Dead to Rights by Jack Patterson (fiction book recommendations .txt) 📕

scooted to the side a few inches and put his head back down.

“Anything you say can and will be most helpful as The Innocence Alliance determines if they want to take this case,” Cal said.

“Innocence Alliance? That group that helps get innocent people out of prison?”

“That’s the one,” Kelly said.

“Why do I wanna help them, especially since they got the right man?” Hayward asked.

Cal narrowed his gaze. “So you think Isaiah Drake is guilty?”

Hayward released a large puff of vapor that whipped in front of Cal.

“Can you please not blow that in my face? I don’t really want to get high.”

Hayward looked back up and grinned. “I can tell you know your stuff, Mr. Murphy.”

“Vaping marijuana isn’t that novel of an idea. People do it all the time in Seattle. But that’s another story for another day.”

“I’d rather hear it today—right now,” Hayward said.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll to have to decline,” Cal answered. “We have a big day still ahead of us, and I need to get some answers from some people who were there.”

“And what makes you think I was there?”

“I don’t know. Just call it a hunch.”

“Look, I’ll tell you what I told the police and every other reporter and detective trying to figure out what happened that night.”

“I’m listening.”

“That morning, Drake and I went to get breakfast at Curley’s Diner. Heloise had a slow start to her day after throwin’ down with her old lady friends the night before and wasn’t up.”

Cal looked quizzically at Hayward. “Heloise?”

“My mom.”

“You were living with her at the time?”

Hayward nodded and continued. “It was just as well, though, because Curly loved Drake and never made him pay for a meal. After that, we drove out to an old abandoned racetrack and saw how fast Drake could go. He’d just bought a sweet new action green Rolls-Royce Phantom. It was hot—but not in the street term sense of the word. He was good with his money, but cars were his weakness.”

“So, you raced at the track?”

“Yeah, until Drake hit a pot hole. That ended the racing.”

“What happened next?” Cal asked, scribbling down a few notes.

“He dropped me off and said he had some business to attend to and that he’d meet up with me later at The Pirate’s Den.”

“What time did he get there?”

“He got there somewhere around eight o’clock,” Hayward said before taking a long drag on his vaporizer. “I don’t know exactly what time because I didn’t get there until eight-thirty.”

“Did you see him leave?”

“Yeah, he left in a huff. We all saw it. He went to get a drink, but on his way to the bar, he stopped and pulled something out of his pocket. He looked at it and got really mad. Next thing I know, he’s storming toward the door like he’s jonesing for a fight.”

“Did you go after him?”

“Of course I did. I wasn’t going to let my boy fight someone on his own. But by the time I got out there, he was gone.”

“I drove around looking for him before I decided to cruise by Susannah’s house and see if he was there. His car was parked out front, and I thought about ringing the doorbell. But I didn’t want to bother him, so I just went back to The Pirate’s Den after that.”

“Did you see him again later that night?”

“Nope. Next thing I know, I get a phone call from a friend telling me Susannah was dead and the sheriff arrested Drake.”

Cal shot Kelly a look. She nodded, giving Cal the go-ahead to ask the next question they both knew he wanted to ask.

“Drake told me that you went to the shooting range together that day. Do you recall that?”

Hayward shook his head. “I don’t remember that. I know we went out and shot a few rounds the day before, but the day of . . . I don’t remember that. He probably got his days mixed up. But can you blame him?”

Cal shrugged. “So, are you in the habit of giving out your guns?”

Hayward scowled and took another long drag on his vaporizer.

“It was Drake. What was I supposed to do? Tell him no? Nobody tells Drake no. He gets whatever he wants, whenever he wants it.”

Hayward stood up and nodded toward the back entrance of the pawn shop.

“I gotta get goin’. I hope you find what you’re lookin’ for. Even though Drake was convicted, some people around here still wonder if he really did it or not. But I know he did it.”

Cal nodded. “Thanks for your time.”

Once Hayward disappeared, Kelly locked eyes with Cal.

“What do you think?” asked Kelly.

Cal looked skyward and exhaled. “I’m not sure what to think any more. If there’s one thing I’ve learned so far, it’s this: Somebody is hiding something . . . and we’re going to find out what it is.”

Kelly sighed. “Of course we are. Just as long as I don’t get kidnapped or you get shot, I’m good with it.”

Cal smiled wryly. “I can’t make any guarantees, but I’ll do my best.”

He headed back down the alleyway toward the main road, motioning for Kelly to join him. Waiting for her to catch up, he stared at the building’s old red brick.

When Kelly finally reached him, Cal pointed at the outer walls.

“This place has been around a while,” he said.

But before he could say another word, his field of vision was suddenly impeded by a large poster board sign attached to a yardstick.

What the . . . ?

“The end is near!” shouted a man who held the sign in front of Cal.

Cal pulled Kelly back as the man encroached in their space.

“That’s right. Be afraid. Back away. I know you don’t want to hear the truth!” the man said.

Cal gave the man a head fake to the right before slipping past him on the left with Kelly in tow.

“You can’t escape the inevitable!” the man shouted.

Cal and Kelly quickened their pace and walked back in front of the pawn shop. Standing out by the