Sneaking Suspicions (The Tharon Trace Mysteries Book 1)

Sneaking Suspicions

Book One of The Tharon Trace Mysteries

Jan Hinds

Sneaking Suspicions

Book One of The Tharon Trace Mysteries

By

Jan Hinds

Published by Jan Hinds

Copyright© 2014 by Jan Hinds

License Notes

All rights reserved.  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

DEDICATION

To my father, Frank, whose steadfast love anchored my life and who taught me to approach each new challenge with confidence as if I’d been doing it forever.  I’m still working on that Dad.

I miss you.

And to my mother, Ellen Mary, my cheerleader and champion, who teaches me by her example that the best kind of person to be is a kind person. 

I love you Mom.

TABLE of CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I want to thank those who have encouraged and assisted me in completing this book.

I give my heartfelt thanks to, Linda Deam, Terri Reid, Geraldine Hofer, Janet Schafer, Amy Holt, Jim Brothers, Nancy James, Christy Hinds and Marilyn Harkins for your help and patience with my many drafts and revisions.

Most of all, my heart is filled with gratitude to my wonderful husband Roy, who, after making all my other dreams come true, is supporting my dreams as a writer.

Jan Hinds 2014

Prologue

“Indiana?  What possible reason would we have to send troops into Indiana?”  General Mitchell Adamson resisted the urge to mop the sweat from his brow.  The orders made no sense.  Why would the government invade any state, let alone Indiana?  He’d heard of no civil unrest, no threat from or against the state; unless President Hamron considered the state itself to be a threat.  Few other states could boast the autonomy from the Federal government that Indiana consistently maintained, regardless of the disasters that plagued it.

Adamson had heard that widespread rumblings about secession were escalating and many believed Hamron’s election to a second term had been rigged.  His first term election had been considered a longshot until the pandemic hit the country with staggering tragedy.  “It’s my understanding Indiana suffered heavily from the pandemic in 2051 and lost nearly half their population.  Not much has changed in the past five years.  Their economy is still quite weak, though it is making some signs of recovery.  I don’t see any threat coming from them.”

Vice President Larkin rocked back in his plush desk chair and steepled his fingertips thoughtfully.  His silky voice had a dangerous edge when he spoke.  “As you well know, General, threats come in all forms.  It can be as specific as a direct assault or as veiled as a simple question.”  He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the desk and looked Adamson in the eyes.  “By the way, how are your lovely wife and those two strapping boys of yours?  I understand the older one has twins.  How old are they now?  Two?  And he has another one on the way?  You and your wife must be so proud.”

General Adamson’s mouth went dry as he tried to swallow past the lump in his throat.  He locked eyes with Larkin.  There was nothing veiled in the threat to his family.  He’d been keeping his own personal file on the accidents and the missing family members of officers under his command.  Though the ranks were filled with honorable service men and women, he found himself surrounded increasingly by officers whose allegiance he questioned.  Even men and women he’d served with most of his life turned cruel and intolerant.  At least now he understood why.  In a quiet, defeated voice he asked, “What do you want me to do?”

With a toothy grin bordering on a sneer, the Vice President’s steel gray eyes gleamed with triumph.  “Assemble strike forces, but tell the men they’re on training maneuvers in the Midwest for the month of November.  I believe four teams of five hundred each should be sufficient.  As you said, there’s not likely to be resistance.  Station them in Michigan, Illinois and Ohio and have them primed to follow any order without question.  Do I make myself clear?”

General Adamson rose to his trim six foot seven height and fought the contempt threatening his features.  “Crystal clear, Mr. Vice President.  Is there any specific threat they need to be prepared for?”

Larkin’s left eye twitched as he sat back and smiled up at the tall man in front of him. “Hostage rescue.”

General Adamson paused at the door.  “Is President Hamron on board with this action?”

Vice President Larkin’s smile faded. “I assure you this mission is sanctioned at the highest levels, but you understand the delicate dance in politics these days.  Plausible deniability is paramount.”

With his lips in a tight line, General Adamson nodded once and left the office.

As he walked through the outer office into the corridor, he had to step aside for the First Lady’s security detail.  His heart ratcheted a notch or two when he saw the tall man with skin the color of dark caramel leading the entourage.  He was at least two inches taller than Adamson and his amber eyes flickered in recognition when he saw the general.  Frank Verdine was his old college teammate and one of the few people he trusted completely.

The First Lady’s petite frame was dwarfed next to most adults.  Walking behind Verdine she might appear childlike, if not for her paper thin skin stretched taut by far too many face lifts.  She inclined her head to him. “General Adamson, so good to see you.  I trust all is well with you?”

“Quite well, Mrs. Hamron.”

With a wave of dismissal, she entered the Vice President’s outer office and walked straight through, entering the inner office unannounced.

Verdine took a guard position alone in the corridor.

Adamson brushed his bent index finger over his upper lip and tugged his ear. “Do you have the time, Agent Verdine?”

Verdine raised his wrist and lifted his sleeve with two fingers. “I have nine forty-five, General.”

Adamson dipped his chin. “Thank you.”  He walked down the hall with squared shoulders and a hopeful heart.

***

General Mitchell Adamson rode his bicycle on the trail that wound through the secluded Virginia countryside at two in the morning.  Leaving all electronics at home, he cycled past the dark figure stretching his long legs in front of a bench near the well-worn trail.  As Adamson turned his bike onto a less traveled path, he glanced to the left and saw Verdine weaving noiselessly through the woods.  He smiled at the graceful strides that would make an antelope jealous.

Panting hard, Adamson stopped his bike next to a limestone outcropping.

Verdine, barely winded, leaned against a tree deep in the woods near the rocks.  He grinned. “Mitch, you’re slowing down in your old age.”

Adamson shook his friend’s hand. “Thanks for meeting me.  We won’t be able to talk like this again.  Larkin put the screws to me today.  He threatened my family.  The President wants me to set up a force to invade Indiana.”  He cast his eyes nervously over his shoulder.  “Do you think the President wants to start a civil war?”

Verdine rubbed the dark stubble on his chin. “It’s possible he doesn’t know about this.  You saw the two major players today.  Those two have been intimately chummy for the past year.”

The First Lady’s papery skin and Larkin’s premature balding pate flashed through Adamson’s mind and induced an involuntary shudder.  “I can’t envision her choosing Larkin over her husband in the bedroom.”

After a moment of quiet, Verdine’s deep voice rumbled. “Never underestimate her.  I’ve never met anyone more dangerous or devious in my life.”

“What can I do?  They’re going to start a civil war and they want me to lead it.  If I don’t, they’ll destroy my family.”

Verdine paused before answering.  “My friend, you’re going to have to do the unthinkable, at least for a while.  You’re going to have to do what they want.  It’s our only hope of saving your family and the country.”