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

“And that’d be a bad thing?”

Burns chuckled. “Probably not, but racing is all I know. And I love it with every fiber in my being. So, I just had to tell you ‘thank you.’ ”

“My pleasure,” Cal said. “Be safe out there.”

“Don’t worry, I always am.”

Cal hung up and watched a few rays of sunlight beam through the naked trees in his backyard. He understood Burns’ desire to stick with his passion. It’s what drove him to be the best journalist he could be.

Buzzz.

Another text message?

It was the tour chaplain, Burt Glover.

I told you it’d work out.

Cal nodded and put his phone in his pocket.

Yes, you did.

His phone buzzed again.

Geez, what is going on?

It was Folsom.

Speak of the devil. Wonder what he wants?

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

THIS NOVEL wouldn’t be what it was without the help of the good people at the Phoenix International Raceway. Their help was invaluable in helping craft a story that could be considered both realistic in setting and scope.

Zac Emmons, the public relations director at PIR, was a tremendous help in getting me access to the track and drivers. Aimee Dulebohn, one of his team of consummate professionals, was also a big help to me while in Phoenix.

While I might feel like a true NASCAR driver in the number of people I thank, it really did take all these people to help me write a realistic story about a story so many people are passionate about. Justin Allgaier, Kurt Busch, and Jeffrey Earnhardt all took the time to talk with me about their experiences on the track and off of it to help create more realism with the people surrounding racing. Glenn Evans, Ryan Scott, and Manny Leach are some people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help create such great theater during the races — and they all were gracious enough to take time to talk about the sport they’re all so passionate about.

Lauren Emling, Alex Taurus, and Rory Connellan all helped make those interviews with drivers happen, and for that I’m incredibly grateful. They also shared with me their experience around the sport along with Amy Walsh in creating a big picture and their role in the drivers’ lives.

When it comes to those who helped me with the novel, the usual suspects abound, but I first must acknowledge you, the reader, for fueling my passion to write these stories.

Jennifer Wolf once again helped make this a better story with her deft editing skills.

Dan Pitts crafted a beautiful cover that captures the mystery and wonder of where this novel took place.

Bill Cooper continues to crank out stellar audio versions of all my books—and I have no doubt that this will yield the same high-quality listening enjoyment.

I also want to thank Duncan Campbell, one of my readers who over Twitter suggested that I write a story using NASCAR as the backdrop. That kind of interaction with Duncan is one of the reasons I love writing in the new digital age as no author is forced to write in a vacuum any longer.

As always, I must acknowledge my wife for allowing me the time to write this story and to spend time away from our family researching and writing.

And finally you, the reader — thank you for your support in my work. It inspires me to keep writing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JACK PATTERSON is an award-winning writer living in southeastern Idaho. He first began his illustrious writing career as a sports journalist, recording his exploits on the soccer fields in England as a young boy. Then when his father told him that people would pay him to watch sports if he would write about what he saw, he went all in. He landed his first writing job at age 15 as a sports writer for a daily newspaper in Orangeburg, S.C. He later earned a degree in newspaper journalism from the University of Georgia, where he took a job covering high school sports for the award-winning Athens Banner-Herald and Daily News.

He later became the sports editor at a daily newspaper in south Georgia before working in the magazine world as an editor and freelance journalist. He has won numerous writing awards, including a national award for his investigative reporting on a sordid tale surrounding an NCAA investigation over the University of Georgia football program.

Jack enjoys the great outdoors of the Northwest while living there with his wife and three children. He still follows sports closely.

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DEAD AND GONE

Electronic Edition Copyright © 2015 Jack Patterson

eBook ISBN: 978-1-938848-62-9

This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law.

Cover Design by Dan Pitts

Published in the United States of America

Green E-Books Books

PO Box 140654

Boise, Idaho 83713