Oxana's Pit

Oxana uses forced labor to operate an illegal amber mine in the Amazon. Her open-pit excavation is on land owned by Tosh Scarborough. When he discovers Oxana’s pit on a satellite photo, he goes to investigate and is captured by Oxana’s thugs. One of Tosh’s employees, Amber Bravant, organizes a search for him. Oxana is quick to punish and even murder her slave laborers, but what will happen if she gets her hands on Amber?

Excerpt from Chapter Fifteen

The raucous chatter of a trio of scarlet macaws fluttering from tree to tree broke the stillness of the rainforest. The two males danced along the branches, displaying their plumage before a coy and faintly amused female.

Tosh struggled back to consciousness.

“What the hell is that racket?” He rubbed the lump on the side of his head.

When he turned to the side window of the aircraft, an excruciating pain shot up from his left leg and into his back. He cried out and looked down at his leg; it was twisted around, with the knee and foot cocked sideways.

Shit, my damned leg’s broken.

He pressed his head back against the seat, squeezing his eyes shut. After a moment, he looked at Quinn, slumped over the wheel.

Tosh pressed his fingertips to Quinn’s neck. The contact of the cold skin confirmed his fear, but he felt for a pulse anyway. He pulled away his hand and sighed, staring at the body of his old friend.

He felt for the buckle of his shoulder strap and released the latch.

I’ve killed him.

It was mid-afternoon, but the thick forest canopy blocked most of the sunlight.

Except for the shaft of light that came through the new opening above the crash, very little sunshine fell below. The forest floor spent its days in eternal twilight.