Charley Manner series Box Set

by Michael Marnier

  ~~~

  A NEW CARTEL LEADER

  MANNY GONZALEZ unholstered his gun and looked around the room at what remained of his team. A Coast Guard raid on the deep-water spar resulted in many arrests, drug seizure and rescue of twenty people destined for the human trafficking market. Only Manny and a few of his men escaped because they were still waiting on the Keys for initial deliveries of the refugees. Charley, Hawk, Spirit and Vicky derailed everything. They were able to convince their contact at the JFK Special Warfare Center’s Underwater Operations School in Key West to dispatch a deep water submersible to retrieve the radioactive drums from the bottom of the Deep Strait.

  Manny screwed a silencer into the barrel and set his gun on the table. He looked at each man with a penetrating stare before spitting on the floor. “Muchachos, it has been confirmed. Guizarro is dead.”

  The group of banditos were holed up in a vacant building on No Name Key, half way between Marathon and Key West. The building on Stock Island was now being surveilled by the Sheriff’s department. The drug runners needed to regroup.

  Manny puffed out his chest and stood up. The men shifted in their seats, avoiding eye contact with their volatile boss. Although he pretended to be sad about Guizarro’s demise, he relished the idea of taking over the cartel.

  “It is time to even the score with those meddling SEALs and their dog. And that DEA bitch, she will regret bringing her boyfriends into our operation.”

  One of the men spoke up, “But we have no money to buy more weapons and ammunition. The Coast Guard has picked up the prisoners on the spar and the drug shipments from Columbia. We are beaten. Let’s go home.”

  Manny glared at the man, picked up his silenced pistol and shot him in the forehead. The man fell back, crashing to the floor. No one moved.

  “Muchachos, we have faced more difficult enemies before. We must be strong.” He looked at the man laying in a pool of blood and spit on him. “Pedro was weak. There is no place for that in our band. Let us keep negative thoughts out of our minds. I want to hear ideas that give us a chance to regain what is rightfully ours. First task is to eliminate the SEALs, the dog and the DEA agent.”

  The remaining men kept deadpan expressions. After an awkward minute of silence Juan Sanchez spoke. “Señor, we are with you but what do you want us to do?”

  “Tonight, we will take the van and find out where the SEALs keep their boats and where they sleep. We will start with the one called Hawk. He has a woman and her daughter staying with him. They are the ones that jumped overboard.”

  Juan waved his hand, “And what do we do when we find them?”

  “Return here with the young girl. We must not approach the SEALs…yet.” Manny showed a brown-toothed smile, pulled an El-P blunt from his pocket and lit it. The marijuana-laced cigar was one of Guizarro’s. “I want to lure them into a trap where there will be no witnesses.”

  “How will we grab the girl without alerting the SEALs?”

  Manny waved his pistol, “Use your brain you idiot. Or do you want me to splatter it on the floor like Pedro’s? Now go get the van ready.”

  Juan cringed but remained silent, backing toward the door, followed by the rest of the band of desperate men.

  ~~~

  HAWK’S SOFTER SIDE

  HAWK DRAGGED HIS TIRED body up the path to his RV and opened the door. He stopped when he saw a vase of fresh flowers on the counter. He looked around in disbelief. His bachelor pad never looked so neat. No sweaty sock odor, no dirty dishes in the sink. A bowl of fresh fruit set on the table. He smelled something delicious. Carlotta was showing Angelina how to prepare quesadillas. They turned when Hawk closed the door and said, “Welcome home.”

