High Desert: She was all that stood between her family and evil until she switched sides.

By Jordan Rivers

Get ready for a high-stakes thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat! The isolated ranch in the high desert of Mojave may seem peaceful, but when a family is taken hostage by escaped convicts, everything changes. Among the convicts is a gun runner desperate to flee before Interpol catches up to him. But the real conflict arises when one of the hostages, a determined policewoman, discovers her feelings for the gun-runner. As the tension rises and emotions run high, will they be able to escape their dangerous situation together? This modern-day thriller will have you hooked from the very first page. If you enjoyed "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," you'll love this book! 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Publishdrive
• Release date: Feb 15, 2024

Jordan Rivers

I started writing for fun when I was a kid but I didn't get serious about publishing until my 20s. After taking film and broadcasting in college I felt I'd found my true calling. I now write, direct, and produce ultra-low-budget movies. I've won two awards for my scripts; editor's choice for poetry and I'm published in paperback as well on Amazon. My first non-fiction book entitled, "I Know How You Feel..." is about my ten-year struggle with the death of my oldest son and how writing about it brought me back.

Book preview

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High Desert

Jordan Rivers

Copyright © 2011 Jordan Rivers

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

Cover design by: Jordan Rivers

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018675309

Printed in the United States of America

Dedicated to Bob

Thanks for keeping me on my toes Thanks for challenging me to think outside

the box

Thanks for your character and being a

character

Let's save the world together

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

About The Author

Books By This Author

Chapter One

The highway stretched out in a shimmering flat band of white-lined asphalt as far as the eye could see.  A lizard sunned itself on a flat rock beside the ribbon of road as the air sweat and then rose off the sizzling landscape.  The native son opened one eye, perturbed.  Something discomforted him.  A pulse beat in his throat as his other eye opened as well.  Finally, the blistering stillness was disturbed by a far-off rattling hum.  The lizard darted and then stopped.  The noise grew closer.  Finally, the lure of the hot sun on his back could no longer seduce him in the presence of that barbaric sound.  He scurried for cover.

The noise grew louder as human voices mixed with the haphazard rattling.  The strains of ‘One Hundred Bottles of Beer’ floated on the air as a worse-for-wear station wagon rattled off down the highway with only three bottles of beer left on the wall.

The driver, Kate Franklin, dropped out of the songfest with an amused shake of her brunette head, but the happiness of the moment didn’t reflect in her eyes.  At thirty-six, the scars of the past were covered by fresh scars, and she was a master at keeping them all under wraps.

Next to Kate, her sister, Audrey Fisher, still sang.  Two years younger, she dealt with her past by dressing to the nines not letting one hair out of place and landing a successful husband on the fast track.

Audrey unconsciously smoothed her perfectly straight dress with her perfectly manicured fingers.  She glanced absently at Kate’s jeans and then at her layered, curly locks that settled just past her shoulders.  Audrey’s husband had remarked on more than one occasion, much to Audrey’s irritation, that Kate’s hair made her look beddable.  Audrey forced her thoughts to more pleasurable feelings before allowing her attention to return to the backseat.

Her children, Emily, and Jason, occupied the back seat along with books, crayons and electronic hand-held games.  At eight and seven years of age, respectively, they belted-out their song with all the gusto and bravado any camp counselor would admire, finally finishing their song.

Let's sing it again, urged Emily with an enthusiasm that was shared by her brother as he chimed in.

Yeah!  Yeah!  Yeah!

No, Kate pleaded, feigning pain. Show a little mercy.

Aw!  C’mon! Jason insisted in his affected, deep and low voice that was far beyond his years but honed through hours of watching ‘Spanky and Our Gang’ reruns.

‘Please?" finished Emily in a plaintive whine.

Yeah!  C'mon, auntie Kate, teased Audrey as she nudged her sister with a gentle elbow.  She was enjoying the fact that the heat was on someone else for a change.

Kate eyed the kids through the rear-view mirror.  Why don't you go back to your coloring books for a while?

Again? whined Jason with a practiced pout.

We’re bored, Emily argued, gearing her chin up for a fight.

I’ll give you each a fiver, Kate offered, short-circuiting their rebuttals.

Okay! They chimed in unison, causing Kate to smile as the kids settled back quickly with their crayons.  Audrey playfully slapped Kate's arm.

Shame on you.  That's no way to raise children.

