Lethal Promise

by Paul Stretton-Stephens

  “Look at these, Mikey.” He turned the screen towards Mikey.

  “Bloody hell! These are of us transferring the bomb and then leaving the car and detonating it. Wait a minute – those last two are long-range shots of us arriving here and going out into the jungle. Who would have taken these?”

  “I don’t know, but let’s go into the centre and get food while we figure this out. Bring your bag and pistol, just in case.”

  Chapter 44

  They grabbed food and drink and sat at a table near the window. The cafe was in an elevated position and overlooked the car park and surrounding area. They ate, drank and scanned the area for about twenty minutes.

  Jago spotted something through his monocular. “There, on the east side. The black Land Rover. The guy in the tan clothing and with the green backpack.”

  Mikey looked. “Who, the bloke in the dark Akubra?”

  “In the what?”

  “The hat, the dark Aussie hat.”

  “Yes, that’s him. It’s the guy from the exchange. Come on, let’s see what he has to say.”

  The pair left their food and headed towards their vehicle. By the time the man in the hat was reversing his Land Rover, Jago had parked across his rear. Mikey jumped out and ran to the passenger door. He peered in, pointing his silenced pistol at the man, who stared at him calmly.

  “Australian security services. Don’t move.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, Officer. Your partner has blocked my path,” replied the man in a soft voice.

  Jago appeared at the driver’s door. He was slowly screwing the suppressor to his pistol. “Slowly put your hands on the dashboard.”

  This the man did.

  “Who are you?” asked Jago, taken by the man’s calmness in the situation.

  “I don’t think that’s relevant, do you? What is relevant is that Captain Bennet has not yet emerged from the jungle pathway. I must therefore surmise that someone has dealt with him and he will not be returning at all. That leaves the both of you. I assume that you’re now taking Captain Bennet’s place?”

  “You assume, do you?”

  “Bennet’s payment structure. You will need to split it between the two of you. I will leave you to decide how you divide it amongst yourselves.”

  “I see,” said Jago. “So you’re one of Marne’s organisers, are you? Bennet didn’t mention you. Mind you, he was in no fit state to say anything, was he, Mikey?”

  “No, he was definitely in no fit state.”

  The man smiled. “Oh well, the gladiators have won. I thought his days were numbered when you took out his team, and switched and detonated the bomb. That was a nice touch. It put him off his guard.”

  “So, it was you who took the photos?” asked Jago.

  “Yes, it’s a little hobby of mine.”

  Mikey chipped in, “And how did you know how to find us, who we were, et cetera?”

  “The late Captain Bennet briefed me a few days ago. He said you were both … how did he put it? A thorn in his side. He and I shared the location information from the tracker in your weapon. It was very useful.”

  “So, what’s the offer?” asked Jago pointedly.

  “We ask you for information or to make certain arrangements, and you get paid accordingly.”

  “How is the level of payment decided? What’s the formula for the degree of complexity and risk?”

  “Very good, Mr Jago, very good indeed. You have a business brain – unlike Captain Bennet, who just wanted more, more and more. He was an exceptionally greedy man, even by my standards.”

  “When you say ‘make arrangements’, can you give us an example?”

  The man looked as if he were searching for the words. “Ah yes, the operation near Perth. We needed resources to be diverted and protests arranged in mine areas to justify the change. We also needed to bypass security at some sites. Captain Bennet made all of that possible, and we paid him handsomely. You can get the same.”

  Jago looked through the vehicle cab towards Mikey. “You know something, Mikey? I don’t think this man has got all the facts yet. What do you think?”

  “I agree. I think he’s missing some key information.”

  Jago changed his voice as he addressed the man. “You obviously don’t know Marne is dead, do you?”

  “No, I didn’t know that. However, it doesn’t matter, as his wife is more than capable of continuing with our venture,” replied the man.

  “Not anymore, she isn’t. She’s dead too, and so is Bryn. And to top the lot, whoever you think may be in charge now has no chance of succeeding.”

  “May I ask why not?” asked the man indignantly.

  “Because there’s no money. The accounts are empty and your organisation has ground to a halt. It no longer exists, and neither do you.”

  The man’s eyes widened as Jago pulled the trigger, shooting him twice in the left side of his chest. The man slumped at the wheel, motionless.

  Jago holstered his pistol and felt for signs of life. There were none. There was no movement save for the crimson trail that oozed from the pocket of his green shirt.

