Kindle Edition
Amazon
Category:
Action/Thriller
Publisher: cr Press
Type: Fiction
Pages: 225
Copyright: August 20 2025
ISBN-13: 9798291961759
Price: $2.99 (eBook)
Carson Reno Mystery Series Book 27
A young woman’s body is found in a citrus grove located just off a small highway that twisted through soil rich faming land in rural Southern Florida.
Because of the population, the geography and a lack of clues, the death (and obvious murder) would probably have gone into an ‘unsolved’ file and eventually forgotten. This was rural Florida, agricultural land where a large percentage of the fruits and vegetables consumed in the United States were grown. The majority populace was made up of faceless migrant workers (largely Hispanic) and they moved around with the harvests.
But this murder was different. The 19 year-old victim was the daughter of a Hendry County Deputy Sheriff. The murder wasn’t going away and neither was the Deputy Sheriff.
What happens next is our story. A story that surfaces and unmasks things about a small community that are not just unbelievable, but unimaginable.
Come along with Carson and his crew to help solve the case of ‘Peel’ - Murder in the groves.
Excerpt
I hit the door with enough force to open one twice as big. It swung against the inside wall with a loud ‘bang’, and everyone immediately turned toward the noise and my intrusion.
Waiving my .38, I shouted instructions. “I need to see everyone’s weapon on the floor – NOW! Don’t make any other moves and don’t make me ask twice, because this gun will be talking next.”
I moved my .38 back and forth between them, and saw Lou and Pedro momentarily glance at each other. They thought about it, then reluctantly removed .45 automatic revolvers from their waistbands and dropped them to the floor. While they were doing that, Lucas moved from the center of the room and to my right, but didn’t drop his weapon.
I pointed the .38 at Lucas. “Do what I said or I’ll shoot you where you stand - along with the rest of these sorry bastards. Lucas…don’t tempt me – I’m angry enough already.”
Still moving away from the center of the room, and without speaking - he pulled his service revolver from its holster and dropped it on the floor.
“Now,” I said pointing my gun and attention at Lou Ramos. “I want you to untie Joe – remove those ropes and no tricks. I don’t want to shoot you, but I will if necessary.”
Lou looked at me, weighed his limited options, then - as instructed removed the ropes from Joe and let them drop to the floor. Joe rubbed his face, wiped blood from his nose with his shirt sleeve and slowly stood up.
“Joe, are you hurt?” I asked.
He didn’t answer. Instead he took a full swing at Lou Ramos, connecting with his jaw and sending Lou sprawling onto the concrete floor. Then he did the same to Pedro Ramos, sending him back over the chair he had just been tied to.
Joe stood quietly for a moment – admiring his work and glaring down at his accomplishment. “I’m just a little hurt Boss, but it all feels much better now.” I think I saw a little grin through his grimace.
My attention had moved from the Ramos brothers and to Joe. Lou Ramos took full advantage. From the concrete floor where Joe had put him, he picked up his .45 automatic and pointed it at me. Expecting the worst, I ducked to my right and started to shoot.
But, before pulling the trigger, I heard a shot. Then I heard another shot…then another.
Lou Ramos was doubled up on the floor in pain – but that pain wouldn’t last long. ‘A’s first bullet had caught him in the spine. ‘A’s second bullet hit him in the neck. Lou Ramos was staring at me when he took his last breath – never knowing where those death bullets had come from.
Pedro Ramos had tried to use the confusion to run – he didn’t get far. ‘B’s bullet hit Pedro just below his left eye, and he was probably dead before hitting the concrete.
It was a bloody mess.
But, my friend Lucas Lowery was not in the room. Somehow he had slipped by me and out the door I had entered. Somehow he had missed all the excitement. I really hoped Lucas had taken my advice, I hope he had his running shoes on. Lucas would need to run but I wasn’t going to chase him – others might. He needed to run far and run fast.
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