Iron Men

"I take it you've been looking for me?"

The man's hands curl upward into fists. His eyes flick to the side and back. A reflexive movement that answers my question without him saying a word.

"Not you," he adds, betraying the slightest hint of an accent.

Adrenaline seeps into my system. The taste of copper finds my tongue as anticipation builds.

"Same difference."

Each moment propels Kyle Clady further in the search for the people and motives behind the senseless murder of his wife. A journey that forced the paths of those involved to converge, the precious closure he's seeking rounding into view.

In the desert beyond the edge of greater San Diego, Kyle and his friends stare down at the man identified by his vest as Byrdie-someone with information they need. Someone Kyle encountered a couple of times in recent weeks, this time promising to be the last.

Unbeknownst to any of them, fifteen miles away, the wreckage of a mobile home lies smoldering-the final remains of the Wolves organization Byrdie rides for. A heinous act carried out in the dead of night.

In the opposite direction, Detective Malcolm Marsh watches over his partner, praying the man's improving status will translate into a full recovery. A rare bit of good news as he sifts through the growing number of crime scenes and fends off increasing pressure from the brass downtown.

Along the coast, Elsa Teller puts the last few details into place, final acts to fully insulate herself and her employer from blowback on a scheme far wider than ever imagined.