Wolf Trap: Casey Reddick, #1

By Charles DeMaris

When terrorists claim his sister's life, he refuses to be benched. Can a college quarterback save the US from atomic annihilation? 

Heisman Trophy winner Casey Reddick is set to take the NFL by storm. But after a freak injury ruins his Super Bowl dreams, he never expected the saving grace of getting drafted into private intelligence. And he's devastated again when his intel on an imminent attack is ignored, and the violent blast costs him his beloved sister…

Vowing to prevent more innocent deaths, the QB-turned-spy moves into field duty to hunt down a terrorist with a thermonuclear-sized chip on his shoulder. But with powerful moles radicalizing expendable pawns, Casey must overcome impossible odds to defend the country from decimation.

Can an All-American athlete defeat a ruthless enemy who doesn't play by the rules?

Wolf Trap is the action-packed first novel in the Casey Reddick thriller series. If you like big-hearted heroes, pulse-pounding threats, and twisted conspiracies, then you'll love Charles DeMaris's explosive tale.

Buy Wolf Trap to drive into the red zone today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Charles DeMaris
• Release date: Jul 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223246084

Book preview

1

New Year’s Eve

Casey Reddick tried to contain his nerves as he listened to the National Anthem. Two more wins. That’s all it would take to finish his senior year with a National Championship and a Heisman Trophy. He was a lock to be drafted in the first round. He would have gone in the first round after his junior year, but he chose to return for a chance at a title after a late season loss cost his Buckeyes a berth in the playoff the previous season. His senior year was a dream season. His team was undefeated and he had won the Heisman running away.

He had come a long way and he owed everything to two people-his mother and Jim Peterson, his football coach at Walnut Hills. Coach Peterson knew immediately that Casey had a special talent and was determined not to let him become another statistic. He had seen it too many times over the years with young black boys who grew up fatherless. Too many ended up on the streets, or worse, in the morgue. His own brother was gunned down years before right before his eyes. Casey was more than just the best quarterback he had ever seen; he was like a son.

Wilma Reddick sat in the stands and wiped a tear from her eye as she watched her son fidgeting on the sidelines. The last twenty years had been difficult. She worked two jobs since her husband left her alone with two kids to feed, Casey and his younger sister Keisha, and she had done as well as any woman could have done in her situation. Keisha was also in college on an academic scholarship and would be graduating in a year. Now they were saying Casey would be the first pick in the upcoming NFL draft and would likely sign for millions. I’m gonna buy you a big fancy house when I get to the NFL, Casey had told her a few months ago, in one of those nice neighborhoods.

Come on Clyde, game’s about to start, Earl Grant said.

You can’t rush perfection, Clyde Jackson said.

It’s just burgers and dogs. How perfect does it have to be? Marlene Jackson asked.

Burgers and dogs are done. It’s Jenny’s lamb chops I’m perfectin’.

Thanks, Clyde. I appreciate you, even if nobody else does, Jenny said.

Man, ‘Bama doesn’t stand a chance. Reddick’s gonna pick ‘em apart, Earl said.

Tide’s gonna beat your Luckeyes. You just watch, Thad said.

You mean like your Wolverines did? Hey, at least you got within 20 points. Better than anyone else in the conference did.

Reddick’s overrated.

Overrated my…

Easy big guy, just kiddin’ with you. You guys probably gonna win it all. Don’t see anyone can stop him.

Couldn’t stop him in high school either. I saw him play a few games down in Cincy. Gonna have a hell of a career in the NFL.

Earl…

Sorry. Marlene. You used to talk like a sailor. Now you don’t like folks sayin’ hell.

Our illustrious wedding guest said it wasn’t genteel.

Well, if he said so.

Okay guys, food’s ready. They kickoff yet? Clyde asked as he came in from the grill.

Just gettin’ ready to. Hurry up, Earl said.

Casey jogged out onto the field after the opening kickoff, glancing in the stands and spotting his mother before going into the huddle. As he got under center, the butterflies disappeared and he became calm as he looked over the defense. Cover 2. He audibled away from the running play, took the snap, and rifled a pass down the seam to his tight end for a gain of eighteen yards. Now the butterflies were really gone. He was in the zone. Six plays later he capped off the drive with a five- yard touchdown run on a naked bootleg, completely fooling the defense.

Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! Earl said.

O H… Clyde said.

I O, replied Earl and Marlene in unison.

