Erik Handy Read Online Free Page B
Author: Hell of the Dead
storekeeper. People had to eat. Jacoby thought the priest probably believed the constable called for help for humanitarian reasons. Jacoby stifled a chuckle. Fleur laid into him some more. For Fleur, this mess made him and his superiors look bad. And if certain people looked bad, someone low on the chain had to clean up the mess as punishment. Amid this nonsense, no official cared about Marie or what went on outside of city life. Jacoby was right and he wanted to push Nolan's face in the truth.
***
Nolan felt like curling up far from this place and forgetting his situation and station. Nothing was worth the gut-wrenching sense of hopelessness which ailed him. He sought solace in prayer, praying for safety before praying for the children he made parentless, praying for relief from the guilt he felt. The solace he sought eluded him. He needed absolution, but he didn't want to be here in this Third- World wreck of a country to seek it.
Fleur finished with Jacoby and walked over to the line of nine soldiers. He sternly gave them their orders before heading to Nolan.
Fleur lightened his tone with the priest. However, his mere presence was enough to straighten Nolan to attention. "My apologies, Father," the captain began. He cast an accusatory glance at Jacoby. "This matter will now be resolved. We checked your church and the woman is no longer there. We can assume these men have her as well as her baby. "
Nolan's stomach did a cartwheel. If he felt this pang of guilt, then perhaps atonement was indeed possible.
"I must say that the chances of us rescuing her and the child are slim," Fleur continued. "The road into the jungle is little more than a bike path. In addition, there is a lot of jungle and mountain up there."
Ready to argue, Nolan thought Fleur was going to shirk his responsibility. Fleur raised his hand in defense.
"But we will try," Fleur continued. "Now, remain here with the storekeeper's son and daughter --"
"I want to go with you."
Fleur shook his head. "Out of the question. That jungle is no place for a priest, let alone a sane human being."
Chapter 16
Two jeeps crawled up the narrow, dusty road. Nothing but jungle ran on both sides.
The front jeep carried five soldiers. The rear, four plus Jacoby and Fleur in the back seat.
The ride jostled the men back and forth, side to side, up and down.
Jacoby was perturbed that he had to come along on this mission. He wanted to be back at his office or even at the bar. Just not here. This was futile. Pointless. The woman and baby were gone, probably dead. Who knew? Who cared? That damn American. Nolan. It was his fault.
Jacoby thought Fleur would command the jeeps to enter the jungle, stop for a few hours, then return to town emptyhanded, an elaborate shoe for the priest. But, no. Fleur demanded that Jacoby join then on this operation that was actually taking place. Jacoby couldn't believe Fleur, someone cut from the same cloth as him, would follow through on this.
No. Jacoby couldn't entirely blame the priest. Even in the back of his mind, he knew he was wrong in not assisting the priest immediately simply to quell any future incidents. He liked his town and position. He could do what he wanted without any public backlash.
Whatever, Jacoby thought. Soon this fool's errand would be over and he'd be back in town, ready for a game of backgammon and a beer. The town would have a new grocer and no one would know anything amiss had recently occurred.
The distracted constable noticed movement alongside the jeeps.
A man.
Maybe more than one. Jacoby couldn't tell.
Running through the jungle.
Dodging trees.
Trying to stay hidden.
Parallel to the road.
Jacoby tensed up in his seat. He looked around and saw that no one else in his jeep noticed the movement among the trees.
Chapter 17
The front jeep.
The soldier in the rear seat on the far left, Fritz, was daydreaming about being home watching soccer on television with his two sons. And holding his
***
Nolan felt like curling up far from this place and forgetting his situation and station. Nothing was worth the gut-wrenching sense of hopelessness which ailed him. He sought solace in prayer, praying for safety before praying for the children he made parentless, praying for relief from the guilt he felt. The solace he sought eluded him. He needed absolution, but he didn't want to be here in this Third- World wreck of a country to seek it.
Fleur finished with Jacoby and walked over to the line of nine soldiers. He sternly gave them their orders before heading to Nolan.
Fleur lightened his tone with the priest. However, his mere presence was enough to straighten Nolan to attention. "My apologies, Father," the captain began. He cast an accusatory glance at Jacoby. "This matter will now be resolved. We checked your church and the woman is no longer there. We can assume these men have her as well as her baby. "
Nolan's stomach did a cartwheel. If he felt this pang of guilt, then perhaps atonement was indeed possible.
"I must say that the chances of us rescuing her and the child are slim," Fleur continued. "The road into the jungle is little more than a bike path. In addition, there is a lot of jungle and mountain up there."
Ready to argue, Nolan thought Fleur was going to shirk his responsibility. Fleur raised his hand in defense.
"But we will try," Fleur continued. "Now, remain here with the storekeeper's son and daughter --"
"I want to go with you."
Fleur shook his head. "Out of the question. That jungle is no place for a priest, let alone a sane human being."
Chapter 16
Two jeeps crawled up the narrow, dusty road. Nothing but jungle ran on both sides.
The front jeep carried five soldiers. The rear, four plus Jacoby and Fleur in the back seat.
The ride jostled the men back and forth, side to side, up and down.
Jacoby was perturbed that he had to come along on this mission. He wanted to be back at his office or even at the bar. Just not here. This was futile. Pointless. The woman and baby were gone, probably dead. Who knew? Who cared? That damn American. Nolan. It was his fault.
Jacoby thought Fleur would command the jeeps to enter the jungle, stop for a few hours, then return to town emptyhanded, an elaborate shoe for the priest. But, no. Fleur demanded that Jacoby join then on this operation that was actually taking place. Jacoby couldn't believe Fleur, someone cut from the same cloth as him, would follow through on this.
No. Jacoby couldn't entirely blame the priest. Even in the back of his mind, he knew he was wrong in not assisting the priest immediately simply to quell any future incidents. He liked his town and position. He could do what he wanted without any public backlash.
Whatever, Jacoby thought. Soon this fool's errand would be over and he'd be back in town, ready for a game of backgammon and a beer. The town would have a new grocer and no one would know anything amiss had recently occurred.
The distracted constable noticed movement alongside the jeeps.
A man.
Maybe more than one. Jacoby couldn't tell.
Running through the jungle.
Dodging trees.
Trying to stay hidden.
Parallel to the road.
Jacoby tensed up in his seat. He looked around and saw that no one else in his jeep noticed the movement among the trees.
Chapter 17
The front jeep.
The soldier in the rear seat on the far left, Fritz, was daydreaming about being home watching soccer on television with his two sons. And holding his
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