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

a folder from his desk and opened it. “Ronald Parker died of a snake bite—at least that’s the initial assessment from the coroner.”

“I doubt that’s entirely true.”

“What do you mean?”

Cal took a deep breath. “I think Parker was a gambler and owed a big debt to the Goldini family.”

“And what makes you think that? It’s not like they keep books out in the open.”

Jessica leaned forward. “Because the same people who tried to get money out of me from a debt Carson apparently ran up before he died had to be the same people who came looking for Ron Parker the night he died.”

“Perhaps.” Livingston eyed them both closely. “How do you both know all of this?”

Cal cleared his throat. “It’s a long story, but I’ve been doing some investigating of my own related to something else—and these loose threads seem to be forming a sinister tapestry.”

“Interesting,” Livington said. “I’ve got something I want to show you.”

He disappeared for a few minutes and returned holding an evidence bag containing a cell phone.

“What’s this?” Cal asked.

“Ron Parker’s cell phone.”

“And why am I looking at it?”

“We found one on him that had been destroyed with the sim card removed. But we found this one hidden in his car.”

“What’s on it?”

“I was hoping you could tell us.”

Cal’s mouth hung agape. He replayed it for Jessica, who started to cry.

“Can I get a copy of this?” Cal asked.

“Sure. Just message yourself one right now.”

Cal pressed a few buttons. “Thanks.”

“So what were you saying about loose sinister threads? Does this video figure into any of this?”

“It might. And this video might help me prove it. And if I’m right, you won’t have to wait long to bust the Goldinis.”

“And how exactly are we gonna do that?”

Cal smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.”

CHAPTER 50

IT WAS ONLY 9 A.M. and Cal felt like he’d already worked a full day. But there was no time to waste. All the players were converging at the track—or at least, they would be once his plan was fully set into motion. He felt like he’d spent the past few days in a fog, but he knew it would clear in a few hours if they could pull this off.

Cal walked through the gate leading to the garage area and watched all the cars undergoing their final pre-race tune-ups. He spied Sylvia Yates talking on her cell phone just outside the Davis Motorsports Team hauler.

“Good morning, Sylvia,” he said with a smile.

She shook her head. “I wish I could say it was good.” She shook his hand.

“Why? What’s going on?”

“Davis fired Burns last night and replaced him with Jackson Holmes.”

“He did what?”

“You heard me. And nobody knows why at this point—but apparently everybody on press row already found out.”

“How’s that?”

“Burns was escorted off the property, ranting and raving like a madman. Something about how he had a video that proved Carson Tanner’s car was sabotaged.”

Cal bit his lip and decided against tipping his hand about what he knew. “That’s too bad.”

She glanced back at him. “Too bad? I thought you’d be all over him by now since you’ve been hawking that story.”

“I’ve had other issues to deal with lately. Personal issues.”

She nodded. “Fair enough. So, you ready to interview the rising star, J.T. Beaumont?”

“Absolutely.”

She started walking toward the hauler. “Okay, just keep it brief. He’s got a sponsorship event in twenty minutes and he can’t be late.”

“Got it.”

He walked into the hauler and she introduced him to Beaumont before exiting.

Cal wasted no time with pleasantries—nor did he resemble anything pleasant.

He lunged at Beaumont and put hands around his neck. “I don’t know who you think you are, but I swear to God you’re gonna pay for what you did.” He shoved Beaumont once more before backing up.

Beaumont glared at him. “I don’t know who you think you are, but how dare you come at me like that. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, really? Why don’t you give your cousin a call—you know, the one who was staked outside my house last night, the same one who fired a bullet into my house.”

Beaumont rolled his eyes and waved off Cal. “You’re crazy, man. Again, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Cal lunged at him again, this time kneeing Beaumont in the crotch. “I’ve got little patience for this stunt you’re trying to pull.”

“Hit me again and the cops will have to drag me off you.”

Cal leaned in and prepared to take a punch. “Great. I dare you. It’ll just lend more credence to my story that I’m about to publish. The one about how you orchestrated the sabotaging of Carson Tanner’s car just to get this opportunity—and now you’re trying to keep me quiet.”

“You really have lost it.”

“You’re gonna lose everything by the time I’m done with you.”

“Look, man, I don’t know what your problem is, but you’re crazy, okay? It’s time for you to leave because I’ve got a job to do and some real interviews—and I don’t appreciate getting threatened.”

Cal knew he’d crossed too many lines but needed to draw a reaction out of Beaumont before his opportunity was gone. Everything was hinging on this—or so he thought.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and showed a picture to Beaumont. “Recognize this guy?” Cal asked. It was a photo Kelly had snapped and sent to him of Beaumont’s cousin after she’d knocked him out.

Beaumont pulled back and his eyes widened as he looked at the photo. He said nothing.

“That’s what I thought,” Cal said. “That was what my wife did to him. Now he’s in jail.”

Finally, Beaumont broke. “Look, man, I was just trying to scare you. I didn’t mean anything by it. I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt.”

“Oh, really? The only people who really got hurt are your people—and my back, which didn’t enjoy the ride in the trunk.”

“I just told them to rough you up a bit. I didn’t know they were going to do