Spies Among Us

By Shirley J. Miller

Maxine Hart is just trying to write her next book. But everything around her in Chicago seems to be up in the air. CIA boyfriend Riley Perkins just gets back from Russia – but seems to bring a contingency of spies back with him putting his life in danger! His FBI friends chip in to help.

Jack & Harry are simply trying to do their jobs of undercover drug agents for Chicago’s Police Department. But as they infiltrate the local drug street gangs, the Russians decide to get involved. Not because they’re interested in drugs in America. They just need the help of the street gangs to kill a few comrades for them for a price.

Between the Police, CIA, FBI, DEA, and Russian FSB (formerly the KGB) just what agency is doing what? Are they actually even talking to each other?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shirley J. Miller
• Release date: Sep 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463747216

Shirley J. Miller

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~About Shirley J MillerAs a child, aptitude tests always suggested that Shirley Miller should go into writing. In actuality, she spent her career years in advertising and marketing for Fortune 500 companies, where most of her writing revolved around describing product attributes and persuading sales.She always dreamed of writing fiction books but never had the time. Upon early retirement, she decided to follow her dreams. You will love her simple and direct style while maintaining the mystique and action among characters from start to finish.Her work is mostly fiction, so be sure you check out The Chicago Series and the Maxine Hart Series. Ring of Deception is a book Shirley and her sister Betty dreamed up - while hiking, no less - follow-ups being considered.Shirley has also written how-to books on some of her favorite hobbies. Be sure to check out Beginning Golf for Ladies, Golf Tips Up & Over - For Intermediate Players, Freelance Writing, Owning a Silky Terrier which resulted from her love for the breed. Having owned eight Silky Terriers over her lifetime, she even hired a special dog trainer to come to her home twice a week to teach her how to train the dogs.Though she never wrote about it, she wants to Thank You for reading her books and following her writing adventures. Without you, none of this would be possible, So Thank You very much. And keep on reading. Find some of her other books on Amazon or Smashwords by checking the links below.Any reviews will certainly be appreciated. It always helps to understand more of what readers want to see, so she can speak more directly to you. To follow Shirley Miller, and be the first to learn of new releases, please check the ‘Follow Me’ Button on Amazon. For a full list of all her current works, check out these links:https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LastFlightOut1

Book preview

Chapter 1

It was another cold winter day in Chicago and Maxine Hart was taking a few days off from her writing to enjoy the Christmas holiday ahead. She had planned to sleep in so had not set her normal alarm clock to go off at the usual 6:00 am. She didn’t have to. At 5:30 am sirens were blaring and when she looked out her front window, she saw two police cruises pull up to her building.

Three doors down, police were knocking on one of the neighbor’s doors, but no one was answering their knocks. Seconds later, the SWAT team arrived and methodically moved in on the townhome - guns ready and prepared for action. Maxine did not hear any gun fire, but she watched with curiosity as drug paraphernalia was removed from the home. Two rugged looking young men were led out in handcuffs and put into one of the waiting police cruisers. Once the men had been removed from the scene, the search continued as they gathered more evidence. Eventually, she saw the ambulance arrive and a third man was carried away on a stretcher. By noon, the entrance to that unit had been blocked with yellow police tape and all the emergency vehicles had pulled away.

After all the arrest activity, officers began a door to door canvas of the neighborhood to learn if the neighbors had any further information about the drug raid they had just executed. Given all the noise and activity that had gone on that morning, Maxine was not at all surprised when her own doorbell rang.

Good morning, Maxine, the familiar voice rang out. So, you’re in the middle of the drug scene still again. Why am I not surprised?

Oh my God. It’s you! Jack Turner - what on earth are you doing knocking on doors. I thought you and Harry were always on the dangerous undercover stuff! Maxine exclaimed. Not that I’m not happy to see you again. But I would have expected they would have put their less seasoned officers on the door to door stuff.