I don’t understand this game one bit, Jenny said, You keep calling it football, but the players are using their hands. It doesn’t look much like a ball either.

Give it time. You’ll understand it eventually. Can’t be married to a redneck and not watch football, Earl said.

I’ve been watching football my whole life. There is a ball, and the players use their feet. Simple.

You’d like my friend from Cincinnati, Thad said, He likes your kind of football.

Your friend, the writer? He was at the wedding, wasn’t he?

Yeah, he was there, spent half the reception talking to our famous guest.

I like his wife. Classy lady. At least she has an appreciation for a proper cup of tea.

So, Thad, you gonna keep the shop? Not like you need the money now, Earl asked.

Yeah, that’s an understatement, Clyde said, Who wins the Powerball twice?

Just lucky, I guess, Thad said, I’m gonna keep the shop. Granddad started it. Feel I owe it to him. Hired some guys to run it. My job is testing the fishing boats now.

Lucky my…

Earl…

Sorry, Marlene. I was gonna say foot.

My foot.

I’m thinkin’ he borrowed a certain fashion accessory from the Prof.

I have no idea what you’re talking about, Thad said.

Come on man, Avi told me one was missing.

Well, I don’t have it.

Thad’s phone buzzed and he looked down at it and chuckled.

What’s funny?

My friend’s texting me. He’s enjoying the game.

Clyde snatched the phone from his hands and looked at the messages.

He’s enjoying the game, and takin’ selfies with Thomas Jefferson apparently.

He likes to go where they do those reenactments.

My foot.

Casey was in the zone the entire game, but so was the Alabama offense, and as the game entered the fourth quarter, the score was tied at 28. He drove the offense down the field, eating up the clock, but the drive stalled when he had to check down to the running back to avoid pressure and the play came a yard short of a first down. The field goal was good, but the lead was short- lived as Alabama drove down for a touchdown to take the lead with only two minutes remaining.

Casey did what he had done all year. Six plays later he stood in the shotgun, 40 yards from pay dirt with 20 seconds remaining. This was it. Time for a couple more plays. He looked over the defense and saw the double coverage on Jefferson, his normal go to target in clutch situations. He called an audible and took the snap. Yep, Jefferson had double coverage, but he pump- faked that way anyway. Bingo. The free safety bit on the fake and there was the tight end running all alone up the seam behind the defense. He cocked his arm to throw the pass. Smith was wide open. There was no way he could miss.

He released the ball, a perfectly thrown spiral, but he never saw Smith make the catch in stride and step into the end zone. The defensive end had beaten the tackle and came in on his blind side. The tackle recovered and tried to take out the end, but only managed to trip him up. One minute, Casey was preparing to celebrate the game winning touchdown throw and the next second the defensive end’s helmet was crashing into his knee. He heard a loud pop and fell like a rag doll. He instantly knew something was wrong because his whole knee was on fire and he could do nothing but writhe in pain on the field.

Yes! Touchdown! O H… Earl said.

I O,replied Clyde, then as the camera panned back to show Casey Reddick rolling in pain on the field, his jubilation turned to concern.

Oh man, that don’t look good, Earl said.

Casey was taken off the field on a cart and the game ended, but there was little celebration on the part of the players or the fans. They were going to the National Championship game, but their Heisman winning quarterback had just gone down and the prognosis did not look good.

Don’t turn off the TV until they get some news, Clyde said.

Probably not gonna be good news, Thad said.

Yeah, helmet to the knee. That never ends well. Looks like the Palmer injury all over again, said Earl.

Just turn it off, Jenny said, I don’t need to see another replay. It’ll take them a while to do the MRI. Won’t see results for an hour or two.

Earl turned the channel to the New Year’s Eve coverage.

So, Jenny, Earl tells me you guys are starting a new company, Marlene said.

Yes, going to do cyber security consulting.

Cyber what?

We’ll go into companies and look at their networks to see how vulnerable they are and show them how to make things more secure.

I hear about companies doin’ that sort of thing.

But not quite like I plan on doing it. I’ll start out by hacking their systems, with their permission, and then I can show them how I got in and what they can do to prevent different types of hacks. Everything is catered to the size of the company and what kind of budget they have to work with. Of course, I’ll offer other services too, help people set up networks and train their IT people better.

Sounds like you know computers.

You could say that, Clyde said.

Oh, look, the ball’s about to drop.

