BLOOD TIES (Decklan Jennings Thriller Book 1) by Philip Duncan (book recommendations for young adults txt) 📕

start connecting some dots, if he could. There was only one problem… he had no idea where to begin.

Then he knew. He had to call his brother and see if he could get any information that could help.

“Hey little bro, I saw all your missed calls and just wanted to let you know that I’m okay,” Decklan said.

“Are you sure?” Parker said. “I can’t imagine what you are going through right now and we are going to do everything we can to find out who is behind this and bring them to justice.”

Of course, this was of little comfort to Decklan because he had plans of his own and he knew the only justice they wanted was to arrest them and bring them before a judge and jury. This wasn’t going to happen as long as he had breath left in his lungs.

“Thanks,” he replied with little emotion. “Any idea who could have done this? Any leads yet?”

There was a slight pause…

“I’m sorry, Deck, but you know I can’t discuss an open case with a civilian, even if you are my brother,” Parker replied.

“I understand that,” Decklan snapped back, “I’m not an idiot. All I want to know is if you had the slightest idea where to start.”

“Unfortunately, we don’t have much to go on right now. I’ll know more once I get with my forensics team after they are done sweeping your house.”

“Did your lead detective tell you about the video? Did he tell you that these bastards recorded the whole thing and tied me up to a chair to make me watch as my whole world was ripped away from me?” Decklan said firmly.

“Yes, I know about the video. Again, I’m so sorry, but hopefully, they left some kind of clue on there that we can use. But I didn’t know about you being tied up. Did you not tell the detectives that when they interviewed you?” Parker said.

“I didn’t stick around long enough for them to ask me any questions. I don’t have anything to give them, anyway, that they don’t already have,” Decklan said, purposefully leaving out the detail about the wrist tattoo.

Decklan was tired of this back and forth. He couldn’t waste any more time playing twenty questions while the men responsible were out walking the streets like nothing happened.

“Okay Parker, let me know if you find anything on the tape. I mean, if it doesn’t get you in trouble, of course,” Decklan said sarcastically, ending the phone call.

CHAPTER 3

Since he didn’t have the first clue where to start or where to go, he decided just to drive around and try clearing his head. Although this was pretty much impossible, considering the circumstances.

It was the middle of October and the weather was almost perfect, but to Decklan it felt dark and dreary even though there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The sight of families walking to and from the beach was magnifying his pain and loss. He knew that was something he would never experience again.

It wasn’t the busiest time of year but there seemed to be more people than usual this far past the summer months. Hilton Head was a hot spot for vacationers. Even though his house was tucked away quietly in the back of a not-so-busy area about 100 yards off the shore, it still seemed too crowded for him. Even when his family was still alive, he preferred quiet solitude over crowds and noise.

He needed to focus on finding the men behind the murders and not be distracted by others' happiness and ignorance to the danger that potentially walked the same sidewalks, shopped the same stores, and ate the same restaurants.

Also, more people around meant a higher chance of collateral damage when he finally found who he was looking for and started raining down the wrath of God on them.

If his special forces training taught him anything, it was to eliminate your target fast, quietly, and without civilian casualties. However, that couldn’t always be the case in war. But this wasn’t war. At least not the war he was used to. Despite having been to the most dangerous parts of the world and dealt with the worst kinds of bad guys, this situation was unique. It felt like nothing he had ever experienced before and it was something he thought he never would.

He couldn’t bring his family back from the grave, but he could make sure that whoever was responsible couldn’t do this to anyone else. Assuming it wasn’t a one-time special treatment just for him for some sick twisted reason.

***

He grew tired of driving so he decided to park his truck at some local shops that he used to go to with his family, which was no longer an option. He wanted to walk around and clear his head for a bit. He figured some fresh air would do him some good.

He could still remember the first time he and Marie came here on their first vacation as a young married couple. It was just a year after they married and they instantly fell in love with everything about it. They loved the food, the people, the sights, and it was known as one of the safest places to live and start a family. It seemed perfect and he vowed to her right then and there that they would own a house here one day. Little did he know, he was buying her coffin.

He made sure to do his research prior to their move. He wanted to know every crime statistic this place had. He couldn’t help it. This was just how his brain worked after so many years in the forces. He thought tactically and practically. If something seemed off then it probably was. But how could he have ever seen this coming? How could anyone?

Once he fully retired from the military and his wife’s business started taking off, they decided to make the move. It started out as just the two of them, but it wasn’t