Backlash, p.1
Backlash, page 1
Backlash
A Nate Reigns Novel
Book 2
Iris Bolling
BACKLASH© 2023 by Iris Bolling
ISBN: 979-8-9868244-0-6
LCCN: 2023908405
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, locales is entirely coincidental.
Published by:
Siri Austin Entertainment LLC
Richmond, Virginia 23222
Website: www.siriaustin.com
Contents
Introduction
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
Epilogue
Thank You.
About the Author
FOLLOW ME
Also by Iris Bolling
Introduction
To my new readers from the suspense, mystery, and thriller genres, the characters you are about to meet are layered, as human beings tend to be. My stories are character-driven and have multiple plots happening at once. While you may be able to quickly assess who is a friend and who is a foe with some, others will leave you wondering.
As a warning to those who are new to my style of writing, I tend to drop one-liners in my stories and you may wonder why. Well, nine times out of ten, you will see those one-mentions turned into a full-length novel sometime in the future.
The Nate Reigns series is based on my interpretation of real-life events, mixed with my imagination of advanced technology and “what-if” scenarios. Therefore, the topics discussed in this series may not be a joy ride but a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Take a moment and step into my world. Keep an open mind and envision the possibility of heroes in the background righting wrongs and taking down the bad guys using an array of arsenals as their resources. Even if those wrong-doers have titles we were told to respect, they will be held accountable. Because when the law breaks the law…the consequences can be deadly.
Chapter One
Luck was a funny thing. At times you have it in abundance and other times it just runs out. Detective Arthur Mosley was lucky to still have a job, a wife, and his children. His mistress was now a thing of the past. Yes, that was where all of his troubles started. In no way did he blame her. It was just that wives did not like their husbands having another woman on the side. In an effort to keep the wife, who he loved dearly, he was doing all he could to make amends. First, he had to introduce the children he had with his wife, to the children he had with his mistress. There were five in all, three with the mistress and two with his wife. All under the age of ten. Bringing the children together and getting them to understand they were brothers and sisters was a hard process. But he was committed to uniting his family because that was what his wife wanted.
That wasn’t the only area where he had to make amends. In an effort to maintain the lifestyle of having a wife and a mistress, he’d made the mistake of taking a bribe. As a police officer, that was a no-no if you got caught. Well, he got caught. Now in addition to going through hell at home he was catching hell with Internal Affairs on the job. To keep his job after being caught he had to confess to taking the bribe, which really wasn’t a bribe per se. It was more like a loan outside of legal means. Yes, money was exchanged, however, the repayment was a favor. As it turned out, that favor led to a murder.
So now, here he was, in the middle of the night meeting a fellow officer who was about to take the same wrong turn he had. If Arthur could, he would advise the man to just say no. This one mistake could ruin your fucking life. Lucky for Arthur, the detective who’d taken him down was willing to give him a second chance if he did the right thing. Since that day almost a year ago, Arthur’s life had been turned upside down. All in all, he felt good about the way things were going. His wife was no longer rolling her eyes every time she saw him. His children were now playing together and getting to know each other. As for work, Arthur believed he had seen the error of his ways and was ready to walk the straight and narrow as an officer of the law.
Walking through the park at night was peaceful, he thought. A quiet moment under the stars gave him time to think. Arthur leaned back against a tree trunk, then looked up. This would be a good place to bring his wife, hold her hands and just be. She might like the idea of the two of them spending time together. Hell, she might even think it was romantic. Arthur smiled at the thought. Maybe, just maybe, she would make love to him again, instead of only going through the motions. He missed that from her. The way they used to make love. Don’t let anyone ever tell you passion isn’t important during those intimate moments. He shook his head as he smirked. It makes all the difference in the world. He was going to tell her that when he got home tonight. He was going to tell her, he wanted to feel the fire again. If he was lucky, he might get that kiss from her that he felt down to his toes. That thought brought a smile to his face.
He checked his watch. The person he was supposed to meet with was late. Glancing around, he did not see anyone in the area. The bench near the sidewalk was empty. His vehicle was the only one in the parking lot. He shrugged, thinking maybe he was in the wrong place. He turned back to the tree and almost jumped out of his skin. He did not hear when the man walked up behind him. He sighed with relief.
