This fine book is available now at our bookstore....

The Innocent Hero

by Jerald L. Hanson

183 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #03-1083; ISBN 1-4120-0715-1; US$18.50, C$22.00, EUR15.50, £11.00

The compelling story of an ordinary man, called upon to save a kidnapped congressman. With the help of the U.S. Navy, he flies the Atlantic in a single engine Cessna.

Read more!

about the book      about the author      excerpt      catalogue info

About the Book     Grit, bravery and an engineer's analytical mind keep James Lewis alive while he innocently solves a major intelligence problem for the U.S. Government.     Jim is your next door neighbor, a happily married family man who's ego doesn't let him say no when he is asked by his friend, Senator Gallby, to perform a task that is beyond his training and experience. He rescues an American Congressman from kidnappers in England and flies him across the English Channel in a single engine Cessna. Avoiding several attempts on their lives, he gets the Congressman home while unintentionally eliminating the rogue CIA agents responsible for the kidnapping.

---

About the Author     Born in Aurora, Illinois, during World War II, Jerry Hanson grew up on a dairy farm in rural Yorkville. As a teenager he worked as a bank teller and as a printers devil for a weekly newspaper. After four years in the U. S. Air Force, he returned to Yorkville and a job at the bank. At age fifty two he retired from the banking business with a list of things he wanted to experience. He has since studied Anthropology at Northern Illinois University, driven an eighteenwheeler from coast to coast, toured the U.S. on a Harley Davidson and written three novels. Hanson is a licensed pilot, and is currently enjoying the role of author. For information about other books by Jerald Hanson please visit: William, Forth and Back, Angela and Pure Gold

---

Excerpt

Chapter 1

    He hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair, testing its limits. Jim was a big man and had lifted the forward casters off the carpet before, but today he would land on his back. Embarrassed but unhurt, he set the chair on its tiny wheels again and sat down. Why would Senator Gallby want him to come to Washington, D.C.?
    "A week ... two weeks max," he had said. "This is sensitive Jim, no publicity."

    Walter Gallby and Jim became good friends while playing football at Dixon High School. Wally's right arm and Jim's speed took the Dixon Bulldogs to the state championship playoffs three times. Beyond high school they took different career paths and lost touch for a while. After four years in the Air Force Jim settled down in Freeport, Illinois with a good job, married his sweetheart and started a family.
    Wally studied political science in college and taught high school history in Rockford, Illinois, eventually running for public office. He served two terms in the United States House of Representatives before his election to the Senate. Wally enjoyed visiting with Jim during campaign stops in Freeport, because Jim refused to talk politics. It was refreshing to chat with an old friend who didn't have a political axe to grind.

    "As soon as possible!" Senator Gallby had said, as Jim asked when he was needed. Jim was born during world war two and like most American men of his generation, was ready to serve whenever his country needed him. He was pleased to be asked, but curious about why he had been chosen. What on earth had he been chosen to do? He had neglected to ask!
How does one explain this sort of thing to his employer? "No publicity." Does that mean that he is to tell no one? The answer came from his boss, David Bradley, who was walking rapidly toward Jim's desk with a serious look on his face.
    "I just got off the phone with Senator Gallby, Jim. He wouldn't tell me what he needs you for, but if he needs you, that's good enough for me." David explained that he was to tell the staff that Jim was on vacation. "Senator Gallby said he needed you as soon as you could get to D.C.! Real cloak and dagger stuff, eh Jimmy? You're not licensed to kill or anything?" he said, grinning.
    "You know I'm not supposed to talk about that, Dave," Jim said, rolling his eyes and feigning seriousness.
    "Better go home and break this to Sally, Jim... Oh, your tickets are at the travel agency on Fifth. You can pick them up on your way."
    Why would David know his tickets were waiting for him? Why didn't Senator Gallby tell him? He arrived home to another surprise. His wife, Sally, had his bag packed and was ready to take him to the airport. Senator Gallby had talked to her, too! She said she was proud of him and was sure that it was nothing dangerous. Everyone seemed to know just a little more than he did about what was going on. The girl at the travel agency had smiled knowingly when she handed him the envelope. She no doubt typed the note that was inside with the tickets.
    Rush! Rush! Jim didn't like things that happened fast. Decisions made in a hurry often had unexpected, sometimes disastrous results. Whether by design or by chance, he was given no time to think about what was going on. Seventy five and eighty miles per hour on the way to Rockford International, required his complete concentration. Sally was excited about the "cloak and dagger" intrigue, and the conversation kept straying. What should she tell the children? What should she tell the neighbors? How do we stay in touch? Questions that were unanswered as Jim pulled the car up to the curb, got out and was met by an official looking man in uniform.
    "Mr. James Lewis? There's no time to waste! Follow me."
    Jim gave Sally a quick hug and kiss as the man picked up his bag and headed for the door. He had never gone through security so fast! Everyone seemed to be expecting him. Everyone seemed to know more about this than he.
The door closed behind him as he stepped onto the 727. The stewardess called him by name and showed him to his seat in the first class cabin. He felt the plane moving as he sat down and fumbled for the seat belt. Jim took a deep breath, exhaled and was able, for the first time since the phone call, to relax and think about what was happening.
    What was happening? Jim soon realized that he had no information to analyze. He had been so flattered when Senator Gallby said he needed his help, that he neglected to ask any questions.
    Senator Gallby needs my help, and I am not supposed to tell anyone, he thought. That's all I know! Jim decided to relax and enjoy the flight. In a couple of hours Wally would be explaining this to him in detail.

---

Catalogue Information

---

About Trafford Publishing:
Our books are manufactured one-at-a-time to fill individual orders -- part of an innovative process we invented, called "on-demand publishing." Authors and organizations from 120 countries are using Trafford for their publishing needs.
If you (or your company) wish to list a title for sale to the public, contact the nearest office or select "publishing offices" from our bookstore pages for details.

Canada • USA • UK • Republic of Ireland Contact Us URL http://www.trafford.com © 1995-2005 Trafford Publishing, a division of Trafford Holdings Ltd. Trafford's Privacy Policy: Client information will never be provided to anyone outside of Trafford and its subsidiaries except where required by law.