All eyes were on the TV for the countdown and the ball drop, toasts were proposed, kisses were heartily given and received, and Marlene said, You folks can sit up if you want, but I’m hittin’ the hay. See y’all in the mornin’.

How much does she know? Earl asked.

Just about everythin’, Clyde said, except for the changes. I didn’t tell her what was different the second time around.

That’s probably for the best, Jenny said, So she knows my background.

I told her everythin’ from when we first met Avi to when we got back, but not about the changes. I had to tell her somethin’ after she eavesdropped at the weddin’ and heard you and George talkin’.

Does she know about the other part of our business? Earl asked.

The spy stuff?

Intelligence gathering, Jenny said.

Same thing.

Not quite the same thing.

Why you want to do that anyway?

I haven’t been in this country that long and I’m not even a citizen, but I like it here and I’m scared how vulnerable America is. If everything I read is true, there have been big cuts in intelligence funding and the different government agencies are so worried about protecting their turf that the quality of the intelligence gathering and analysis suffers. I want to serve my country like anyone else does, and this seems to be the best way to use my talents.

So, you just snoop around and if you find that some bad dude is up to no good, then what?

We offer the information to the people who can act on it. I’m not into having agents running around out there.

Not to interrupt, Thad said, but it’s now my friend’s birthday.

Thad held up his phone so everyone could see another man on Facetime and panned the phone back and forth so his friend could see everyone in the room. They all said, Happy birthday in unison and then Thad talked with him a minute longer before disconnecting the call.

Uh…how long was he on the phone and how much does he know? Jenny asked.

Oh, he knows all of it, or all you’ve told me, but he can keep a secret.

What if he writes a book about it?

It would be fiction, and nobody would believe it was true anyway.

You’re gonna need more than a laptop, you want to do all that spyin’ stuff, Clyde said.

That’s why I’m gonna take her shopping, Thad said, That is if Earl don’t mind.

2

The lobby at St. Joseph’s Westgate Medical Center was standing room only. The entire football team and coaching staff were there waiting to see Casey and hear the prognosis on his injury. When Dr. Pradeep Rashid walked into the lobby, he was immediately surrounded. The coach walked through the throng and straight up to Dr. Rashid.

Can you tell us anything yet? When can I talk to him?

We have him sedated for the pain and he’s sleeping a lot, but when he wakes up you can come in, a couple at a time.

How bad is it?

I’m not going to sugar coat it. It doesn’t look good. His knee was dislocated and he tore the ACL and the MCL.

A murmur went through the room as the word was passed to those too far away to hear the doctor.

What does that mean for his future?

He will have to have surgery sure, but with rehab he will be walking again in a few months.

How about football?

There have been other athletes that came back from injuries like this. Only time will tell. Most of the time you will have one ligament tear or a dislocation, and many players come back from that, but Mr. Reddick’s injury is one of the worst I have ever seen. A lot depends on how his body heals after the surgery and how the rehab goes. In my professional opinion, I could not see him being ready for the start of the season.

He’s graduating anyway, but he had hopes of being drafted.

Well, you would know better than I in matters of football. So, he did get his degree?

Yes, he came back for his senior year, hoping to win a title.

That’s good then. He has something to fall back on.

Dr. Rashid, he’s awake now, if you’d like to talk to him, said a nurse coming out of Casey’s room.

Let me have a moment, and then you guys can come in, but you heard the doctor, just a couple at a time.

The coach walked into the room and to the side of Casey’s bed.

Ma’am, he said to Casey’s mother, tipping his cap, and to Casey, How you feeling, champ?

Not good, coach. Not hurting so much now. Can’t feel much really, but I hear them talkin’. Don’t sound good.

No Casey, it doesn’t sound good. I just spoke with Dr. Rashid.

Give it to me, what did he say? Nobody’s told me anything yet.

You dislocated your knee and tore your ACL and MCL.

Man…what about…oh man…

I don’t know son, I really don’t know. You’ll need surgery and the rehab is long for an injury like that. You could be walking in a few months.

A few months. People come back from things like this, right?

Players come back all the time from ligament tears, but yours is little more than that.

What you saying, coach? Can I play football again?

Casey looked at his mother, sitting silently wiping tears from her face with a handkerchief, and then back at his coach. The look he saw there did not fill him with confidence and he felt the tears welling up.

