Dead to Rights by Jack Patterson (fiction book recommendations .txt) 📕

his eyes widened. He then slunk down against the side of the building.

“What is it?” Kelly whispered.

“See for yourself.”

Cal watched as she followed his instructions only to join him seconds later.

“What’s going on in there?” she asked.

“Sshh,” Cal said, putting his finger to his lips.

“It looks like they’re about to go to war in there.”

“And distribute several kilos of drugs to everyone in Pickett County.”

Cal stood up again to make sure he wasn’t imagining things. But nothing had changed. All types of guns were spread out over one table. In the center of the room were duffle bags with stacks of cash. And against the far wall was a table piled high with drugs sealed in tight clear packets. The contents were almost so astonishing that Cal hardly took time to note all of the people inside. He only remembered seeing Sheriff Sloan along with about a half dozen others.

Cal decided to stand up once more to see if he recognized anyone else.

This time, the room was empty.

Cal heard a click behind him and froze.

“I told you and told you and told you to leave town,” boomed Sloan. “But did you listen to me? Nooo. You had to try to be some hero in your own stupid story. But now you’re just going to end up dead. And all because you didn’t listen to me.”

Cal raised his hands and turned around slowly.

“Look, why don’t you just let us leave now, and we’ll forget we ever saw anything?” Cal said.

“I’ve got a better idea,” Sloan said. “First, I’ll take your camera and destroy it. Then I’ll drop you off in Alligator Alley with your hands and feet tied together. How’s that sound?”

“Sounds like murder,” Kelly grumbled.

Sloan chuckled. “Sounds like a better idea than yours. Now stand up and start walkin’.”

Cal kept his hands in the air as he stumbled along the path toward Sloan’s truck. While Cal’s predicament looked bleak, the only thing he could do to buy them more time was to talk with Sloan. Plus, if Cal was going to die, he at least wanted to know why Sloan killed his daughter—or why he helped cover it up.

“I can appreciate you wanting to murder us, I—”

Sloan clucked his tongue. “Let’s not use the M word around here, okay? Nobody is going to get murdered around here, you understand? You might get eaten by somethin’, but not murdered.”

“One of your Marsh Monsters going to get us?” Kelly asked.

Sloan broke into a guffaw.

“You Yankees always eat that story up,” he said.

“Based on my interviews, sounds like the rest of your town has too,” Cal snapped.

“Oh, they all know it’s good for business, good for the tourism dollars down this way. Just about every enterprisin’ resident of Pickett County has created some kind of Marsh Monster memorabilia, and they peddle it whenever there’s a sightin’.” He paused. “And there just might be a sightin’ tonight.”

Cal stumbled forward in the dark, the tip of Sloan’s gun pressed against Cal’s back as a constant reminder that the end was undoubtedly near. He thought about Kelly, who held his hand tightly, and little Maddie, who would grow up without a father. All the emotions accompanying such thoughts rose up within him—along with the desire to not give up. He had to try something, anything to stall or maneuver himself into a position to make a getaway or at least help Kelly do so.

But in the moment, all he could think to do was keep asking questions.

“So why’d you do it?” Cal asked.

“Do what?” Sloan said.

“Kill your own daughter?”

Sloan exhaled. “That’s where you’re all wrong there, Mr. Murphy. I never killed my daughter. And I think we both know who’s responsible for that—the crazy lunatic that attacked me at my house yesterday. I hope they put him on a fast track to execution after he gets convicted a second time.”

Cal kept walking, squeezing Kelly’s hand. “I know you went to see her that night. We spoke with a witness who saw you there.”

“I didn’t kill her,” Sloan growled.

“So, what did you have to hide?” Kelly asked, apparently emboldened by Cal’s line of questioning.

“That was a long time ago, but you’re right, I did go see her about a private matter for a few minutes and then I left.”

“Where’d you go after that?”

“You reporters are always stickin’ your nose where it don’t belong. But what does it matter? You’re about to become a casualty of the dangerous wildlife livin’ in the Okefenokee in a few hours anyway. I guess it can’t hurt to satisfy that curiosity itch of yours. Maybe you can think about it as you lie on the ground, bleeding out from a vicious gator attack.”

Cal shook his head. “You gonna tell me or just drone on about how torturous you’re going to make our deaths?”

“I was havin’ an affair with Mrs. Elaine Butterfield, the wife of Pickett’s mayor at the time. And I didn’t want him to find out.”

“Is that the personal matter you went to talk to your daughter about? Your affair?”

“That’s somethin’ that will stay between the two of us,” Sloan said before shoving Cal to the ground. “Tie him up, boys.”

Three of the men with Sloan rushed to the ground and bound Cal’s hands together before also binding his feet.

“Now the woman,” Sloan commanded.

In less than a minute, Kelly was also tied up like Cal.

“What are you gonna do with us?” Cal asked.

Even in the twilight, Cal could see Sloan’s teeth glistening as he grinned.

“I’m gonna introduce you to the Marsh Monster.”

CHAPTER 38

CAL MOANED AS SLOAN’S THUGS flung him into the back of a pickup truck. They had the decency to handle Kelly with a little more care, but not much more. His face rested on the bed of the truck as he looked over at her. In the pale moonlight, he could see a tear streaking down her face.

“It’s gonna be all right,” he said. “Trust me.”

She closed her eyes tight and exhaled, remaining