Pretenders: A Suspense Thriller: The Iron Eagle Series Book 32

By Roy A. Teel, Jr.

“Just when I thought I had seen everything some nutjob starts killing people in the name of the Iron Eagle.”

Back Matter:
Hollywood has a way of making up its own reality, especially when facts are scarce. After his novel, The Iron Eagle Unmasked, becomes a bestseller, author Donald McMann begins preparations to bring his creation to the big screen. But just as casting gets underway, the Iron Eagle seems to undergo a transformation with a religious slant. As John Swenson and Jim O’Brian investigate the crucifixion of a young man for the purposes of “saving his soul,” they discover not just a copycat killer claiming to be the Eagle, but also a second pretender on a 30-year killing spree who’s hiding in plain sight.

Inside Flap:
Since the death of Jade Morgan’s aunt, she and her wife Jessica had been living in the estate Jade inherited from her late uncle. Neither woman knew many people in the neighborhood filled with million-dollar homes except for the next door neighbor who’d been there since Jade’s childhood. Unbeknownst to Jade, her aunt and uncle had more than a casual relationship with their neighbors. They also shared a secret – a dark secret – that, when revealed, would change not only her life, but the lives of those who crossed paths with the peculiar occupant.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Narroway Press
• Release date: Jun 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9781943107711

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Not everyone is Christian, you know.

John, this damn author won’t stop calling the front desk. The guy’s name is Donald McMann. John was standing in his office looking out the window as Sandy spoke. Did you hear me, John?

I heard you, and I do not want to speak to him.

Sandy was seated in a chair across from his desk with a tablet in her hand. She was looking at a video that had been released to the media of the body of a young man hanging on a cross after being crucified. The video had also been sent to all of Los Angeles’ law enforcement, and two special copies were sent to Jim and John.

The person on the video claimed to be the Iron Eagle and that he was doing the bidding of God in cleansing Los Angeles of its sins and sinful people. The masked man stood before the foot of the cross as the young man cried in agony, his arms outstretched. He was nailed at the wrists and ankles. The killer claimed that he was going to root out all of the corruption in Los Angeles and kill his prey via crucifixion so that they would be purified for their sins as they entered death.

Sandy had the audio on low and then turned it up when the killer made the most unsettling statement.

I know that in the past I sent my victims to their deaths stating, ‘May God not have mercy on your soul,’ but I am a new creation in our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, and as such, my mission is to help even the most despicable of monsters get into heaven by accepting Christ from the cross and ensuring their salvation by confessing their sins. I plan to be more open with the public than I have been in the past. I want all to hear the good news and to turn from their evil ways and repent, for if they do not, I will find them, and when I do, this will be their fate.

The video ended, and John turned to Sandy while shaking his head. Just when I thought I had seen everything some nutjob starts killing people in the name of the Iron Eagle.

It has to be because of that damn book and movie, John. Some sick fuck read that book and decided to change the methods used by the Eagle.

John sat down behind his desk. He had no sooner grabbed a bottle of water when Jim walked in. Have you seen what this fuckin’ bastard is doing under the guise of the Eagle?

Yes, Jim, and I just heard his diatribe at the end of the video.

Jim sat down next to Sandy. So, what the fuck are you going to do about this?

I have everyone in my office trying to ID the kid on the cross. The killer isn’t telling any of us that. I have been getting calls from the damn author every hour on the hour.

Me, too, and I’m ready to kick the shit out of him. This dullard created a monster. Not even a copycat killer. He created a whole new type of killer, and we have no idea who the fuck he is.

We all knew that someone would eventually decide to mimic the Eagle.

This isn’t fuckin’ mimicking, John. This is a religious whacko pretending to be the Eagle and killing for the sake of people’s souls. We have to find this son of a bitch fast.

John leaned back in his chair. Okay. Where the hell do you want to start? We have a video that was obviously shot in a very large room with multiple beams for crosses. We don’t know who the kid is. We’re trying to cross-reference missing persons’ files with facial recognition. Sandy and I have been talking about it, and I refuse to speak to the author of the damn book.

