Jack Ford - The Killing Grounds - an explosive and gripping thriller for fans of James Patterson

There was silence between the two men before Cooper, awash with a sense of defeat, dropped his hold. His hope.

‘I’m asking for your help, Captain. I’ve never asked you for anything. Not when I was a kid. Not as an adult. But I’m asking you now. Please . Please, Beau, I beg you. Send a unit to look for Ellie. Help me bring her back.’

For a moment Captain Neill held Cooper’s gaze. His mouth moved as if about to say something but instead, he turned and walked away without saying another word.

*

‘Lieutenant. Governor Woods has arrived en route from Lamu, he’s asking to speak to you, sir, before we fly him on to see his son in Nairobi.’

Cooper stood in a catatonic state by the ship’s railings as the slightly overweight 3rd petty officer informed him of the arrival. He nodded, too consumed with grief to speak.

‘Thomas, it’s good to see you.’ Woods stopped, realizing his voice seemed too loud. His composure too contrived. Then quietly he tried again. ‘Your Uncle Beau’s just filled me in on everything. I’m sorry about Ellie. It’s devastating. I liked her a lot.’

Continuing to stare out to sea as the night’s sky merged with the darkness of the ocean, Cooper answered. Barely. ‘And if you hadn’t, you wouldn’t be sorry?’

John Woods, the newly elected Governor of Illinois, pulled gently on his arm. Turning Cooper round to face him. ‘Hey, you know I didn’t mean that. Come on, Coop, don’t make me your enemy. I’m on your side.’

Cooper’s tone was flat. He sighed. Noticed the painful sunburn on Woods’s nose. Then a memory came to mind of how proud Jackson had been of him when he was elected Governor. ‘She’s alive. I know it. I can feel it… What? You’re going to tell me I didn’t see three skiffs as well?’

‘No… No. I just…’ The Governor trailed off before continuing a moment later. ‘What the hell happened out there anyway?’

Cooper said nothing. His thoughts trailed away. It’d only been this morning that he’d been laughing with Ellie. So pleased. So delighted. So happy she’d decided to come and see him.

The trip to Kenya had been a last minute, spur of the moment kind of holiday for Ellie, Jackson and John. The one time everyone’s diaries had coincided, but the driving force had definitely been Ellie.

Having been deployed to the naval base in Lamu – setting up and heading a new counter piracy taskforce in the area – Ellie had missed Cooper, and although his military training and experience had taught him to dissociate, damn, he’d missed her too.

Finding out he’d had a week off, Ellie had decided to fly out and visit, and when she’d mentioned it to Jackson – who she’d known almost fifteen years – he’d decided to come too. And then there was John, who, having always wanted to go on safari, and having a rare few days off, had taken the opportunity to join them as well. It’d been perfect. But like the petals of a rose, perfect never lasted.

Woods interrupted Cooper’s thoughts. Gently encouraging him, pushing him to talk.

‘Coop…? Tell me what happened.’

‘Okay. Alright… So you’d already left to go on safari. Ellie thought it’d be cool for us to all sail up the coast on the yacht we hired and have a picnic. I didn’t see a problem and Jackson was up for it. When we got there I anchored up. Had something to eat. And that was it really.’

‘Coop, come on, you guys were found just a few miles off the coast of Somalia. There’s no way you of all people would’ve sailed into danger and put anyone, especially Ellie or Jackson, at risk.’

‘Look, I was in charge of the yacht, so there’s no-one else to blame…’

‘Just tell me what happened. I want to hear it.’

‘It was hot. She was tired. So Ellie and I went downstairs for a sleep. I dunno, maybe I shouldn’t have done… Anyway, when I woke up… I knew we were in trouble.’

‘So it was Jackson.’

‘But he didn’t know the dangers. He’s a great yachtsman so I guess he wouldn’t have seen the harm in it.’

‘Jesus.’

Governor Woods leant on the railings.

Cooper spoke matter-of-factly. ‘I’m going to say it was me.’

The shock in the Governor’s voice was as clear as it was in his eyes. ‘What the hell for?’

‘Jackson. He’d been drinking.’

‘Oh, Christ.’

‘If I say it was me, it should really be the end of it.’

‘Not sure if the Navy will see it like that.’

Cooper shrugged his shoulders. ‘So I get disciplined. You know something, John? I really don’t care anymore.’

Woods shook his head. ‘No, I can’t let you do that.’

‘What’s the alternative? They find out Jackson was drinking, and then what? You really think the Kenyan authorities will just give him a slap on the wrist when he was drunk in charge of a vessel and caused…’ Cooper stopped, unable and unwilling to finish the sentence.

‘I don’t know, Coop.’

‘Well, I do. And I also know what a hell-hole a Kenyan jail will be. We both know Jackson couldn’t cope for a day in somewhere like that, let alone serve a long prison sentence. I won’t do that to him. Or to you. There’s your job to think about.’

‘Look, this isn’t about my job.’

‘Oh yeah? Try telling the opposing party that. You know what’s it like, they’ll want to destroy you, John. They look for anything. And even though this has nothing to do with you, it’ll affect your political career… Jackson’s so proud of what you’ve achieved. Let him continue being proud.’

‘Governor Woods, excuse me, sir…’ The 3rd petty officer walked towards Cooper and Woods, slightly hesitant after what he’d seen happen to his colleague earlier.

He said, ‘Sorry to disturb you sir, but your helicopter is ready to take you to the hospital.’

‘Thank you, officer, just give me a minute.’

Woods turned to Cooper. Face taut with stress. Mirroring each other. ‘Okay. Do what you have to do… But Tom, this conversation never happened.’

He began to walk away but stopped. Quietly said,

‘I really am sorry about Ellie. Maybe you should go and see the Medic. He can give you something. You’ve had a shock.’

Cooper didn’t mean to sound so bitter, but he knew he did. ‘Pop a pill to make it alright? Make it all go away, John?’

‘That’s not what I’m saying.’

‘Thanks but no thanks. I’ve never been a believer in medicating myself and I’m not about to start now.’

‘Well okay, it was just a thought… And I’m here for you. If you need to talk, you know where I am.’

Cooper nodded slowly. Tried to smile. Gave up. ‘I appreciate that. Keep me informed about Jackson… And hey, put some cream on that nose, it looks sore.’

Absentmindedly, Woods touched the sunburn on his face, wincing slightly. ‘You know, Cooper, the hardest thing to do is to let someone we love go. But you have to, Tom. You have to let her go.’

Present Day

Eritrea – Horn of Africa Mai Edaga detention center

1

Thomas J. Cooper knew there were moments in life when you only had one chance. One shot. One opportunity to get it right. And he also knew such moments were often lost. Often wasted. Went unseen. But as he stood in the solidity of darkness, in his tomb-like cell, unshod and ankle deep in human waste, Cooper trusted his moment would come soon. And when it did, hell, there was no way he was going to lose it.

His tomb – part prison cell, part grave – was a hole in the ground. The place he’d been lowered into when he’d first been brought to the detention center, however many days ago that’d been.

The bodies of the unknown decomposing dead surrounded him; the ones who were still alive thinking their nameless brothers were the lucky ones. For the uncharged, untried prisoners of Mai Edaga, death would be their only salvation. A deliverance from the near ritualistic daily torture and the searing, crippling heat from the sheet of corrugated metal covering the hole, which acted like a furnace in the Eritrean sun.