THREE SHOT BURST

An unlikely sleuth battles drug lords to rescue two sisters in big trouble.

The first time Foggy Moscowitz lays eyes on Lena, she’s just shot David Waters to death. Foggy, who fled Brooklyn when his legendary habit of boosting cars caught up with him, has made a new life for himself as the leader and only member of Child Protective Services in Fry’s Bay, Florida. David’s father, wealthy Seminole Ironstone Waters, is well-aware of his son’s unnatural interest in children but still wants Lena dead. Lena claims to be 14, though her wisecracking and expertise with guns make her seem much older; she also claims she's a hit man whom David hired to kill him so her older sister, Ellen Greenberg, whom he impregnated, and her baby would inherit a $1 million insurance policy. When Lena requests a meeting with Ironstone, who lives in a mansion surrounded by heavily armed guards, Seminole bigshot Mister Redhawk arranges it. Foggy gets shot and almost dies shielding Lena in a gun battle with Ironstone, but ever intrepid, he continues his protection of Lena and his search for Ellen and the baby, who’ve vanished. Foggy gets some unexpected help from Seminole shaman John Horse, whose potions pack a powerful kick and whose knowledge of everything happening in the area opens up new areas of investigation. Following Ellen’s trail leads Foggy and Lena to a fishing camp and restaurant owned by a bitter and dangerous Cuban drug lord whose business is being taken over by the Colombians. It will take every bit of Foggy’s expertise plus help from John Horse to extricate the sisters from this mess before they’re all killed.

The second in DePoy’s new series (Cold Florida, 2016, etc.) is packed with humor, philosophical musings, fascinating characters, and his hero’s palpable passion for his job.