Dead and Gone by Jack Patterson (universal ebook reader .TXT) 📕

an opportunity to work for another team.”

Cal wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Which one?”

“I’m not going to tell you, but it was one of the best teams out there.”

“So what happened?”

“I didn’t get the job.”

“There’s no shame in that. You’re in a competitive field.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s not like that. Some rumors began to circulate about me—the kind of rumors that no one wants to hear.”

“Untrue, I’m assuming?”

“Completely fabricated.”

“So, who made them up?”

She picked at her salad with her fork. “I can’t be sure, but the only thing I know is that there was only one person who benefitted from the spreading of such rumors.”

“Ned Davis?”

“The one and only.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

She took a drink of water from the bottle in front of her. “Yeah, well, this job still pays well for the time being. I’d like to dip my toes in the water and see what else is out there, but I’m stuck for now. Ned thinks very highly of me and when his offers to pay me more don’t pan out, he resorts to other tactics to keep me tethered to him.” She paused. “Don’t get me wrong—I like what I do. But at this point, I’m more fearful of what might happen if I try to leave to work for someone else. I love racing and want to be involved in this sport.”

“So, you’re saying he’s got a thing for you?”

She smiled. “That’s one way of putting it.”

“That’s too bad,” Cal said. He put his head down and focused on his meal.

“What’s too bad?” said another woman.

Cal looked up and locked eyes with Alexa Jennings, Davis’ girlfriend.

“Huh?”

“What’s too bad?” Alexa asked again.

“Oh, nothing.”

“Well, if I were you, Cal, I’d listen to Sylvia. She knows how to handle Ned—maybe even more so than I do.

“Do you know what we were even talking about?” Cal asked.

“I can only imagine,” Alexa said before flitting toward the buffet table.

He turned toward Sylvia and leaned in close. “And then you have to deal with her?”

“She’s the one you ought to be talking to. If anyone knows what’s going on, she does.”

Cal nodded. “Text me the next time she’s alone in the hauler. I have a few questions for her.”

CHAPTER 15

RON PARKER WAITED until his lunch break to trudge toward the Davis Motor Sports hauler. He’d visited with several members of the crew before, enough to be recognized as someone other than a groupie.

“Can I help you?” Owen Burns asked as Parker approached the truck.

“I was hoping to speak to Mr. Davis,” he answered.

“Do you have an appointment?”

Parker shook his head. “I don’t, but tell him it’s important.”

“Stay right there.”

Several moments later, Burns re-emerged from the hauler with Ned Davis trailing behind him. Burns moved to the side as Davis stepped forward.

“I’m sorry. Have we met?” Davis asked, extending his hand toward Parker.

Parker grabbed his hand and shook it. “We spoke several weeks ago. I work for your trailer that sells all the Davis Motor Sports merchandise.”

Davis nodded. “Oh, yes, I remember now. What can I do for you, Mister—”

“Parker. Ron Parker.”

“Yes, Mr. Parker. How can I help you?”

“I had something I wanted to talk with you about, but it’s kind of private in nature. Can we go somewhere else?”

Davis motioned for him to follow. “I’ve got just the place.”

Parker followed him inside the hauler and into the cramped office. Davis waited for his guest to enter the room before pulling the door shut behind him. He motioned to Parker to have a seat.

“So, Mr. Parker, what can I do for you?”

Parker shifted in his seat. “Well, there’s something you need to know about—something very important.”

“And what’s that?”

“I know who sabotaged Carson Tanner’s car last week.”

Jolted by the accusation, Davis sat back. “Sabotaged?”

“That crash on Sunday was no accident.”

Davis rolled his eyes and threw his hands in the air. “Is there an idiot virus outbreak that I’m not aware of? Geez, I swear if another person tries to sell me that pack of lies today, I’m gonna—”

“With all due respect, sir, I’m not making this up.”

“And why should I believe you? Do you have proof?”

“I know what I saw.”

Davis slapped his knee and glared at Parker. “Do you have a picture of what you saw?”

“Not with me.”

Davis shook his head. “So what do you want? Money? A job?”

“Fifty grand in cash.”

“Are you out of your mind?”

Parker held his ground. “I’m doing you a favor, sir—and giving you a deal to boot. I could fetch twice that from some news outlet hungry to get exclusive rights.”

“So, why come to me, oh great Patron Saint of NASCAR Sabotage?”

“I like you and I think you’ll do the right thing with the information that I give you.”

Davis leaned back and sighed. “And what do you think is the right thing to do?”

“Blackball this soon-to-be former employee of yours and quietly remove him before he costs another driver his life—all while avoiding the public relations nightmare that would ensue if I went elsewhere with this information.”

“Okay, I might agree to your little extortion plan, but I need time to get the money. However, I’m not giving you a dime until I see physical evidence. No picture, no money. Got it?”

Parker nodded.

“Meet me back here at eight o’clock tomorrow morning and we’ll make the exchange.”

Parker exited the hauler and exhaled.

Maybe I should’ve asked for more.

He knew that would’ve been greedy, and getting those thugs off his back once and for all would be payment enough. Now all he had to do was find that phone he’d thrown out the window.

CHAPTER 16

TODD CASHMAN CLIMBED into his car and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Thanks to his win in Texas, his place in the championship race was secure. There were a handful of drivers with a shot to qualify for the remaining three slots open for the final race in Miami, several of whom Cashman despised. This week’s race was more about