With Malice Aforethought: A Women's Mystery Thriller (Meredith Ryan Mystery Book 3) by Thonie Hevron

Author:Thonie Hevron [Hevron, Thonie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781685492625
Publisher: Rough Edges Press
Published: 2023-05-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Forty

Thursday, May 21, Late Morning

“On second thought, I’m coming with you assholes to be sure it’s done right.” Steiner caught the younger brother rolling his eyes under the brim of his ball cap. Pissed at the disrespect, Steiner slugged the kid again, this time in the eye. “You’re on a short leash, dickhead.”

Younger Lewis stumbled, more from surprise than from the blow. Blinking, he bobbed to attention. “Yes, sir.”

“And you, too, stupid.”

Older Brother focused on his shoes. “Yes, sir.”

“Now let’s get this job done.” Steiner opened the truck’s passenger door. “Get in the back,” he snapped to Younger Brother. He’d have called the boys by name, but he couldn’t remember who was who. Older and Younger would do. The kid started for the pick-up bed.

Steiner didn’t try to hide his disgust. “Get your guns, for God’s sake.” Frankly, he didn’t care enough to know their names. “And a half dozen grenades, too.”

The Lewis brothers’ truck had springs that put Steiner airborne every time they hit a bump. And the road was rough. An old Forest Service road, the packed dirt hadn’t been graded in years. At the roadside, the terrain was open, with oaks and pines growing in the folds of the grassy hills. Farther down toward Healdsburg, vineyards lined Dry Creek Road. But up here, the isolation was almost a living being. Some people liked it, but Steiner couldn’t figure out why anyone would want to live there. It suited his needs for now. It was far enough away to allow him freedom to achieve his mission. His activities were best completed out of general view. It was a royal pain in the ass when he needed something from Santa Rosa, though. Depending on the weather, traffic, and what he wanted, it could be a half-day trip.

Sketchy communications were one major problem. He’d had to spend some big bucks to buy a satellite phone. It was crucial to stay in touch with his people up in Susanville. His force of thirty men to assist with the assaults on the police buildings had to be kept updated. After all, he would need them to assist the Black Corps when it came time to complete the mission.

Three rough miles later, they arrived at the ravine where the Jeep had crashed. Standing on the road, Steiner stared at the wreckage for some time. He studied it; used his binoculars. There, one behind the wheel—DeGraf—and another, the top half of a body visible in a raid jacket with SHERIFF stenciled across the back. Scanning the slope, he knew there was no way to get to the wreck to confirm the agents’ deaths. A glance at his watch—eleven o’clock—told him to get his ass moving, check the base out and get back to camp. He’d have to take a calculated risk they were all dead. Risk—he didn’t have a good record for taking risks. Shit.

Then, furious at the fuck-ups, he got back into the truck. “Get this heap of shit to the cops’ base, now!”

Older Lewis drove too damn recklessly for Steiner.

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