Mind In Chains by Bruce M. Perrin
Published November 4, 2019
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Synopsis:
It was spring in the Midwest and the perfect storm was
brewing.
A scientist of considerable renown, Dr. James Conroy, Jr., was leading a
grassroots movement to improve access to medical treatment in the United
States. At the same time, a group known as the Crusaders for Common Sense was
rallying around the cry, “Stop Playing God with Medicine.” Claiming that
medical science merely maintained the body while the soul rotted from within,
they stood opposed to Conroy—violently opposed.
Like most residents of St. Louis, Missouri, Sam “Doc” Price and Nicole Veles
watched in horror as the violence escalated. But after a noted medical
researcher was attacked at Nicole’s apartment, she and Doc were plunged into a
world of domestic terrorism.
Doc found an unlikely ally in FBI Special Agent Rebecca Marte. Together, they tried
to make sense of the Crusaders’ actions that defied all logic. The terrorists
showed no fear of identification—or even death. In the end, Doc risked
everything he loved in a final, deadly gambit with the Crusaders, only to find
that the cost of his ploy might be more than he was willing to pay.
Seven years before the events described in the book
and Nurse Martha Wilson has discovered a missing newborn:
As they turned into the wing with the nursery, Martha
slowed and turned to Jorge. “They’ll find her, won’t they?” Jorge said nothing
for a moment, so she added, “The truth.”
Jorge sighed. “I can’t really say. Is there an angry ex-spouse somewhere? A
childless neighbor? All I know is that the police will run down every lead
before they give up.”
“But if it’s not friends or family?” Martha asked although she thought she knew
the answer.
“Then you’ve done everything you could. Getting this on the air in 20 minutes
is a good start; the first few hours are the most important. After that, the
chances start going down fast. And after a few days ….” He shook his head but
didn’t finish.
Martha shuddered and squeezed her eyes closed. These were facts she had heard
before, but they had been only meaningless statistics at the time. Now, they
tore at her heart, the pain worsening with each tick of her mental clock.
Two hours later, after meeting with the local police who had no news about Baby
Jane Doe, Martha couldn’t control her emotions any longer. She started sobbing.
Six hours later, the interviews were complete, and Martha took a taxi home,
afraid to trust her driving. She went to bed, hardly speaking to her husband.
The next day, she called in sick. And the day after. And the day after that.
To Martha, the news was always the same. There were no ex-spouses. The
neighbors either had children or were retired with their children now raising
their own. Video cameras had caught the comings and goings from the maternity
wing at the hospital, but everyone belonged. Simply put, there were no
suspects, and the trail, if there ever had been one, was ice cold.
After ten days passed and there was no news about Baby Jane Doe, Martha went to
work only to resign. She couldn’t face another expectant mother, knowing she
had lost a human life left in her care.
Bruce Perrin has been writing for more than
twenty-five years, although you will find most of that work only in
professional technical journals or conference proceedings. After
receiving a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and completing a career
in psychological research and development at a major aerospace company, he’s
now applying his background to writing novels. Not surprisingly, most of
his work falls in the techno-thriller, mystery, and hard science fiction
genres, examining the intersection of technology and the human mind now and in
the future. Besides writing, Bruce likes to tinker with home automation
and is an avid hiker, logging nearly 2,500 miles a year in the first six years
of Fitbit ownership. When he is not on the trails, he lives with his wife
in St. Louis, MO.
Author Links:
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