Hey Max. You normally would have gotten a couple of the rookies knocking on your door. But when we explained we were old friends, they let us step in on this one, Jack gave her his charming smile as Harry stood behind him.

Well even under the circumstances, it’s always good to see you guys. So, what are my neighbors up to? Maxine asked.

That’s what we’re here to ask you about. Notice anything unusual on your street lately? Harry asked.

All I can tell you is that a couple of young men moved in that unit just a few weeks ago. I’ve never met them personally. But I have seen them come and go a few times. Is there really another drug ring right here on my own street? Maxine asked.

Just tell us they aren’t friends who followed you out of Colombia! The drug rings seem to have a way of finding you wherever you travel, Jack laughed. I thought you’d had your fill of these cases after our wayward experiences in Bogata last year.

And how’s your drug sniffing dog, Nikki doing? Run down any teens on bikes lately? Harry added. Seems Nikki helped us with that last case too.

"That was luckily only a ‘one-off’ situation, Maxine laughed. I could not believe he started chasing those kids’ bicycles down the boardwalk that day. And you, Jack, of all people, are right there on the scene!"

That’s us, Harry remarked. Drug patrol at your service. Seriously, it’s good to see you again, Maxine. You still seeing our CIA friend Riley?

As a matter of fact, yes, Maxine answered. And what about you two. Harry, did you and Sharon have that baby yet?

Sure did, Harry answered. And I was right – it was a boy. He’s almost a year old now. How time flies!

Well congratulations are in order. Good for you. And Jack, are you still dating Cheryl? Maxine continued.

Still going strong. I sometimes don’t know how she puts up with me, Jack laughed.

Well it’s good to see you both again. But I’m afraid I can’t help you with this case. I haven’t really been paying much attention to my neighbors lately. You know how city life is. No one really gets to know their own neighbors in Chicago. But good luck with this one. If I hear or see anything, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Thanks. And you take care, Maxine. Oh, and thanks for those autographed books. I see you made Harry and I the heroes in your Columbia novel. Thanks for that, Jack smiled as they both took their leave.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 2

The rest of Maxine’s day progressed with not much happening. It was snowing out, so she didn’t feel like walking to Water Tower Place to do any Christmas shopping. It was just around the corner at 825 North Michigan. But even the short hike from her Superior Street townhome just seemed too much for her in today’s Chicago cold and snowy weather. A wind chill of minus 20 degrees, was all the motivation she needed to stay inside.

Maxine was relaxing at her computer with a glass of wine nearby as she tried to come up with the theme for her next novel. But today, she was just looking at a blank screen. The creative ideas just would not come. She just happened to look up at the right time to see two men break the yellow tape a few doors down as they sneaked into the house that had been raided earlier. Her first thought was to notify Jack and Harry, so she called the station asking for them. As expected, both were out on assignment, so she left a message on Jack’s cell phone as she continued to watch the taped off house. She never saw the men exit the townhome.

It was the next morning before she heard back from Jack and Harry. They had gotten her message and gone to check out the crime scene. There, they found both men dead. Someone had cut their throats and they blead out almost immediately and that was why no gun shots had been heard. Further investigation revealed that both men were members of the Mexican Sinaloa Drug Cartel. This prompted Jack to pop over to Maxine’s place for any further information she could provide. But she had already told them everything she knew.

Maxine had run into the Sinaloa Cartel on her past trip to Mexico when she was working on her book, ‘Search for the Stolen Gold Tolita Statue’ a couple of years prior. It was the trip where she had become involved with a smuggling case out of Colombia which overlapped the Sinaloa Drug business in Mexico. That was how she had become so close to Jack and Harry who were working the case as freelance private detectives as they looked for a stolen artifact - having just been put on a two-week probation by their Chicago Police Captain.

Remembering all the research she had done on both the Cali Cartel in Colombia and their dealings with the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, Maxine started to remember what she’d read about how the Sinaloa Drug Cartel controlled the entire drug market in Chicago - being responsible not