Stroud - Deadly Force

Grizzly focused all his attention on the doorway, getting himself together. Luke could feel the energy developing in Grizzlys massive frame. Six feet two inches of federal muscle was about to collide with the door of room 9B of the Harbor Light Hotel. Grizzly held up his left hand and spread his fingers.

Five.

Luke looked at the luminous dial of his watch. Walt and Rico were in position. If they werent, Rico would have clicked twice on the shortwave radio.

Four.

Grizzlys face was bright red, the way it always got before a kick-in. His fingers were rock steady. He folded another one.

Three.

Luke took in a deep belly-breath through his nose and blew it out slowly through his open lips.

Two.

What if it isnt him?

Screw that. Its him.

One.

Grizzly gave Luke a final look. Then he tensed and exploded off the wallthe whole frame of the door burst inward. Before it hit the floor, Luke was racing ina woman was screamingand Luke heard his own voice, deep but hoarse, saying Federal officersfreezefederal officers!

Relentless and gripping Stroud is back in his territory of true-life heroes and villains.

Kirkus Reviews

Gets into the soul of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale

The fact that its all true is enough to bring on nightmares.

The Fresno Bee

Also by Carsten Stroud

Close Pursuit
Snipers Moon
Lizardskin
Iron Bravo: Hearts, Minds, and Sergeants in the U.S. Army

This edition contains the complete text of the original hardcover edition.

NOT ONE WORD HAS BEEN OMITTED.

Deadly Force
A Bantam Book

PUBLISHING HISTORY

Bantam hardcover edition published September 1996
Bantam paperback edition / October 1997

Grateful acknowledgment is made for permission to reprint lyrics from the following: GUN STREET GIRL by Tom Waits. Jalma Music.
ASCAP copyright 1985.

STAR DUST, music by Hoagy Carmichael, words by Mitchell Parish. 1929 (renewed) EMI Mills Music, Inc. & Hoagy Publishing Company in USA. All rights outside USA controlled by EMI Mills Music, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission. WARNER BROS. PUBLICATIONS U.S. Inc., Miami, FL. 33014.

All rights reserved.
Copyright 1996 by Absaroke, Inc.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 96-3215
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information address: Bantam Books.

eISBN: 978-0-307-81529-3

Bantam Books are published by Bantam Books, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. Its trademark, consisting of the words Bantam Books and the portrayal of a rooster, is Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Marca Registrada. Bantam Books, 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036.

v3.1

Dedicated to

Linda Mair
Beverly Lewis
Lauren Field
Barney Karpfinger
and
Irwyn Applebaum

W hile the law-enforcement tactics and conflicts depicted here are real and most of Deadly Force is based on my first-hand observation, I have changed almost every name and altered nearly every location to protect people who trusted me with their truth and experiences. As well, and due to a request from the Justice Department in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing, additional details that might identify federal officers or their families have been altered, and the takedown locations changed to the extent necessary to safeguard the security of federal operations and personnel. I regret this but sadly concede the necessity. I realize this may be troubling to many journalists and readers. It troubles me as well, yet I see no other way to accomplish my goal, which is to illustrate very disturbing trends in federal law enforcement, without damning the messengers.

This book is clearly not conventional journalism, but it is truth as I chose to tell it, in the voices I heard, in the only way I felt was right. If it has power, this was the gift of the men and women in law enforcement who trusted me. Its sins, and they are legion, are mine alone. And, as ever, I wish to express my respect, gratitude, and affection for my editor at Bantam, Beverly Lewis, without whose moral and professional guidance over the past twelve years, my work would be sadly diminished, and my life very different.

Carsten Stroud
Thunder Beach, 1996

Bought a second-hand Nova
from a Cuban Chinese,
dyed his hair in the bathroom of a Texaco.
With a pawn shop radio
at quarter past four
he left Waukegan at the slamming of the door
he left Waukegan at the slamming of the door

Gun Street Girl, Tom Waits
Rain Dogs, 1985

CASE FILE

SUTTER, Delbert Arthur FPS #S4357228K
Caucasian male. DOB: June 17, 1948
Hair: light brown. Eyes: green
Marks or Scars: Vertical scar left eyebrow and left cheek to lipline.
Tattoo upper right biceps of a crucifix wrapped in thorns.
Teardrop tattoo between thumb and index finger of right hand.
Height: Six feet two inches
Weight: 195 pounds
Also known as: Lucas Shawn; Boyd Whitman

Notations/characteristics: Above-average IQ
Rated on Minnesota Multiphasic as dissociative sociopath.
Rated on DSM III Psychopathy Scale as functional psychopath.
Considerations: Presumed armed and dangerous

Wanted by:
Maryland Department of Corrections: Escape and felony assault of corrections officers.
FBI National Task Force: Armed robbery; possession of stolen goods; possession of restricted weapons; kidnapping, rape,
multiple felony assaults.
Will resist arrest. Negotiation outcome probability negative.
CONTACT: United States Marshals Communication Center
1-800-336-0102

By the middle of September he had changed his name three times and was in a new place every night. Today he was in room 338 of a Motel 6 off Interstate 94 in Paw Paw, Michigan, hip deep in a world of self-inflicted shit.

In Ypsilanti he bought a 1983 Toyota pickup from a crippled pawnbroker he knew from Joppatowne, paid for it with the cash he still had from that Dennys thing, plus he threw in the Joppatowne bulls Browning nine-mill. Yes, it was risky, but it was even riskier to run around, boost a new ride every forty-eight hours, because that sort of thing would ring a bell in every federal office in Michigan. Better to try to have a legit ride, even if it meant that this legless Joppatowne buddy could shop him if he wanted to; Delbert didnt think hed want to, because he knew Delbert was hard-core and never forgot a fink. Cant run far in a wheelchair, can you?

He put Idaho plates on the Toyota, and he was using an Idaho state DL that the seller swore was clean until May at least, although the seller was dead, so what was Delbert going to do if it was dirty? Dig the guy up and ask for his money back?