Firepower

Book 2: Four Corners Thrillers

by Mike Attebery

Genres: Crime & Mystery; Thrillers; Crime Fiction; Action & Adventure

Synopsis

When a driver burns to death on the side of a New Mexico highway, evidence from the scene leads reporter Luke Murphy to a series of murders involving the region's multi-million dollar energy market.

A year after breaking the biggest story of his career, Luke Murphy is reporting on more big changes in the City of Farmington, where the imminent launch of a first of its kind solar facility, and the likely closure of the region's coal-fired power plant are set to turn the industry on its head, altering the fortunes of the city's most prominent power-players in the process. With millions at stake, and winners and losers on both sides, it appears someone is determined to tip the field in their favor by any means necessary, and prepared to cover their tracks with fire. But in the shadowy world of big energy, it's never clear who owns what, or how far they're willing to go in the pursuit of power and profit.

As Luke chases down the story, peeling away the layers in his search for the truth, will he discover who is responsible for the wave of killings, or will he be next?

Firepower picks up where Chokecherry Canyon left off, pulling readers into another desert noir mystery, and thrilling them with all the action, humor, and suspense that readers of Mike Attebery's Brick Ransom series have come to expect.

Release date: April 23, 2019

Publisher: Cryptic Bindings

Print pages: 244

Sample

State Road 170

Farmington, New Mexico

 

            For ten-year-old Bryan Myers, the highlight of his family’s frequent summer road trips was scouring the comic book spinners at the rest stops when they pulled off the highway to refuel. Remote convenience stores and trading posts often held exceptional finds, back issues of comics with characters and story arcs he had never heard of before. Over the course of the family’s travels this summer, Bryan had found a complete set of Damage Control comics from the late-80s, as well as a bundle of Spider-Man titles in which Spidey was sporting some sort of all-black, alien costume. How these issues had managed to stay tucked away in the spinners all these years was a mystery, but there they sat, suspended in time, just waiting for Bryan’s discovery. Amazingly, most of the stores were still honoring the original cover prices as well, some of them as low as 60 cents!

While reluctant to embark on another long drive in the blistering heat, the prospect of unearthing further treasures was enough to get Bryan to join his older brother in the back of the family’s motorhome without complaint. Knowing the reason behind their younger son’s willingness to embark on another impromptu excursion, Ray and Diane Myers made a point of stopping at the first trading post on the outskirts of town to give Bryan a chance to pick up more comics, and grab some candy for he and his brother.            After weighing his options – settling on a handful of Wolverines and two bargain-priced, yet satisfyingly-heavy Big Hunk bars – Bryan paid the cashier and walked out of the Truax Trading Post, clutching his prizes as he crossed the dirt parking lot en route to the family’s glistening RV.

“What did you get me?” Jason called out the window as his younger brother approached.

Bryan held up the king-sized nougat bars for inspection.

Jason nodded in approval. “Not bad.”

Bryan pulled the door open and was just climbing up the steps, when the sound of squealing tires filled the air. He spun around to see a bright orange Chevette come tearing down the highway past the parking lot. Flickering flames filled the car’s interior, reminding him of the front of Stephen King’s Firestarter, which Jason had been reading all summer. No sooner did the book cover pop into his mind, then the speeding vehicle swerved out of control, slamming into a ditch on the far side of the road. The driver’s side door flew open, and a figure emerged from the vehicle, fully engulfed in flames.

“Oh my God!” Ray shouted as he ran to grab the fire extinguisher from the back of the motorhome.

Diane looked on in shock, before hurrying over to cover Bryan’s eyes.

“Boys!” She screamed. “Don’t look!”

“Why not?” Jason asked incredulously.

Bryan reached up and pried his mother’s fingers out of the way. The driver resembled the Human Torch from The Fantastic Four, at least for a moment, before the flames overtook him, and he disappeared into a thick black cloud of burning fabric and flesh. A guttural howl rippled through the air as the man writhed and flailed about in the flames.

            Ray ran along the side of the road, looking for oncoming cars before he crossed the scorching hot blacktop. Even as he watched his father closing the distance, Bryan could see it was no use. After the first staggered steps, the burning man fell silent as he dropped to his knees, tumbled forward, and lay still.

            Smoke and steam billowed under the blast of the extinguisher, as Ray swept the spray back and forth over the flames. But it was too late, the driver’s twisted body lay sprawled out on the sizzling ground, burned and contorted beyond all recognition, one arm reaching out for the help that could never have gotten to him in time.

            Ray looked over at his wife and shook his head.   

            Diane took Bryan and Jason into the trading post to call the police.

            High above the scene, lost in the blinding glare of the sun, a lone vulture circled overhead, watching the figures down below, waiting for the body to cool.