low on fuel.  I’ll figure it out in the next half hour or so, and see if the stop is really necessary.  I thought of stopping at their place if it’s necessary, because we won’t waste too much time on the ground.”

Rolfe nodded and swallowed.  “Err on the side of caution, please.  If you think there is any chance of running out of fuel, please do stop.  A short time on the ground would be appreciated, however.  We are being met and don’t want to be too late.  How late do you think we’ll be, as it is…with the headwind situation and all?”

“Not too late.  I factored in a slower trip than normal, due to the forecast I had about the weather conditions.  In fact, I might be able to make up most of the time we’ve lost so far with the route I’m now on.  I can feel in the controls the wind seems to be dying down quite a bit, since the last little gust we hit.  With the stop I’m thinkin’ about making, we should be able to get down and back in the air in less than half an hour.  I’d suggest you call whoever is to meet you and tell them we’ll be about forty-five minutes later than we thought…but hold off on that until after we refuel just in case it takes longer than it normally does at this place.  I guess you’re right…we should go ahead and play it safe.  I’ll call ahead and tell them I’m on my way in, and ask them to be ready to refuel us, as time is important due to being met in Los Angeles.”

“Thank you, Patty.  I’ll go on back and wait for further word on what to tell the people meeting us in Los Angeles.”

Patty just nodded as Rolfe left, and breathed a sigh of relief when he re-shut the door to the cabin area.  She quickly called Jim and went through the process of identifying herself and asking if she could land for a fast refueling.  She explained the need for a fast turn-around, since her passengers were to be met in Los Angeles.  During the conversation, she casually mentioned which airport she was going to land at in Los Angeles.  She also gave Jim her estimated time of arrival, then got off the phone, knowing she had now given Jim something else to worry about.  She was just a little mad at herself for not telling Jim about the fact the two aboard would be met at the airport and which one it was, when she had first called him.

Jim, for his part, got on the phone to a friend in Los Angeles as soon as he finished talking to Patty.  The friend Jim called was an old comrade in arms, retired Marine Master Sergeant Hector Garcia, father of Billy Garcia, and former Janitor.  Jim explained the situation—including the probability that there were less-than-upstanding citizens waiting to meet whoever it was Patty had on board her plane.  When he finished, Hector asked, “You want me to round up Dan and Janet, and try to do what?  Grab these guys? And, if so, do what with them…bring them to you?”

“Sounds good.”

“Okay.  We nab them—I’ll tell you when to expect us in Montana.”

After Jim thanked him and got off the phone, Hector pushed an intercom button to the office adjoining his.  Dan Orf and his wife Janet ran a detective agency out of a building owned by Hector.  While one of Hector’s businesses was a protection/detective agency, he and the Orfs didn’t compete—in fact, in several cases, they worked together.  Dan was a former Navy SEAL…now retired…and former Janitor.

Janet, also a former Janitor, poked her head into Hector’s office.  “Dan’s on the phone—be right over.  You need us for something?”

“Yeah.  Jim called.  I’ll wait until Dan comes in, too, and only explain the deal once.  Come on in and have a seat…I’d rather look at you and your lovely red hair than look at Dan anyhow.”

“Flirt.”

“Don’t tell Rosa.”

“Your secret is safe with me…plus which, I don’t want your wife on my case.”

Dan walked in and asked, “Rosa on your case about what, honey?”

“Hector flirting with me.”

“Good taste, Hec.  What’s up?”

 

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Tears And Terrorists, Book #4 of the Asps Series - Judy's memory coming back.

Today’s excerpt is from Tears And Terrorists, Book #4 of the nine-book Asps Series.  Judy’s memory starting to come back…and some of it isn’t too nice.  They want his help in finding the al-Qaida terrorist operating out of the area.  Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

“Yeah.  We bugged her room…just in case she has a problem.  Got speakers for the bugs all over the damned place.”