Casey…I don’t honestly know what to say. You might make a full recovery and there might be a team out there willing to take a chance, but not in the early rounds. You understand. The way you play the game…the kind of quarterback I’ve always loved…you might never be able to play that way again. You’ll have to become a pocket passer. Even then, teams aren’t going to draft you early. You’ll go in the late rounds or get a camp invite as an undrafted free agent.

Other guys have come back from things like this. What about Adrian Peterson?

He was the exception, and he was already in the league. You can’t rule anything out, but teams are going to want to see how you turn out before they take the chance. You could still make it, but you might want to at least consider other options. You have a degree, you’re a smart kid, and you’re a natural leader. I know you’ll succeed whatever you decide to do.

You sayin’ I might not play football again?

Don’t hold me to that, but it’s a possibility you might want to be willing to consider.

Thanks coach. Not what I want to hear…you’re a straight shooter…guy couldn’t ask for a better coach.

Casey held up his arms and his coach leaned over for a heartfelt embrace before leaving the room. As he was leaving, he heard one of his players say, What’s he doing here?

He looked across the lobby and there was a large young man wearing an Alabama hat and looking forlorn. Jefferson Braxton, defensive end for the Crimson Tide. He walked up to him and stuck out his hand.

Jefferson shook his hand and said, Come to check on Casey.

Lot of nerve he had showing up here, a player said from across the room.

The coach looked up at Jefferson and noticed his dejected demeanor and the redness in his eyes. He turned to his own players.

Mr. Braxton deserves your respect for showing up here tonight. I don’t want to hear anything else out of any of you. Got it?

Yes, coach, a few voices answered.

Come on, young man. You can see him now.

You sure he’ll want to see me?

It shouldn’t be a problem. Let’s go.

The coach stuck his head in the door and said, Casey, there’s someone here who wants to see you. Give him a couple minutes before I let your teammates in, okay?

Sure thing, coach.

Jefferson entered the room with his hat in his hands and his head bowed. He walked to the side of the bed and looked down at Casey.

Sorry, man.

You the guy that hit me?

Yeah, didn’t mean to…was tryin’ to sack you…didn’t mean to go low…feet taken out…feel real bad.

Hey, I didn’t figure you meant to. So, what happened, you beat Mike with that inside move and he tried to recover and tripped you on the way by?

Yeah, pretty much.

You’ve been beating tackles with that move all season. Mike should have seen it coming.

Maybe. I’m just sorry man. How bad is it?

Dislocated, tore the ACL and MCL.

That don’t sound good.

You can say that again. Coach says I might not play again.

Dude, you were going first round. That sucks.

Tell me about it. How about you? You going to the draft? You’re good enough.

Haven’t decided yet. Mom wants me to get the degree.

You should do that. You never know what might happen.

Yeah, maybe I’ll do that. Just real sorry about all this.

No worries man. I forgive you. It’s a rough game. Keep in touch?

Sure thing brother, go Bucks.

Roll tide, brother.

Earl was just walking out of the shower when he heard the doorbell.

Man, who’s at the door this early?

I’ll get it, Jenny said.

Hi Thad, come on in, she said when she opened the door, You’re just in time for breakfast.

That guy has a nose for free food, Earl said as he came into the room.

How do you think I keep my trim figure, Thad said.

So, what do want to drink, Jenny asked, tea, coffee, milk, juice?

You got chocolate milk?

Probably have some powder around here someplace.

That’ll work.

So buddy, you takin’ my wife shopping today?

Sure, you coming?

No way, man. You need the exercise more than I do.

We’re only going to a computer store. That place in Sharonville where you can get everything.

You’ll never get her out of there before they close.

I have a list, Jenny said.

You better hold her to that list. She’ll buy the whole store if you’re not careful.

I could probably afford that, Thad said.

Yeah, tell me again how you pulled that off. Just lucky with numbers?

Something like that.

So, you said you’re keepin’ the shop open?

Yep, going to do another remodel though.

But you just fixed it up.

Gotta make it accessible.

Accessible?

Yeah, ramps and everything.

Jenny set eggs, bacon, and toast on the table.

Here you go guys, dig in.

Mmm, bacon. You sure know the way to a guy’s heart, Thad said.

Easy big guy, I’m already taken, she said as she gave Earl a peck before sitting down to eat.

You got a sister? If she’s half as cute as you…

So, Earl said, what’s this about making the place accessible?

Not just that place. All of them. I’m putting shops all over the country. Got deals with twenty lakes so far. Have to make all of them accessible.

