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    Cold as ICE
    Cold as ICE
    Cold as ICE
    Ebook49 pages46 minutes

    Cold as ICE

    By Lee Conrad

    ()

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    About this ebook

    A near future novelette. Detective Derek Steele has been hired to find a missing immigrant rights activist in a crumbling American city. What he finds in his search imperils his life and his beliefs.

    Derek Steel and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency have never been friends since he was a cop and stood his ground during an ICE raid. Now with a right wing government and ICE running amok, Steel puts his life on the line to expose them, save some lives.and maybe even the country.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLee Conrad
    Release dateMay 16, 2023
    ISBN9798223786429
    Cold as ICE
    Author

    Lee Conrad

    Lee Conrad lives in upstate New York with his longtime love and their three rescue cats. His stories have appeared in Fiction on the Web, Literally Stories, Ariel Chart, Sundial Magazine, The London Reader, Books ‘N Pieces, Blood and Bourbon, Written Tales and The Blue Lake Review.

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      Book preview

      Cold as ICE - Lee Conrad

      The late morning heat was stifling and the humidity oppressive. It was early May but the climate in upstate New York was so screwed up it felt like July in the old days. I hate this weather. I keep telling myself that as a private investigator I can set up shop anywhere. A cooler climate would be nice if I could find one. But that is another day. Got to meet my client.

      I drive down Floral Ave past trees butchered by the electric company to free the wires of damage from tangled limbs. They didn’t even look like trees, more like skeletons sliced through the ribs. I dodge deep potholes as I head to Danny’s Diner. Since the economy collapsed road paving has been slipping. Weren’t we supposed to have hover cars by now?

      I text the client to say that I arrived, he texts back that he is in the last booth on the left.

      Danny’s wasn’t crowded. It was 2 pm, the lunch crowd had already left. Luckily the soup specials kept the business going.

      I nod to the cook. Hey Jaymo, how’s things?

      Can’t complain, Mr. Steele.

      I had busted Jaymo when I was a cop. Small stuff really, some shoplifting and stealing copper pipes from vacant houses, but he cleaned up and Danny gave him a job.

      Danny sat at the end of the counter, coffee cup in one hand and scrolling through his Facebook page with the other. The local newspaper was on the counter. It was the only one left in the city after the others had shut down. It barely had 10 pages and the obituaries took up three pages. Since the federal libel laws went into effect and the fake news mantra overwhelmed the public, they were scared to print anything political. It was filled with ads of stuff nobody could buy and feel-good stories. The front page had a picture of a golden retriever licking a smiling baby’s face. We are seriously fucked. One thing you could say about it, when toilet paper was scarce it came in handy.

      I greeted Danny, walked to the last booth, and sat down.

      Mr. Azid? I’m Derek Steele.

      Thank you for coming here. I didn’t want to be seen going to your office. Friends have told me you are an upstanding and fair person. That is why I called you.

      I looked at him to size him up. Middle Eastern, about fifty, sad dark eyes, black hair starting to thin and go grey.

      Mr. Steele, I understand you were with the police force at one time. I heard you left when it went political. I also heard you butted heads with ICE when they came around to round up people and you are on the outs with the local politicians.

      I scowled at him. Who’s the investigator here Mr. Azid? Yeah, I don’t like politicians. A bunch of bought and paid for weasels. We can skip the rest. What is your point? I said sharply.

      Mr. Steele, I do not mean to offend. It is just that I come to you because I think you can help me and us.

      Go on, I said.

      Mr. Steele, people have gone missing. One of them is my son Tarik. The local mosque and other groups have collected money to hire you.

      Do you think he is mixed up with terrorists? I asked.

      No, not my Tarik. He does not like those people. He was born here and loves America. He is what you would call progressive. Not very religious either, to my regret.

      Mr. Azid, it wouldn’t be the first time a kid fooled his parents and joined a cult or a bunch of radicals. But you said other people are missing and other groups also collected money. I looked at him quizzically. I was getting a bad feeling about this in

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