by Frank Zafiro
“Here’s to silent thunder,” she said with a thick tongue, her voice ragged. Or whatever the hell Rebecca wrote. It didn’t matter now.
Billie Jo Carson put the muzzle of the Glock under her chin, closed her eyes, and squeezed.
2009 hours
Chisolm stood at Battaglia’s freshly turned grave. He gazed down at the deeply etched letters on the headstone. He regretted that their last conversation had been a harsh one, but he knew that it had been the right thing to do. If anything, he should have had it sooner.
“I’m sorry, Batts,” Chisolm said quietly. “I let you down.”
The stone stared silently back up at him. Chisolm felt no sense of relief or forgiveness, but he hadn’t expected any.
“I’ll make it right,” he said.
He’d pull Carson aside over the next few days. He’d help her where he could and steer her to Katie MacLeod for the rest. She was part of the platoon now, and she deserved nothing less.
Chisolm glanced down at his watch. He had to get to the station and prepare for a graveyard shift. Battaglia would understand.
“Take care of yourself,” Chisolm said, “wherever you are.”
2032 hours
Connor O’Sullivan sat in his car, half a block away from Battaglia’s house. The engine idled while his foot rested on the brake. He felt guilty as hell for not coming to the house right after the funeral, but he simply couldn’t. All of the grief that had been pent up inside had come ripping out of him. He didn’t want anyone to see him like that. It was bad enough that the two gravediggers had come scrambling over to check on him. Besides, he wouldn’t have been any good to Rebecca or anyone else at the house. He would have been a burden, that’s all.
Still, he was embarrassed by his actions, so he stayed away a while longer. He ignored the phone when it rang. He didn’t check the two messages that someone left for him, sure that it was Rebecca. Probably worried about him.
He didn’t want to see anyone. What he wanted to do was crawl into a bottle for a few weeks and forget that his best friend was no longer among the living.
But that was wrong, and he knew it.
Battaglia was his best friend. That meant he owed it to Batts, and to himself, to be a good friend to Rebecca and the kids. Besides, if there was anyone in the world who understood how he felt right now, it would be her.
Sully released the brake and headed down the street.
There was more to it, he knew. He had a final message to deliver to her. Battaglia’s final words, muttered and bloody: “Tell her I’m sorry.”
Even as he lay dying, his best friend was thinking about his wife and how it would affect her. That was a great man, as far as Sully was concerned.
Sully didn’t know if he had it in him to be a great man. He’d made his share of mistakes. But he knew he could be a great friend. He could take care of Battaglia’s family for him.
That much he could do.
He pulled into the driveway, stopping short when he saw something in his path. He shut off the engine. When he got out of the car, he saw that it was Maggie’s pink bicycle, complete with training wheels and a bell. A rush of joy washed through him, tempered with sadness. Sully grabbed the bike by the center of the frame and carried it up the walkway with him. When he reached the front door, he didn’t hesitate.
He put a smile on his face.
He took a deep breath and knocked.
Acknowledgments
As always, when you’re writing any book, you get a lot of help (and indulgence) along the way. I’d like to say thanks to a few people who fall into one or both categories.
Russ Davis and the GDP staff, for making the River City series a reality.Especially Andrew Corder, for his thoughtful and diligent editing of this novel.
Steve Wohl and Brad Hallock, for giving an early draft a read.
Mark Porter, for his knowledge of Russian gangs and making sure I didn’t get something so wrong as to embarrass myself. If there are any mistakes, they are certainly mine.
The Spokane Police Department, for being my professional home since 1993. You won’t find a greater collection of noble, brave, dedicated and intelligent people working in law enforcement. Not anywhere.
Jill Maser, who always offers the most critical of takes… and is almost universally correct. Thanks for making my work infinitely better after you touch it.
