Blue Sky and Green Grass: Murder, Money Laundering and Winter Farming In Alaska (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781957263083)

Alaska trapper Ken Whittle prepped his Super Cub airplane for the minus 20-degree Alaska weather. Flying to his trap lines, approaching the first frozen lake on his route, he finds a plane below him nose down in the trees. Landing on the frozen lake, Whittle finds the pilot dead, frozen in his seat. Four duffle bags full of marijuana and metal briefcase with a substantial amount of cash and a .45 automatic Colt pistol inside tempts the trapper. Wrestling briefly with his conscience, he chooses to keep the money, wrongly surmising drug money wouldn't be missed. Drug bosses would notice and send henchmen to retrieve the cash. Whittle notified authorities of the crash and Alaska State Troopers, along with NTSB investigators discover the pilot was murdered. As the case escalates, a massive marijuana grow operation connected to worldwide importation of illicit drugs is uncovered, Informants are found, and circumstantial evidence gathered. Little tangible hard evidence is brought to light that might connect suspects to the crimes. Trooper Seargent and helicopter pilot Karen Holmes and her partner Trooper Craig Stanton are tasked as leads in the web of investigations, responding in daring rescues along with mundane duties that distract from this complicated, dangerous and frustrating case.