“My cole slaw is the best the Publix deli can make,” Teddi confessed, and the others groaned with laughter.
“I don’t know about you all, but my gut’s ready to bust,” Dex stated, and patted his bloated stomach. “Let’s retire to the comfy chairs on the back porch.”
There were no arguments. The stuffed group stretched out in the closest available porch chairs.
Teddi was the first to speak. “I’d like to fill you in on what I’ve been doing with our case the past month and a half.”
“Go for it, girl,” Jilly said, with a fleeting grin.
“Thanks.” Teddi scooted upright. “Before I was promoted to district supervisor, I was ordered to oversee a Charlie Simmons background investigation. Jackson, your buddy Art Holloway helped me out a lot.”
Jackson nodded, and she began her narration.
“Art and his Brazilian contacts ran an extensive check and discovered he was in cahoots with two of Brazil’s largest drug and animal smugglers. His family has been connected with the same people for over a hundred years. They were black-arts shamen who used their magic to coerce cooperation and pay-offs from the smugglers. The Swinsons were a bad-news lot. When they heard about the ancient demon temple in Florida, they murdered the entire Loggins family and bought Demon Key cheap.
“Bo and his father gradually had a change of heart about conjuring the demon, and that pissed off old Charlie big time. Charlie cleverly arranged Bo’s death at the high school, and planned on ruling the world. Well, he did get one wish. I’ll bet he and the demon are together in Hell as we speak. Case closed.”
“Too bad the bastards had to murder my friend Ike Noonan. He deserved better,” Dex lamented.
“Why did Swinson kill him?” Teddi asked.
“Swinson figured ole Ike knew who was behind the kidnappings and might spill the beans to me. I guess Bo couldn’t take that chance.”
“Did Ike know who was behind the kidnappings?” Jackson asked.
Dex shrugged. “Might have. He didn’t say, though.”
“Maybe he was protecting you. If he told you, your life might’ve been in jeopardy,” Jackson surmised.
Dex nodded pensively. “Yeah, might be.”
John cleared his throat. “On a happier note, I’ve quit the casino, and I’m traveling with Jilly in September to a North African dig.”
The group applauded.
“He’s going to be a real asset,” Jilly added. “We’ve practically restored the damaged Seminole cave drawings to their original color.”
“What part of the tribe’s history did Simmons try to obliterate?” Jackson asked.
“The part showing the grotto demon destroying the Native American villages and devouring the tribes,” Jilly explained. “I still don’t know its name.”
“Negalwin,” Jackson told her. “I heard Simmons call it by name.”
Jilly leaned over and gave him a hug. “Thank you so much!”
“The mosasaurs got a bum rap for all the bad things happening around here during the rainy seasons, when all along it was the demon,” John added. “The mosasaurs were the Indians’ saviors, making sure that the demon didn’t survive very long.”
Jackson pointed at Dex’s broken walkway. “You still haven’t gotten that fixed?”
“This is South Florida, Jackson. It took me a month just to get someone out here to give me a damn estimate,” Dex answered. “The wheels move slowly down here.”
The others nodded their agreement.
“While John worked up the nerve to quit the casino, Sheriff Stark placed me in charge of the mosasaur problem,” Jilly announced. “By the time I chose my team, the mosasaurs had abandoned the grotto. My divers found an underwater passage leading to the Atlantic. We released dye into it, and it appeared about twenty miles off the coast of Boca Raton.”
Jackson lit a Cuban cigar. “Could the divers make it through the passage?”
She crossed her legs and rested her folded hands on her lap. “They couldn’t. The currents were too strong, but we sent in a submergible with cameras. The videos showed us spots that would be impassible for the mosasaurs during dry seasons. Which, by the way, is every year except the monsoon-like summer we just experienced.”
“Thank God,” Jackson said, puffing a series of smoke rings into the still air.
“Hey, Jilly, did you ever find out how the whole danged temple lit up like the Fourth of July when the water hit that black step?” Dex asked.
“I’m afraid not. Some government metallurgists are looking into that right now, but so far all they’ve told me is that the temple’s made of an unknown gold alloy, not solid gold. They think that the saltwater acts like an electrolyte and somehow charges the alloy like a voltaic battery,” Jilly responded.
“Interesting,” Dex said, tipping his beer bottle to his lips.
“What I’d like to clear up,” John began, “is how Sheriff Stark knew to show up in the grotto during the ceremony?”
Dex chuckled. “He saw reports of the alligator population scramblin’ for dry land again, and he put two and two together — which for Stark, is a stretch — and he figured the mosasaur was headin’ back to the grotto. So, he gathered his sharpshooters together and high-tailed it out to Demon Key. Of course, he didn’t know a thing about the demon.” Dex chuckled. “I imagine when that thing came to life, he about shit his britches!”
Everyone roared.
Dex snapped his fingers. “I nearly forgot.” He rose, stepped inside, and returned a moment later with a small package wrapped in brown shipping paper. “This arrived for you, Jackson, over at my office.”
Jackson took it and perused the label. From Art Holloway in Brazil. “I wonder what he’s sending me,” he said, clenching his cigar firmly between his teeth.
“Open it,” Teddi urged.
Jackson ripped away the paper and lifted the lid of the plain wooden box. Everyone leaned toward Jackson. He removed a wad of shredded paper, and looked wide-eyed at a large, clear gemstone necklace. He pulled it out and studied the stone. A milky mist swirled inside. He found a folded sheet of paper on the bottom of the box and read it. He smiled.
