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Coming in 2021
Grey Winds
A Jessica Bentley Thriller
Smoke
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A Jessica Bentley Thriller
Cherry Laska
Smoke Reactivated
Copyright © 2020 Cherry Laska
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Permission requests should be sent to [email protected].
This is a work of fiction. All characters and names are the product of the author’s imagination. Places and events used as settings may be real, but characters associated with the places and events are entirely fictitious.
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN 978-1-946425-56-0
Book Design by CSinclaire Write-Design
Book Cover by Pro_ebook Covers
Dedication
— For my incredible children
who bring me immense pride and joy,
each in their own special way.
— For my beautiful, generous mother
who does everything with style and grace.
— For my father with his special heart
who taught me to set my own standards and
gave me my need for speed.
— For my amazing husband
who always believes in me and
always makes me laugh.
— Thank you all for teaching me so much
and making me feel unstoppable!
Acknowledgments
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE to thank who have played a part in making this book a reality—from those who made me who I am to those many people who by their reaction to learning I flew planes and helicopters in the military made me think I had a story to tell to those who encouraged me to stay the course and publish this novel. I couldn’t possibly name them all, but I must name a few.
Thank you to all those who made my childhood something to treasure: Matt O., BFFs TeriLin C., Bridgid B., Robyn H., Carrah D., Sandi K., Elizabeth G., David G., the DeNooyer boys, Carolyn M., all the kids in Country Knolls and all your parents. Our time in the woods, on bikes, in the pool, on boats, at the races where we constantly played games and put on shows sparked my adventurous and creative nature. The fun continued through the college years—thank you to the brothers of Lambda Chi and sisters of Gamma Phi.
Thank you to all the men and women in our military who protect our country. It was an honor and a privilege to have served in the Army, and I am a stronger individual because of it.
Thank you to all the incredible women in my life. Whether they work outside the home or not, have kids or not, these ladies have been a resource of logistical support and knowledge and have also made life a lot more fun: Jennifer S., Kristen P., Carolyn S., Judy L., Chris M., Rosa M. and all the PA crew; Suzie R., Mara M., and all the golfers at R-C, BH, and RCC. Steve L. would say I should thank Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and he is absolutely right. There have been many trailblazers, and she is absolutely the ultimate bad ass.
Thank you to Coach Palazzo who made wrestling at Lake Highland Prep an intense and rewarding experience for our whole family. You have a positive impact on so many lives. I’m happy to share a little glimpse of wrestling in my story.
Thank you to my colleagues I work with today, especially my team. Due to compliance, your identity has been classified TOP SECRET but you know who you are. Life keeps getting better.
Thank you to my family, friends, and strangers who inspired characters, plots, jokes, murders, love, settings, and so much more. Some of those closest to me may recognize parts of themselves or events we’ve shared—however, I assure everyone so much of it all has been morphed or fabricated to develop an entertaining story. It especially must be said that my husband bares no similarities to the husband in SMOKE. Thirty plus years and we continue to live happily ever after.
Thank you to all my favorite authors in the thriller genre. I have grown in my craft from meeting you and from reading your wonderful stories.
Thank you to my friends who were my early readers and beta group. Five specifically are Kathy P. who inspired me because she really liked my story, Donna W. who shares my passion for reading and shared her knowledge on literary issues. The remaining three not only are friends but with their experience and credentials were incredible resources in Special Forces, government agencies, and more: Matt G., Jon V., and Scot W. who has been like a brother in college, flight school, the 15th MI Battalion through today.
Thank you to my talented editor and dear friend, Lee Heinrich, who worked to make Smoke Reactivated much better in so many significant ways. Her genuine desire to help authors publish books that readers will love shines through in Write Way Publishing Company.
I dedicated my book to my family and spoke of a few specifics. I could write a whole chapter on everything they mean to me and give to me. I’d like to thank them again, as well as thank my extended family. You have always supported me and made me feel like I could do anything I set my mind to. You fill life with love and laughter.
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
About the Author
PROLOGUE
LIBERIA
APRIL 1987 - 0300 LOCAL
“BLACK HORSE, THIS IS SHARK. Ready for exfil. Over.”
“Shark, negative. Unable exfil at this time. Over.”
