The Serpent and the Crow

Book 4: Chapter Thirteen

Douglas drove through the wilderness at high speed. He heard Flavell and Lawton's bodies bounce inside the trunk. He looked at Jador and she seemed different.

Douglas said, "So, Edgar got you out."

"Yeah," she said.

"Did you see... I mean, can you corroborate Wade's story?"

Her head remained facing the front, but her eyes crept towards the side to look at Douglas.

"I did not see any snake."

Douglas felt like it didn't add up.

"You know you should visit Cortez she's still alive. My wife took good care of her."

"I'll make sure she's still breathing."

"Why did Flavell kidnap you?"

"He must've been involved with that Serpent Stalker case."

Douglas realised two things. How did she know it was a snake that Wade saw? Second, they did not create the Serpent Stalker moniker until after she got out of the caves. Perhaps she heard about it once she got out. The same about Wade's story. Jador was a good detective and from what Wade said, she helped to get his daughter out. So he gave her the benefit of a doubt.

Douglas saw a roadblock up ahead. Armed men. He screeched on the brake and the car came to a halt a safe distance from the roadblock. Armed men were approaching.

"Freeze, Gringo."

A man said with the muzzle of his rifle buried in Douglas' temple. Douglas put up his hands.

"We're cops," Douglas said.

"Doug," the man said, "Douglas Nez?"

Douglas shifted his eyes, and he saw Bolivar.

"You owe me a car, Dougie."

Bolivar knocked out Douglas with a swift flick of the headstock of his gun.