Look, that son of a bitch started the ball rolling when he wrote that piece of shit while claiming to ‘unmask the Eagle.’ It was bullshit. All the fucker did was make a shitload of money parsing out the good work of the Eagle and portraying him as a sadistic, lone killer. We have never had a copycat killer before … and there is a reason for that.

John and Sandy both looked at Jim, and Sandy asked, And what would that reason be?

Because the fuckin’ Eagle works in shadow. He goes after bad people from all walks of life. He works to save lives, to protect lives, and to get the worst of the worst off the streets. How the fuck can anyone copycat that? The Eagle extracts full and complete confessions. When a case is sent to law enforcement, we are able to verify the actions of every one of the Eagle’s victims. No one can do that and that’s why there has never been a copycat. This guy is claiming to be the Eagle, yet he doesn’t qualify his motives outside of religion. The Eagle has had a few really twisted religious killers. The child sacrifice case from years ago was one of the sickest I had ever seen until now. This guy is killing people on crosses for crying out loud, and he isn’t even telling us what his victims did. We need someone to coax this psycho out into the open, so the Eagle can take him down.

John was shaking his head. That’s a great speech, Jim, but it doesn’t tell us where to start.

Jim threw his hands in the air. I don’t fuckin’ know. We need to find out who the kid is. We need to follow-up on this piece of shit author and the movie he’s working on. Someone knows something. These types of killers don’t just pop up out of nowhere and take their killings to the media.

We’re working on that one, Jim.

Jim took a cigarette out of his top left pocket and put it in his mouth and chewed on it. I’m going to talk to this dirtbag author and see what he wants. Maybe he has something from the killer he wants to share with us.

Jim, he could’ve sent us a letter or an email. He just wants to get to us and get under our skin with questions about the Eagle. I wouldn’t allow him access to me when he was working on his trash book, and I’m not going to give him access now.

Jim smiled. Perhaps he will be the next victim.

Anything is possible. If this killer really believes he’s the Eagle, then he might just go after the author. While I haven’t read his book, I have researched the author, and the guy is a hack. He has written several ‘true crime’ books, none of which caught on with readers until he decided to write this one. He’s someone who takes advantage of people, and in this case, he might just have bitten off more than he can chew. Give it time, Jim. We will find out who the kid is. This killer has a huge ego, so I don’t think he has been killing long. He will make a mistake, and I will be there to take him down.

Jim stood up and paced for a few seconds then walked to the door. I hope you’re right, John. As I have said in many cases, it’s all duck and cover until someone close to us dies: Steve, Sam, Chris, Karen. This asshole is way out past Pluto. He doesn’t look like the Eagle; he doesn’t sound like the Eagle, but the media is eating it up, and they believe he’s the Eagle. Just be careful. We don’t want someone close to us becoming collateral damage. I can’t lose any more people I care about to these monsters. You may get justice for them, but it doesn’t bring them back.

In an unusual move, Arthur Hamilton asked his lover and bodyguard Brian Doyle to leave him at the Ivy in Santa Monica where he was to have dinner with Donald McMann and the director of the movie, Max Preston. He asked Brian to park on Ocean and said he would call him when he was finished with the meeting. Brian protested, but Arthur was insistent, so Brian dropped him off at the front entrance and parked a few blocks away.

Max and Donald were already seated, and Arthur was mobbed by a group of fans as the paparazzi captured his every move. The usual questions were being lobbed at him, but he shrugged them off and signed autographs for his fans and was escorted by restaurant security to the table. Max reached out his hand and smiled. You get more and more popular, Arthur. This film is going to take your career to new heights.

Yes, well, there is some psycho out there literally crucifying people, Max, and he claims to be the Iron Eagle.

Donald nodded. I know, I know, but it’s not the Eagle, Arthur. I can promise you that. I don’t know who this is, but he has come on scene all of a sudden and appears to be some unstable religious fanatic.

How are we supposed to make a movie with this guy killing people under the guise of the Eagle?

Max was eating a piece of bread and said, We’re making this film based on the facts in Donald’s book. You have to put this guy out of your mind and stay in character for the role.

How do I stay in character when I don’t know this character? Donald has written a compelling book, but no one knows who the Eagle is, where he is, or what part of the police force he works for.

