Dead Man's Swag by Paul Carr

 

 

A man lies dead in a seedy cottage near Key West. His killer has left nothing behind. No fingerprints. No DNA. The medical examiner determines that the victim died from a stab wound. Other than that, Sheriff’s Detective Michael Dalton has little to go on. The victim has $27 in his wallet and no credit cards. He recently concluded a career in the Army and arrived in the Keys on a bus. His reason for traveling there is probably what got him killed. The FBI warns Dalton off the case, citing interference with an ongoing federal investigation. The agent says it’s classified and won’t say more. Dalton ignores the directive and presses on. The case smells like a cover-up, but nobody is willing to talk. As the secrets unravel, the murder count rises. Pressure builds and threats arise from inside the Sheriff’s Office. Undaunted, Dalton follows the trail of blood and finds himself squarely in the killer’s crosshairs.