Greed Can Kill - Bob Doerr

This Jim West mystery/thriller, the seventh in the series, finds Jim traveling to Fabens, TX, in an effort to locate an old acquaintance who had written Jim a cryptic letter asking for his help in finding a briefcase.  In Fabens, he discovers that someone has murdered his friend.  Jim provides a copy of the letter to the local police explaining that he has no idea where the briefcase is or how to decipher the sets of numbers provided in the letter. Figuring there is nothing more he can do, Jim starts his trek back home.  He plans to spend a night or two relaxing at the Lodge in Cloudcroft, NM, on his way only to find that he is being followed.  An ominous, unidentified phone caller gives Jim an ultimatum - find the briefcase and turn it over to him within a week.  A violent confrontation in Cloudcroft verifies Jim’s worst suspicion, a Mexican drug cartel wants the briefcase.  The confrontation also brings the FBI into the picture.  They also want Jim to continue his search.  The search takes Jim to the New Mexican ghost town of Chloride where the final confrontation takes place and Jim finds out who the bad guys really are.