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Back Angels of Vengeance
Chapters (68)
  1. Blurb
  2. CONTENTS
  3. Dedication
  4. CHARACTER LIST
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. TWO MONTHS LATER
  60. ONE YEAR LATER
  61. TWO YEARS LATER
  62. FOUR YEARS LATER
  63. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  64. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  65. Also by John Birmingham
  66. ALSO BY JOHN BIRMINGHAM
  67. Copyright
  68. Cover

‘Now, you know that’s not true, Cindy . . .’ he protested. ‘I have issues with the man, too. Serious issues. But I don’t think he’s as bad as everyone makes out back in cloud-cuckoo-land.’

‘Where?’ Sofia chimed in, looking to her friend for a translation.

‘He means Seattle, hon.’ The trucker turned back to Bowman. ‘Now then, Dave, Sofia here is heading down to Fort Hood to rescue her sister from a brothel – as you well know, because I explained it to you, chapter and verse, back in KC. A government brothel, Dave. Of the sort that is utterly illegal back in cloud-cuckoo-land. So you can see why she might have issues with a Blackstone policy here and there.’

He had the decency to look mildly embarrassed, going so far as to take off his baseball cap and sweep it in front of him while performing a half bow. ‘You’re right, I was being an ass,’ he said by way of apology.

‘It’s all right,’ replied Sofia, even though it was not.

Dave leaned forward slightly. ‘Was there something specific you needed to know about Fort Hood? Out of all these reprobates,’ he added, indicating his fellow drivers, ‘I’ve probably hauled more loads into and out of the Hood than anyone.’

Sofia swallowed a mouthful of beans and tried to forgive the man opposite her for not thinking ill of Jackson Blackstone. If this Dave Bowman could be of help, she would take his help, just as she’d taken his jacket.

‘I will need to find this bordello where they are holding my sister,’ she said. ‘How will I do that, and how will I get there from Temple without getting into trouble myself?’

Bowman grinned. ‘Well, I’m not at all familiar with the brothels of Fort Hood,’ he said, to the scoffing laughter of some of the other truckers. ‘But if I were you, I wouldn’t be going there alone. I think you’ll be fine getting around town without someone holding your hand, but a girl of your age really doesn’t want to be heading into the red-light district on her own.’

She nodded appreciatively. She had no interest at all in the red-light districts of Fort Hood, but a great deal of interest in how much attention she might draw to herself while wandering the streets of the town on her own. Back in KC, people had made it sound as though Fort Hood was completely segregated. Sofia Pieraro resolved to put aside any resentment she felt at finding out that Dave was a Blackstone supporter. Instead, she was determined to pick him clean for every useful detail on Fort Hood that he might provide.

26

NORTH DARWIN, NORTHERN TERRITORY