Dan remembering to turn the speaker on paid large dividends half an hour later, as they all heard screaming from Judy’s bungalow.  Jim was nearest the tunnel connecting the pool room to the bungalow section.  He tore off in that direction, with Dan right behind him and Janet last in line, but closing ground on the two men as they raced down the tunnel.  When Jim reached the door, he opened it and stood aside to let Dan and Janet go in first.  Judy was having a violent nightmare, and Janet rubbed her arm and said soothing things to her, until she woke up shivering and crying.  Janet pulled her part way upright and held her tight, until Judy calmed down.  Judy muttered, “Now I remember where the scars on my ankles and wrist came from.  Oh, God, I wish I didn’t.  It was horrible.”

Dan reached out and stroked her hair.  “You tell us what you want when you want.  We don’t need to know.”

Judy shook her head.  “No, this I’ve gotta tell you.  I tried to escape.  Made it to the sea and was gonna try to swim for it…or steal a boat or something.  To where, I didn’t know, but figured I might run into a ship that wasn’t Iranian.  By the way, it was the Iranians who sank our boat and fished me out of the drink.  Anyhow, they caught me there at ocean’s edge.  Took me back to the prison and chained me up.  They raped me over and over again…all the guards must have had a turn.  Anyhow, the reason this is important—I saw Tommy when they brought me back.  He was in one of the cells…saw me and cried.”

Jim gently asked, “Do you have any idea how long ago that was?”

Judy smiled faintly.  “I don’t know when ‘now’ is…I mean, what year and so forth.  Or the month, or anything.”

Jim told her and Judy nodded, “In that case, about three years ago…no, more like two and a half.  They had us a long time, huh?”

Janet stroked her hair.  “Yeah, they did.”

Judy just shivered as she remembered more, but couldn’t bring herself to tell the others right then.  She knew she’d have to get it out, but she’d wait until it was just she and Janet.  The men could find out from Janet.  She was too embarrassed to tell them.

 

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Fido, Book #3 of the Asps Series - Drew and Boris after al-Qaida terrorist.

Today’s excerpt is from Fido, Book #3 of the nine-book Asps Series.  Boris and Drew, along with Suzan and Janet visit an old friend of Boris…who had absconded with millions from KGB coffers after the fall of the Soviet Union.  They want his help in finding the al-Qaida terrorist operating out of the area.  Enjoy and have a fantastic day.

m.j.

 

When the plane was about fifty miles from the ranch of the man calling himself Vladimir Sokolov, Boris called the number Angelo had given him.  When he had Vladimir Zukov on the phone, he said, “Hello, Vlad, old friend.  I thought I better let you know who’s about to land at your ranch.  Boris Telman, here.”

Vladimir Zukov turned pale and choked out the words, “How did you find me?”

“Quite by accident…and mean no harm to you.  I could care less about the little nest egg you took with you.  I took a good deal more over the years.  You keep my secret, and I’ll keep yours.  Your friend in Costa Rica has no idea I know your real name.  I’d like to land on good terms.  If you’d prefer I not land, I will tell my pilot to turn around, and we will forget each other.  Your choice.”

Vladimir had trouble even breathing at that point.  “Land…on good terms.  We have a deal about secrecy…both ways.”

When the plane landed, only Vladimir was in the Land Rover to meet it.  After Boris got off with Drew, he walked up to Vladimir and nodded, “Hello, Vlad,” and held out his hand, which was taken and shaken.

As Vladimir glanced at Drew, he noticed the two women getting off the plane.  Boris introduced his three companions to Vladimir, using the last name Sokolov.  It seemed to relieve Vladimir somewhat, who, even as he had driven to the plane wondered if Boris had told him the truth on the phone.  Introductions out of the way, Boris got to the point of the trip.  “We need your help, old friend.  We’re looking for a man in Laguna de Perlas, going by the name of Rafael Sanchez.  Do you happen to know him?”

“No, afraid not.  What’s he to you?”

“He’s al-Qaida.  I want him…very badly.”

“Al-Qaida…here in Laguna de Perlas?  What are they doing here?”

“That is what we hope to find out.  Will you help us, beyond letting us land here?”