Why expand? Surely you don’t need the money now.

No, I’m gonna build the places and staff ‘em with wounded vets. Plenty of those guys around, and some of ‘em don’t get around on two legs anymore. Each one will be a franchise owned by a wounded combat vet. I give the guy the franchise and he pays back the franchise fees out of the profits. He has to hire guys to run it, as long as they’re also wounded vets, and any franchise fees I collect go to charities for vets. I’m not making a dime.

What will you do with your time?

Fish a whole lot more, and travel around to check out the shops, and invite you guys to share my boat. Oh, and another thing.

What’s that?

Gettin’ your business off the ground is gonna take a bit.

Not really. Jenny can start with just a couple computers and hire more people as she needs to.

Not just that part, the other part. The secret part. What do you think we’re gonna buy today? It’s more than just a couple computers. You should see her list. We can get a lot of it there and we’ll have to order the rest.

I just assumed a computer or two would do that.

Not for what she has in mind. You’re gonna need this as well, he said as he passed an envelope over to Earl.

What’s this? Earl asked as he opened the envelope.

Wait a minute? 75 acres, paid for? What do we need all that for?

You need an office, and an office. One office for the main place, and another one, hidden like, for the other part. That should be enough land for it, and room to grow a bit. A lot of that land is wooded, so you can hide a lot in those trees if you want to.

I don’t know what to say?

The usual phrase is ‘thank you’, Jenny said.

You’re welcome. You have a name for the company yet?

Fox Security Consulting.

Fox?

Yeah, after our illustrious wedding guest. One of his nicknames.

Okay, whatever.

You should see what it’s going to look like, honey. We’ll have the consulting offices on the main level and we’ll have the other part underground. We hide the elevators like at Avi’s house. We can even disguise cell towers and dishes in the trees.

That’s going to cost a pretty penny, Earl said.

Don’t worry about it, Thad said

You don’t have to do all this for us.

What else am I gonna do with all that money? I got a new truck, a new boat, and a new house. And my mom has a new house, and my sister, my brother…

Okay, I get it. You hear about Reddick?

Yeah, bummer. Hard to come back from that. Probably won’t get drafted now.

At least he won’t have to play for the Browns. Playing QB there is an injury waiting to happen.

Still has a chance. Might get a camp invite.

If he’s lucky, but he won’t even be ready by then. Rehab takes longer than that. You think any team will take a chance like that? If he’s lucky he gets a camp invite next year when he’s healthy.

It’s a rough game.

It’s absolutely barbaric, Jenny said, I don’t get it.

You didn’t grow up in America, Thad said.

Maybe not. Not like I had that option when I was growing up.

You helped remedy that situation, said Earl.

Hmm, interesting write up on that young man, Jenny said, looking up from her tablet, Graduated with a 4.0 with a degree in computer science. Wonder if he’ll be looking for a job.

3

Four months later

Jenny was more than satisfied with the new office for Fox Security Consulting. The property was perfect, 75 mostly wooded acres in rural Hamilton County, Ohio, near the Indiana border. The office itself was nestled in a clearing and not at all visible from the road, a 6000 square foot modern looking structure with an open floor plan and windows all around. It was a light airy well- lit workplace designed as much for impressing visitors as fostering a positive working environment.

There was only one employee enjoying that positive working environment, a recent graduate from the University of Cincinnati named Ahmed Raza. Ahmed graduated from the Engineering program at UC with a minor in computer science. The minor qualified him to work at Fox, but it was for another skill that Jenny hired him, his fluency in Arabic. He came to the U.S. four years ago from Saudi Arabia to attend school and had no intention of going back. Too many crazy people over there, he told Jenny during the interview. She liked him immediately. He was a personable young man, polite to a fault, and thoroughly enamored of his new country.

While he would do fine at Fox, her hope was to use his skills downstairs. Downstairs was a state-of-the-art intelligence gathering facility she had spared no expense on. The computers and servers were all custom built to her specifications. Each workstation had four 27" monitors and there were a dozen such workstations. On one wall were two large screens, measuring eight feet by six feet where data from any outside source or any of the facility’s workstations could be displayed. The operating system running everything was custom as was the encryption, having been recently developed by Nathan Callahan, a friend recommended by Thad.

Nathan was something of a prodigy in the programming world. He left a lucrative position with Tempest Games in San Jose to form his own game development company with his wife Phoebe, but his programming talents ran far beyond designing games. He had an