The William Kent Krueger Collection #4 Read online




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  Contents

  Vermilion Drift

  Acknowledgments

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Epilogue

  ‘Tamarack County’ Excerpt

  Northwest Angle

  Acknowledgments

  Author’s Note

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Epilogue

  Trickster’s Point

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Epilogue

  Reviews

  About the Author

  Reader’s Companion

  About the Author

  “For someone who writes such muscular prose, Krueger has a light touch that humanizes his characters.”

  —The New York Times Book Review

  Called “one of those rare writers who manages to keep the suspense alive until the final page” (Kirkus), New York Times bestselling author William Kent Krueger delivers a powerful new Cork O’Connor thriller—a sobering reminder that even those closest to our hearts can house the deadliest of secrets.

  Deep in an underground iron mine in Tamarack County, Minnesota, Cork stumbles across the remains of six murder victims. Five appear to be nearly half a century old—connected to a series of unsolved disappearances when Cork’s father was sheriff. But the sixth has been dead less than a week. What’s worse, two of the bodies—including the most recent victim—were killed using Cork’s own gun, one handed down to him from his father. As Cork searches for answers, he must dig into his own past and that of his father, a well-respected man who harbored a ghastly truth. Time is running out, however. New threats surface, and unless Cork can unravel the tangled thread of clues, more death is sure to come.

  “The surprise ending makes this novel a worthwhile find.”—People

  “Krueger is a master at pacing. Once you begin a Cork O’Connor mystery, it’s hard to put it down.”—Minneapolis Star-Tribune

  “Can a writer keep getting better and better? Krueger surely can.” —St. Paul Pioneer Press

  WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER is the award-winning author of eleven Cork O’Connor mysteries, including the New York Times bestsellers Vermilion Drift and Northwest Angle. All are available from Atria Books. He lives in the Twin Cities with his family.

  Atria Books/Simon & Schuster Author Page

  authors.simonandschuster.com/William-Kent-Krueger/

  Author Website

  williamkentkrueger.com

  Facebook

  facebook.com/#!/williamkentkrueger

  Blog

  williamkentkrueger.com/blog

  CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, TRICKSTER’S POINT

  “Although there's plenty of excitement in this plot, Krueger is moving deeper into psychological territory with each book is this series.”


  —St. Paul Pioneer Press

  “While the murder mystery is an essential element of the novel, more important is the look at the relationships of the various characters, to each other and to the locale.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  “Krueger has crafted a strong and memorable series that never fails to surpass itself with each installment. Trickster's Point continues that tradition, containing some of Krueger’s best prose to date in what is perhaps his strongest, most intriguing novel yet.”

  —Book Reporter

  “Unlike many series, Cork and company age and evolve with each book. Time does not stand still and we share in the triumphs and tragedies of Cork. We watch his children grow up and, in some cases, move away. That constant change makes these novels all the more compelling.”

  —Crimespree Magazine

  “Mystery fans can count on William Kent Krueger for an absorbing book with lots of twists and turns. He's an author who isn't afraid to take chances with his characters.”

  —Denver Post

  “An absorbing plot and a rewarding read.”

  —Minneapolis Star Tribune

  "Krueger’s intimate knowledge of Minnesota’s northern reaches and respect for Native American life, ancient and modern, provide an intricate setting for this gem of a mystery."

  —Publisher's Weekly

  “In addition to having a plot as cunningly treacherous as Trickster’s Point itself, Krueger’s latest mystery has that elegiac tone that’s perfectly suited to O’Connor’s character and to the harsh landscape where he lives and works.”

  —Booklist

  CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, NORTHWEST ANGLE

  "Well-written and suspenseful, this book contains characters worthy of our emotional involvement. Krueger, as always, spins a good yarn, somewhat in the style of Dick Francis in his heyday, where both ingenuity and endurance are necessary to sustain the hero"

  —Cleveland Plain Dealer

  "William Kent Krueger never writes the same book twice, and this one is no exception. He combines elements of mystery and thriller to make a book that is non-stop entertainment. But Krueger never forgets the human aspect, which is always the driving force of his carefully crafted novels.... This outstanding book, the eleventh in the O’Connor series, should not be missed."

  —Deadly Pleasures

  “Part adventure, part mystery, and all knockout thriller. . . Catch-your breath suspense throughout.”

  —Booklist

  "Solid storytelling and intriguing characterizations combine for a sobering look at the power of family and faith and Native American culture. Krueger never writes the same book twice as each installment finds him delving deeper into Cork's psyche."

  —Publishers Weekly (starred)

  CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR IRON LAKE

  Winner of the Anthony Award • Barry Award Loft-McKnight Fiction Award • Minnesota Book Award

  “A wildly intelligent, all-Minnesota novel.”

