I’m glad to announce that Pack of Scoundrels, third book of the David Elliott mysteries, is now published as a paperback and is available for purchase on Amazon! I hope you will enjoy reading it, and I encourage you to write a review. To purchase a copy, click on Books at the home page of this website. Then click the Buy It button under the description of Pack of Scoundrels and you’re at Pack of Scoundrels on my Amazon page.
Welcome to those of you who are discovering David Elliott for the first time. I hope you will enjoy reading Pack of Scoundrels as much as I enjoyed researching and writing it. You are invited to browse my previous books listed under Books on this website.
I’m busy working to revise and republish What the Barber Knew and Dead to Rights in paperback form, and the fourth David Elliott mystery The Girl in the Orange Maillot will be published in eBook, paperback and hardcover versions by Koehler Books February 28, 2022.
Here’s a synopsis of some of the action in Pack of Scoundrels.
Who murdered Tony Lopez, World War II bombardier and Buchenwald survivor, and why? As Impact Director at White Sands Proving Ground in 1954, Lopez worked under the direction of German rocket scientists to plot the impact locations of V-2 ballistic rockets, used in test flights during the budding American space program. His sudden death plunges young David and Judy Elliott into a fatal fight to discover the real name of the mysterious “Cholla,” the key that unlocks the answers to their friend’s death and the unsolved murder of teenager Ovida “Cricket” Coogler.
Anna wailed, a loud wrenching cry that dwindled to a gasping whimper.
Tony was dead, killed when his car took a wrong turn at high speed.
Sgt. Fletcher of the New Mexico State Police told Tony’s wife that a military police vehicle was at the scene of the accident and an officer took a briefcase from Tony’s car. Fletcher reminded him this accident occurred on a public highway, that he had jurisdiction, and told him to put back the briefcase. The MP said it contained classified documents which were U.S. government property.
Fletcher looked at Anna. “Did Tony have clearance to take classified stuff from the base?”
“No,” she said quietly.
# # #
We were in the desert, in the middle of nowhere. Both men wore bandanas to cover their faces, broad-brimmed Western hats, and jeans.
“Listen, Elliott. Listen real good. We know you and that slut of yours got stuff that don’t belong to you. So you got a choice to make. Either you give us real nice-like what don’t belong to you, or we take you on the hard road until you change your mind, or we get to know your girlfriend. You savvy what I’m tellin’ you?”
“What are you talkin’ about?”
Chuck Taylors swung and his fist smashed into my sternum bone. I fought for air.
“Now see, Elliott, you stupid bastard, you got him upset. One last chance. You gonna give us what Lopez had, which didn’t belong to him neither?”
“Who’s Lopez?”
# # #
“Mr. Elliott, listen closely.” I shot a look at Anna. Where had I heard his voice before? Anna leaned in, her head close to the receiver.
“This will be very smooth, very easy if you do as I tell you. It’s simple, really. You have what we need. We have what you need. The difference is that what we have is fragile. One might say it has a short shelf life. I do not wish any harm to come, and no harm will occur if you will give over what belongs to me. So, Mr. Elliott, without delay, go to your car and drive to the pay phone booth at the corner of Main and Las Cruces streets. Be there in ten minutes and wait for my instructions.”
I’m not doing anything until you let me talk with her.”
He laughed. “Go to hell.”
“I’m dead serious. You want my cooperation, put Judy on the phone. Now.”
“Or what? You’ll do what, call the police? You don’t have a clue who you’re dealing with, boy.”
# # #
Pack of Scoundrels is aptly titled. There are scoundrels a-plenty in these pages. Readers from the southern New Mexico area will recognize the name of one of the killers, and enjoy the in-joke. But not all the characters are scoundrels. The Chicken Lady and Eric Marshall are quirky but far from scoundrel-ly. But don't take my word for it. Buy Pack of Scoundrels and see for yourself. Thank You!