“Man, I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show.”
Three bursts from the silencer hit him in his chest. He did not have a chance to reach for his weapon, plead for his life, or pray. Arthur was dead before his body hit the ground. No more pretty stars. No toe-curling kiss. No amends for his actions. Arthur’s luck had run out.
Chapter Two
There was a time when his telephone rang in the wee hours of the morning it would be a woman who wanted his company to help her through the night. Since he began working in the Major Crimes Division of the Richmond Police Department, a call at 2 a.m. meant the body waiting for him was not that of a warm woman. The body would be dead. It was his job to determine how and why.
Detective Nate Reigns parked his vehicle next to patrol cars with flashing blue lights. As he stepped out, he looked around taking in the scene, then he glanced up at the sky. It was a clear night with stars shining bright as if they were there to guide someone’s way to heaven. Then his eyes returned to the scene. Maybe the soul of the man lying on the ground needed that guidance. Nate cleared his mind. It was time to work.
“Detective Reigns,” Lt. Stinger of Internal Affairs held his hand out as Nate walked towards him. “Thank you for coming. Chief Williams indicated you were off duty. However, I thought you would be interested in this case.”
The police tape marked the area where forensic personnel were examining the grounds for evidence. There was a large number of department personnel, including the police chief and a few deputy chiefs. It was unusual to have the brass on the scene.
“Looks like we have a full house,” Nate stated as he shook Stinger’s hand. “Who do we have here?”
“Officer Arthur Mosley.”
Nate stopped and stared at Stinger. “Arthur Mosley your confidential informant?”
Stinger nodded. “The one and only.”
As Nate glanced around, now understanding the deep number of officers at the scene, he recognized the area. The scene was reminiscent of a case he had closed not that long ago. That case involved another CI shot in the park. There were no witnesses, and unless Nate was off the mark, which he rarely was, they were not going to find any evidence.
He bent over pulling the sheet back to take a closer look. This was the man who started it all. The man who led him to the organization he now knew as P.I.E. Somehow, Nate had known Mosley’s life would end this way. He was a cop who got caught up in a bad situation. Instead of manning up and handling his business, he decided to take a bribe. That bribe led Nate and his partner Tony Harper to Wyatt Chambers and the organization called Peaceful Intervention Emergence. They used the acronym P.I.E. Nate believed…no…knew that organization was responsible for the death of his friend, Alex Burnett. Alex’s death and the incidents that followed were, in a nutshell, the reason his trust level for the department and several other agencies within the city, was close to none. He did not have trust in their words or actions. Nate could literally count on his hands the number of people with badges that he trusted.
“Three shots center mass,” Nate said as he continued to observe the body. Using a pen from his pocket, he placed it on the man’s bottom lip then pulled it down. There were dollar bills stuffed in his mouth. Nate stood as he stared at Stinger. “Who knew he was your informant?”
Stinger stepped closer as if to ensure no one overheard his words. “That is the problem Reigns. Only me, my partner, you, and Federal Prosecutor Burrell knew.”
Not surprised at the man’s action or his words, Nate exhaled, “The plot thickens.”
“The Chief said something similar when I informed him. He told me not to speak with anyone until I talked to you.” Stinger glanced around then looked back at Nate. “What in the hell is going on Reigns?”
The magnitude of what was happening in the city was more than Nate would be able to explain in a day and definitely not in this setting. How in the hell did he explain that there was an organization attempting to take over the city by killing people in powerful positions and replacing them with people willing to assist them with their mission. How did he explain that he believed the Richmond Police Department, the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and the judicial system had all been infiltrated with members of that organization. How did he explain that the end goal was to purify their race by eliminating or placing those with brown or black skin into some form of legalized servitude. Who in their right mind would believe such a thing was possible in today’s time. With the Caucasian population now in the minority, some people in powerful positions with lots of money had organized and planned how to control this city. How did he explain that the information they had uncovered indicated it was not just happening in the city of Richmond. The actions being taken may very well be spread around the country. Nope, there was no way in hell he could share all he knew about what was happening that had started with the body lying on the ground until he knew more about Stinger. Was Stinger an officer he could trust or was he affiliated in some way with P.I.E. Until he could answer that with more certainty, he would keep his thoughts to himself.
