Alone Again_After the Collapse

by John Sullins

  Alone Again

  After the collapse

  Book 25

  The Right Thing Series

  By: John Sullins

  All rights reserved 2018

  This book is fiction and any similarities to real persons is coincidental.

  A special note to fans of Sue Davis Lang and THE RIGHT THING SERIES……….This book starts out in a different manner than the previous 24 books. But don’t give up on it after only a few chapters because it does not seem to fit in with the previous books. As the story line develops you will see the connection and may be surprised and entertained.

  This book is setting the stage for future books in the series which will continue to tell more of Sue’s adventures.

  This book combines the story line from THE COLLAPSE with the story lines of the first 24 books of THE RIGHT THING SERIES. As it relates to the series, it is book #25.

  While it is written in a way that can be read and enjoyed independently of THE COLLAPSE or any of the books from THE RIGHT THING SERIES, those who have read the other books will also enjoy this story.

  Thanks to everyone who have been reading my books.

  A note to the reader

  When some books are read, it is difficult to keep track of “who is who” and “which character is which.”

  In an effort to help readers of this series, a glossary of characters is included at the end of each book.

  Also at the end of this book is a short summary of each book in the series.

  While it might be best to read these books in order; all can be enjoyed whether read in numerical sequence or not.

  Each book is a continuing story based on the one before it. While everyone’s lives change over time, very few change in the way lives changed in these books.

  If you have ever thought about seeking revenge or delivering justice to someone who “got away with it,” you should enjoy this series of books.

  Thank you for choosing this book and enjoy the story.

  Book Twenty Five

  You are about to read Alone Again, book 25 in the continuing story of former sheriff Sue Davis Lang.

  Each book in this series is a continuing story based on the one before it. While everyone’s lives change over time, very few change in the way lives changed in these books.

  If you enjoy reading about family, the outdoors, crime and mystery, you should enjoy this series of books.

  If you have ever thought about seeking revenge or delivering justice to someone who “got away with it,” you should enjoy this series of books, especially beginning with book 3, Butterfinger.

  In the event you have not read the prior books in this series, listed below a short summary of the prior books.

  In the first book of this series, Remembering the Beginning, an elderly bow hunter and grandfather goes to the woods to hunt for a big deer nicknamed Big Ed. When he does not return home authorities search the forest but are unable to find him or his body.

  Months later, in the spring, several of his grandchildren go to his house on a lake in Maine to prepare his belongs, including his lake house, for sale. One of his grandsons, Brad, decides to search for his grandfather’s body.

  During the search he meets Sheriff Deputy Sue Davis. Together they search the forest for his grandfather.

  In book 2, Sheriff’s Revenge, Brad and Sue are married and living in the lake house. When Sheriff Grimes is hit and killed by a hit and run driver, Sue investigates the accident. Even though she is being harassed by an arrogant co-worker, she solves the crime and makes an arrest.

  In book 3, Butterfinger, Sue is now the Sheriff. She and her deputies investigate shootings on the lake where she lives. During the investigation mistakes are made which result in events that changed lives forever.

  In book 4, Justice for a Rapist, Sue is struggling with depression when she receives a call from her younger sister who tells her about a friend who was raped by a rich kid who had raped others. Sue investigates and delivers her own form of justice.

  In book 5, Dead Beat Dad, Sue reads an internet story of an ex-con who is attempting to take his estranged wife, who has been homeless, to court to get half of her recent lotto winnings. Sue’s restlessness and mental instability pushes her to go to Illinois to stop the dead beat dad.

  In book 6, Kicker, Sue learns of the death of a friend from back in high school. She is told of the suspicious circumstances of his death she travels to the mountains of Colorado to investigate.

  In book 7, Einstein and a Terrorist, a large reward is offered for a terrorist who set off a bomb in Washington. She and her cousin David track the terrorist to a mountain cabin in North Carolina. In this book she meets a handsome FBI Agent named Napoleon Hill. Because of his intelligence, Hill’s nickname is Einstein.

  In book 8, Watering the Trees, David reads an inter-net story about a hunter shot and killed with an arrow. When it happens again, a reward is offered. David and Sue pack their bags and weapons and begin the hunt for the killer.

  In book 9, Road Rage Can Hurt, Sue is distraught because her relationship with her FBI Agent boyfriend is not going well so she searches the inter-net for stories of injustice. She finds reports of a man who raped and killed a mother and daughter in Virginia, and a story of a school teacher raping a girl in Montana. With seemingly nothing to live for, she packs her van and begins another mission of justice.

  In book 10, The Red T, she is again searching the inter-net for stories of injustice and finds a story that hits home. A young Kentucky Sheriff’s Deputy, who looks enough like Sue to be her twin, is hit and killed by a drunk driver, but the charges against the drunk are dropped. She travels to Kentucky to find the FBI snooping around, probably there trying to catch her. But she finds a unique way to avoid the Feds and still deliver justice.

  In book 11, 144 Yards, terrorist Al York escapes from prison and another reward is offered. Sue and David investigate. They find York hiding in the hills of N. Dakota and are forced to work with the FBI while attempting the apprehension.

