H Nowland

The Adolescent and the Cartel: Intrigue in the Adirondack H Nowland

John Davidson, a recovering alcoholic and aging Vietnam vet, has turned his back on society. He lives a solitary life deep in the Adirondack Mountains and makes his living writing. One rainy night, his isolation is breached when preteen Ginger Rodriguez sneaks through the woods surrounding his cabin. Cold, frightened, and suspicious, Ginger reluctantly accepts John's offer to come inside, dry off, and warm up. As John gains her trust, she spills her story: she's being pursued by well-organized thugs who killed her father and mother, and they will stop at nothing to reach their goal. Together, they flee to the woods to avoid her would-be attackers. With their individual issues and idiosyncrasies, they challenge one another's patience on their flight to safety. Each effort to elude the henchmen works momentarily but ultimately leads them from one life-threatening situation to the next. Through their struggles, John and Ginger slowly bond. Ginger's precociousness draws John from his isolation, and John's fatherly instincts emerge. John must use his street smarts, woodsman knowledge, military training, and long-lost, tender, and loving soul to save his life and the life of his little friend.