Dead Shot by Jack Patterson (adventure books to read .TXT) 📕

his face, Gold appeared to be enjoying the moment. Two reporters who were trying to ruin his life were in handcuffs.

“At last, the two burrs in my saddle are here with me – and I get to crush them myself.”

Cal knew he didn’t have much time, so he began following the script.

“Burrs in your saddle?” Cal asked. “What are you talking about? I was just trying to figure out what killed your son. I didn’t realize I would become such a burr in your saddle for doing my job.”

“All reporters are scum. Your job represents about the most debased profession in our society. Reporters are always burrs in my saddle when they go poking their noses where they shouldn’t.”

“I’m happily guilty then.”

“And so am I,” Kelly chimed in as her nostrils flared. She was anxious to engage the real scum.

“Oh, a feisty one,” Gold said, looking at Kelly. “I always did like you, Kelly. Such a mouth, though. I wonder how well you’ll hold your tongue as you fall to the bottom of the canyon.”

Gold moved closer toward his intended targets. He reached Cal and grabbed him by his upper arm. Then he looked at Kelly.

“Want to see a man fly?” Gold asked.

Kelly glared at him, wisely choosing to hold her tongue.

Cal decided that remaining silent was to his detriment – and it certainly wasn’t in the plan.

“So, you think killing us is going to end the threat of you getting arrested and Cloverdale Industries shut down?”

Gold laughed.

“Absolutely. After all, I’ve got all your physical evidence. Your word of mouth testimony is weak, but I don’t like taking chances.”

“You really think that we didn’t make any copies?”

“Ha! I know you’re bluffing. You’ve watched too many detective shows, Mr. Cub Reporter. There’s no way you had time to get them anywhere else. I destroyed the photos and the photo card myself.”

“You’ve got a lot of confidence, Gold – it’s going to be your undoing.”

“And your mouth is going to be yours. Well, that and the fact that you’re in handcuffs and I’m not.”

Gold pulled out a handgun and pointed it toward Cal.

Cal knew he was running out of time and it was time for his final attempt to get a confession from Gold.

“Before you kill me, don’t you want to know, Mayor?” Cal said.

“Know what?”

“Know how your son and his two teammates went from being healthy teens one day to dead the next, dead in the most gruesome way?”

Gold kept his gun aimed at Cal’s head but played along.

“I hadn’t really cared about the reasons why once I realized my son’s death meant that Statenville and Cloverdale Industries were about to lose everything I had worked to build. Protecting what was left remained the most important thing. I have other family members who are still alive and need consideration.”

“What if I told you that you could avenge his death today along with killing us right here – a three-in-one deal?”

“Go on.”

“Do you really need me to spell it out for you?”

“Mercer?”

“Yep. He’s the one responsible for your son’s death.”

Mercer bowed up and began protesting. “You’re lying, Cal,” he yelled. “Gold, this kid is just trying to save himself. He’s full of it!”

“I don’t believe you, Cal,” Gold said.

Mercer immediately relaxed, but Cal didn’t stop.

“Oh, you don’t believe me? Well, maybe you should ask Mercer about CPZ. He may have some on him right now.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about an FBI program to develop markers to mix into batches of drugs. It leads to a strange itching phenomenon that lands a person in the hospital. The strange phenomenon gets reported back to the CDC and the FBI gathers the information to gain knowledge of a drug operation’s network. That’s what Walker and Mercer were doing in Statenville, helping build a case to take down Cloverdale Industries. And they were gathering enough evidence to put you away forever.”

“But Mercer is in my pocket. I’ve been around long enough to know how to spot a federal agent when I see one – and also how to identify who can be bought. Mercer worked out great – and he has brought you two to me.”

“Yeah, but that still doesn’t change the fact that he killed your son when he inserted those chemicals into the drugs your son took. He was trying to help you. I guess your son was just collateral damage – an unintended consequence.”

“Yes, I’m sure it was unintended. It was most unfortunate, but I know Mercer was trying to help me.”

“Yeah, I’m sure your son would’ve appreciated knowing you thought his life was just collateral damage as he clawed himself to death.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You really don’t know, do you? How your son died? You’re not the least bit curious?”

“Go ahead.”

“When added to meth, CPZ begins working on the liver, forcing bile into the blood stream. When it gets into the blood stream, it creates a powerful itching sensation. Except, the itching can’t be satiated on the surface. The itching is under your skin. Your son scratched himself to death, enduring some of the worst agony in his final few minutes on this earth. All thanks to Mercer here.”

“Mercer, is this true?”

“Like you said, Mayor, I was just trying to help protect Cloverdale and throw off the feds. I never meant for your son to get hurt.”

“Besides, how do you know Mercer is really on your side?” Cal added, confident he had said enough to send Gold into a more passionate rage.

As Cal predicted, Gold began redirecting his anger toward Mercer. He pointed his gun at Mercer and began walking toward him. Cal shot Kelly a glance as they both watched his display of aggression in awe.

Mercer slowly walked backward. He was only 10 feet from the edge of the cliff.

“Hey, now. Come on, Gold. You know it was just an unfortunate coincidence. I never meant for your family to get hurt, much less killed.”

“You killed my son,” Gold said. Anger and hate had given way to a