  In book 12, The Good, The Sad, and the Ugly, Sue reads of a woman and young girl missing while hiking in a forest in Vermont. To help her deal with her depression and boredom, and possibly get the reward being offered, she and David drive there to help in the search.

  In book 13, I Don’t Care, members of Al York’s terrorist organization use a bomb to get revenge against Sue for her killing of their leader. After healing from serious injuries, she seeks revenge with the help of David and his new girlfriend Morgan.

  In book 14, Too Easy, Morgan tells Sue and David about how her father, an attorney, was gunned down on the steps of the court house. The killer escaped and was never caught. Sue offers her expertise and experience to help find the man.

  In book 15, Sometimes Lying Helps, Boy Scouts die in a suspicious fire in camp in Indiana. Sue reads about the story and the lack of prosecution. While discussing the deaths with David and Morgan and her desire to go there, she confesses her past killings to David and Morgan.

  While traveling to Indiana she meets a very tall and well-muscled detective named Buck Hunter.

  In book 16, Tree Line Sniper, a sniper shoots and kills two Highway Patrol Officers at their headquarters. A reward is offered after a suspect is named but not located. As the shootings continue, Sue invites Buck to go along with her, David, and Morgan to Pennsylvania to find the man themselves. But what they find is not what they expected.

  In book 17, Old People Need Help Too, Sue reads news reports of a not guilty verdict in Boston court, because of an investigation error, for a man and wife who had stolen the life savings from several elderly couples. They find the couple living in Florida and spending the old people’s mone
y.

  In book 18, Vultures and Thieves, a serial killer is traveling the interstate highways from Colorado to Alabama abducting and killing girls, boys, and women. Rewards are offered which motivates Sue, David and Morgan to find the killer.

  In book 19, Why Can’t We All Just Get Along, a police officer in Cleveland shoots and kills a young black man which sets off demonstrations and riots against the police. Sue watches the new reports and becomes infuriated when the Reverend Hal Horton arrives in Cleveland and adds fuel to the fire. She goes to Cleveland to see if she can learn anything negative about Horton so she could shut him up. She finds more than she expected and has a great time doing it.

  In book 20, Everyone but the Deputy, a reward is offered for the apprehension of an illegal immigrant traveling in the central U.S. killing Americans. When Sue learns of the killings and reward, she along with her cop boyfriend Buck, along with her cousin David and his girlfriend Morgan head to Minnesota to catch him.

  In book 21, Wet Justice, Sue is again suffering from anxiety attacks and depression because of the losses suffered in book 20. Her only relieve from the grief is to go on the hunt. She finds a story of a man everyone knows to have killed his young son in Utah. Without sufficient proof authorities are unable to make an arrest so Sue drives there to take matters into her own hands. While watching the man’s mountain cabin she befriends, Vicki, the sister of the dead boy.

  In book 22, Savage Geek, Sue along with her new friend, Vicki Savage, learn of a man using the internet to befriend lonely women and after stealing as much money as he could get from them, they would come up missing or be found dead. As in the other books of this series, Sue can’t let this man get away with his crimes so she hunts him down with Vicki’s help

  In book 23, Justice by Sue, Sue see a news report of a former teacher sent to prison for serving semen laced cookies to his grade school students has escaped from a prison van. She and her friend Vicki Savage pack their bags and leave Maine to hint him down. After finding him in Atlanta, and doing the right thing, they learn they learn of a couple scamming people out of their money in a nearby small town. They investigate the thefts and deliver another unique form of justice.

  In book 24, A Tight Spot, Sue sees a TV show concerning young woman in Alabama who suspects mother to be responsible for the disappearance of her sister. But because the sister had never been found, and the police found insufficient evidence to arrest the mother, nothing was done. She goes to Alabama and what she finds leaves no doubt who killed the daughter.

  Prologue

  2084

  Times were bad, very bad. Many said things could not get any worse. It all started when China and Russia worked together to force a change from the U.S. dollar as the world’s currency standard.

  The U.S. economy began dropping almost instantly which led to a severe depression around the world.

  But no other country was hurt worse than the U.S. The value of the dollar dropped so fast and so low in comparison to other currencies that almost no product made in the U.S. could be sold at a profit outside the country. With the decrease in sales, many production plants closed, which caused a large portion of the working people to lose their jobs, and the economy to drop even further into a hole.

  One industry hit harder than most was the oil industry. The cost to produce gasoline exceeded the price it could be sold for outside the country so production slowed dramatically making it unavailable in many areas. The lower rate of production caused the price at the pump to rise so high few Americans could afford it, if they could even find it. In cities that once had hundreds of stores selling gas, the number dropped to single digits. In most small towns every place selling gas closed.

  As the economy continued to falter, farms failed, food production dropped causing the availability of some foods to lessen which caused the prices to increase. Most of the shelves in grocery stores stayed empty. Many grocery stores closed their doors. More people lost their jobs.

