Last Chance

By A. W. Hopkins

The men and women of the Chicago Police Department are a tight-knit family, so when one splinter group within starts targeting gay officers, justice must be served. Some officers are threatened, and others are killed, creating a scandal that rocks the department and the city. The officer known as WolfCaptain Jonathan Wolfgang Wilhelmis the one credited with shutting down the Blue Society once and for all. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief knowing that this group has finally been brought to justice. After the excitement and danger of the biggest case of his career, Wolf quickly grows bored. He decides its finally time to turn in his badge and settle into retirement. He marries the woman of his dreamshis partner, Jeriand they move to a quiet lake community, ready to enjoy their days. But just when he thinks life is about to return to normal, Wolf gets a harrowing phone call. The Blue Society, the caller informs him, is still very much aliveand looking for its own brand of justice.

When he hears that Becky Stiller, a student at Northern University, has been abducted, Wolf reluctantly agrees to come in as a consultant on the case. Is there a link between the Stiller case and the Blue Society? Wolf must now decipher a tantalizing set of clues to get the answers and the justice he seeks.

For both Wolf and the lone face of Blue Society, this is the last chance. Who will survive?

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jul 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9781475985634

A. W. Hopkins

A. W. Hopkins served in the US Air Force for four years, and is now retired and working part time. The Blue Society, his first novel, was published in 2009. Originally from Bryan, Ohio, he now lives in Shoals, Indiana.

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Last Chance

A Wolf Mystery

Copyright © 2013 by A. W. Hopkins

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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ISBN: 978-1-4759-8564-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-8565-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-8563-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013906679

iUniverse rev. date: 06/10/2013

Contents

Prologue

Part One

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-One

Twenty-Two

Twenty-Three

Twenty-Four

Part Two

Twenty-Five

Twenty-Six

Twenty-Seven

Twenty-Eight

Twenty-Nine

Thirty

Thirty-One

Thirty-Two

Thirty-Three

Thirty-Four

Thirty-Five

Thirty-Six

Thirty-Seven

Thirty-Eight

Thirty-Nine

Forty

Forty-One

Forty-Two

Forty-Three

Forty-Four

Forty-Five

Forty-Six

Forty-Seven

Forty-Eight

Forty-Nine

‘Tails You Lose’

Other books in the Wolf series

The Blue Society

Prologue

It was my first day back at the precinct in Chicago. The city I left behind after the Blue Society was brought to justice. I still knew that one person, some-one who had never been caught and brought to justice, was still out there. It stuck in the back of my mind.

Good morning, the watch commander said to everyone.

Everyone, holding coffee and doughnuts, was mingling around and talking at the same time.

We have a special guest assigned to this case involving Becky Stiller and her abduction. Captain Jonathan Wilhelm has agreed to return to assist us.

Hands started clapping, And I heard cheers and whistling.

I raised my hand and waved to the officers.

Wolf!… Wolf!… Wolf, they chanted.

Only one didn’t join in on the clapping or cheering.

He had one last chance.

Part One

One

Steven Handler, a junior on a football scholarship at Northern University, had it all looks, physical build, and book smarts. Girls hung around him all the time, waiting for the chance to take him out.

Then things change one night at a homecoming football rally. He bumped into Becky Stiller, a freshmen.

Excuse me, Steven said. I didn’t see you.

That’s okay.

Are you new here at Northern University? He asked.

Yes, it’s my first year here.

Pardon me for my bad manners. My name is Steven Handler, he said reaching out to shake her hand.

Becky Stiller, she reached for his hand.

They talked and both agreed to meet again. They became best friends and decided to go steady.

Steven always a gentleman around her, treated her with respect. Becky couldn’t wait to have her parents meet him. Becky and Steven were so much in love with each other.

*     *     *

Becky’s father had a very successful business in construction and always seemed to acquire several government contracts. His name came up many times, both in state and federal offices that were key positions. He always watched out for Becky, more because of his reputation than anything else. Becky’s mother was always caught in the middle between the two when it came down to Becky’s boy-friends.

After Becky’s parents had heard so much about Steven, they agreed to have him over for dinner one night so they could meet him.Father had never approved of any of her other boyfriends, but Becky was sure he would like Steven because of his knowledge in construction from past jobs he held.

