by Chris Thrall
“Hans, is that you?” Penny stirred.
“Right here, honey.” He set the notebook down and went to her side. “How is it?”
“Feels like I’ve been shot – ouch!” She grimaced.
“That’s probably because you have.” Hans kissed her forehead. “Can I get you anything?”
“Some new ribs would be good.” Penny eased herself onto an elbow. “What are you looking at?”
“See for yourself.” Hans lifted the notebook. “Do you remember the picture I took of us with the mayor in his office?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I spotted this photo on his wall, taken in Nicaragua during the civil war.”
Penny craned at the shot. “Enrique . . . Gonzales . . . his butler.”
“And this fourth guy.” Hans tapped the screen.
Penny stared for a few seconds. “Well, definitely not Latino. I’m guessing American – CIA?”
“Howard Baxter.” Hans nodded. “The guy who got my team drowned in Sierra Leone.”
“The same guy who blocked Muttley’s request for US Navy assistance when Future went down?”
“Yeah, and I’m pretty certain he had Kerry and JJ killed too.”
“And do you think he’s linked to the Trade?”
“Look at the photo, Penny. Don’t all roads lead to Rome?”
“Yeah, of course,” Penny muttered, knowing where this particular road led before she’d even seen the picture. “You’re going to kill him, aren’t you?”
“Penny, I—”
As Hans spoke, Jessica emerged from slumber.
“Papa,” she murmured, rolling to face them.
“Sweet pea, I thought you were gonna sleep forever!”
“No, I’m fine.” She gave a stoic shrug.
“You’ve been Daddy’s brave girl, hey?”
“Ah! I told that man you were gonna come and kick his ass.”
“Oh, you did, did you?” Hans glanced at Penny as they fought not to laugh.
“Yeah, I told Holly too. She was a bit scared – she’s just a little kid. She didn’t even know where America is – she called us Mercans.”
“So, you’re feeling fine.” Hans grinned.
“Snoozin’s for losing, Papa.”
Penny stretched out a hand, and Jessica grabbed it. “I love you, sweet pea.”
“I love you too, Penny. Can we go back to Portland now?”
“Hey!” said Hans. “We can all go back to Portland tomorrow. But do you know what?”
“What, Papa?”
“There’s someone who wants to say hi!”
Jessica’s face froze in fear. “Wh-wh-who, Papa?”
Hans reached into his daypack. “It’s this little guy,” he said, waggling the culprit in front of her.
“Bear!” she screamed, taking her buddy into her arms.
Bio
Chris Thrall is a former Royal Marines Commando and author of the bestselling crystal meth memoir Eating Smoke. A qualified pilot and skydiver, Chris has backpacked throughout all seven continents, worked with street children in Mozambique, driven aid workers from Norway to India and back by coach, and scuba dived with leopard seals in Antarctica. He lives in Plymouth, England, and plans to continue adventuring, charity work and writing.
www.christhrall.com
www.twitter.com/ChrisThrall
www.facebook.com/christhrallauthor
Acknowledgments
To my Jenny for your encouragement and unconditional support. My loyal Eating Smoke readers, many of whom said, “Chris, you write it, we’ll read it.” My awesome delta team of Mike “Rosco” Ross, Carole Poke, Patrick Burke, Nikki Davenport, Sian Forsythe, Nikki Densham, Fiona Jackson and Kenneth Fossaluzza for volunteering to read the manuscript and feeding back with invaluable observations and advice. Andy Screen at Golden Rivet your amazing artwork and dedication has brought the Hans Larsson series to life. Marcus Trower, for polishing the final draft and being a great editor to work with. Thank you.
Books by Chris Thrall
The Hans Larsson series
The Drift
The Trade
Non fiction
Eating Smoke: One Man’s Descent into Crystal Meth Psychosis in Hong Kong’s Triad Heartland