  But what might be the hardest issue to deal with for many people was electrical power. Because of the continuous and increasing pressure of environmental groups over many years, the coal industry had ceased to exist and the nuclear plants had never increased, and as some aged and needed repair, there was no money to make the repairs so they closed. Electricity was rationed to certain hours of the day for selected areas. This effected businesses, schools, hospitals, and everyone’s personal schedules.

  People were saying things could not get any worse.

  Alone Again

  Chapter 1

  Winter 2084

  Keith went downstairs, took off his boots, and laid down on the bed still in his clothes. He closed his eyes and thought about Forest, Brandon, and Buck Hunter. He thought about Joan Warren, Mary Todd, and Sue Lang.

  He spelled each one of their names starting with his father, F-o-r-e-s-t, B-r-a-n-d-o-n, B-u-c-k, J-o-a-n, M-a-r-y, S-u-e. He repeated the names over and over until he fell asleep.

  He was having difficulty breathing because of the smoke. At first he thought he was dreaming of the terrible day in Syria when the bomb exploded in the building his team was searching. When the roof collapsed, the building filled with smoke and dust. He, along with seven other men had trouble breathing and had to get out of the building as quickly as possible. Only five, including himself and Jim, made it out, two were crushed and died.

  He was sweating when he began coughing and choking. He realized he was not dreaming and not in Syria. At that instant he also realized that the temperature in the house was hot, very hot. He sat up in bed and saw the ceiling above him was glowing and he heard the sound of cracking boards.

  He shouted, “Fire, the house is on fire, the house is on fire,” as he got up and ran for the stairs. He made it up only two or three steps when he was stopped by the tremendous heat. Smoke was plowing under the crack between the kitchen floor and the bottom of the door. He tried to go up the steps again but the heat was like an impenetrable wall. He saw flames along one entire side of the basement ceiling.

  He called out again, “Fire, fire, the house is on fire.”

  He jumped off the steps and ran to the back wall where there was a small window over the bed. He stood on the bed and slid the right half of the window to the left opening that half of the window. He put his hand through the opening and pulled himself up trying to get out. His head fit through the window but his shoulders were too wide. He lowered himself back onto the bed and picked up his boots from the floor. He grabbed the blanket from the bed and held it over his head as he swung the boots hard against the window glass and frame. The glass shattered and the thin aluminum frame bent but stayed in place. He threw the boots out the window and pushed the blanket up to the center post in the frame and used it to cushion his hands as he tugged and yanked on the frame until it broke free.

  He pushed both hands through the window and pulled himself to the outside.

  He was shocked when he saw flames rising thirty feet high above the roof. He grabbed his boots and ran to the back door. It was locked so he again used his boots to break the glass. He reached through the hole and unlocked the knob.

  When he opened the door he was hit with a wall of heat and smoke. He pulled up his shirt to cover his mouth and went through the door. He had moved no further than a few feet when the flames, smoke, and heat forced him back outside. He was coughing hard and he tried to scream for Jim but his lungs were full of smoke.

  He ran around the house to the front door but flames were pouring out every window. He grabbed the door knob to try to go inside but the knob was so hot it instantly burned the skin on his palm. He was breathing heavy smoke but he again tried to scream to alert the others. But he could not scream, he had too much smoke in his lungs. He staggered off the porch and into the yard where he fell face first into the grass.

  Chapter 2

  Five months later

  After spending over four months in the hospital being treated for burns on back, left hand, face and throat,
Keith was being sent home. But he had no home. He had nothing. The few things that he had owned prior to the fire were all destroyed in the fire that killed his only real friend, Jim, and the others who were asleep in the house when the fire started. Had he not decided to sleep in the basement that night, and a piece of the flaming ceiling fall on his head awakening him, he would have also died. He got the burns on his back and hand climbing out a narrow basement window to escape the fire.

  During the past several weeks there were many days when he wished he had died too. The pain from the burns in his throat at times was unbearable. The only thing that kept him fighting through the pain was the conversation he had with Jim’s sister Rebecca, a few hours before the fire.

  She had told him something he had always wanted to know, but never expected to hear. He had grown up in foster homes and an orphanage where he had met and grown up with Jim and Rebecca. Until the night of the fire he knew absolutely nothing about his parents. But that night, Rebecca had told him she had discovered the names of his ancestors. But since that night and after all of the medications taken in the hospital, he was unsure if he remembered all of the names correctly.

  As he laid in bed during the past weeks he silently repeated the names over and over again to do his best not to forget them. But the pain medicine had at times caused confusion so he could not be sure he was remembering the names in order. As best he could remember his mother was Joan Warren. His grandmother was named Mary Todd. His great-grandmother was Sue Lang. His father was Forest Hunter. His grandfather was Brandon Hunter and his great-grandfather was Ralph Hunter.

  A couple of things he was sure he remembered was that at one time they lived in the state of Maine, and his great-grandmother had been a sheriff and a bounty hunter and had earned a big reward for catching a terrorist. Beyond that, he could not remember any more about what Rebecca had told him about his family.