To The Lions - 02 (57 page)

“Cortez?”
came the voice over the speaker.

Redon
was wide-eyed but silent.
 
Gage rapped
him on top of his head with the pistol.
 
“Answer her.”

“Y-y-yes?”
Redon said, rubbing his head.

“Cortez,
Mister Hartline and Miss Kaminski are under my employment now.
 
They’re there to retrieve something of mine.”

The
famous painting known as “The Scream” was a good representation of Redon’s face
at that moment.

“Gage,
dear?”

“Yes,
Señora Moreno?”

“Help
Cortez remember where he put my money.
 
I’ll hold the line and listen.”

Gage
handed the pistol to Justina.
 
He then
shed his suit coat and cracked his knuckles as he stared at Redon with balled
fists.
 
“You ready,
hombrecito
?”

Cortez
Redon soiled himself.

THE END

NOTE
– I hope you enjoyed this book.
 
Whether
you did or didn’t, would you mind writing a quick review at Amazon?
 
It can be as short as a line or two.
 
Doing so will assist with Amazon’s search
feature and will help other customers decide if TO THE LIONS is right for
them.
 
I appreciate your help and your
support!
 
Please read on for
acknowledgments.

To
The Lions is my first effort at writing a series.
 
I hope you enjoyed it.
 
After reading The Diaries, so many readers
requested a series built around Gage Hartline.
 
Honestly, creating a series was never something that appealed to me but,
after writing this “sequel”, I now know it was enjoyable—at least from my
end.
 
Please let me know if you want more
of Gage.

As
always, my books are highly-contrived and not to be taken seriously.
 
Factual and grammatical errors surely exist,
and all of them lie solely with me.

About
the Spanish man in the wheelchair: he was inspired by two very brave people I’m
fortunate enough to call friends.
 
The
first, Jamie Spears, lost his legs in a silage cutter.
 
The second, Andrew Kinard, lost his legs in
an IED explosion while serving as a Marine officer in Iraq.
 
Both men are as capable as any human beings I
know.
 
They are heroes for inspiring so
many others and they define the essence of human spirit.

Before
I go on a jag of gratitude, the ultimate thanks belongs to my readers.
 
To know that people want to share my thoughts
is one of the warmest feelings I’ve ever experienced.
 
It keeps

me
going and inspires me to give you more.
 
I cannot thank you enough.

To
my beta readers: John Humphries, Phillip Day, Scott Hortis, Jack Wright, and
Lauren Knight—thank you!
 
Your insights
helped me make this book better.
 
I
wouldn’t be able to produce anything worthwhile without people like you.

To
Elizabeth Brazeal, editor extraordinaire, you’re a well-oiled machine.
 
I appreciate your hard work and your hunger
for my books.
 
It’s a perfect
combination.

Sarah
Humphries, your Spanish knowledge is greatly appreciated.
 
Mi español es todavía muy mal!

For
my eagle-eyed proofers: AJ Norris, Curt “Courtis” von Berg, Kelley Norris, and
Laura Hortis—I’m grateful that you spotted those niggling little errors that
I’m simply unable to see.

Nat
Shane, you’re a wizard with cover art!
 
Thanks for lending your talent and for your willingness to always help.

A
portion of the proceeds of this book will be donated to The Wounded Warrior
Project.
 
Learn more at
http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

Again,
please review this book.
 
It can be
short—only a line or two.
 
And please
drop me a line!
 
Find me at
chuckdriskell.com as well as on Facebook and Twitter.
 
I’d like to hear from you.

Until
next time, when I may take you either to Berlin or to South America (I’m still
struggling to decide), I wish you all the best.

God
bless,

C.

 
About the Author

Chuck Driskell is a United States Army
veteran who now

makes his living as an advertising
executive.
 
He lives in

South Carolina with his wife and two
children.
 
To The Lions

is Chuck’s fifth novel.