“Here is what I can tell you at this time. Mosley was shot three times center mass. Who is trained to do that…officers. We both know what the money in his mouth is about. He was talking. Which means the person who did this knows Mosley was an informant. You have to ask yourself, is that the real reason he was killed or is that what they want us to think.” Nate glared at Stinger.
“There is something being unearthed in the department Reigns,” Stinger shook his head. “I am not certain what, but there are a number of undercurrents rippling through my people. Every time we get someone ready to open up, they end up dead or missing.”
“What does that tell you?” Nate whispered.
“Someone is talking.”
Nate nodded. “And it is not Mosley.”
“We have a dirty cop in IA?” Stinger raised an eyebrow.
“We have dirty cops everywhere in the department.” Nate replied. “If I were you, I would follow the Chief’s lead. Don’t share your info or thoughts about this to anyone you do not trust.”
Stinger nodded his head then released a breath. “I trust you Reigns.” He shook his head. “This case can’t be handled by my division. The Chief is the only person I trust other than you right now. I need you to take this one.”
Nate hesitated. “You realize I still have not taken down Alex’s killer.”
“Yes, but you have taken down the man behind the death of the judges, a prostitution ring, and the people who attempted to kill Federal Prosecutor Burrell. I think Mosley’s death is related.” Stinger hesitated. “Like the Chief, I am willing to put my money on you to uncover what is really happening here.”
“You might not like the outcome.” Nate stated as he walked away.
“But you are going to handle the case anyway, because you know I’m right.”
He looked over his shoulder reassessing Stinger. For now, he was going to believe Stinger was on the right side of the law. “I don’t know who is up in the rotation, but I’ll let the Chief know I’m willing to take the case.”
Chapter Three
Walking past the other officers who were standing around, Nate walked up to the group of men proudly displaying their bars indicating the higher ranks in the department. He knew most of them and the one that he was not familiar with he recognized as Deputy Chief Duncan who headed up the Patrol Services. Nate did not have any issues with the man and as far as he knew the man did not have any with him. Standing next to Duncan was Chief of Police Frank Williams, who Nate trusted implicitly. It was the Chief who had been working behind the scenes with Alex to eliminate corruption within the police department. The Chief was the one who brought Nate into the fold with information on P.I.E. They were working together with others outside of RPD to identify members of P.I.E. who had infiltrated the department. Standing in front of the Chief, with his back to him was Deputy Chief Bynum. Bynum was the brass over Major Crimes. He did not like Nate and the feeling was mutual. The man was dirty under the old administration and continued to undermine Chief Williams. Nate knew for a fact that Bynum was affiliated with P.I.E. The man standing next to Bynum, whose back was also to Nate was the asshole known as Cory Vaughan and was once Nate’s partner. Since then, he had ass-kissed his way up the pole and was now the assistant to Bynum. Nate had not liked him as a partner and thought even less of him now. The last man in the group was Nate’s direct superior, Captain Harry Daniels who reported directly to Bynum. Nate was okay with Captain Daniels. They had a hate-need type situation. The Captain hated Nate, but also needed him for his case closure rate. Since Captain Daniels was his next in command, Nate addressed him.
“Good evening, morning, whichever it may be for you,” Nate spoke. “Captain Daniels, may I have a moment?”
Captain Daniels turned, “Reigns you are off duty. What are you doing here?”
“Lt. Stinger called me in. Officer Mosley was connected to one of my old cases and I would like to work his case.”
“You are not next up in the rotation, Nate,” Cory Vaughan replied. “As Captain Daniels stated you are not on duty and should not be at the scene.”
“When a fellow officer is down, we should all be present, if for no other reason than out of respect for a co-worker losing his life.”
Nate watched as the face of Vaughan turned two shades redder than it was. There was a time when Nate had thought of Vaughan as a young over ambitious ass. He damn sure was not detective material and he’d often wondered what Vaughan’s real game was. However, now he knew the man was not as stupid as he wanted others to believe. There was something devious when it came to Vaughan. Nate could not prove it…yet, but he was willing to put his badge on the line that Vaughan was in some way involved with the P.I.E. organization.
