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"Though he was an American soldier, Fuentes considered his Ranger team a covert element in the larger conflict between the Mexican people and the cartels. This was a war he knew he would be fighting for a long time, whether under the American flag or not." |
The Covert Element:
A James Becker Thriller
By John L. Betcher
I continue to so much enjoy John Betcher's Series, especially when Beth, his wife, takes part in solving the crime. James and Beth are fun to get to know through scenes such as this:
"What have you been doing while I was at work anyway?" Beth asked, assuming a defensive posture."
"Pretty much rolling around in the neighbor's sand box. Why? Is there something unsavory about me?"
"I'd say you're pretty much out of savor. Now go get cleaned up so I can show you what I found."
With a bow and a doff of my imaginary cap, I was off to the shower. I knew Beth thought the cap thing was stupid. But hey...as far as vices go, a quirky doff isn't so bad.
Beth's background is CIA and has extensive computer skills that were very much needed. Beck had been called by Doug Gunderson (Gunner), Ottawa County Chief Deputy Sheriff, to meet him at the site where a meth lab had been destroyed. More importantly, the "twenty-odd murder victims lined up outside" appeared to be execution style, perhaps gang related...Information about what might be happening comes through Beck's friend and sometimes investigative assistant, Bull. His former sarge in the Rangers, had called, asking for help. He had told Bull there had been a massacre and that he was sure the Mexican Drug Cartel was involved. Beck knew that the police had not released any information about the meth lab deaths and immediately was suspicious how Bull's friend could know.
When Bull asked Beck to be in on the meeting with Fuentes, he agreed, hoping to gain further information.
Meth labs could be built/maintained within the US borders, thus improving quantity and saving both transportation and patrol problems. The head of the Mexican cartel had moved into the Minnesota area without anybody knowing it. Mexicans had been in the state for many years and were accepted by the people in the small surrounding towns. Now one lab had been destroyed--perhaps by another cartel? But there was also a major lab, ingeniously hidden within another organization--but where was it? At least one individual knew, was it the same one who had murdered those near the lab that had already been destroyed?
Tackling a major, known problem within the United States is just what James Becker would have done had he still be working, wherever he had worked...So even if he was now retired, Beck was still in there, doing what he does best to support the USA.
Follow the potential life of one Mexican-American individual who dedicated his life to eliminating the Drug Cartels. John Betcher's choice to use this character is intriguing, allowing us to see into the heart of many Mexicans who are just as concerned, or maybe even more so, about the influence of drugs in the United States and throughout the world. I commend John for this effort and look forward to future important books in this series. Highly recommended.
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These sound fun. Thanks for the introduction.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review, Glenda.
ReplyDeleteJohn L. Betcher
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