The Killing Grounds: an explosive and gripping thriller for fans of James Patterson. Jack Ford
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everything around her and closed one eye and aimed at the truck’s tyre…
Bullseye.
The front left wheel exploded into a mix of sound and shreds of rubber, and Maddie watched as the driver of the vehicle fought with the steering wheel as if he were driving a herd of wild horses. And as she pumped a last hail of bullets into the other tyre, the guards’ truck came to a screeching halt, millimetres from going over the edge.
Closing her eyes for a moment and breathing deeply, Maddie gave a last glance to the drop below and, helped by Cooper, carefully sidled back into her seat. Put on the safety lock of the submachine gun. Threw it down on the floor. Turned to Cooper and said, ‘You’re a total jackass.’
‘But you, Maddison, you’re something else and the best shot around and that’s why we all love you.’ He winked. Caught the look of incredulity on her face. And he knew her well enough to know she was pissed. Well and truly.
‘You think this is funny do you, Tom? None of this is funny. Not even close. I told you a long time ago that I’m not going through this crap again, you hear me? You could’ve been killed in that place and we could’ve all been killed just now. I thought you’d finished with all this. Remember? Remember your promises to stop this crap? But oh no. Suddenly you’re playing action hero again, whilst Levi and I put our jobs on the line – not to mention our necks – and it’s not over yet. We still have to get over the border. You really need to start growing up, because there’s a lot of people who rely on you.’
Levi swerved the truck, only narrowly avoiding hitting the carcass of a large goat lying in the middle of the road. ‘Seriously Maddie,’ he said. ‘Do this some other time. He’ll be wishing he’s back in Mai Edaga.’
Watching a fly hitch a ride on the truck as they weaved up the mountain trail, Cooper rubbed his head. Felt the tiredness beginning to hit. He’d barely slept for the past few days, partly because of the cramped conditions in Mai Edaga, but mainly because he hadn’t wanted to let down his guard.
‘No, it’s cool,’ he said. ‘Maddie’s right. It isn’t funny, but honey, you know it’s just our way to get through stuff. I’m sorry though, okay?’
Maddie, not interested in being appeased – not interested in anything Cooper had to say – snapped angrily. ‘That’s bullshit, Tom. Bullshit! You’re not sorry. You never are. But like I said before, I won’t be part of it anymore.’
‘Maddie, come on, I…’
‘No, Tom, I don’t want to hear it. I’ve heard it, too many times. But the worst thing is, I’ve fallen for it too many times, but you can bet your ass not this time.’
Cooper turned to appeal to Levi, who was driving hard up the mountainside, wanting to get to the Ethiopian border before night fall. ‘Levi, help me out here.’
‘Bro, you know I love you man but on this one, Maddie’s right. You know that. It’s some crazy stuff you got yourself into back there. We all know you’re good at what you do. The best. But… hell, I dunno, recently it feels like you’re always looking for the edge and you wouldn’t care if you fell off. I don’t know what’s happened. It’s like we’re back in the past. And they were bad days, bro. Real bad days. And I’ll tell you something else for free, I’m not looking forward to the crap we’ll get when Granger realizes we took off to come and find you…’
Levi ended his sentence with a whistle to emphasis his words, as was his habit.
Resigned, Cooper said, ‘Leave Granger to me.’
Changing gears and grinding the gear box, Levi shook his head. ‘Listen Coop, I know you’ve pulled me out of some near misses. Jeez, I probably wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for you, but those days are over and I thought they were for you as well. We all did. I left the Navy to have a peaceful life, man, and apart from Mrs. Walker bitching every day, that’s what I get. I’m not looking for excitement, I’m looking to earn money and go fishing. Fishing and money. The only two things that matter. Everything else, especially women – sorry Maddie – is too much of a headache. But you and whatever’s going on, well it’s some kind of crazy.’
Maddie sighed, ‘I don’t get it, Tom, why make everything harder? Why do this after all this time?’
Cooper opened the tepid bottle of water Levi had passed him earlier. Drank it down. Didn’t seem to quench his thirst. Sighed. Knew he should have some patience. Because he got it. God knows he got what she was trying to say. Problem was, he didn’t want to hear it. Not now. Not ever. He said, ‘Christ, Maddie, can’t you just leave it? I’m just doing my job. That’s all.’
Red with anger and frustration and pain at not being able to get her words out properly, Maddie spluttered. ‘No. No you’re not. This has nothing to do with the job. We both know that. And we both know who it’s about.’
Levi took his eyes off the road to shoot her a hard stare. A stare which Cooper had no doubt he’d been practising for Mrs Walker. ‘Leave it, Maddie… She don’t mean nothing by it, Coop. We’re all upset.’
Tying back her long corkscrew brown hair in a tight ponytail, Maddie’s face was flushed. Red like a fever. ‘Yes I do mean something by it. Don’t tell me I don’t, Levi, and what’s more, don’t get into my business.’
Levi Walker, always hoping he and confrontation had parted company a long time ago, tried to smooth down the situation, though he couldn’t help thinking how scarily like his wife Maddie was when she had something bugging her.
‘Hey guys, listen. Let’s not get into a fight. It’s been a tough day and Cooper, you look beat. And although I know he’ll never say it, Maddie, I bet he had one helluva tough time in that detention center. We’ve still got a long-ass drive in front of us, but the sooner we get to the border, the better. The plane we chartered from Addis Ababa is thirty miles west from there. We’ll fly it back to the airport and then tomorrow there are three tickets with our names on. So it’ll be goodbye Africa, hello USA.’
Levi’s attempt at peace-making fell short of the mark for Maddie. Always did. Never got close.
‘Shut the hell up, Levi. I want Tom to admit it that the whole thing in Eritrea, it wasn’t about the job.’
‘Maddie,’ said Cooper. ‘Enough.’
‘You don’t get off that easily. It’s started again, hasn’t it? But what I don’t know is why… Come on Tom, I want you to admit this is about Ell… ’
Cooper’s voice raised. Shouted. Shot her down as he interrupted. ‘Don’t say it…! You hear me? Just don’t.’ He paused. Clenched his fist to stop the past pouring in. Turned away to watch the unfamiliar countryside speed by. But even after a minute, all Thomas J. Cooper could manage was a whisper. ‘Just don’t say it, Maddie… Levi, wake me up when we get there.’
Cooper closed his eyes. Goddamn it the woman drove him mad. But he supposed that was part of her job. It was what women did.
Like Levi, he’d known Maddie for over twenty years and all that time she’d never changed. Tough and strong and loyal and caring and intelligent as hell. Put most men he knew to shame. But that didn’t mean she didn’t get under his skin.
He’d met her on the first day of Aviation Officer Candidate School at the beginning of his military career. The three of them were all tight friends. Been through tough times, and looking back he knew it’d made them stronger.
Even when he’d left the military they’d kept in touch. Or rather, Levi and Maddie had kept in touch with him. But he hadn’t appreciated it. After the accident he wanted to be allowed to hide away from the world, so he could be consumed by his own grief. His own loss. His own guilt. But they hadn’t let him. Not even for a moment.
The job they were now in, that had been Maddie’s idea, when she and Levi’s commissions in the Navy had come to an end. They’d both joined Onyx, an aviation and marine asset recovery company, specializing