So…, this is the guy you’ve been telling us so much about? her father said gruff.

Steven reached out to shake the elder man’s hand but Becky’s father didn’t reciprocate the gesture.

Father, Steven is on the NU football team, and he has a good chance of making All-American this year.

Then what? Her father asked.

I hope to go into professional football after college, sir, Steven answered.

No one said much during the meal. Becky tried to keep cheerful conversation going, but her father wasn’t in any mood to talk. Steven, feeling really out of place, tried to make idle conversation. Becky’d mother already knew she was to keep quiet because her husband always made the decisions and her opinions were never taken seriously. She had been embarrassed on several occasions.

*     *     *

After the meal, Becky’s father asked Steven of his plans after football and his studies in school. Steven tried to keep upbeat in his answers, but he didn’t impress Becky’s father.

Steven said he had to get back to the dorm and excused himself. Becky walked him to the door and kissed him good night.

Becky went back into the living room all excited, waiting to hear good things about Steven.

Well, Father, what do you think of Steven?

Her father didn’t look up, right away. Becky, I don’t want you seeing him again.

What! What’s wrong? Steven is nice, caring, and polite. We love each other.

There are more important things in life than just football. What happens if he gets injured and can’t play anymore? Then what? His studies are not directed at anything. They’re just enough to get him through college.

This one time, you will not run my life!

Becky, I forbid you to see him again.

We’ll see about that Father.

Two

After the Blue Society case, I put in another year with the department while sitting behind a desk. I became increasingly bored with the job, so I put in for my retirement, leaving as a captain.

After going through a retirement party and others trying to change my mind about leaving, Jeri and I married and moved north to a cabin on a lake.

You know, Jon, this life will become boring to you, Jeri said.

I knew she was right, but I wanted to enjoy as much of this life as I could right now.

Baron, our German shepherd dog, and almost 9 months old now was very protective and lay near the fire-place.

Lets enjoy this while we can.

Later that evening, we went for a walk through the woods. Baron was running ahead, blazing a trail.

Jeri turned and looked at me. Do you still think that the Blue Society case is really closed?

You know, I keep thinking about that phone call and who the person might have made it.

I picked up a stick and threw it past Baron,startling him. The hair on his back raised up as he approached the spot where the stick had landed.

Look over there at Baron.

Always defensive about unexplained noises, isn’t he?

We walked and held hands.

Jeri asked again. So what do you think about the phone call?

Some-body had access to our number that’s for sure. How? I don’t know. Maybe he works or knows some-one in the telephone company.

Now-a-days, people can get just about anything off the Internet. A good hacker can get into anything they want.

True, and with enough money from another party it would be tempting.

Did you try to trace the call?

Came from a prepaid phone, the kind you can get any where.

We walked back to the cabin. I picked up today’s newspaper and scanned it over.

Look here, a girl from Northern University is missing.

Does this catch your eye for some reason?

As I read more of the story, there seemed to be more to it. Becky Stiller was abducted from the campus during the day.

Why didn’t she yell or make some kind of commotion? I said.

She was right over my shoulder reading along with me.

Was she threatened with a weapon? Jeri said.

As I kept reading, I came up with a thought.

Maybe the abductor threatened some-one else’s harm.

Are you going to get involved in this case? If you are, I hope you’ll need help.

Something just doesn’t wash. I’m going to contact the lead investigator and see what he has, I said.

I got on the computer and brought up the case on file from the police software I was allowed to keep. Detective Len Barker was the lead investigator.

Becky Stiller a freshman at Northern University from a very wealthy family, was five-foot-eight with short brown hair. She had brown eyes and weighed one hundred forty pounds.

I’m gonna give Detective Barker a call and see what he has, I said

Do you think it’s a sexual abduction? From her picture on the screen, she’s a very pretty young woman.

I don’t know.

Now I, the Wolf, was back and interested.

I called Detective Barker on my cell phone.

On the third ring, a male voice answered with a gruff, raspy voice from smoking too much.

Hello, Detective Barker speaking.

As soon as I mentioned the case, Len replied he was glad to have my interest. He said he would welcome my help and bring me up to speed as soon as I could see him.

Three

It was my first time back in the city of Chicago and the 105 precinct since the Blue Society trials and the memories that went with it.

The Blue