Revenge of the Three (Hand of God) by Tim Miller Page A

is going on.”
    “Well, it’s still an open investigation. But we could use a statement from you anyway. Can you be at the Federal building in an hour?
    “Yes, that’s fine.” She hung up and headed to her car. It would only take twenty minutes or so to get there, so she figured she’d stop and eat something on the way. There was a Starbucks nearby, so she hit the drive through and grabbed a frozen hazelnut latte and a bagel. With something finally in her stomach, as well as some caffeine, she felt like she was ready to take on whatever O’Brien threw at her today. She also had to brace herself for whatever she found out about her good friend.
    Once at the Federal building, she walked to the lobby and checked in. After a few minutes, Ranger O’Brien came out and walked her to a small office. There, Agent Jenkins was also waiting.
    “Hello Ms. Salazar,” Jenkins said.
    “Hi.” She looked around. “So what’s going on with Charlie?”
    “Well miss, your friend Charlie is in a lot of trouble. You remember all those people who died at the Alamodome a few years ago in San Antonio?”
    “Yes, Charlie said he knew people there.”
    Jenkins then went on to explain how the church members in Palau, Mexico died in a similar fashion. They had no link to Charlie on that one. However, they found three dead Mexicans, all of which had cartel ties, dead in a warehouse. They had Charlie’s fingerprints all over them, and they also died in a mysterious manner. Then there were the dead Satanists in El Paso, also with Charlie’s prints at the scene.”
                  “Wait a minute,” Maria objected. “Satanists?”
                  “That’s what they called themselves. Not Wiccan, or pagans or anything else, but full-fledged Satanists. The main guy, Armando Gutierrez has been involved with that scene for a long time. There was another set of prints we couldn’t identify. Someone who was probably with Charlie. Any idea who that might be?”
                  She thought for a moment about Charlie’s friend “Dennis” who was supposedly in trouble.
                  “He said his friend from college, Dennis, was in trouble. Said he had to go to El Paso to help him out of whatever jam he was in,” she said.
                  “Did he say anything else? What kind of trouble?”
                  “No, he didn’t say. Look, I’ve known Charlie for a few years. He’s harmless. He would never hurt anyone. I don’t know if he’s even capable.”
                  “You never actually know someone,” Jenkins said. “I’ve been at this job for twenty years. I’ve caught mass murderers, serial killers, terrorists, you name it. Every time, their friends and family said they weren’t capable.”
                  “Charlie would always say things are never what they seem,” she said.
                  “Charlie was probably warning you about himself.”
                  “So, now what happens?”
                  “Well, it’s still an ongoing case. Since we are working under the Patriot act, we have enough to hold him while we continue the investigation. Do you know anything else about this Dennis fellow? Have you met him?”
                  “He came by once, but all I know is his first name.”
                  “Could you describe him to a sketch artist?”
                  “I think so.”
                  “Great, I’ll have our artist meet with you. Thank you for your help Maria. I’m just glad we got him before he hurt someone else.” He stood, straightened his tie and stepped out of the office. As she sat, waiting on the sketch artist, she kept wondering how much of what Charlie had told her was true. Was everything he said a lie? Something in her mind spoke to her. It wasn’t a random thought, it was an audible voice, as if someone