And Kristi, for all the reasons that only she and I know.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Frank Zafiro is the pen name for Frank Scalise. Frank became a police officer in 1993 and is currently a captain. He has written and taught courses at the Basic Law Enforcement Academy, written several college courses in police subject matter and co-authored A Street Officer’s Guide to Report Writing.
Frank is the author of numerous novels and short stories.
In addition to writing, Frank is an avid hockey player and a tortured guitarist. His wife, Kristi, is about the only person who will watch him do either activity.
You can keep up with him at http://frankzafiro.com or his blog at http://frankzafiro.blogspot.com. He also writes under his given name and you can check that out at http://frankscalise.com.
OTHER BOOKS BY FRANK ZAFIRO
River City Series (Crime Novels)
Under a Raging Moon
A violent robber is loose in River City. Meet the cops that must take him down.
Stefan Kopriva, a young hotshot. Katie MacLeod, a woman in what is still mostly a man’s world. Karl Winter, about to retire but with one more good bust left in him. And Thomas Chisolm, a former Green Beret who knows how dangerous a man like the Scarface Robber can be.
These are the patrol officers of River City – that mythical thin blue line between society and anarchy. They must stop the robber, all the while juggling divorces, love affairs, internal politics, a hostile media, vengeful gang members and a civilian population that isn’t always understanding or even grateful.
Written by a real cop with real experience, Under a Raging Moon is like a paperback ride-along. Enjoy the ride.
Under a Raging Moon is the first River City novel.
“Engrossing, fast-paced, suspenseful…highly recommended.”
LJ Roberts, DorothyL Mystery List
“Gritty, profane, and compelling.”
Lawrence McMicking, curledup.com
“If you like McBain, or any gritty police procedural, then Zafiro is someone for you to pick up, enjoy, and then wait for the next book.”
PJ Coldren, Amazon.com review
“Under A Raging Moon is an extraordinary crime novel. Like Ed McBain’s Isola, River City is a combination of the best and worst of the human species, and its cops are as complex and haunted as the criminals they battle each day. Frank Zafiro has created a gritty, totally authentic world with believable characters, nonstop action, and snappy dialogue (think Hill Street Blues in Washington state). Don’t miss this book–It’ll keep you turning pages well into the moonlit night.”
John M. Floyd, award-winning author of Rainbow's End
“In Under a Raging Moon, Frank Zafiro doesn’t tell you about the mean streets, he takes you to them with clear, concise writing as solid as the asphalt beneath your feet. You feel the tension between those out there to prey and those there to protect. You feel the anxiety of knowing every routine traffic stop could turn into a killing, and every junkie and pusher you bust wants you dead. He also takes you deep behind the badge. His ensemble cast of cops have issues within themselves and with each other and can’t leave them at home any more than we can. You’ll be there with them in the squad room, in the patrol cars and in their favorite watering hole.
“Frank Zafiro has woven a powerful story with realistic, memorable characters, a suspenseful plot and a climax that will leave you breathless. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it would be like to put on the blue uniform, wear a badge and carry a gun, this one is highly recommended.”
Earl Staggs, Derringer Award-winning author
Heroes Ofte
n Fail
The men and women of the River City Police Department are sworn to protect and to serve. But when six-year-old girl is kidnapped off a residential street in broad daylight, each cop must rise to heroic levels. Detectives scramble to solve the kidnapping while patrol officers comb the streets looking for the missing girl. Racing against time, every cop on the job focuses on finding her. Before it is too late. Before they fail her.
Heroes Often Fail is the second River City Crime Novel
“[a] complex police procedural with multi layered characters, a rich setting, and plenty of action.”
Kevin Tipple, independent reviewer
“[An] affecting novel from a writer who knows not only the job, but the grueling toll certain cases can take on the victims and those charged with upholding law and order.”
Russel McLean, Crime Scene Scotland.
