Brian A. Tucker

AN ESSENTIAL DECEPTION

ISBN-13: 9781481187749​

 

FIFTEEN MONTHS AGO

 

 

    “It’s in Freiburg, Germany. I’m sending the details through right now.”

    “Uh-huh.”

    “The target’s got nothing to tell us. No creativity needed.”

    “Uh-huh.”

    “It should look…opportunistic. A mugging.”

     “Uh-huh.”

 

*

    After walking quickly across the empty park, Dietmar Beck entered an avenue of majestic oak trees. Captivated by the colorful setting, he slowed his pace, and then came to a standstill. 

 

    Massive, charcoal-grey oak trunks framed a quiet country lane. Like great monoliths, they endured, ancient and silent, in austere counterpoint to the ceaseless whisperings of the thousands upon thousands of restless leaves that danced and fluttered in a flaming canopy of golden-amber glory.

 

    Beck stood, awed, breathing in the heady aroma of earth and trees, until a quick glance at his watch got him moving again, his shoes crunching on the gravel road.