“Shit,” Captain Joe Romeo said under his breath. The woman his team had just rescued had taken a bullet in the stomach and was bleeding heavily. “Black Horse, Raven needs urgent medical. Heavy numbers of enemy combatants are in pursuit on foot and motorized. Over.” He hadn’t finished transmitting when bullets whizzed over his head finding the tree he was using for cover. Splinters rained down on him,
Joe returned fire and yelled, “Move, move, move.” He and his six-man Delta team fired and maneuvered at a controlled rapid pace as they tried to break contact with the rebels, a ragtag looking crew who controlled the entire upper coastal region.They were known for being extremely brutal and were better armed than the mission brief had stated. Joe shouted into his radio, “Find us another ride, now. Over.”
“Shark, hold.”
Joe thought, Hold? Is this asshole kidding?
“Shark, we have a friendly in the area. Proceed to LZ Sierra-One for immediate exfil. Out.”
“Shark, this is Bravo One Victor Papa. We are four mikes from LZ Sierra-One. Over.”
Joe answered on the run, “Bravo One Victor Papa, be advised we’ll be coming in hot. Over.”
“Roger. We’ll see if we can do something to help you with that. Over.”
Joe recognized the call sign designation from previous encounters with high-ranking officials traveling on the Army’s VIP transport unit out of Fort Belvoir. He had no idea what these pilots, who were assigned to one of the cushiest jobs in the Army, were doing flying over Liberia or how they could possibly have the necessary armament to take out these rebel forces, but Joe was not in a position to question any of that. He needed their help.
Bursting out of the trees, the operators plunged into a thick mass of elephant grass. Joe was hit with a blast of stifling hot air that took away his breath. The dense, eight-foot-tall grass trapped all of the day’s heat and humidity and was razor-sharp. The grass sliced every inch of exposed skin as he ran, and sweat poured into his eyes, blurring his vision. He heard the whomp-whomp of the approaching helo and called for his team to push harder. They cleared the grass and hit the open field.
“Shark, we have you in sight. Get down. Over.”
His guys hugged the dirt as the UH-60 Blackhawk unloaded its payload. The door gunner took on the enemy. The unmistakable, welcomed spitting sound of the M60 7.62 miniguns filled the air. Explosions rocked the night as grenades and rockets found their targets. The Blackhawk set down swiftly, and the two onboard gunners continued to lay down suppressive fire.
“Shark, you’re cleared to move. Get everyone loaded quickly.”
The operators kept low under the massive four main titanium rotor blades. Joe accounted for all his men and Raven, who was slung over one guy’s shoulder. The instant everyone was on board, the helo lifted off, increased speed, and stayed low to the ground. A blur of varying shades of green whizzed by as they flew nap-of-the-earth.
Joe grabbed the headset from the hook near his seat. “That was awesome. Who do I have the pleasure of thanking for saving our asses?”
When the crew remained silent, Joe wondered if there was something wrong with the coms or if the crew, whose normal mission entailed flying officers to ceremonies and meetings, had been offended by his use of profanity. He didn’t think that was it. Even though these guys were aviators, they were still in the Army. Joe cleared his throat and tried again. “We’re grateful you were here to give us a ride. Who are you guys?” Nothing. “Okay, let’s try this. What brought you so far from home to this lovely part of the world?”
The pilot and co-pilot glanced at each other. Joe saw the pilot’s profile and was struck with a weird feeling. Something was off, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. The flight crew were all wearing helmets with the dark integrated night vision shades, flight vests over flight suits, and Nomex gloves. The only visible skin was from just below their noses to the base of their necks, making it hard to get a read. It was extremely suspicious that this VIP Blackhawk with a modified armament package, a glass cockpit, and what looked to be advanced avionics was in the region, but that wasn’t what was triggering Joe’s internal alarms.
The co-pilot keyed his mic but instead of answering Joe’s questions he said, “Sir, a storm is currently on top of the carrier. We’re going to have to set down and wait for it to pass.”
Joe checked with the Staff Sergeant administering first aid. “That’s a no-go, sir. Her breath is shallow and pulse is thready. We’re going to lose her if we don’t get her to the docs soon.”
Joe told the pilots, “Look, I don’t know your clearance levels, your names, or even your ranks, but you became a part of this rescue op the moment you responded to our call. This woman is the Secretary of State’s wife. She doesn’t have time to sit in a field and wait for sunshine and rainbows. She was held captive and abused for weeks. She took a bullet during her rescue and will bleed out if we don’t get her to the medical team waiting for her on board the USS Wasp right fucking now.”
