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

I know when you did it. And I’ve already told someone else about it—so don’t even think about trying to kill me off to guarantee my silence.”

“This is absurd. First of all, I’d never kill anyone. And second of all, I’d never do anything like you’re suggesting, especially to Carson. He was one of the best drivers I’ve ever worked with and one of the best human beings I ever met. So, if you’ll excuse me, I really need to get some work done here.”

She remained undaunted. “Nice little speech, but I know the truth and have proof.”

“Proof?” Burns started laughing. “You are crazier than you look—and that’s sayin’ somethin’. If you only knew half of what went on around here.”

“I know everything that goes on around here, including when you snuck off to sabotage the car.”

Burns rolled his eyes. “Oh, please, great oracle, tell me when I committed this crime.”

“Don’t mock me because it’s my testimony that could ruin your career and send you away to prison for a long time.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“Fine. It was at breakfast on Sunday morning. The whole team was there, but not you. You’re the only one who was unaccounted for.”

“What did you do? Check everyone’s room key logs?”

“We had to send a search party out for you at breakfast. Even Ned was worried about you. He told me yesterday that he was ready to give you up to the investigators and tell them that you were suspiciously missing.”

Burns waved her off. “Now, I know you’re full of it.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because I was running an errand for Ned.”

“Oh, really? What kind of errand?”

“The kind I don’t talk about.”

Alexa tied her hair up into a bun. “Typical. Nothin’ but lies out of you. Good thing I told that reporter Cal Murphy about your actions that morning.”

“You did what?”

“I told you I had to tell someone in case you decided to kill me next. That’s my little insurance policy.”

“You need to call him back right now and tell him the truth.”

She giggled. “I already did.”

“No, you didn’t.” He sighed. “You told him a story fabricated from your vivid imagination. Maybe you were still drunk from the night before or you just have it out for me, but I can assure you that you are dead wrong.”

“Then tell me where you were?”

Burns looked at the ground. “I can’t.”

“You mean, you won’t because you know how much trouble it’ll get you in.”

“No, I can’t because I promised that I wouldn’t.”

“Fine. Play it that way. I’m going to let the entire press corps know about this at the next press conference I see taking place here.”

“You can’t do that, Alexa. I swear—”

“What? You swear you’ll kill me?”

“No, you can’t say that. You’re going to get in big trouble for making up a story like that.”

She threw her head back and laughed. “You always were a comedian.”

Burns grabbed her by the arm. “Look at me, Alexa.” He waited until she turned and stared him in the eyes. “I didn’t do anything and you’re only going to hurt yourself by making such accusations to the press.”

“There’s only one way to stop me,” she said, pulling away from his grasp. “You tell me where you were and what you were doing.”

“I can’t. I promised.”

She glared at him. “Break it—right now. Or else I’m going to crash the next media event.”

Burns sighed. “Oh, what difference does it make? One way or another I’m screwed.”

“Out with it.” She folded her arms and eyed him closely.

“I was sneakin’ out a woman for Ned.”

She threw her hands in the air. “Now, I know you’re lyin’.”

He grabbed her arm again. “No, Alexa, I’m not. I can tell you her name and how to get in contact with her if you don’t believe me. I’ve been doin’ this for Ned long before you came around.”

Her expression changed and she began to pace. “Why that no good lyin’—”

“Just calm down, Alexa. Going ballistic is only gonna make things worse.”

“What can be worse than betrayal?”

Burns watched her walk back and forth, muttering to herself about how she should’ve known and how could she let herself fall for such a man. It went on for several minutes before he decided to intervene.

“There is something you could do,” he said. “A little revenge, if you will.”

She stopped and turned toward him. “And what’s that?”

“I think he knows somebody on this crew sabotaged the car—and I think I know who it is. The last thing Ned wants is for that information to be confirmed. It doesn’t look good on him or on the rest of this team. He’s trying his best to keep it under wraps and out of the press.”

“So, what can I do?”

“You can help me catch the saboteur.”

“And how exactly am I gonna do that?”

“Sit tight. I’ve got a couple of ideas. If one of them doesn’t work, I’m gonna need your help to pull it off.”

CHAPTER 28

JESSICA TANNER BRUSHED the tears off her cheeks as she bore down on the road for the Phoenix International Raceway. The place she wanted to be was at a racetrack. Her doctor had warned her not to travel, but Jessica made a habit of going against the advice of others. It wasn’t that long ago that her dad told her not to marry Carson or else he’d leave her heartbroken. She was sure he meant for some other reason, but in the end, her father was right.

Speak of the devil.

Jessica’s phone buzzed and her father’s face filled the screen, identifying him as the caller.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Hey, sweetie. Where are you? I’m outside your house. Wasn’t I supposed to come over today to help paint the baby’s room?”

Oh, shoot.

“Sorry, Dad. I totally forgot about that.”

“Where are you? I can wait—or just use the hidden key.”

“Go ahead and use the key.”

“When are you gonna be back?”

“Not for a while?”

“Like later this afternoon or this evening?”

“Maybe Monday.”

“Monday? Where’d you go?”

“Phoenix.” She cringed and braced for the fallout.

“What are you doing