Teasers for Pursuing the Dead - Updated as of 10/7/19
My latest book, Pursuing the Dead, will release on Tuesday, October 29. In an effort to keep readers engaged, I will be posting several 100-word teasers leading up to the book's release. These teasers will not only act as a bridge between The Landfill and Pursuing the Dead, but each installment will also help in moving the current story forward. Since I don't want to reveal too much, some of these teasers might be vague, so readers will have to use their imagination. I will put an updated date in the title each time a new installment is posted.
Loredo put the knuckle of his index finger to the thick wood, tapping the door three times in succession.
“Come in,” a man said.
Loredo gripped the knob and turned it, pushing the door ajar and standing in the entranceway of his boss’s office.
“Agent Loredo,” he said. “Thanks for getting back to me so promptly.”
“No problem, sir.” Loredo closed the door.
“You’ll want to have a seat for this.” Loredo obliged, sitting in a chair across from his boss. “We have a situation near Savannah.”
“What kind of situation?”
“You probably won’t believe me when I tell you.”
#
Loredo’s boss wasn’t kidding. The story sounded like a farce, but the evidence was right in front of him. Loredo gawked at his boss’ computer screen, the video resembling something out of a horror movie.
“That isn’t possible,” Loredo said with a clear lack of confidence.
“I agree, yet the video proves otherwise.” Loredo shook his head. “I’ve watched it dozens of times myself, agent. I can’t wrap my head around it.” He hesitated. “But the situation obviously has to be dealt with, which is why I’m sending you down there. We can’t let the public catch wind of this.”
#
After stopping by his house to pack, Loredo headed for Dulles International Airport. He was booked on a United Airlines flight departing Dulles at 12:30 pm. It was a non-stop flight to Savannah, making it a quick two-hour trip. Not quick enough for Loredo, though, as the man seated next to him refused to mind his own business.
“What are you watching?” the man asked.
Loredo was replaying the video his boss had showed him earlier, this time from his own laptop. “Just a bad movie.” He closed out the video, powered down the computer, and folded the laptop shut.
#
After landing in Savannah, Loredo drove a rental car to the outskirts of the city, following the river to a nearby landfill. A group of men stood outside the front office, one of them catching a glimpse of Loredo as he parked. The man walked toward him, and Loredo exited the car.
“Agent Loredo?” he asked.
“Yes.”
The man extended his hand, and Loredo gripped it, offering a firm shake.
“Administrator Robert Miles,” the man said. “I’m with the EPA.” Loredo nodded. “Someone from your office has already contacted the local authorities. You’ll be in charge of this matter now.”
#
Miles escorted Loredo to a remote part of the landfill. A back entrance, wire fence standing between them and the dirt road on the other side. Loredo inspected the area. He noticed a large hole a few yards away, some of the dug-up soil surrounding the edges of the pit.
“That’s the most recent one,” Miles said, pointing to the hole in front of them. “There are a couple more, too. Both of those have been filled in, but one is fairly new.”
“Based on the video?”
Miles nodded. “If I didn’t see it myself, I never would’ve believed it.”
© 2019 by Kevin Hopson