  —St. Paul Pioneer Press

  BOUNDARY WATERS

  “Krueger’s writing, strong and bold yet with the mature mark of restraint, pulls this exciting search-and-rescue through with a hard yank.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  PURGATORY RIDGE

  Winner of the Dilys Award • Minnesota Book Award Northeastern Minnesota Book Award

  “Combines a first-class plot with excellent writing.”

  —The Denver Post

  BLOOD HOLLOW

  Winner of the Anthony Award

  “The prose is so good and the plotting so deft that readers will be hard put to stop reading once they begin. Krueger has moved to the head of the crime fiction class with this one.”

  —Chicago Sun-Times

  MERCY FALLS

  Winner of the Anthony Award

  “A novel that will keep the reader guessing through the final pages of the tale.”

  —The Denver Post

  COPPER RIVER

  Winner of the Minnesota Book Award Named the Honor Book in Fiction at the Midwest Booksellers’ Choice Awards

  “This series gets darker and more elegantly written with every book.”

  —Booklist

  THUNDER BAY

  Winner of the Dilys Award • Lovey Award • Minnesota Book Award • Northeastern Minnesota Book Award

  “Thunder Bay is William Kent Krueger’s finest work. A strong story with a fast-beating heart.”

  —Michael Connelly

  RED KNIFE

  “Outstanding…. Simply and elegantly told.”

  —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

  HEAVEN’S KEEP

  “Every aspect of this novel is unreservedly convincing…. This book—indeed, this series—is not to be missed.”

  —Deadly Pleasures

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2010 by William Kent Krueger

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Atria Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

  First Atria Paperback edition June 2011

  ATRIA PAPERBACK and colophon are trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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  Designed by Davina Mock-Maniscalco

  The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:

  Krueger, William Kent.

  Vermilion Drift : a novel / by William Kent Krueger. — 1st Atria Books hardcover ed.

  p. cm.

  1. O’Connor, Cork (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 2. Private investigators—Minnesota—Fiction. 3. Murder—Investigation—Fiction. 4. Cold cases (Criminal investigation)—Fiction. 5. Minnesota—Fiction. I. Title.

  PS3561.R766V47 2010

  813'.54—dc22

  2010013258

  ISBN 978-1-4391-5384-0

  ISBN 978-1-4391-5387-1 (pbk)

  ISBN 978-1-4391-7215-5 (ebook)

  For Sarah Branham, my champion

  In terms of the despiritualization of the universe, the mental process works so that it becomes virtuous to destroy the planet.

  —Russell Means

  CONTENTS

  Acknowledgments

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Ch
apter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Epilogue

  ‘Tamarack County’ Excerpt

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  The Vermilion One Mine and the Ladyslipper Mine, which appear in this work, are fictitious. There are, however, real mines that are very similar in their design, scope, and history, and I’ve used elements of these actual places in the construction of this story. But I want to stress to anyone familiar with the remarkable area we call the Iron Range that I have taken liberties with fact in both geography and geology.

  I’m extremely grateful to James Pointer of the Soudan Underground Mine State Park for the gift of his time and his knowledge. The morning I spent with him half a mile underground continues to be a remarkable memory for me. I’ve done my best to give readers the same sense of admiration that he gave me for the enterprise of the men who spent their lives working in near dark conditions to wrest iron from the earth. If you’re ever in northern Minnesota, I can’t recommend highly enough a tour of the Soudan Mine, which is operated by the state of Minnesota. I guarantee you’ll never take fresh air and sunlight for granted again.

  I also want to thank the staff of the Minnesota Discovery Center (formerly known as Ironworld), particularly those in the Research Center, who helped me locate a wealth of information in the archives. This resource is invaluable to all of us for a continued understanding and appreciation of the rich culture and history of the Iron Range.

  I’m indebted to Dr. Garry Peterson, Chief Medical Examiner Emeritus of Hennepin County, Minnesota, for his help in understanding death, its aftermath, and the clues that bodies, no matter how ancient, can offer in unraveling the mystery of murder.

  Finally, for their warm hospitality, a big thanks to all the staff at the wonderful little coffee shop called The Java Train, where the bulk of this novel was written.

  PROLOGUE

  Some nights, Corcoran O’Connor dreams his father’s death.

  Although the dream differs in the details, it always follows the same general pattern: His father falls from a great height. Sometimes he stumbles backward over a precipice, his face an explosion of surprise. Or he’s climbing a high, flat face of rock and, just as he reaches for the top, loses his grip and, in falling, appears both perplexed and angry. Or he steps into an empty elevator shaft, expecting a floor that is not there, and looks skyward with astonishment as the darkness swallows him.