The Gun Lap: A Story of Revenge and Faith (January 2024)

Everybody has heard about Victor Taggert. His arrest, trial, and conviction once dominated New York City news media. Taggert alone had orchestrated over two hundred coldblooded murders.

Nobody's heard about Marcus West. He labors in obscurity for his wife's tiny firm. He wants to retire, but can't. He thinks his daughter needs a husband, but dares not tell her so.

When Victor Taggert, against long odds, breaks out of prison, Marcus West has to stop him. Law enforcement can't help, and West is not some sort of former spy or ex-commando. He's just a thin, sixty-something senior citizen.

Taggert anticipates more easy kills. However, West has already done something Taggert would never suspect. West has wrapped both arms around his strong Christian faith. Both he and Taggert will be surprised by the results.

Abigail West runs AWSS, Inc. a successful security business. It's like a temporary help service, but it supplies very high-end field operatives, all of whom have distinguished backgrounds in the military or law enforcement.

Her husband, Marcus, works in an austere, windowless room building electronic devices that will be used by AWSS in the field. Abigail wife says he works in a cave. Her office has one of the best views in Las Vegas, not to mention very expensive paintings on its walls.

Despite leading what looks like a simple, secure life, Marcus West faces serious problems, one of which is his daughter, Amanda. After she acquired an MBA and a few years in the FBI, her parents enticed her to join their tiny firm. The arrangement isn't going well. Amanda, who's a superstar at administrative anything, struggles with the firm's dangerous field operations. Amanda's safety therefore is a big concern for her mother.

Marcus is less concerned because his good friend, Smitty, handles the firm's field operations. Smitty is an ex-SEAL and always nearby when Amanda goes in the field. That really bothers Amanda. She chafes at getting Smitty's permission to do anything even remotely risky. She thinks it's like asking to go on a date in high school.

Marcus believes Amanda needs a husband. He dares not tell her that. Amanda is Miss Independent Careerwoman, and far more interested in having a dog than a spouse.

Business continuity also worries Marcus. He needs a successor, and almost nobody can do his work. Almost nobody even knows what his work is. Recruiting a protégé looks daunting.

Marcus has more things to worry about---big things, at that. They'll have to wait. For the moment, Abigail and Amanda seem headed toward a profound mother-daughter confrontation over Amanda's field work. Abigail even thinks Amanda might be in mortal danger at that very moment.

Abigail's right. Amanda's again doing something very dangerous and very unauthorized. She'll fail at it, too. Amanda never gets fieldwork quite right. Nonetheless, her situation will work out well.

That's because God has for some years been subtly shaping AWSS's destiny.

We think you're going to love the ending. We did.

Mikvelk Publishing, LLC