  “Get what you can from that side, Mikey, and I’ll search him this side of the cab. Then we’ll check the rest of the vehicle.”

  The two men expertly searched the vehicle.

  “What did you find?” asked Mikey as he watched Jago unscrewing the lens on the camera that Bennet had swapped with the dead man.

  “I’m not sure I’ve found anything of substance yet, to be honest. There may be some photos on here that will be of interest, but I’ll check those later. He’s got no identity docs.”

  “And there are no vehicle documents, and no bags or anything. Shall we check his prints?”

  “Yes, and we’ll take his photo to see what turns up on the database.”

  Jago held the dead man’s head against the headrest while Mikey took a few shots of his face. Then Jago scanned the fingerprints, noticing that two fingers on the left hand had been badly injured at some stage.

  Once they were done, they climbed into their vehicle, called the local TRG and left the area.

  ***

  Mikey had just finished briefing the local and national authorities about the two bound agents, the explosion, Bennet and the body in the Land Rover.

  They headed towards Cairns on the main highway and Mikey sat in silence, staring ahead out of the window.

  “Are you all right, Mikey?”

  Mikey snapped out of his state. “Yes, I’m fine. I was thinking about what we’ve been doing and how Shaza helped – you know, a kind of personal debrief. Do you do that?”

  “I used to, but over the years I gradually stopped. I know what I did and why. I take intel and I learn from each situation, but I don’t dwell on it these days.”

  “Oh, I see. It’s just that I don’t get to see many ops through like this one, being an intelligence officer.”

  “For what it’s worth, Mikey, you did really well. I’d have you on my team any day.”

  Mikey blushed. He knew Jago was a seasoned operator and that he’d just given him a gold star.

  “Mikey, why don’t you and Shaza join the rest of my team in Mauritius as my guests for a few days? You deserve the break and it will be good for the both of you – you know, a different environment and all that.”

  “That’s good of you. Are you sure, though?”

  “I’m sure, and the guys won’t mind,” said Jago. “You’ll all get along well.”

  “Okay, I’ll check with Shaza. But what about you? Are you going back out there?”

  “I don’t know yet. They repatriated Rebecca’s body yesterday, so I’m going to meet her parents for the first time, and then I have the funeral to go to – that’s assuming that the coroner will release her body. I’ll decide what to do after that. But you’re both more than welcome to go over and enjoy yourselves. I’ll speak with Abi and send her these prints and photos, and I’ll get her to book the flights and a room, or rooms, at t
he hotel for you both. If Shaza can’t make it, why don’t you go alone? If she can, even better. The important thing, Mikey, is to live every day of your life like it was your last day on earth – don’t wait for anything or anyone.”

  THE END

  Thank you

  Thank you for reading Lethal Promise. I appreciate you spending time with the characters and events in this the third book in The Jack Jago Thriller Series.

  If you enjoyed this book, I’d also be grateful if you could spend five minutes to write a review on your favourite bookseller’s website or social media outlet. It can be short with only a few well-formed words. You see word of mouth is the best way to help many other people become aware of my writing, increase my sales, and enable me to bring you even more high-quality thrilling stories. I may not have the advertising clout of the big publishing firms, yet, but I do have you, and your words are more powerful and relevant than many of today’s advertising techniques.

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  If you’d like to support servicemen and women, and armed forces veterans you can find details on my website on the giving page, and by the way, giving doesn’t just mean financial donations.

  About the Author

  Paul Stretton-Stephens is an English author who was born in Robin Hood country, Nottingham, UK, He has served in the Royal Marines, Royal Military Police, and the UK Home Office. He has worked as an International Security Consultant, a Head Teacher, and is a Personal and Professional Coach, Author and Speaker.

  Paul has travelled extensively and has lived abroad for some years. He is happily married and now lives in Devon, UK where he adores living by the sea.

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  Feel free to let Paul know what you liked, and what you would like him to work on more. He’s always open to suggestions.

  Bibliography

  Paul has written:

  The Jack Jago Thriller Series.

  Ex-special forces and ex-military policeman, Jack Jago, is a man of justice. He may work for the government but, for Jago, being a deniable private entity has the benefit of not having to adhere to any rules. In fact, his 'No Rules' engagement allows him to go where others dare not. Rest assured that where the stakes are at their highest, Jack Jago is the man called upon to provide a rapid solution.

