She dropped her phone on the seat and rolled past the parked Cherokee to continue north. Though she was eager to learn the stranger’s identity, she really didn’t think it factored much into the reason she was there. She figured she had collected all the intelligence she would get that night and set her sights on the uncomfortable bed in her room at the Sonesta in Milpitas.

“Punky.”

She yawned again and looked at the cars parked on the opposite side of the street, casually studying their makes and models as a car afficionado might do. But her fatigue evaporated in an instant. Tucked between two equally boring sedans was a European model with dark-tinted windows. Only the halo of light descending through the windshield and the subtle movement of a person in the passenger seat betrayed that it was occupied.

Her heart raced as she continued north. Without even looking, she knew the car was parked in the perfect spot to surveil the target’s house, and she didn’t believe in coincidences.

“Punky, you still there?”

She swallowed against the dryness in her mouth. “Yeah.”

“The Jeep belongs to a US Marine,” Camron said. “Corporal Adam Garett, an Aviation Logistics Information Management Systems Specialist — whatever that is — based down here at Miramar.”

Punky glanced at the Mercedes sedan in her side-view mirror. “And we’re not the only ones interested in him.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

They say you have your whole life to write your first book but only a year to write your second. In my case, I had even less than that. And it would not have been possible without the constant encouragement of my wife Sarah, and my three incredible children, Tre, William, and Rebecca. Thank you for believing in me and always supporting my dreams.

To my fellow authors who have offered their support from the beginning, I am truly humbled to be among your ranks. To Brian Andrews, Don Bentley, Marc Cameron, Jack Carr, Simon Gervais, Mark Greaney, Chris Hauty, Josh Hood, Ward Larsen, David McCloskey, Taylor Moore, Ryan Steck, Connor Sullivan, A.J. Tata, Brad Taylor, Steve Urszenyi, and Jeff Wilson, thank you for your friendship and words of encouragement.

To those who offered their critical eye to scenes in their areas of expertise, I can’t thank you enough. Any mistakes in this novel are mine alone, but where I nailed it, the credit is yours. To Layne Crowe, Charlie Mauzé, Del Roll, and J. Kenneth Wickiser, thank you for ensuring this work of fiction contained at least a shred of realism.

To my amazingly talented super-agent, John Talbot, I am thankful for your patience and guidance as I navigate the publishing world. To Andrew Watts, Cate Streissguth, Randall Klein, Kate Schomaker, and the unsung heroes behind Severn River Publishing, thank you for giving me a home and helping to mold this story into a finished product I am incredibly proud of.

Lastly, to you, my readers. Thank you for continuing to give up your most precious commodity to spend time with Colt and Punky. I hope you enjoyed their adventure and look forward to the next one. I know I look forward to delivering it to you.

I’m out.

Farley

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jack Stewart grew up in Seattle, Washington and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy before serving twenty-three years as a fighter pilot. During that time, he flew combat missions from three different aircraft carriers and deployed to Afghanistan as a member of an Air Force Tactical Air Control Party. His last deployment was with a joint special operations counter-terrorism task force in Africa.

Jack is a graduate of the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) and holds a Master of Science in Global Leadership from the University of San Diego. He is an airline pilot and has appeared as a military and commercial aviation expert on international cable news. He lives in Dallas, Texas with his wife and three children.