“Yes.  Yes, of course.  Come, let me drive you to my ranch house, and we can discuss it over…vodka.”

As they got into the Land Rover, Boris, who had introduced the ladies only by their first names, added to this earlier introduction.  “I omitted the last names of the ladies.  Suzan is my wife.  Jan is the wife of a dear friend, who is presently at the home of your friend in Costa Rica…who, by the way, has no idea I know who you are.  I managed to keep it to myself when he showed me a picture of you two with a cow…er, pardon, ‘prize bull.’  He simply knows I’m after this Sanchez fellow, and I was coming to Laguna de Perlas to hunt for him.  Since you have your ranch here with airstrip, he suggested we land here, to save a bit of aggravation from landing at Bluefields, then taking a boat to Laguna de Perlas.  I have, of course, informed my friends here of your real identity.  However, you may trust their silence on the matter.  Those friends of mine still at your friend’s ranch can also be trusted with the information.  I see no need to let your friend know, however.”

Vladimir recognized the threat in the statement.  Knowing full well he was being told the failure of the four in his Land Rover to return to Costa Rica would be dealt with in an unfriendly manner, and he would, at best, be exposed.  He was, however, pleased at the subtle way Boris had warned him against treachery.  He decided at once the unfriendly reception he had planned for Boris and his friends at his ranch house would be cancelled.  He took the radio microphone, which was connected to his home.  “I’m on my way back with my friend and his companions.  Please start preparing the food, for a grand meal in their honor.”

Had he made no contact on the radio, his men had instructions to take out whomever he brought to the ranch house, as soon as they got out of the Land Rover.  Now his men quickly dispersed, and his domestic staff was told to get about preparing the requested meal.

Boris smiled after the radio message was sent and asked, “How many?”

Vladimir asked, “How many what?”

“How many men did you have waiting at your home, to eliminate us?”

Vladimir thought of lying, but remembered Boris was one of the few men who actually frightened him.  He answered, “Six.”

“Not enough, I fear.  Oh, and a grand meal at this time of night is not needed.  We have already eaten, but thank you for the thought.”

Vladimir swallowed, because he suddenly realized his six men might not have been enough and he might have died in the process.  When he stopped the Land Rover, he paid closer attention to the two women as they got out, and noticed both were wearing well-concealed shoulder holsters.  He reasoned the wife of Boris Telman quite probably was very capable, in spite of her gender, and suddenly was very sure he and his men might have failed in their efforts to eliminate Boris and his party.  Only then did he remember the name ‘Drew Hollins’…which had to be short for Andrew F. Hollins…the best man the CIA ever had.  He was almost sick to his stomach at that point, and glad they didn’t want to eat.

 

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The Zimo Hunt, Book #2 of the Asps Series - Boris and Drew to hunt for Zimo.

Today’s excerpt is from The Zimo Hunt, Book #2 of the nine-book Asps Series.  Boris and Drew volunteer to hunt down Zimo.  Enjoy and have a fantastic day.

m.j.

 

Everyone laughed at that, and then Ike—who had been going over the printed out material found on the laptop taken by Dusty, Bear, and Kye on their little side adventure involving the Chechens and their al-Qaida higher up—swore and added, “Man-o-man, I want this bastard!”

On a list of reliable al-Qaida contacts in various countries was a man in Iraq.  He was a member of the government there, and had been a pain in the side of Army Special Forces for some time.  The others gathered around and took note of the man on the list Ike was now pointing to.

Bruce patted him on the shoulder.  “We get time, you can have him, Ike.  Iraq was your territory, and I can imagine why you want him.  For now, we have other fish to fry.  How do we go about tracking down Zimo?”

Boris answered, “I not humbly suggest you let Drew and me handle that little matter.  First off, we should find out where his plane lands…then Drew and I will commence finding him for you.”

Bruce looked at Boris.  “Thanks for the offer, Boris, but you two guys have done enough for us.  I know this has kept you away from your homes and lifestyles for some time now.  I also know you two can do a better, faster job than we can—but I don’t feel right in asking it of you.”