  Hawk smiled and thought, I could get used to this.

  ~~~

  CARLOTTA TURNED OFF THE STOVE, filled a platter with quesadillas and placed it in front of Hawk and Charley seated at the dinette table in Hawk’s RV. Vicky and Carlotta’s daughter, Angelina, were sprawled on the couch cuddling with Spirit.

  Carlotta placed her hand on Hawk’s shoulder, “This is my special recipe, Hawk. I hope you like it.”

  Hawk was still recovering from his encounter with the mutant croc. He coughed up some phlegm and cleared his throat. “It looks delicious and smells wonderful, darlin. Will it help me clear my lungs, too?”

  I stuffed some in my mouth before Hawk could pick up his fork.

  “Hey, CJ, leave some for me.”

  “You snooze, you lose.”

  Hawk slid the platter away from me, but Carlotta pushed it back.

  “I will make more, enough for everyone. And I will put some hot salsa on yours, Hawk. It will clear your sinuses and maybe your lungs.”

  Vicky joined us at the table. “I’ll have some without the heat, thank you.”

  “I am glad to see you have an appetite, Vick.”

  “Why not, Charley. Mission accomplished for me. Guizarro is dead. Good riddance. Thanks for showing me the video clip of the bastard’s fiery death.”

  “Too bad you weren’t there but I didn’t want him to slip away. The explosion was immense. No way he could’ve survived”

  Vicky drew in a deep breath, “And I hope he burns in hell. Bad enough what he did to me but his plans for innocent people like Carlotta and Angelina is unforgivable.”

  Hawk grabbed Carlotta’s hand after she gave Vicky a plate. “Please come sit next to me. You have done enough.”

  Carlotta blushed. “I cannot do enough for all of you, especially you, Hawk. Angelina and I owe you our lives.”

  “You deserve better and I want you to know that you will always have a place to stay.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Hawk’s usual stone-cold expression softened. “I mean that I care about you very much.”

  It has been only a few days since we pulled them out of the Straits, but I sensed a real change in Hawk. Vicky gave me a knowing look that told me she could see it too.

  “Would you like some privacy, Hawk?”

  “No need, bro. You guys are family.” He put his arm around Carlotta and pulled her close. “I know it has only been a short time since you lost your husband, but I would love it if you and Angelina stay here permanently.”

  “Why Señor Hawk, is that a proposal?”

  Hawk turned red. “Well, er…you might say that. But there’s no rush to decide, Carlotta. I want you to be happy.”

  “This is overwhelming to me, Hawk. I would like to think about it. You may not feel this way after we are together for a few weeks.”

  Hawk nodded and picked up another quesadilla. “Well, I’m starving, let’s eat these before these get cold.”

  Vicky grabbed my hand and whispered in my ear. “I love you, Charley Manner.”

  I pulled her close and said, “Maybe Spirit will give us some privacy tonight?”

  Vicky smiled, “I think that can be arranged.”

  ~~~

  ANGELINA STOOD and picked up Spirit’s harness. “Mama, I am not hungry. May I go for a walk with Spirit?”

  Carlotta looked at me, “That is up to Mr. Manner.”

  “I’m okay with it. In fact, I prefer Spirit go with you. Wait a sec, let me mount a vidcam on Spirit’s harness. It was custom made for her for ops in Afghanistan. It’s lightweight bullet-proof kevlar composite.”

  Vicky spoke up, “Good idea, Charley, we don’t know if any of Guizarro’s men are on the loose right here on the Keys.”

  “There I turned it on. Just stay close and don’t be gone too long.”

  “Si, Señor Charley. We are going to walk along that bridge you showed me. The view of the water is so beautiful.”

  ~~~

  SPIRIT COURAGE

  ANGELINA HELD MY HARNESS HANDLE with a firm grip as we walked along the path toward Seven Mile Bridge. Charley and I took this path for a long run nearly every day, so I knew the way. I wish I could run ahead but I know it is important to stay by Angelina in case there is danger. She has been through a l
ot and deserves some carefree time. No worries, Chief Petty Officer Spirit, retired, is on the job. I will always follow the K-9 pledge drilled into my superior canine brain, especially the last line: I will never give up.

  K-9 PLEDGE

  I promise to be worth every cent of the $10,000 it took to train me.

  I promise to track down criminals who threaten and harm our community.

  I promise to stand with you against the violence that penetrates our society.

  I promise to sniff out the drugs being advertised to your children.

  I promise to stay resolved and focused upon the success of our mission.

  No matter what happens, I will be by your side, your loyal companion until the end.

  I will never give up.

  We walked about a click—that’s military talk for kilometer…old habits, ya know—along the section of Seven Mile Bridge that is marked for foot traffic only. The morning sunshine was magnificent, and Angelina was soaking it in. I turned this way and that, checking our six for danger. My harness vidcam showing everything to Charley back in Hawk’s RV. Hope they like my cinematography. Yes, I am a dog of many talents.

  “Spirit, what’re you thinking about. And what’s that smile on your pretty face all about?”

  Angelina ruffled my ears and scratched. Mmmmm, I could get used to this girlfriend.

  As we turned around to start back, I noticed a white van parked at the entry to the pedestrian-only section of the bridge. The side door was open, and two men leaned against the front fender, smoking cheap cigars. I know they were cheap because my sense of smell is 40,000 times more sensitive than a human’s. I assumed a high alert posture and pressed close to Angelina as we proceeded slowly toward the men. There was no other way off the bridge. No worries, I’ll deal with it. I hope Charley is watching the video monitor in case I need back up.

