Gabe (In the Company of Snipers, #8)(58)

“Looks like a bunch of survivalists to me. So talk to me about Chaos Now. What else do you know?”

“They also have a link named Eagle Two.”

That perked up Mark’s ears. “Is it the same file as the FBI’s and Secret Service’s?”

“I’m not sure, but I came across this timetable on their website.”

Mark took the paper from David’s hand. It showed a timeline all right, with the word REVOLUTION bolded in bright red letters at the top. The next words weren’t any better. Chaotic Disorder. Mayhem. Military rule. Chaotic Order.

“A timeline from chaotic disorder to chaotic order? Makes as much sense as Army Intelligence.”

“They might not be rocket scientists, Mark, but they’re arrogant and they can put our country in great danger.”

“Let’s get Ember and Mother on this. We need to know exactly what these jokers are up to.”

“There’s something else,” David murmured. “I know who Eagle Two is. It’s Vice President Frank Winston.”

“How can you be sure?”

David pointed to the small print beneath the bright red heading. Mark had to squint to make it out, the font so tiny. Damned if David wasn’t right. These guys were arrogant as hell. There in print so small—but there nonetheless—were the words: Winston first. Then the world.




Gabe dressed while he waited at the riverbank with the dogs. The sheriff’s cruiser finally arrived, followed by the coroner’s van and a tow truck. Despite the warm summer day, he’d developed a chill. The only saving grace was that the sheriff was not the same one who’d investigated Kelsey’s accident.

The corpse still bobbed in the shallows, face down. The gruesome thing hadn’t gone far, and for that, Gabe was thankful. He didn’t need to be strolling out into the river to make sure it stayed put.

The sheriff climbed out of his cruiser to survey the scene while the coroner hooked the floater and dragged it onto shore and the sheet of black plastic he’d laid out. When he stuck a probe in the corpse’s extended abdomen, Gabe jerked his eyes off the proceedings. Time to go. He’d seen enough. Besides, he’d been driving on a revoked driver’s license. Wouldn’t that be something to explain to the sheriff or Zack?

The tow truck operator came prepared with a diver who had no problem going into the water. Once he hooked a tow strap onto the rear of the submerged vehicle, the tow truck driver winched a large black SUV out of the river. An Escalade.

The day got worse. Another bloated corpse flopped out of the rear passenger door and hit the ground with a gruesome, squishy splat. When something long, black, and slimy wiggled out of the dead guy’s left eye, Gabe’s stomach lurched up the back of his throat. He pivoted on his good heel. Shit. Definitely time to get the hell out of there.

The sheriff’s brows arched. “Did you know these guys?”

“No, sir, sure didn’t,” Gabe replied through chattering teeth. He lifted his jacket, displaying his holstered pistols while he pulled out his permit to carry and forced his gut to calm. “Before we go any further, you need to know I’m carrying. Here’s my permit and my employee ID badge authorizing me to do so. I came out here to take my friend’s dogs for a walk. They’re cooped up in their kennels most of the time, so I did her a favor and brought them out for a run. That’s when they got spooked. I made the mistake of swimming out to see what was going on. Not my brightest decision today.”

“No, it wasn’t, but thanks for telling me you’re armed. Who’s this friend of yours?”

“Kelsey Stewart.”

“Alex Stewart’s widow?” the sheriff asked, a spark of recognition glimmering in his eyes.

“Yes. These are her dogs, Whisper and Smoke. I thought they might help me locate some more evidence in case we missed something before. You knew him?”

“Yes, I had the chance to work with Stewart on a child smuggling ring a few years back. Damned good man. You find anything else?”

Gabe nodded his chin toward the corpses. “Only those guys.”

The coroner interrupted with his preliminary findings. “Excuse me, but you’ll want to see this.” He handed over two waterlogged wallets. “I need to run more tests, but I’d estimate cause of death at ten to twelve days ago for both of these guys. Looks like they were shot before they drowned.”


“Well now, who do we have here?” The sheriff peered at the driver’s licenses in the wallets. “Huh. Clark Manson and Carlos Echevarria. Let me know what else you find.”

Gabe damned near choked. Two of the gang of ten, now reduced to five at last count according to Mark. And they’d died around the same time of Kelsey’s attempted murder. Holy hell.

“You need me for anything else? I’d really like to get home and out of these wet clothes.”

“No, I think I’ve got enough. I’ll be in touch if anything comes up.”

Good enough. Gabe turned to his Land Cruiser, loaded the dogs and waved goodbye with one quick salute. He’d gotten more than he’d bargained for during this impromptu swim, but knowing the corpses were two of the guys Mark was looking for made it worthwhile. Ten was now down to three.

It took all of twenty minutes to get back to Kelsey’s. Shelby met him at the back door after he’d kenneled the dogs, concern bright in her eyes. She latched onto his arm and pulled him inside. “Your boss was here. What on earth have you been doing? You’ve been gone so long. I thought you were just taking a walk and a video.”