Drew asked, “Who asked us?  We volunteer.  We stirred things up on this Zimo character, and we’ll see it through.  Neither of us is too good at letting someone slip through our fingers and having someone else pick up our pieces.”

Boris smiled and added, “Furthermore, this has been fun.  Drew and I have a lifestyle of chess, golf, and sex.  While the sex—in my case, at least—is excellent, the chess is better now that Drew has learned a thing or two.  The golf is also better, now that I have learned a thing or two.  It keeps the blood circulating to have a turn or two around our old area of expertise.”

Harry smiled.  “Offer accepted, with thanks.”

Drew nodded.  “Good.  Tony, get on the horn and use your influence to find out where in the hell his plane lands.  Until then, I’m napping.  Oh, and the sex I experience with Sharon is excellent, also.  Holly, I trust when you girls get together again, you’ll pass along that last to my bride.”

 

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Birth Of The Asps, Book #1 of the Asps Series - Coup plot uncovered.

Today’s excerpt is from Birth Of The Asps, Book #1 of the nine-book Asps Series.  The Asps uncover a coup plot by terrorists to take over the government of the small island nation of Dominica.  Enjoy and have a wonderful day.

m.j.

 

Long before Dusty had left the hotel, Harry called Glenn Burgess back.  “We’ve got a situation.”

“Go ahead.”

“Dusty and Kye found the ‘bad guys,’ but you’re not gonna believe what they’re up to.  These idiots are planning to stage a coup on the island and put in some local nut-cake politician as President and Prime Minister.”

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Sure am.  Think you better call the Brits…Tony Henry, if you can get him.  I suggest you tell us exactly what to do.  Should we turn the mess over to the Brits, or just have Tony come down to help us clean up the mess?”

“How big a mess…that is, how many of ‘em?”

“Dusty said about a hundred.  Bruce and I originally figured on about thirty, so they must have been setting this up longer that we thought.”

“When?”

“That’s the rub.  Day after tomorrow morning...leaving the camp at some time after two and finishing up by four.”

“Shit.  I’ll call Tony.  So long.”

“Bye.”

Glenn thought a minute, then called British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS)—known as MI6—and asked for Tony Henry, a long-time friend and intelligence trading partner of both Glenn and Harry.  When they told him Tony was on the island of Barbados, he thought how fortunate he was to have tracked Tony down there.

With Tony on the phone, Glenn sighed, and thought just a second.  “This is Glenn Burgess, Tony.  You on a secure line?”

“Yes…you?”

“Yes.  We’ve got a ‘situation,’ as Harry Chickamunga called it.”

“How is Harry these days?”

“Fine—except for the mess he found for you.”

“Which is?”

“It’s about that Dominica thing you were worried about.  Harry told me they estimate about a hundred al-Qaidas are there, planning a coup.  Of further possible interest, a Chinese Frigate and an Iranian Destroyer are en route from Cuba to Venezuela, but taking a strange course to get there.  Before calling you, I got an update on their location, and it would be very easy to alter course slightly and wind up at Dominica.”

“Whoa, whoa, hold it.  That makes no sense.”

“Tell me about it.  The additional rub is that they plan to do this in less than thirty-six hours.  We’ve got Harry and four others on Guadeloupe—or rather Marie-Galante—and two more on Dominica.  Since they’re all Special Forces trained and excellent at what they do, they’ll have no problem taking out a hundred idiot al-Qaidas.  I’ll be happy to second them to MI6, for say about forty-eight hours, if you keep it to yourself that I did so without authorization.  Or you can just deal with it yourself and I’ll pull my people out.”

“I’ve got time to get my own people in there, but your team has done the grunt work, so I may as well let them in on the fun.”

“In other words, if this blows up, you can blame it on us.”

Tony chuckled, “Something like that, old chap.”

“Okay.  Harry and his folks are on a cabin cruiser named Holly.  I’ll tell Harry you’ll be there…”

“Six hours.”

“Done.”

 

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