Under the Red Blanket
By: Stan Briney
In reality, Dead Men very often do tell their stories. This axiom holds true within the pages of this fast moving, explicitly graphic, fictional crime story. Its modern-day plot is in the city of Austin, Texas and its surrounding well-known Texas Hill Country.
Just after their arrival on Grand Cayman Island, West Indies for their long-awaited honeymoon, Brock Hamilton M. D. and wife, Marcie are disquieted when learning that Brock has been subject to a recent and extensive cryptic background investigation that was spearheaded by an International Mafia Syndicate that now has their own plans for the young and newly certified Clinical Pathologist and Medical Examiner.
Meanwhile in Austin, Texas, the 20-year career in the U. S. Marine Corps has only galvanized the strong-arm tactics of the always arrogant and pompous Frank Vitrano, now a Travis County Precinct Commissioner. Vitrano soon becomes an enigma to Dr. Hamilton. When T. J. Merwin, the recalcitrant teenage son of Frank's second wife, becomes a prominent gang member of the Texas Tango Blast organization and later an accomplice and fugitive following a twin homicide and botched burial of two members of a Chicago Mafia crime family, Vitrano implores Brock's immediate assistance. Since T. J.'s childhood, his relationship with Frank was always contemptuous at best, so years later when they are now opposing each other by their association in two of Texas's most dangerous gangs, their relationship becomes more heated and threatening.
To assist law enforcement in locating Merwin, Hamilton has a very risky plan which he shares with Austin City Police, the Travis County Sheriff's Department, and the Texas State Rangers. However, for his plan to work, he calls on a brilliant and talented Chinese friend and forensic technician, Huang Liu. The rapid growing suspense finally peaks with a stunning and fatal event in broad daylight on a shabby, tree-lined residential street in the historic East Cesar Chaves neighborhood of Austin. Soon after, Commissioner Frank Vitrano becomes the hunted man. Dead Men eventually tell their own stories!
