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What Others Are Saying
About R.J. Patterson
“R.J.'s storytelling feels as natural as James Patterson’s, and the short-chapter setup is the literary answer to Lay’s potato chips: you just want one more and before you know it, you’ve gone through the whole thing.
- David Bashore,The Times-News, Twin Falls, ID
“R.J. Patterson does a fantastic job at keeping you engaged and interested. I look forward to more from this talented author.”
- Aaron Patterson, bestselling author of SWEET DREAMS
“Patterson has a mean streak about a mile wide and puts his two main characters through quite a horrible ride, which makes for good reading.”
- Richard D., reader
“Like a John Grisham novel, from the very start I was pulled right into the story and couldn’t put the book down. It was as if I personally knew and cared about what happened to each of the main characters. Every chapter ended with so much excitement and suspense I had to continue to read until I learned how it ended, even though it kept me up until 3:00 A.M.
- Ray F., reader
DEAD SHOT
“Small town life in southern Idaho might seem quaint and idyllic to some. But when local newspaper reporter Cal Murphy begins to uncover a series of strange deaths that are linked to a sticky spider web of deception, the lid on the peaceful town is blown wide open. Told with all the energy and bravado of an old pro, first-timer R.J. Patterson hits one out of the park his first time at bat with Dead Shot. It’s that good.”
-Vincent Zandri, bestselling author of THE REMAINS
“You can tell R.J. knows what it’s like to live in the newspaper world, but with Dead Shot, he’s proven that he also can write one heck of a murder mystery. With a clever plot and characters you badly want to succeed, he is on his way to becoming a new era James Patterson.”
- Josh Katzowitz,
NFL writer for CBSSports.com
& author of Sid Gillman: Father of the Passing Game
DEAD LINE
“This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I didn’t really want to put it down. R.J. Patterson has hooked me. I’ll be back for more.”
- Bob Behler
3-time Idaho broadcaster of the year
and play-by-play voice for Boise State football
DEAD IN THE WATER
“In Dead in the Water, R.J. Patterson accurately captures the action-packed saga of a what could be a real-life college football scandal. The sordid details will leave readers flipping through the pages as fast as a hurry-up offense.”
- Mark Schlabach,
ESPN college sports columnist and
co-author of Called to Coach
Heisman: The Man Behind the Trophy
Other titles by R.J. Patterson
Brady Hawk series
First Strike
Deep Cover
Point of Impact
Full Blast
Target Zero
Fury
State of Play
Seige
Seek and Destroy
Into the Shadows
Hard Target
No Way Out
Cal Murphy Thriller series
Dead Shot
Dead Line
Better off Dead
Dead in the Water
Dead Man's Curve
Dead and Gone
Dead Wrong
Dead Man's Land
Dead Drop
Dead to Rights
Dead End
James Flynn Thriller series
The Warren Omissions
Imminent Threat
The Cooper Affair
Seeds of War
HARD TARGET
A Brady Hawk Thriller
R.J. PATTERSON
For Stella, who kept
me sane in an insane newsroom
CHAPTER 1
Port Said, Egypt
BRADY HAWK SCANNED THE DOCKS in search of Hamamat Alsalam, an aging fishing boat that housed his target. A flock of seagulls circled overhead and squawked, ruining an otherwise peaceful evening. As the last few moments of daylight flickered across the rippling water, Hawk checked his watch and then continued to look for any activity in the harbor. The picture in his pocket showed several distinct features of the Hamamat Alsalam, but the vessels moored below his location all looked like they had seen better days with fading paint jobs and rusting hulls commonplace. With the boats packed in tightly, Hawk struggled to identify the one he planned to board.
After a half hour of searching, Hawk grew tired of the rote chore and had almost decided to ditch his binoculars and venture closer when he spotted movement on one of the ship’s decks. An armed guard roamed around the ship, pausing every few feet to stoop over the railing and look at the docks. The appearance of any type of patrol was unusual on its own, but a man with a weapon was a dead giveaway.
Amateurs.
Hawk studied the ship closely for a few more seconds in an attempt to read the name painted on the back. In the dim light, he caught the word Hamamat, which was enough to convince him that was his target. He stuffed his gear into his tactical bag, slung it over his shoulder, and headed straight for the Hamamat Alsalam.
“I found her,” Hawk said over his com.
“About time,” Alex Duncan answered from the safety of an apartment in Washington, D.C.
“I’m never good enough for you, am I?”
“I can’t let you get the big head, now can I?”
Hawk chuckled to himself but didn’t say a word as he passed a pair of men strolling along the docks.
“What’s the matter? You don’t have a witty comeback for me this time?”
“Time to go to work, Alex.”
Hawk scanned the deck of the Hamamat Alsalam for any more soldiers milling around. From his position, he couldn’t see anyone. He crept closer to the ship before stealthily climbing the ladder attached to the side. Once Hawk reached the top, he spotted a guard asleep on top of a large crate. Not wanting to take any chances, Hawk pistol whipped the guard in the head, ensuring he remained unconscious while Hawk did his job.
The seagulls dispersed and a cool breeze eased across the deck, carrying the waft of salt water. The only sounds were the lapping of water against boat hulls and the occasional roar of an offshore wave.
Hawk would’ve preferred to be walking hand-in-hand with Alex on a nearby beach instead of heading into a den of terrorists.
