OFF THE COUNT: A Will Pardoni Novel

To the outside observer, it would appear he had fallen and fallen hard. But Will was happy with his decision... mostly. It's true, he had given up a lot when he had made this move, not the least of which was 'the girl back home.' But move he must. Besides, he was still working on that girl back home. He didn't give up that easy.

He had been riffed from the police force in Sacramento, 'reduction in force.' He was the new guy. When the new budget came down, he was the first of several to go. On a whim he had responded to the obscure little recruitment ad for Chief of Detectives in Havasipp, New Mexico. The ad piqued his curiosity. He looked the town up online and found nothing. He brought up Google Maps and couldn't find it. He asked a couple buddies he had served with in the Corps who he knew had served duty near there and they never heard of the place.

Perfect, he thought. After battling bumper-to-bumper traffic and fighting a losing battle in an understaffed, underfunded and unloved big city police force, he was ready for some peace and quiet.

Later, when he was asked if there was anything he didn't like about the place, he had said, "Too many horses?" Give him an ATV or Truck and he was happy. When he wasn't using them, they just sat there and kept quiet. Gas 'em and go.

Then people started dying, and turning up in dumpsters. Someone was taking out the trash. On his watch.

So much for peace and quiet.