“Negative, sir,” the co-pilot said. “Our responsibility is for the safety of everyone on board, not just one person.”
Joe felt his anger building. His jaw was clenched tight, and he was about to light up the weenie when the other pilot cut in. “Understood, Captain Romeo. We’re en route to the ship.”
Hearing the female voice over the coms totally caught Joe off guard. A woman? Joe couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed the pilot in the right seat was a female. Even with all the flight gear he should have been able to tell the difference between a man and a woman. In his world, failing to notice small details could result in people dying, and this was no small detail. And how the hell does she know my name? She’d even pronounced it correctly. Almost everyone thought it was like Shakespeare’s RO-me-o, but it was actually Ro-MAY-o.
Joe started to respond but got a dead mic. He’d been cut off from their communications. He watched the co-pilot’s passionate hand gestures. It was evident he was trying to convince the pilotin-command not to fly out and land on a carrier at sea in the middle of a storm. She shook her helmeted head, reached over, and flipped a switch.
“The weather conditions are bad, and the storm is intensifying rapidly. I’ll get you on board, but it’s going to be a rough ride. Have your men buckle up tight. Our ETA is fourteen mikes.”
“Roger, but she doesn’t have that long. We need to get there faster.” Joe felt the Blackhawk nose over and accelerate. He asked, “What’s your name, pilot?”
“Lieutenant Murphy.”
Joe knew right away she was lying. She’d hesitated before she’d answered, and he was sure it wasn’t a coincidence her name just happened to be the same as the first female Army pilot. He wasn’t going to call her out until his team completed their mission and the package was delivered. Once Raven and his men were safe, Lieutenant Murphy had some explaining to do.
The up and down drafts were violent. The winds and driving rain were pushing them around. The weather radar in the middle of the cockpit control panel was almost completely red. Nine minutes later they approached the carrier. The co-pilot requested permission to land.
“Bravo One Victor Papa, USS Wasp. Caution, winds thirty-five gusting to forty-five from the southeast. Visibility quarter mile. Ceiling fifty feet. Seas ten to twenty foot waves. You are cleared to land.”
Lieutenant Murphy was continuously manipulating the controls as she fought to bring them in. The co-pilot was responding to numerous flashing lights and canceling alarms. Joe looked at the members of his team. They didn’t scare easily, but even these meat e
aters were death gripping their seats. Joe caught sight of the deck. It was rising and rolling worse than he’d ever seen. Lieutenant Murphy matched the speed of the LHD1 Navy Amphibious Assault Ship and touched down unbelievably soft.
Crewmen rushed in, chocked the wheels, and tied them down. The side door opened and Mrs. Cooke was swiftly loaded onto a stretcher and whisked away to one of the onboard operating rooms. As soon as she was clear, the team didn’t waste a second exiting the Blackhawk.
As Joe worked to unbuckle his harness he said to Murphy, “You saved her life by getting us here. That was incredible flying. I’d like to buy you and your crew a drink in the galley after my AAR.”
She turned around and flashed him a wide smile. “A drink sounds great.”
Joe couldn’t help returning her smile. His white teeth stood out in contrast to his camouflage-covered face. He nodded as he jumped out and made his way toward the hatch. He needed to wrap things up fast, so he could get to the galley to find out the truth about this flight crew. There was no way in hell they were part of a VIP unit. They knew who he was, and Joe didn’t like one-sided relationships. He especially wanted to know about Lieutenant Murphy. She had serious skills. He was impressed. It didn’t matter to him if she was a female, an alien, or a monkey. He liked to know the best of the best and keep them close. Plus, if he was really being honest, he had to see the pilot without her helmet. He had to see the face that went with that smile.
After the debrief, Joe started toward the galley when he caught a whiff of himself. He diverted to his temporary quarters to grab a quick shower and change his uniform.
Joe finally made it to the galley and spotted Lieutenant Murphy sitting with the ship’s Captain. He was laughing at a story she was telling. Joe could see that even in uniform with no make-up and her hair up, she was a beautiful woman. As he approached the table, they all stood up to go.
“You missed out, Captain Romeo. Lieutenant Bentley just finished telling me a great story about a Congressman who was afraid of flying. Well, the weather has cleared, so our guests are leaving us, and I’m needed on the bridge. Take care, Lieutenant.” He turned and was gone.
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