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Book Information
Genre:
FICTION / Suspense
Publication:
Sep 29, 2009
Pages:
281
Books by Mike Thompson
WHAT DROVE HIM OVER THE EDGE...
WAS HIS YOUNG SON’S TRAGIC DEATH on a family hunting trip near his brother’s Boonville home, in the Northern California Coastal Range. Hunting accident... animal attack... mistaken identity... or was the innocent boy simply the first victim of his father’s murderous rampage?
To the small-town sheriff, it doesn’t really matter. Three close friends of his — all federal rangers — are also dead. If Dimitri Magnussen killed his own son, too, the autopsy should make that clear. In the meantime, every available sheriff’s department and FBI resource will be trying to put the pieces together, before he kills again. Dimitri’s always had problems — a nasty temperament and an affinity to violence — but combine that with post-traumatic stress disorder after seven years in the Special Forces,and who knows what more he’s capable of. With the unwitting help of Dimitri’s wife, his former commanding officer in the SAS, his estranged parents, and his brother, Wolf — they’ll soon see there’s a whole lot more to this story than meets the eye. Too bad, not everyone will live to tell the tale. It’s a web of deceit, and a story of betrayal forged in the worst possible way... by their own blood.
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"Really?" Dad inquired, making a face as if to say "how long can we keep this lie going?"
"Yeah, really." Directing his attention back to Maria, he said, "We got Jackie's autopsy results back this morning. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Considering what they all thought they'd be trying to tell her, everyone was relieved to either be hearing or telling the story that way. Maria, on the other hand, was grief stricken again at the thought of the attack, and hung her head, covering her face with her hands.
She sat back into a rickety, half-lacquered, wooden side chair that Bill pulled up behind her as he guided her down to it with his hand on her shoulder, saying, "By all account of your brother-in-law, Maria, it happened very fast."
He figured that knowing her son didn't suffer long may make her feel a little better, but she simply cried harder.
Fredericks interjected, "Take all the time you need Mrs. Magnussen. We'll take you to the County Coroner's Office to see him if you want to... and when you're ready." Looking over her head to my dad, he said, "Jon, can the sherrif and I talk to you for a minute in his office?"
"Sure."
They all walked across the main workroom of the station and Bill opened the door to his office. "After you," he said, clearing the way for my dad and Agent Fredericks. Bill stepped in and closed the door behind him. "Have a seat, Jon."
"What's up? Did you find Dimitri? Is he alive?"
"Oh yeah, we found him. Well, the truth of it is that he found us. And he is alive. I shot him -- or else Wolf wouldn't be, but they're both okay."
"Oh Jesus. What happened?"
"We'll get to that in a minute," Bill said, and then paused.
Fredericks picked it up, "Some strange things were said between your sons, Jon. We were hoping you could shed some light on something for us."
By that time, Pops was already wringing his hands and visibly nervous about the next question. It was just the reaction they were thinking they might get. Fredericks' Blackberry began ringing and he silenced it before continuing, "So, it is true?" He stopped for a second. "What now?" he said, as his phone signaled an incoming text.
He pulled the phone out of its case and checked the message: "(415) 553-7401 - 911."
He cleared his throat and sighed nervously, "That's not good."
Bill asked, "Wuz 'a problem?"
"Hold on a second, guys." He dialed the number to his field supervisor on the 13th floor of the FBI's San Francisco headquarters, as Bill and Dad sat and listened for whatever was not good.
"It's Fredericks. What's going on?"
The special agent's chief rebuked him for his apparent incompetence and explained what was going on.
"You've got to be shitting me? Goddamn it! I'm on my way there now, I'll call you."
"What happened?" Bill asked.
"Dimitri's disappeared again. We gotta go."
"Son of a bitch!"
They all headed for the door and crossed the workroom, blindly dashing for the parking lot.
"Hey, guys!" Gloria called out.
The three turned to see Maria standing in front of a uniformed British Army officer wearing a tan-colored beret with a pin bearing a winged dagger; and on his shoulder, a maroon and blue Pegasus with an "S.A.S" rocker stitched above it. he was a little older, clean-shaven, tanned and leathery from years of outdoor work, graying hair, but still very visibly in excellent physical condition.
"This is Colonel Ackland. he just walked in."
Bill greeted him consisely with a handshake and a nod, "Hey, Colonel. Why don't you come with us?" he asked as he pressed on for the door.
Colonel Ackland obliged as the sheriff gave instruction to Deputy Williams, "Tommy, take Mrs. Magnussen... and why don't you take Jon as well," shoving my dad back towards the girls and Tommy, "and meet us at Mendocino Community in Uke in about an hour or two. Got that?"
"Yes sir, Sheriff."
About Mike Thompson
The author was raised on a working Quarter horse ranch in Northern California — not far from the setting of this novel. He’s a US Navy Seabee and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, former Close Quarters Combat instructor, and avid hunter. The author’s outdoor experience and military CQC background will be evident in the details of this suspenseful and thrilling nailbiter.
Presently, Mike is working on the second and third novels of the WOLF MAGNUSSEN series: TRUST NO ONE, and SKELETONS, at his home office in Lake Elsinore, California.
WHAT DROVE HIM OVER THE EDGE...
The author was raised on a working Quarter horse ranch in Northern California — not far from the setting of this novel. He’s a US Navy Seabee and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, former Close Quarters Combat instructor, and avid hunter. The author’s outdoor experience and military CQC background will be evident in the details of this suspenseful and thrilling nailbiter.