"Strap yourself in for this citizen’s ride-along! Frank Zafiro pits cop against perp in the race to save six-year-old kidnap victim Amy Dugger. The problem for the River City PD is that Amy’s abductor isn’t the only creep in town. Zafiro not only drops us right into the precinct during business hours, but he also succeeds at presenting the human side of cops. We come to know these men and women who risk everything to do their duty. We hope they become heroes. And we pray they do not fail."
Jill Maser, award-winning author of UNSPOKEN
“Heroes Often Fail is a riveting, intimate account of a parent’s worst nightmare and the men and women of the River City Police Department. The author skillfully portrays the protagonist’s inner conflict. Moving and real. Impossible not to get caught up in the emotional roller coaster crafted by this talented writer.”
T. Dawn Richard, author of the May List Mystery Series
“Heroes Often Fail delivers what we've come to expect from Frank Zafiro--sharp-edged dialogue, vivid characters, and an intimate knowledge of the way things work in an urban police department. A tense, frightening tale, and the best River City novel to date.”
John M. Floyd, award-winning author of Rainbow's End
“Heroes Often Fail could be one of the most authentic police procedurals I've read. The story appears deceptively simple--a six-year old girl snatched from the streets, but as it jumps around between the lives of the detectives and uniformed officers trying to find her, it adds a more layered, sophisticated texture. Written in short chapters and lean, muscular prose, this is an exceptionally satisfying and engrossing read, and a book that would've made Ed McBain proud!”
Dave Zeltserman, author of Bad Thoughts
“A standout amongst police procedurals, Frank Zafiro's Heroes Often Fail does the job of not only showing the nuances of police work, but also the effects of crime on the victims. In a literary world populated (and dulled) by shiny lab technicians and ridiculously elaborate setpieces, Mr. Zafiro never forgets the dirt under the nails approach and the heart of any great story - the characters. The writing is brutally dark and jolting in places, hopeful in others, not an easy balancing act that Mr. Zafiro pulls off seamlessly. A small(er) town offspring of Wambaugh and McBain, it stands amongst the greats and finds enough room to be completely on its own terms.”
Todd Robinson, editor of Thuglit
“A riveting, suspenseful novel in both the human condition as well as storyline.Excellent!”
Cynthia Lea Clark, FMAM Magazine
Beneath a Weeping Sky
River City is plagued by a serial rapist. His attacks are becoming more brutal and Detective John Tower is sure that he’ll go from rape to murder if he isn’t stopped soon.
Meanwhile, the rapes stir up ghosts for both Officer Katie MacLeod and Officer Thomas Chisolm. Both struggle to put those haunted memories to rest even as they are drawn into the center of Tower’s investigation.
When a series of mis-steps and near misses push the rapist even further, everyone involved must face their old fears…or be destroyed by them.
Beneath a Weeping Sky is the third River City novel.
"Frank Zafiro channels Ed McBain and Joesph Wambaugh in this taut and frightening thriller."
Simon Wood, author of Terminated
“Frank Zafiro's River City series succeeds where so many fail of late, in not only delivering whipcrack plotlines, but characters as real as the breath in your lungs. You feel with them, rage with them, and bleed alongside these cops. Mr. Zafiro's writing deserves more than comparison with the greats of the police procedural sect, it holds it's own amongst them.”
Todd Robinson, editor of Thuglit
Waist Deep
When disgraced former cop Stefan Kopriva is asked by an old high school classmate to find a runaway sixteen year old girl, he reluctantly accepts. Driven by guilt over a terrible mistake that drove him from the force more than ten years earlier, Kopriva battles old injuries, old demons and long ago memories as he unravels the mystery of the missing Kris Sinderling... and seeks his own redemption..
The Last Horseman
Sandy Banks is the last of The Four Horsemen, a vigilante group of ex-cops determined to right the injustices of a broken court system. But now the project is disintegrating, putting him in the middle of chaos. Betrayed by his final partner, blackmailed by the project head and pursued by federal agents bent on busting the case wide open, Sandy scrambles to escape this mayhem with his soul intact.
