The Silver Lake Murder by Gregg Matthews (different ereaders txt) 📕

the backpack. He and Billy need to get back to Cripple Cove as fast as they can. Fighting his way through the woods, breathing heavily, he realizes he needs to take a break.

“Come on, Billy,” Blake shouts, knowing he has pushed Billy hard tonight.

“Okay, Blake,” Billy softly shouts.

Taking a knee, he needs to catch his breath, Billy takes a knee next to him. Themosquitos quickly make their presence known. Perspiration is at its peak on both of them. The cuts and scratches from the tree branches scraping across his skin are burning and itching. He dismounts the backpack, giving his back a rest. He watches as Billy does the same. Looking around the woods at night, he cannot determine where they are. Off in the distance, he sees a couple of stray sky rockets racing across the sky. He assumes the rockets are coming from Little Rock Island.

“Okay, Billy.”

“Okay, Blake.”

He and Billy stand up and hold the backpack in their right hands. He can see Billy is struggling to hold his backpack, he will not make it back to Cripple Cove carrying the backpack. He reaches over and takes the backpack from Billy. He is holding a backpack in each of his hands. He motions for Billy to take the Long-Range Tranquilizer Rifle and black backpack, and he does.

“You sure, Blake?”

“Let’s move.”

He and Billy begin to walk hurriedly in the direction of Cripple Cove.

CHAPTER 22

Looking through the woods, Blake can see his car and Cripple Cove. Looking back, he can see Billy has fallen behind but walking in the right direction. His smartphone reads 2:37 a.m., he keeps moving. The scratching on his face and arms from the branches is burning and itching from the sweat coming off his body. The mosquitoes buzzing around his ears, nose, and mouth are driving him crazy.

“Come on, Billy,” Blake shouts.

“I’m coming,” Billy shouts.

The dirt road of Backside Lane is a welcomed sight. He keeps walking until his feet hit the dirt road. Seeing his car parked on the side of the road is a welcome sight. He was worried about what is in the trunk.

The moon is hanging over the lake, providing enough light for him to walk over to Kevin. The glow from the fires on Little Rock Island makes him think everything is OK. Stopping at the trunk, he knocks a couple of times and hears the desperate moaning coming from Luke. He can hear Luke pleading into the quiet night.

“Please, sir, let me go,” Luke cries in a muffled voice.

Stepping away from the trunk of his car, he puts the two backpacks into the back seat and locks the doors. The water’s edge is calm, he can see Kevin is sitting there with a first aid kit, ready to address his wounds. Looking over the calm, clear water his mind relaxes for a few minutes. He takes a seat next to Kevin.

“Hey, Kevin?”

“Blake, you okay, man?”

“Couple of dog bites,” Blake moans as he sits down.

“Let me get you cleaned up,” Kevin says, grabbing the first aid kit.

There is a small fire next to Kevin. He quickly cleans and addresses Blake’s wounds.

“Thanks, Kevin.”

“How did it go?”

“Good, we have the money,” Blake says smiling.

“Great, where is Billy?”

“He is right behind me.”

“Okay.”

“I will be back in one minute,” Blake says, standing up slowly.

Walking back across the dirt road, he gets to the edge of the woods and shouts to Billy.

“Billy, over here.”

“OK, Blake.”

Looking into the woods, he can see some of the tree branches moving, and Billy stepping through them. He turns the smartphone flashlight on so Billy can see him. He can see Billy adjust his direction and is in front of him quickly.

“You okay, Billy?”

“Yes, Blake,” Billy says, breathing heavily.

“Great, let’s regroup.”

“Okay, Blake.”

He and Billy walk across the dirt road and over to Kevin. He stops at the car and goes into the back seat. He grabs a plastic shopping bag and puts a couple of fists fulls of cashand some gold coins in it for Kevin. He roughly tries to give him a third of the take. He ties a knot in the plastic bag to secure the cash. Stepping out of the backseat, he walks over to where Kevin and Billy are sitting. He hands Kevin the plastic shopping bag.

“What’s this?” Kevin says, feeling the weight of the bag.

“Your cut of the job tonight. One third.”

Watching as Kevin quickly unties the knot and sees the money and coins.

“Blake, this is a lot more than we talked about.”

“It’s your fair share of the take. Hope it helps you in your life,” Blake says confidently.

He and Billy smile at Kevin and thank him for his help with the tools to disable the dogs. They put his Long-Range Tranquilizer Rifle and black backpack into the back seat of his car.

“Thanks for everything Kevin, get some rest.”

“Thanks, Blake.”

“Thanks, Billy.”

“See you later Kevin,” Blake says.

The sound of the engine turning over makes him smile. Kevin drives off into the darkness of the night, leaving no trail of ever being at Cripple Cove. Looking over at Billy as he walks over to the trunk of his car. Some slightly muffled cries for help are heard coming from the trunk. He can see Billy has had enough of the night. Reaching into the backseat, he randomly grabs one of the black backpacks and hands it to Billy.

“Here, take this, Billy,” Blake says, handing him a black backpack.

“Blake, if you give me a lot of money, I will be dead from an overdose in a week,” Billy says, not accepting the backpack.

“Right, so what do you want me to do?”

“Can you send my mother a little money every month? I will give her some and take some for me,” Billy says.

“Yes, I can do that for you,” Blake says.

“Thanks, Blake.”

Watching as Billy is looking at the ground, he thinks he has more to say.

“Lester took off because he was thinking about what he has done in the past when he had extra money, so don’t hate