  ~~~

  MANNY GONZALEZ and two of his goons parked the van at the entrance to Seven Mile Bridge. It was time snatch the girl for ransom and recover some money from the blown delivery of illegal aliens.

  “Stay alert, muchachos. That dog is military-trained. She will take off your foot with a single bite if you get too close.”

  Angelina and Spirit stopped when they were about a hundred feet from the van. “Spirit, what should we do? I hope your camera is recording this and Señor Charley is watching.”

  Spirit assumed an aggressive posture and bared her teeth. Manny unholstered his gun and took aim. “Tell your dog to cool it, Señorita. I do not want to shoot her.”

  Angelina recognized Manny. He was the leader of the crew on the boat that took them from Cay Sal to the oil platform. Until her mother pulled her overboard and they were rescued by Charley and Hawk. “What do you want, Señor?”

  “You are a smart girl. You must know the answer to that question. Now come here quietly or bullets will fly.”

  ~~~

  CHARLEY JUMPED from his chair and grabbed the video monitor off the shelf. “Look at this. There are some men talking to Angelina. And Spirit is not very happy about it. I can hear them on the audio feed from her harness.”

  Charley grabbed his Glock and headed for the door. “I’ll take the Harley along the docks. You guys follow in Hawk’s Jeep. Hurry.” He put on his helmet and turned on the blue tooth link to the heads-up display so he could monitor the scene as he sped toward Seven Mile Bridge. It didn’t look good. Spirit was barking a warning.

  I hope she stays back. Looks like the bandito from the Grady White. And he has a gun.

  Manny turned toward the sound of a motorcycle approaching at high speed.

  “Stop that man, muchachos. I will take the girl after I shoot the dog.”

  “But we have no guns, Manny.”

  “There are two of you. Stop him now.”

  It was too late. Charley raced between the two men, knocking both to the ground as he skidded to a halt. Both did not get up. Manny aimed his gun at Charley. “You will die, frogman, just like that deputy sheriff when he snooped into our business.”

  Bragging was his biggest mistake. The delay opened an opportunity. Spirit charged, covering the distance to Manny in a split second. As she leaped toward him, mouth opened to snap onto the bad man’s wrist, Manny turned toward her and fired.

  Angelina screamed, “Noooo.”

  Charley closed the distance and dove. He grabbed Manny’s head and twisted. Instinctual reflex from years of training. Disable the threat. No hesitation. Retribution for killing Vince Walker. He tossed the dead man aside and ran to Spirit as she lay on the ground, panting.

  “Spirit, are you okay?”

  Spirit did not move. Charley gently lifted her head, cradling it in his arms. He looked for blood. Felt along her chest covered with her harness and composite vest.

  “What’s this?” He pulled at a flattened bullet slug stuck in the vest. Hawk, Vicky and Carlotta jumped from the Jeep and ran toward him.

  Hawk and Vicky stopped to zip-tie the two other men who were waking up while Carlotta and Angelina hugged.

  Vicky added a swift kick to one man as he tried to bite her arm. She ran toward Charley and grabbed his arm, “Is Spirit shot?”

  Charley held up the slug. Spirit raised her head, tail wagging at the sound of Vicky’s voice.

  Charley smiled, “The Kevlar fabric stopped the bullet. She’s alright. Maybe a bruise but her dense pectoral muscles will heal quickly.”

  Spirit welcomed Vicky’s tear-filled kisses and woofed her appreciation. A Navy SEAL war dog never gives up.

