Robert Bogan Austin, Texas
robert@boganstrictor.com © 2004 Robert Bogan
HIGH ALPHA-Q
SYNOPSIS
Music star Tom Cody sends his bodyguard, Buck Duran, on a
mission to help locate a woman who disappeared a week earlier.
From a variety of witnesses in and around Austin, Duran gathers
contradictory images of the missing woman, plus a list of suspects
-- one of whom is connected to a computer research consortium.
A clinic based on a Llano County ranch becomes the focus of
Duran's search. Attempting to gain information he falls into the
hands of a corrupt law officer. After a few hours in jail Duran
goes to his eccentric cousin Rait Smith.
With Rait's help Duran penetrates the ranch at night; they find
and rescue the missing woman who tells Duran about her
experience in captivity. The clinic is being used for illegal
activities including drug smuggling.
Meanwhile a warrant has been issued for Duran's arrest in the
murder of a Texas Ranger. At the same time, one of Duran's
own suspects disappears -- the one who works with the
computer research consortium.
Rait Smith convinces Duran they must go to the ranch again to
clear Duran's name, help a friend, and make a grab for a fortune
in loose drug money. Buck and Rait gain an ally and the three of
them invade the ranch a final time.
At the moment of his escape, they surprise the prime mover, a
freelance spy whose operation has been to blackmail consortium
officials with drugs and sex, and steal computer research secrets.