They're not mine, I don't have to worry about the consequences, quipped Kate with her usual directness.

Then I hope you never have children, put in Audrey without thinking as she attempted to be as quick-witted as her sister.  But then, it dawned on her.  Audrey gasped, her face sliding into a horrified expression.  Kate wore her usual mask as she stared straight ahead at the road.  Audrey gently touched her sister’s arm, but it was Kate who spoke.

I know you didn't mean it like that.

◆◆◆

Still with only desert as far as the eye could see, Jason and Emily played tag.  Kate yanked the spare tire out from the well in the back of the station wagon.  As she lifted it, a gun peaked out from under her shirt causing Audrey to gasp.

You brought a gun, uttered Audrey in disbelief.

I always do, shrugged Kate unconcerned.  She rolled the tire toward its punctured mate.

You know I hate guns, Audrey began, her voice taking on the ‘time for the soapbox’ edge.  You of all people - she sputtered.  Not wanting to go into that territory after her earlier faux, she generalized her statement.  They’re tools of tragedy.  They should be banned!

You won’t feel that way when the kids find a snake, Kate dead panned as she kneeled to her task.

Snake? Audrey’s hand flew to her throat as she turned and scanned for her children.  Emily?  Jason?  Come back to the car this instant!

They pulled into the first reputable-looking gas station they came across.  Kate purchased four new tires and had them mounted against Audrey’s protestations.  She insisted her husband Paul would take care of everything when they got home, but Kate turned a deaf ear to her.

It’s not like Paul and I don’t have money.

I know, but Paul’s too busy impressing his new boss and you’d buy tires from the first salesman that winked at you.

Overhearing the comment as he approached, the grease jockey who had done the tire work smiled.  He was as weathered as the desert with a tan line showing where his baseball cap met his forehead.  He wiped his dirty hands on a greasy rag from the rear pocket of his just-as-greasy overalls.  Audrey blushed and ground her teeth as she turned away from the man’s perusal.  Kate seemed to always take great delight in humiliating her in front of others.  Audrey didn’t have the subtle mind or quick verbal reactions Kate had always wielded with lethal ease since they were kids.

You know, I have managed these last several years without your help, Audrey ground out for her sister’s ears only.

By the time Kate had handed over her credit card and was signing the completed work order, the kids were screaming little banshees, running circles around their mother who was trying to corral them.  Without looking up from the paperwork on the clipboard, Kate raised her voice so the children would hear.

Kids!  The car please!

Immediately the kids bee-lined for the vehicle, leaving Audrey to mop her face with a perfumed handkerchief before returning to the car and escaping the heat.

Oh, so they’re your kids.  The way that other lady was chasin’ after ‘em, I thought they were hers, offered the grease jockey as he handed back her credit card.

They are hers, answered Kate as she handed the clipboard back to him.

But they mind you so well.

That’s because I’ve got a gun, grinned Kate as she headed to the driver’s side door of the station wagon.  She let the startled man hold his water for a few seconds more before she flashed her police badge at him.  Don’t worry, I’m a professional, she quipped before climbing behind the wheel.

The grease jockey visibly relaxed and then waved goodbye.  Emily waved back but Jason wasn’t content until he had smashed his nose against the window in a way to expose both his nostrils, finishing off by crossing his eyes and pulling his mouth into a grotesque shape.

◆◆◆

An hour later a correctional facility sign stood out in bold white letters on a green background, greeting them as if that were their destination.  The station wagon raced past the road that led from the main drag to the prison.  The warning signs barely attracted Kate’s attention as she gave it a cursory glance.  But the others looked at the signs warning not to pick up hitchhikers.  The tall fences with their razor wire filled the children’s eyes as the long car ride tested their patience.

Is that a prison, mommy? Emily asked in a somber tone.

Yes, sweetheart.  Look at the cows, added Audrey, as she pointed to the other side of the road up ahead of them.

I want to go to prison, declared Jason, straining to see from his side of the seat.

No, you don’t, his mother put in.

Yes, I do!  I wanna see all the bad men.

Jason, do you see the cows?  I bet you can’t even count that high.

I wanna see bad men doing stuff, Jason insisted.

That’s what television’s for, teased Kate as she glanced through the review mirror at Jason as he unconsciously began counting the dairy cows crowding the man-made pastures.

Please don’t encourage him, sighed Audrey.

Yeah, Mommy won’t let us have a T.V. nodded Emily.

