“I think we should forget the headquarters even exists. There’s nothing left of it anyway, and if it were excavated, we’d have to explain two dead bodies.”
“So the plan is?”
“We run Andrews’ car through a carwash, take it back to his house, put it in the garage, and wipe it down for fingerprints, just to be on the safe side. Of course, as far as anyone knows, his death was an accident, so it’s not like there’ll be an investigation.”
“And Jillian?”
“The crazy cat lady who never puts down roots? She skipped out on her lease and moved a little earlier than expected. She doesn’t have any relatives who’ll come looking for her. I suppose the Sons of the Republic might miss her.”
“But they’ll figure she’s just another victim of their twisted game of King of the Mountain.” Bones clapped a hand on Dane’s shoulder. “I think you’ve got all the bases covered. Maddock, I am definitely rubbing off on you.”
CHAPTER 19
“The prodigal sons have returned, and in one piece, I’m glad to see.” It was a relief to find him so relaxed after their encounter a few days earlier. “You two didn’t try to kill each other?”
“Actually, we got along okay. Much to my surprise.”
“He’s got a long way to go yet, but I’ll get Maddock straightened out for you,” Bones added.
“You didn’t get him into any shenanigans, did you, Bonebrake?”
“I can honestly say I didn’t get him into any trouble.” Bones covered a laugh, but Maxie, his attention diverted by the morning paper, didn’t notice. “We downed a few brews, he dragged me to some historical crap, I scammed on the ladies and Maddock took notes. The usual.”
Chuckling, Maxie closed his newspaper and dropped it on the desk. “I read about a tunnel collapse yesterday in downtown Boston. Formed a big sinkhole in an abandoned lot. You didn’t see that, did you?”
Dane and Bones spoke over each other in their hurry to reply.
“No.”
“We didn’t do it.”
Maxie’s features froze in a blank stare. They stood there in silence for a span of ten heartbeats, waiting to see what he would say next. Finally, his shoulders sagged and he dropped his chin to his chest. When he looked up again, Dane saw fatigue and a touch of amusement in his eyes.
“Do I need to make some calls?”
“I don’t think so.” Dane couldn’t quite meet Maxie’s eye.
“Good.” Maxie returned to his newspaper and flipped to the sports page. He studied it for a minute, leaving Dane and Bones standing there. Dane was just about to ask if they were dismissed when Maxie spoke from behind the paper.
“Remember the questions I asked you both?”
“Which ones?” Bones asked.
“Tell me about Maddock.”
“He’s still got a stick up his butt, but it’s smaller.” Bones cleared his throat. “And his instincts are good. He’s somebody you can trust.”
“Maddock, tell me about Bonebrake.”
“He’s a little reckless, but he’s tough and loyal. He’d run through a brick wall to help a friend.”
“Or tear one down,” Bones added with a grin.
Maxie gave them another long look. “It’s a start. I’ll make SEALs of you two yet. Dismissed.”
Dane had his hand on the doorknob when Maxie called out.
“By the way, Maddock.”
Dane froze and slowly turned his head toward Maxie. “Yes?”
“Paccone’s an ass. Nice work.”
Bones guffawed and shoved a dumbstruck Dane out the door and into the warm California sun.
“That,” Bones proclaimed, “calls for a beer. How about I stand you to a pitcher?”
“Only if you let me buy the second one.”
“It’s a deal.” Bones paused and gazed thoughtfully up at the sky.
“What?” Dane craned his neck to see what had captured Bones’ attention, but saw only blue sky.
“I was just wondering. Do you think we’ll ever have another adventure like that one?”
“Not a chance, my friend. Not a chance.”
About the Authors
David Wood is the author of The Dane Maddock Adventures series, as well as several stand-alone works and two series for young adults. Under his David Debord pen name he is the author of the Absent Gods fantasy series. He co-hosts the ThrillerCast podcast and is a contributing author at Thriller Central. When not writing, he coaches fast-pitch softball and tries to find time to read. David and his family live in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Visit him online at www.davidwoodweb.com.
Sean Sweeney’s love of reading began in 1988, when he was handed J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic The Hobbit, and was given a needed reading boost with John Grisham novels and the Star Wars Expanded Universe in the 1990s. His passion for writing began in 1993, as a sophomore in high school, when he began writing sports for his local newspaper. Sweeney has written for several newspapers and radio stations. Since then, Sean has written fifteen novels along with a handful of novellas and short stories. Sean lives in Bolton, Massachusetts with his girlfriend, Jennifer, their three horses, five cats, a bunny, and the betta fish that makes Sean’s office its home.
Dedication
If you love Dane and Bones, this book is dedicated to you.
From the Author
Readers often tell me they’d love to know more about how Dane and Bones got their start. What were they like “back in the day?” Did they have adventures in the SEALs? And what about these characters from their past whose names we’ve heard, but we’ve never met? If you’ve ever asked any of those questions, here’s your answer.
Within these pages, you’ll learn how Dane and Bones became friends, you’ll meet characters you’ve only heard of (or heard on the telephone… Hint! Hint!) and join them on their first mystery. As with any Dane Maddock adventure, there’s a little history, a lot of action, and a generous dose of humor. And, as always, we’ve played with a few historical details for the sake of the story.
I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as we enjoyed writing it, and I look forward to delving deeper into our favorite characters’ past in future novellas.
David