  Titles in series available at time of writing:

  The Plastic Paradigm (Jack Jago Thriller Series Book 1)

  The Plastic Paradigm – If Plastic Waste is the “New Narcotic”, then Jack Jago is the antidote.

  After a top government research scientist and his assistant go missing, Jack Jago goes undercover, posing as a lone fisherman, where he’s at home on the water and busy gathering samples and intelligence.

  One evening a ship in port weighs its anchor, revealing the body of a young seaman. His killers had tied him to a link in the anchor chain, and now they’re after his contacts, but why?

  Although Jago is happy to work alone his life moves up a gear, to the level where he is most comfortable – one teeming with action and danger, where he has to outsmart and defeat his criminal adversaries.

  The question is: Can Jago prevent further loss of life while bringing the upswell of corruption, death, and plastic pollution to an end?

  Pick up your copy of The Plastic Paradigm to discover this exciting new series today!

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  Shades of Loyalty (Jack Jago Thriller Series Book 2)

  Shades of Loyalty, a Crime Action Thriller That Conveys a World of Duty, Expectation, Divided Loyalties, and REVENGE.

  “This incisive fiction ensnares the reader, compelling them to join in the hunt.”

  When law enforcement agencies in five different locations across two countries can’t solve a string of deadly explosions, a drowning and the theft of £24.25million, it’s time for Jack Jago and his team to join in. Only they don’t have to play by the rules.

  Undaunted by the possibility that the perpetrator may be a professionally trained killer, Jago’s expertise and innate sense of justice drive him to find a solution to the murder and mayhem.

  The problem for Jago and his team is that if they’re right, they may have only a matter of days before the next attack. When or where will they strike next?

  This compelling crime action thriller takes place in England, Spain and the USA before sweeping to a thrilling conclusion.

  What the Readers Are Saying

  Editorial Review for the Author Resource Centre Prepared by Grant Leishman

  Shades of Loyalty (Jack Jago Thriller Series Book #2) by Paul Stretton-Stephens is the second book in the series that introduces the reader to our main hero, the terrorist fighting Jack Jago of the British Intelligence Service. Jack has one big advantage over the normal run-of-the-mill intelligence agency or police. Their team has no rules-of-engagement and has to seek no authority from anyone. When they are on a mission, the decisions are all theirs and they do whatever is necessary to ensure the job is done and the threat is eliminated.

  Read Full Editorial Review Here

  “Great story, so easy to get into the flow of what’s happening. Jago is a likable protagonist, who exhibits strong moral and ethical stances, which are not always within the letter of the law. a black ops style “police” procedural, with “villains” that are in some ways, victims of circumstance, rather than outright bad people. thought-provoking in many ways, particularly in terms or “right” and “wrong”. a highly recommended read.”

  Kirsten Eriksen (Kobo)

  “Fantastic Thriller – This book is a thriller that grabs you and doesn’t let go! I thoroughly enjoyed the fast pace and the interaction of Jack Jago and his team. It kept me guessing till the end and I’m looking forward to his next book. If you like action-packed books that keep you turning page after page then this one is for you! Don’t miss it!”

  Amazon Customer

  “Right from the opening scenes, I was there with Jack Jago trying to decipher the pieces of the puzzle. Unlike most mysteries, where I know “who done it” but the middle of the book, Shades of Loyalty kept me guessing and intrigued until the very end! I am a new fan of both Paul Stretton-Stephens and Jack Jago!”

  Marianne Corcoran (Amazon)

  “GET READY FOR A NON-STOP ROLLER COASTER RIDE OF YOUR LIFE.

  I loved this book because it grabbed me by the hand and did not let me go. I really like Jacks group. I just cannot get enough of them. This book is one that I would like to see a movie made of- (with NO CHANGES).

  I also loved this book because I learned a few new things and I love learning from books.”

  Lois (Amazon)

  Pick up your copy of Shades of Loyalty to discover this exciting new serie
s today!

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  A Final Few Words

  I’d like to once again, thank you for reading Lethal Promise. If you enjoyed the book, I would ask that you help spread the word about my work by telling your family, friends, colleagues, and neighbours about this book. You see, it’s that wonderful word of mouth from readers like you that allows me to make a living writing. And in turn I get to write more books to entertain you. I am sure that with your support and encouragement we’ll discover many more pages to share with one another.