The man—known by his colleagues as Number One—gestured with his head toward the miniature refrigerator huddled against the wall behind a trash can.
“Why do you pick these places in the middle of the frickin’ desert, homie?” Lugging a satchel hooked over his shoulder, Number Seven walked across the room, cracked open a bottle of water, and chugged.
Number One let his boots drop to the wooden floor, ignoring Number Seven’s question. “Another haul for me to add to our monthly record?”
“Uh, yeah. Not much, but every bit counts, right? Even if we do have to split it seven ways,” he said with a shrug and a poor-man’s chuckle. He waited on Number One to laugh, smile, or provide some type of response.
Number One simply blew out another puff of smoke. Number Seven waved his hand across his face, then fished through his satchel until he pulled out seven bundles of cash, each one bound by a rubber band.
“How much?” Number One asked.
“Almost ten G’s. Could have been more, but my contact at LSU was delayed. Could be another week.”
Number One fanned through each bundle. “Do I need to count each one?”
His compadre scoffed. “I know the rules. We all share, we all gain.” As he lifted the water bottle to his lips, voices grumbled just outside the front door. A few seconds later, the five other members walked into the small wooden structure making small talk about the weather.
“Hot temperatures means two things,” Number Four said. “More tourists just across the border in South Padre, and more money in our pockets. Bring it on.”
Number Seven led the round of knowing chuckles as he handed out bottled waters to those who’d just arrived, while Number One took a long pull on his cigar.
“How much this month?” Number Four asked, then took a quick swig.
Number One didn’t respond. His eyes were fixed on the small fridge. Or were they simply lost in a mental daze?
“You must be ready to put out that God-awful cigar. Can I get you a water?” Number Seven opened the fridge, then his eyes lit up and he reached in the back, and pulled out a bottle of tequila. “Ah, I see you’ve got the good stuff. Let’s toast this month’s haul, what do you say?” He walked over and set the bottle on the table. “Got any shot glasses in this crappy place?”
Number One lifted to his feet and paced behind his chair. He knew the others were staring him down.
“Glasses. Do you have any, or should we just take turns drinking from the same teat?” Number One led the round of laughter, but the others became less enthusiastic with each passing second.
His question was met with nothing more than the sound of boots clumping off the hollow floors. Number One couldn’t stop pacing.
“Dude, if you need to pee, just step out back, man?” Number One said with a sharp laugh.
The others didn’t acknowledge him.
Number One made two more rounds, then stopped at the table and lifted each of the seven stacks of cash Number Seven had given him. “Money is missing.”
“What? That’s crazy talk. I counted it myself. But if you want to do your thing, I won’t stop you.” Number Seven said dismissively, although his voice was bit more pinched.
“I don’t have to.”
Number Four eyed Number One, then stepped to the table. “Do we have a problem?”
“No problem at all.” Number One shook his head before reaching into his boot, removing a 9mm handgun, and pulling the trigger, striking the chest of Number Seven. The youngest member of the gang clutched his blood-soaked shirt, then dropped to his knees, his hands clinging to the table.
“How did you know?”
“I know the weight of money. The stacks weren’t even. You’ve been skimming money for a while, haven’t you?”
Number Seven’s eyes flickered and then he crumpled to the floor. Number One plodded over to his compadre, pointed the gun at his head, and pulled the trigger one last time.
“Equally,” Number One said. “He forgot to say we all share equally.”
Number One sat back down and took another puff on his cigar. “It’s going to be a while, guys. Need to break this pie into six pieces, not seven.”
The Gang of Six would rule this land as long as they desired. And no one would stop them. Not even one of their own.
Dear Reader,
Enjoying the ride so far? It’s not over. Not by a long shot.
We all know that Alex is not one to back down. It’s not in her DNA. From the breeding ground of drug trafficking to the warped world of a life-long serial killer, Alex puts her life on the line. But will it be enough? And will her past haunt her until the very end?
Thank you for joining Alex on this unforgettable journey.
I can’t wait for you to read Alex Troutt Thrillers: Books 4-6.
Best,
John
If you enjoyed these first three Alex Troutt thrillers, I would appreciate it if you would help others enjoy these books, too. How?
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John W. Mefford Bibliography
The Alex Troutt Thrillers
Alex Troutt Thrillers: Books 1-3
Alex Troutt Thrillers: Books 4-6
Alex Troutt Thrillers: Books 7-9
Alex Troutt Thrillers: Books 10-12
OR
AT BAY (Book 1)
AT LARGE (Book 2)
AT ONCE (Book 3)
AT DAWN (Book 4)
AT DUSK (Book 5)
AT LAST (Book 6)
AT STAKE (Book 7)
AT ANY COST (Book 8)
BACK AT YOU (Book 9)
AT EVERY TURN (Book 10)
AT DEATH’S DOOR (Book 11)
AT FULL TILT (Book 12)
The Ivy Nash Thrillers
Ivy Nash Thrillers: Books 1-3
Ivy Nash Thrillers: Books 4-6
OR
IN DEFIANCE (Book 1)
IN PURSUIT (Book 2)
IN DOUBT (Book 3)
BREAK IN (Book 4)
IN CONTROL (Book 5)
IN THE END (Book 6)
The Ozzie Novak Thrillers
Ozzie Novak Thrillers: Books 1-3
Ozzie Novak Thrillers: Books 4-6
OR
ON EDGE (Book 1)
GAME ON (Book 2)
ON THE ROCKS (Book 3)
SHAME ON YOU (Book 4)
ON FIRE (Book 5)
ON THE RUN (Book 6)
The Ball & Chain Thrillers
MERCY (Book 1)
FEAR (Book 2)
BURY (Book 3)
LURE (Book 4)
PREY (Book 5)
VANISH (Book 6)
ESCAPE (Book 7)
The Booker Series
BOOKER Box Set #1 (Volumes 1-3)
BOOKER Box Set #2 (Volumes 4-6)
OR
BOOKER – Streets of Mayhem (Volume 1)
BOOKER – Tap That (Volume 2)
BOOKER – Hate City (Volume 3)
BOOKER – Blood Ring (Volume 4)
BOOKER – No Más (Volume 5)
BOOKER – Dead Heat (Volume 6)
The Greed Series
FATAL GREED (Greed Series #1)
LETHAL GREED (Greed Series #2)
WICKED GREED (Greed Series #3)
GREED MANIFESTO (Greed Series #4)
Alex Troutt Books 1, 2, and 3
Copyright © 2016 by John W. Mefford
All rights reserved.
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book (not just the sample) and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Formatting by Bob Houston eBook Formatting
The Alex Troutt Thrillers: Books 1-3 (Alex Troutt Thrillers Box Set) Page 76