Donald spoke up, I’m trying desperately to get an interview with Sheriff Jim O’Brian and Assistant FBI Director John Swenson. They have been investigating the Eagle for decades and have the best insight into who this new killer is. I have talked to many in law enforcement and a lot of people high up have told me that they believe that one or both of them knows who the Eagle is or how to at least contact him.

Max started laughing. You really believe that? Come on, Don. You wrote a bestseller without interviewing the key people investigating this case. Do you really think the highest-ranking county law officer or the assistant director at the FBI would have that information and not act on it? That would make them accessories to every murder the Eagle has committed, not to mention high on his kill list. I know you’re a TV buff, but I don’t think that either man shines an Iron Eagle spotlight in the sky when they need help.

Arthur looked sideways at Donald. That’s a ridiculous statement. This isn’t a comic book hero or villain. This is a real true-to-life murderer.

The Eagle isn’t going to share his identity with anyone, Max said. If he did, he would definitely have to kill O’Brian or Swenson. I don’t think they know who he is, but they could certainly shed light on a lot of things that Donald didn’t cover in his book.

Donald nodded. But they won’t talk to me. I want to offer them cameos in the movie as investigators. I tried to interview Jade Morgan and Jessica Holmes at the coroner’s office, but they stonewalled me. Morgan talked a little but didn’t shed much light on the Eagle, and Holmes was even more elusive, and she was saved by him. The people I interviewed had second-, third- and fourth-hand accounts of what the Iron Eagle did. I put the same disclaimer in this book as I do all of my true crime books saying that I can’t verify the information and have taken creative liberties while writing it.

Max leaned across the table, his fat belly pressing against the linen tablecloth. Do you think you’ve put your own life on the line by writing a book about such a prolific killer who’s still out there?

Not at all. The Eagle kills murderers and rapists and bad people like that. I’m a low-level writer. I didn’t write anything that wasn’t factual based on my interviews, and I’m not a killer or a bad person.

Arthur looked at Donald and asked, But now he is saying he has turned over a new leaf and is killing to save souls.

Donald nodded as their entrees were being served. Yeah, that is strange, but I don’t think this is the real Iron Eagle. It’s gotta be a copycat.

And what if he targets you or me or others associated with your book or the movie?

Max nodded as he ate. People have brought that to my attention. We don’t know who the Iron Eagle is, though, and now he is out there claiming to have a new mission. That does take this thing in a new direction. If he starts targeting the cast and crew, I will shut down production faster than you can shake a stick.

Donald laughed. If anyone from the film gets injured or killed, you’re willing to throw this whole thing away? We’re responsible for millions of investors’ dollars. If Arthur can nail the Eagle character on film, we are talking statues, man. I don’t know of any cast or crew member being threatened. Do either of you? Both men shook their heads. Then don’t talk like that, Max. Let’s make this film; hell, let’s make history by taking an unknown killer and making him a household name. Who knows? The real Iron Eagle might even make an appearance or come out with a statement against the movie. Think about how that would play with the public!

Max finished his food and took a sip of his wine. Arthur, have you thought of who you want as an understudy for the film? I have the stunt coordinator bringing in all of your stunt doubles from other films, and this film is going to have a lot of action, but you should have someone who can step in in the event that something happens to you.

This isn’t the stage, Max. I’m the star and that’s that. Have you cast the rest of the people from Donald’s book? You know, the bad guys and the CSIs?

I have been working on it, but I’m struggling with actors for O’Brian and Swenson. They have been the lead investigators in this for decades, and I’m worried that if we don’t get their permission to use their names, they could sue us.

Donald smiled. I have that covered. I’m going to change their names for the film. They both seem to be a little slow. I doubt they will catch on, and even if they do, they can’t sue me or the filmmakers for using fictitious names.

Max nodded, and Donald finished his meal, and the three had dessert and spoke about other issues that the production faced. When they were finished, the three men said their good nights and left the restaurant.

Arthur called Brian to come and pick him up, but he was having trouble reaching him. What the hell? He is always right there. Where did he go? He looked up the street and saw his car parked a few blocks away and decided he would brave the paparazzi instead. They started following Arthur, but two other A-listers arrived at the restaurant, and all eyes and cameras turned to them, so Arthur slipped away unnoticed. Brian was standing near the back door. When Arthur finally got in, he yelled at him, What the hell, man? I called you and couldn’t reach you.