“This book kept me turning the pages late into the night.”
Debbi Mack, author of Identity Crisis and Least Wanted
Dead Even: A River City Anthology
Detectives and mobsters, missing mummies and a shootout with Gypsies – here are fifteen stories featuring major and minor characters from the novels of Frank Zafiro, now given their own chance to shine. The good, the bad, and the in-between of River City come together in this fast-paced collection of theft, mystery, murder and detection, where the heroes of River City will keep fighting until the scales of justice are once again…Dead Even. Some of these stories are action packed, others heart-rending, but all will leave you satisfied.
"The range of different character voices that Zafiro masters is amazing."
Asa Bradley, bark
“Frank Zafiro’s work is the kind readers won’t soon forget. It strikes deep into a reader’s mind and heart creating people and situations so real, they stick with you long after you’ve read the work. From the details of a crime in progress to police banter on and off the job to the gritty particulars of life in River City, Zafiro is a winner. He becomes his characters and you see life and crime and police work through their eyes. It’s impossible to choose a favorite in this collection, they are intertwined and work together in a way that creates a resonance in those who read these tales. Frank Zafiro’s work is powerful and memorable, two things every writer strives for in their work.”
Joseph R.G. DeMarco, author of Murder on Camac
“While Dead Even is a great introduction to the characters of Frank Zafiro’s River City novels, it is also a superb collection of short stories. From the heartbreaking, “The Worst Door” to the lethal combination of “Pride Goeth” and “And a Fall Cometh”, Zafiro has something for everyone. These aren’t just crime stories, they are stories that touch on the human emotions of both the cops and the criminals while taking readers on a roller coaster ride through the streets of River City.”
Sandra Seamans, short story author
“Frank Zafiro’s stories possess a ring of realism that can only be created by someone who has actually lived the life of a police officer. For readers who are seeking to get as close to the action as possible without being exposed to the dangers of police work, DEAD EVEN: A RIVER CITY ANTHOLOGY will be a real treat. They’ll be transported to a world where they’ll be able to actually see, hear, taste, and smell what it’s like to be a cop—but they’ll get to live to tell about it. Frank Zafiro continues to impress with this one.”
BJ Bourg, Chief Investigator, Lafourche Parish DA’s Office
“Hyper-realistic fiction at its best. Come r
ide along with cops in DEAD EVEN: A RIVER CITY ANTHOLOGY by Frank Zafiro. It's like being in a squad car, taken to a crime scene.”
O'Neil De Noux, SHAMUS and DERRINGER Award Winning author of the LaStanza New Orleans Police novels.
“It's rare to find a collection of characters where each one is fantastically well defined-- and particularly rare in the case of crime fiction, where the crime often dominates. Better still, the crimes that Frank puts out for these characters are both plausible and intriguing-- nothing rehashed or recycled. Compelling characters, engrossing plots, and overall, a fantastic collection of shorts, though I would expect nothing less from the author of the River City novels. I would have read it one sitting-- and certainly tried-- but my infant son doesn't understand why I don't want to put down the Frank Zafiro story I'm reading. At least not yet.”
Clair Dickson, author of Bo Fexler mysteries
“Whether you’re already a fan of the River City novels and stories or discovering Frank Zafiro for the first time, you’ll love this book. Every tale provides exactly what his readers have come to expect: fascinating characters, authentic police work, and spot-on dialogue. Dead Even is an exceptional—and deliciously entertaining—collection of stories.”
John Floyd, award-winning author of Rainbow’s End, Midnight, and Clockwork
No Good Deed: A River City Anthology
An ex-cop looking for redemption...an American man and an Irish lass interwined in love and violence...a cop with a conscience that he doesn't always listen to...a retired cop looking to repair a broken relationship with his drug-addicted son...a Yankee cop in the West Texas...these are the characters you'll meet and explore in No Good Deed.