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

Cal seethed as he plotted his next words. “You didn’t know they were going to shoot at my wife? That is beyond ridiculous. I don’t believe a word out of your mouth.”

Beaumont stepped back. “Honest, man. I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone.”

Cal poked his finger into Beaumont’s chest. “The only thing I want to know now is who you paid to sabotage Carson Tanner’s car last week.”

“Now, you’ve gone off the reservation. I had nothing to do with that. Nothing.”

“And why should I believe you now, since you’ve already spent the last five minutes lying to me?”

“Because it’s the truth. Look, racing is a like a big fraternity. We don’t always like each other, but nobody wants to see anyone end up dead, certainly not Carson Tanner. He was a good dude.”

“So, why’d you threaten me like this?”

“I never meant to hurt you. But your story had the potential to blow up this team and I’ve waited a long time to get a shot to drive at this level. I didn’t want you screwin’ it up with some muckraking report.”

Cal pulled his phone out of pocket, displaying a large red circle and a timer ticking upward. “Looks like you just did it for yourself.”

Beaumont reached for Cal’s phone. Cal pulled it back and grabbed a wrench lying next to a toolbox. “Don’t make me turn you into a clone of your cousin.”

“I’m gonna hunt you down. You better never let your guard down.”

“I’ll be ready. Don’t you worry,” Cal said.

Beaumont turned and exited the hauler.

Cal waited for a few moments before following him. Sylvia Yates’ eyes were wide as her gaze met Cal’s.

“What was that all about?” she asked.

“You don’t wanna know. But I’ll tell you this—and I say this with the greatest sympathy—I just made your life hell.”

CHAPTER 51

JACKSON HOLMES GLANCED around the garage area at the hive of activity at the hauler. He looked back down at his checklist and continued to move through it methodically. A door slamming shut startled him and he shot a look toward the hauler again to see Beaumont storming off and Sylvia Yates following after him while trying to talk back over her shoulder to Cal Murphy.

“What’s goin’ on over there?” Dirt asked as the commotion gave him reason to pause from his detailed work.

“Beats me,” Holmes said.

“It’s like we’ve turned into a damned soap opera around here,” Dirt said before returning to his duties.

“Ain’t that the truth?”

Holmes bit his lip and appeared to look at the engine, while stealing glances beneath the cover of his cap at Beaumont storming away.

Russ Ross tugged on the safety harness inside the car. Once he pulled his head out, he caught Holmes staring in Beaumont’s direction.

“He’ll have his head in the race,” Ross said. “Don’t you worry.”

“I’m not. Anything will beat Tanner’s pre-game antics, tryin’ to hug the neck of every sick kid in a three-state area everywhere we went.”

“That had nothin’ to do with it,” Ross said. “He just couldn’t drive—period. Huggin’ necks or not.”

Holmes shook his head. “I hope that’s all it was. And I hope Beaumont’s ready. We may not win a championship, but I want us to end this season with a bang.”

“Speakin’ of explosions, here comes Alexa,” Dirt said.

“I heard that,” she said as she sauntered up to the car. She bent down and stuck her head over the engine, right next to Dirt’s. She then made a clucking noise with her tongue as she pulled her head out from beneath the hood. “You might want to check this again,” she said, gesturing toward the area where Dirt was working. “I don’t trust this guy.”

Dirt huffed and rolled his eyes. Holmes didn’t move.

“He’s been known to miss a few things here and there,” she said.

Holmes waved dismissively. “I trust him. Why don’t you let us handle the big boy stuff here and you go back to doing what you do best—whatever that is.”

She shot him a look. “You mean, let you handle it like you did last week?”

“Knock it off, Alexa,” Ross said. “We don’t need this—not now or ever.”

“Yes, Alexa, we have to work to do,” Holmes said. “So, if you’ll excuse us—”

She tossed her head back and flipped her hair over her shoulders. “Don’t worry. I’ll go for now. But I’ll be back soon enough—sooner than you’d like, I promise.”

CHAPTER 52

JESSICA TANNER FIDGETED with the wire running along the inside of her bra. She stopped and stared at the FBI agent holding his hands out to help her. She swatted him away.

“I got this,” she said. “Can you give me some privacy here?” She situated the wire and smoothed out her shirt.

The agent backed away and sat across from her on a couch in the RV. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”

She crossed her legs and took a deep breath. “Not really, but it’s the only way I’m ever gonna get any peace.”

“You do realize this might make you more of a target, if we aren’t able to put these guys away?”

“Damned it I do, damned if I don’t. Besides, if they come after me later, maybe I can pay off Carson’s debt. In the short term, this is what’s best. I need to put all the money I get in the hands of capable surgeons instead of thieving thugs.”

“I guess you know what you’re doing then. Do you want to go over this one more time?”

She checked her phone. It was 10:30 in the morning and she was already on her third cup of coffee. “I’ve got it down.”

“Good luck.”

She dialed the number back that the caller had used to make the initial threat.

“Hello. Who is this?”

“This is Jessica Tanner and you called me about a debt my husband owed you.”

“Yeah?”

“Well, you told me I have a week to pay up, but I’d like to take care of it today.”

“Today?”

“Yes, in two hours at the Phoenix International Raceway.”

“Lady, last time I