I’m sorry, Art. I had another call and then I was chasing away some weirdo who was stalking the car.

Well, don’t let it happen again. All I need is to get caught without a ride and then I will be in deep shit. Brian tried to start the car, but it wouldn’t start. He got out and checked under the hood then got back in. Well?

Well what? I’m not a Mercedes mechanic. The car won’t start. I will call for roadside assistance.

There was a taxi coming up the street, and Arthur jumped out of the car and waved it down. You stay with the car and get it repaired. I will take a cab home. I will see you when you get there. Arthur hopped into the back of the cab, and Brian tried to get a look at the driver, but his face was in shadow. Before Brian could say another word, the cab drove out of sight.

Arthur told the driver where to take him and sat back and watched the city lights pass by. The driver wasn’t very talkative, and Arthur asked if he knew who he was.

You’re Arthur Hamilton. I’m a fan.

Well, for someone who’s a fan, you don’t seem all that impressed that I’m in this cesspool of a cab.

I’m glad to have you. Had I known I was going to get you as a fare, I would have cleaned the cab up for you. So you want to go to Bel Air?

Yes, and step on it. It’s getting late, and I need to do my nightly routine.

And what might that be?

Just drive the cab, okay. My kindness ends at an autograph and a hello. My private life is my private life. The cabbie grew quiet and started to hum a tune under his breath. There were a few things hanging from the rear-view mirror, and Arthur looked more closely and realized that they were crucifixes. Are you Catholic?

Why would you ask me that?

The crucifixes hanging from the mirror. You know, there are a lot of people who would take offense to those.

Take offense at my outward sign of faith in Jesus Christ?

Not everyone is Christian, you know.

What faith do you ascribe to?

Not that it is any of your business, but I don’t have a faith. I’m an atheist.

Wow! After watching your movies and interviews, I took you as a man of Christian faith.

I pretend for a living, Mister. I know I play action heroes who believe in God, but that’s just an act, and I get paid very well for it.

But when interviewed, you said you were Jewish.

Arthur laughed. Yeah, well, this is Hollywood, brother. I pretend to be kind-hearted and faithful, you know, for the people who write me the giant checks.

That’s not very honest.

There is nothing honest about Hollywood, man. I’m glad you have your faith. Now, take me home. The driver turned onto the 10 Freeway and as he drove Arthur realized they were going in the wrong direction. Hey, you missed my turnoff. What the hell are you doing?

I’m going to humble you, Mr. Hamilton. You need to be subjugated and brought into the light and love of the risen Lord.

What the fuck are you talking about? Arthur pulled out his cellphone, but he couldn’t get a signal. He tried to grab the door handle, but it was missing, and he slammed his hands on the windows of the cab and started screaming. Where the hell are you taking me?

I’m trying to keep you out of Hell, Arthur. I warned you about playing me in that hack’s movie.

Wait. You’re the Iron Eagle?

Yes. Welcome to my world. You are going to get a crash course in accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior.

And if I refuse?

God works through me. He has ways of changing your mind. You shouldn’t have taken that role, Arthur. You might just as well relax. You aren’t going anywhere until I convert you.

Okay, okay. I’m converted. Now let me out.

How can you be converted? You haven’t said the sinner’s prayer or accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior.

Just tell me what I need to do, and I will do it.

Yes, you will, Arthur, in my lair. Relax now. Don’t make me hurt you too soon.

CHAPTER TWO

This is going to sting a bit.

Jim was sitting at his table at Santiago’s with Javier. Both were drinking scotch and talking about the new Iron Eagle killer as well as the book and movie.

What you think about all this, Jim?

It’s bullshit. The hack writer is out there running his mouth and has inspired some half-baked nutjob to start killing people while claiming he’s the Eagle and now a born-again Christian.

Javier laughed. The Eagle a born-again? Now that funny. He started laughing hard, and Jim started laughing with him. The two men sat drinking and laughing until Cindy walked up to the table.

What the hell did I miss?

Jim was laughing so hard he couldn’t catch his breath, but Javier was able to stop and filled Cindy in. She shook her head, and Javier raised his hand and