“What’s it say?” Teddi demanded.
“It’s from Art. He says that this necklace is a gift from Yokie.” He quickly described his Brazilian friend. “The stone supposedly turns red in the presence of evil.”
“It’s a little late for that,” John said. “The case is closed, as Teddi said.”
“Well, you can never tell about the future,” Jackson responded, returning the note and necklace to the box.
“You can,” Dex chortled.
Jackson nodded. “Sometimes, but it usually involves someone else.”
Dex went outside, fished a beer out of the cooler, and returned to the porch. “Got to have me a little after-dinner drink,” he announced, and lifted the bottle to his lips.
“So what do we do about Demon Key?” Dex asked Teddi.
She looked at Jackson. “Somebody’s purchased it already.”
Dex’s mouth flew open. “Who?”
“Me,” Jackson replied. “And I plan to triple lock that mausoleum entrance to the grotto.”
Dex grinned. “Thank God it was you who bought the place. I was thinkin’ about takin’ some of my retirement funds and buyin’ the key myself. Glad I don’t have to.”
“Let’s just hope that it doesn’t rain like this summer for a long time,” John said.
“It’ll happen, and we’ll just hope there aren’t any more Swinsons hanging around who want to rule the world,” Teddi answered.
Jackson shrugged. “We’ll just have to keep an eye on it, won’t we, Dex?”
“Yeah, I suppose. It has been a little too quiet around here since you and Teddi left, anyway.”
“Good. Well, Dex, I have to check into my motel room. I’ll see you tomorrow for fishing, right?”
“You bet. Bright and early.”
Jackson said goodbye to the others, and w
alked Teddi to her car.
“So where does this leave us?” she asked demurely.
“As I told you before, I’m not real good at relationships.”
She stopped and gazed up at him. “We can work on that if you really want to.”
“How about some fishing some day?”
“I’d need plenty of cold beer.”
“I can handle that.” She rose on her tiptoes and kissed him.
He held her tightly. “You’ll make one helluva fishing buddy.”
She smiled. “I know.”
A week later, Jackson guided his bow-rider around the bend close to his bayou home and was shocked to see somebody lying naked on his dock. When he got closer, he recognized Teddi sunning on a brightly colored beach towel beside a suitcase and beach bag!
He moored the boat, and Teddi peeked out from beneath her arm.
“Just catching some rays, Jackson,” she said with a grin. “You mind?”
He jumped from the boat, pulled her to her feet, and kissed her.
“I didn’t think I’d see you for ages,” he managed, his eyes roaming her sexy body.
“I had some vacation time coming, and Cole brought me out here. I thought we could work on your relationship problem.”
“It seems to have solved itself.”
She kissed him again. “Good. Now we can work on your other problem.”
He frowned. How did she know about his anxiety attacks?
“I don’t . . . don’t know what you mean,” he stammered.
“Well, don’t get bent out of shape. I’m sure they’ll leave you alone eventually.”
Jackson was totally flustered. “Who’s they?”
Teddi pointed at the two mosasaurs surfacing behind him.
“I could really use that cold beer about now,” she murmured demurely, and kissed him again.
ALSO BY David Brookover
Mortal Eclipse
FBI Agent Nick Bellamy’s world is shattered when the phantom assassin he's been tracking for years brutally murders his wife. Now a broken man driven by vengeance and guilt, Nick is suddenly drawn into an investigation of a ghastly plot to annihilate the human race, initiated from a 1960’s top-secret government project, Mortal Eclipse. This project resulted in the accidental release of a monstrous, unearthly killer - his phantom assassin! Nick must reconcile his personal demons as he battles a sinister underworld of otherworldly adversaries, witches, and murderous mutants in order to save mankind. But time is running out . . .
Editorial Reviews for Mortal Eclipse:
“Tensely written, like reading Stephen King or Dean Koontz.” - Midwest Book Review (May, 2005)
“Sickly humorous moments keep the novel from becoming melodramatic . . . the conclusion pulls the stray ends of the plot together very convincingly.” - Writer's Digest (March, 2005)
Learn more at: http://davidbrookover.net
ALSO BY David Brookover
The Ancient Breed
The end of mankind . . .
FBI Orion Sector agents, Nick Bellamy, Neo Doss, and Crow, realize the dire consequences of failure as they investigate two chilling, international schemes that threaten man’s existence. The first entails a bloodcurdling plot to seize control of the world’s governments. The second involves the theft of the recently discovered Fountain of Youth that not only unleashes its invincible demon guardian, but also invokes the Curse of the Ancient Breed. Battling the dark forces that threaten mankind leads the Orion Sector agents to a single web of uncharted terror. Nick Bellamy is unaware that only he possesses the unique powers necessary to destroy his four thousand year old enemies and defeat the savage ancient breed. When Nick finally unravels the secret of his extraordinary physical abilities, it leads to a horrifying revelation . . . one that could doom the world - or save it.
Editorial Review for The Ancient Breed:
“FBI agent Nick Bellamy is back in a second novel that picks up just after “Mortal Eclipse”. This time Bellamy must tie up the connection between the fountain of youth and a monster that is preying on people in Florida. The story is tense with numerous conflicts that steer the tale along, while the writing is sharper and gives the feel of a Stephen King or Dean Koontz. Both books would make a great movie series.” - Midwest Book Review (September, 2005)
Learn more at: http://davidbrookover.net
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Demon Key Page 36