Yes – Mommy won’t let you have a T.V. corrected her mother.

That’s what I said, Emily shot back as she rolled her eyes.

Yeah, that’s why I don’t visit cuz Mommy won’t let us have a T.V., Kate said deliberately.

Your grammar – oh, you do that on purpose! huffed Audrey as she caught the smirk on her sister’s face.  The kids rewarded Kate’s teasing with their giggles.

Within half an hour, the gated driveway Kate had been looking for appeared ahead.  Meanwhile, back at the ranch, she smirked as she slowed the car and stopped at the gate.  Exiting the car while leaving it running, Kate opened the gate and pushed it back out of the way.  She walked to the mailbox mounted on the white fence to check for mail.  The faded letters SPENCER made up one side of the box.  Finding nothing, Kate drove the car onto the property and then returned to the gate to shut it.  She reflected on how the years of use had hardened the dirt, so the road never had been paved.

I swear I’m gonna buy a remote for that gate, griped Kate as she slid back into the car and hit the gas while closing the door at the same time.

A ranch house loomed ahead in the distance.  The car raced toward its isolated setting in the simmering heat, past acres of empty stalls and corrals which attested to a once prosperous dairy business.  Long neglected, the farm struck an aging pose as the sun began to set.

The ranch consisted of a three-story house with a garden; a large barn which also served as a garage; a smoke house; storage sheds and several outbuildings which were previously used to house the hired staff but were long unused.

A goat, a few chickens and some pigs roamed freely about the front yard as a tiger-striped cat watched from the roof of the main house.  Gus, a mongrel mix of Great Dane, Mastiff, and something mysterious, bellowed and leapt about the porch.  The size of a small horse, Gus attracted the attention of his owner, Helen Spencer.  At sixty-six years of age, she was still a handsome woman, strong and as enduring as her land.  Coming out onto the porch, she shaded her eyes from the setting sun, a smile of recognition filling her face.  Gus continued to bellow.

All right, already, Gus.  I can see.

The station wagon came to a stop, sending a wake of dust toward the porch.  Throwing open their doors, Emily and Jason poured out of the backseats, running to Helen.  The woman sank to her hunches, her arms spread wide to greet them.

Auntie Helen! called Emily as she dove into her great aunt’s arms.

My babies!  I've been waiting all day, she gently scolded as Jason tried to choke her with love.  Give us some sugar. the kids obliged with loud smacking sounds.

Gus joined in on all the affection, his licks and nudges elicited laughter and giggles from the kids.  Audrey left Kate to unload the car as she moved to join her children.  Gus spotted her and the dance between the two old adversaries began anew.

No!  My dress! Audrey hissed as the big dog jumped at her.  Bad Gus!  Audrey swatted at the animal, but he was forever too quick for her.  Kate watched the two foils go at it for a few moments before she sat on the car’s tailgate.

Gus.  Here, boy!

Gus bounded over immediately and sat in front of her.  They looked at one another for several long seconds.  Gus quivered with excitement.  Kate smiled and slapped her knee.  The dog knocked her back into the car, licking and nudging his second favorite human.  Audrey used the opportunity to embrace Helen.

We had a flat.  But Kate fixed it.

What a surprise, winked Helen as Emily and Jason pulled Gus from Kate, hugging and wrestling with the stronger beast.

If I had been alone, I would have fixed it, protested Audrey.

Uh, huh! Kate grunted at her as she removed her outer shirt, revealing the gun in its holster.  She returned to unloading the car.

No, you wouldn't have, smirked Helen in agreement with Kate.  You would have parked your pretty little fanny on the hood and flagged down the first available man.  I can’t abide a man who puts his comfort before his family’s, she added, muttering.

It’s not like that, Audrey protested.  Paul bought the Volvo as a business write-off.  Before long, he’ll be ready for a new one and Paul will give the Volvo to me.  Until then, I don’t mind the station wagon.  Much.

You tell that husband of yours I said he'd better let you drive the Volvo now or he's going to get his from me, Helen huffed affectionately, knowing that Audrey would defend her husband to the death.  Audrey screwed up her face and offered disdainfully.

Send Kate after Paul, at least she's equipped for it.

I was going to make iced tea and sandwiches for lunch, began Helen, skillfully changing the subject.  But now they'll do for dinner.  The kids cheered and began a beeline for the house as Audrey followed.

"Wait a minute!