  ~~~

  THE CIRCLING SHARKS were closing in on Mullah Kareef. He had been in the water for nearly an hour and lost a lot of blood, but he prayed to his god for strength and rescue. A Cuban gunboat appeared in the distance. Allah be praised. He used every ounce of remaining strength to swim toward the line a crewman tossed in the water as the gunboat came closer.

  I will be back, Charley Manner. You will feel the wrath of Allah, as will your friends and cursed dog.

  THE END

  CANINE COURAGE

  CANINE COURAGE

  MICHAEL MARNIER

  Copyright © 2019 Michael Marnier

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed

  in any printed or electronic form without written permission.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are

  a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead,

  businesses, companies, religious entities, events

  or locales is entirely coincidence.

  An Action Adventure Story

  Dedicated to All Military Working Dogs

  CRUISE SHIP PIERS, KEY WEST

  Charley's sister, Katie, is abducted by an old enemy who has surfaced again, seeking revenge for a plan foiled by Charley, Hawk, Vicky and Spirit in Book 2, Deep Strait. The action and danger are intense, with scenes in Miami, Havana, The Bahamas and ending in Key West at the cruise ship pier on the west side. Nothing a seasoned Belgian-Malinois Navy SEAL warrior dog can't handle. Canine Courage is a non-stop thriller you will not put down.

  CALL FROM THE PAST

  MY CELL PHONE buzzed. The caller i.d. displayed my sister’s name. She was two days past her usual visit to Marathon from her new place on Key West. I hope she’s okay.

  “Hey, Katie. Where’ve you been?”

  “She is unable to speak with you right now, Charley Manner, but you will listen closely to me.”

  “What the hell is this? Who are you and where is my sister?” A wicked laugh gave me a hint.

  “Wait a second, I recognize your voice, but you drowned when you jumped off the oil platform in the Deep Strait.”

  Mullah Abdul Kareef laughed again, “You are sadly mistaken, frogman. And now you must pay for meddling in my affairs.”

  “What have you done to Katie? If you hurt her, I will track you do
wn and make sure your next swim is fatal.”

  “Threats will not work, frogman. I am in control and you must show respect, or I will slit your sister’s throat right now.”

  “I bet you stole her phone and she’s nowhere near you?”

  “Listen…”

  A coughing, choking noise came through the earpiece of my phone. “Charley, it’s Katie. I’ve met the monster you told me about. You were right, he is a coward.”

  I heard the crack of hand meeting cheekbone and Katie’s scream. “Kareef, what do you want? I will do what you want.”

  “That is more like it. You will wait for my next call with instructions. For now, I will let you worry about your sister. My knife needs fresh blood to clean off the rust. Perhaps it will be Katie’s.”

  The phone call disconnected. He was right, I had no choice. If I ignore his instructions, Katie will die…slowly…with a rusty blade to her throat as he hacks off her head. He will videotape it of course. Not gonna happen. For now, I will feign obedience. But not for long.

  ~~~

  THAT FIRST CALL came in three days ago. The voice on the line is one I will never forget. I had endured days of torture deep inside a cave in the Spin Ghar Range, along the Khyber Pass between Afghanistan and Pakistan. That is where I first heard that voice. Sneering, taunting, at times bellowing at me. Trying to wring a fake confession out of a US Navy SEAL that he could post on the Internet. That was his MO.

  Thanks to my best-bud, SEAL teammate, Hawk Handy, and now retired warrior-dog, Spirit, I survived capture and torture by Taliban Mullah Abdul Kareef four years ago. It ended my final tour in Afghanistan and began a civilian life here on the Keys.